Summary
Djungarian dwarf hamsters,Phodopus s. sungorus, were kept in natural photoperiodic conditions throughout the year, either inside at a constantT a of 23°C or outside subjected to seasonally varyingT a. Comparisons were made between hamsters from both conditions to evaluate the significance of seasonal changes in photoperiod and/orT a as environmental cues for seasonal acclimatization inPhodopus. Basal metabolic rate was lowest in July (1.68 ml/g·h) and highest in January (2.06 ml/g·h inPhodopus living outside), combined with a decrease inT 1c from 26°C in July to 20°C in January. This was parallelled by seasonal changes in body weight (summer 42 g, winter 25g), fur colouration, fur depth and the occurrence of short daily torpor.
AtT a below thermoneutrality total energy requirements for thermoregulation in winter acclimatizedPhodopus were found 36% lower than summer values (e.g. at O°CT a in summer 1,160 mW, in winter 760 mW), which were effected by a combined strategy of reducing body weight (19%) together with improvements of thermal insulation of the body surface (17%). All seasonal changes were similar inPhodopus living inside or outside, suggesting that seasonal changes in photoperiod and not seasonal changes inT a is the overriding controller for the environmental cueing of seasonality in energy requirements for thermoregulation.
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This research was supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (He 990)
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Heldmaier, G., Steinlechner, S. Seasonal control of energy requirements for thermoregulation in the djungarian hamster (Phodopus sungorus), living in natural photoperiod. J Comp Physiol B 142, 429–437 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00688972
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00688972