NDLI: Seasonal variations in basal metabolic rate, lower critical temperature and responses to temporary starvation in the arctic fox (Alopex lagopus) from Svalbard

Content Provider	Springer Nature Link
Author	Fuglesteg, Britt N. Haga, Øyvind E. Folkow, Lars P. Fuglei, Eva Blix, Arldus Schytte
Copyright Year	2005
Abstract	Metabolic rates of four resting, post-absorptive male adult summer- and winter-adapted captive arctic foxes (Alopex lagopus) were recorded. Basal metabolic rates (BMR) varied seasonally with a 36% increase from winter to summer, while body mass was reduced by 17% in the same period. The lower critical temperature (T 1c) of the winter-adapted arctic fox was estimated to −7°C, whereas T lc during summer was 5°C. The similarity of these values, which are much higher than hitherto assumed (e.g. Scholander et al. 1950b), is mainly due to a significantly (P<0.05) lower BMR in winter than in summer. Body core (stomach) temperature was stable, even at ambient temperatures as low as −45°C, but showed a significant (P<0.05) seasonal variation, being lower in winter (39.3±0.33°C) than in summer (39.8±0.16°C). The thermal conductivity of arctic fox fur was the same during both seasons, whereas the thermal conductance in winter was lower than in summer. This was reflected in an increase in fur thickness of 140% from summer to winter, and in a reduced metabolic response to ambient temperatures below T lc in winter. Another four arctic foxes were exposed to three periods of forced starvation, each lasting 8 days during winter, when body mass is in decline. No significant reduction in mass specific BMR was observed during the exposure to starvation, and respiratory quotient was unchanged at 0.73±0.02 during the first 5 days, but dropped significantly (P<0.05) to 0.69±0.03 at day 7. Locomotor activity and body core (intraperitoneal) temperature was unaltered throughout the starvation period, but body mass was reduced by 18.5±2.1% during these periods. Upon re-feeding, locomotor activity was significantly (P<0.05) reduced for about 6 days. Energy intake was almost doubled, but stabilised at normal levels after 11 days. Body mass increased, but not to the level before the starvation episodes. Instead, body mass increased until it reached the reduced body mass of ad libitum fed control animals. This indicates that body mass in the arctic fox is regulated according to a seasonally changing set point.
Starting Page	308
Ending Page	319
Page Count	12
File Format	PDF
ISSN	07224060
Journal	Polar Biology
Volume Number	29
Issue Number	4
e-ISSN	14322056
Language	English
Publisher	Springer-Verlag
Publisher Date	2005-09-22
Publisher Place	Berlin, Heidelberg
Access Restriction	One Nation One Subscription (ONOS)
Subject Keyword	Zoology Plant Sciences Microbiology Oceanography Ecology
Content Type	Text
Resource Type	Article
Subject	Agricultural and Biological Sciences

Sl.	Authority	Responsibilities	Communication Details
1	Ministry of Education (GoI), Department of Higher Education	Sanctioning Authority	https://www.education.gov.in/ict-initiatives
2	Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur	Host Institute of the Project: The host institute of the project is responsible for providing infrastructure support and hosting the project	https://www.iitkgp.ac.in
3	National Digital Library of India Office, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur	The administrative and infrastructural headquarters of the project	Dr. B. Sutradhar bsutra@ndl.gov.in
4	Project PI / Joint PI	Principal Investigator and Joint Principal Investigators of the project	Dr. B. Sutradhar bsutra@ndl.gov.in Prof. Saswat Chakrabarti will be added soon
5	Website/Portal (Helpdesk)	Queries regarding NDLI and its services	support@ndl.gov.in
6	Contents and Copyright Issues	Queries related to content curation and copyright issues	content@ndl.gov.in
7	National Digital Library of India Club (NDLI Club)	Queries related to NDLI Club formation, support, user awareness program, seminar/symposium, collaboration, social media, promotion, and outreach	clubsupport@ndl.gov.in
8	Digital Preservation Centre (DPC)	Assistance with digitizing and archiving copyright-free printed books	dpc@ndl.gov.in
9	IDR Setup or Support	Queries related to establishment and support of Institutional Digital Repository (IDR) and IDR workshops	idr@ndl.gov.in

The naked fox: hypotrichosis in arctic foxes (Alopex lagopus)

A serosurvey for Trichinella in Arctic foxes (Vulpes lagopus) in Svalbard

Sea-ice use by arctic foxes in northern Alaska

Behavioral audiogram of two Arctic foxes (Vulpes lagopus)

From breeding pairs to fox towns: the social organisation of arctic fox populations with stable and fluctuating availability of food

Red fox takeover of arctic fox breeding den: an observation from Yamal Peninsula, Russia

The food habits of arctic fox (Alopex lagopus semenovi) reproductive families on mednyi island (Commander Islands)

Locomotor development in the Svalbard rock ptarmigan (Lagopus muta hyperborea)

Age-dependent genetic structure of arctic foxes in Svalbard

Seasonal variations in basal metabolic rate, lower critical temperature and responses to temporary starvation in the arctic fox (Alopex lagopus) from Svalbard

Similar Documents

The naked fox: hypotrichosis in arctic foxes (Alopex lagopus)

A serosurvey for Trichinella in Arctic foxes (Vulpes lagopus) in Svalbard

Sea-ice use by arctic foxes in northern Alaska

Behavioral audiogram of two Arctic foxes (Vulpes lagopus)

From breeding pairs to fox towns: the social organisation of arctic fox populations with stable and fluctuating availability of food

Red fox takeover of arctic fox breeding den: an observation from Yamal Peninsula, Russia

The food habits of arctic fox (Alopex lagopus semenovi) reproductive families on mednyi island (Commander Islands)

Locomotor development in the Svalbard rock ptarmigan (Lagopus muta hyperborea)

Age-dependent genetic structure of arctic foxes in Svalbard

Seasonal variations in basal metabolic rate, lower critical temperature and responses to temporary starvation in the arctic fox (Alopex lagopus) from Svalbard