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Morphological Plasticity and Continuous Homeothermy of Overwintering Sorex Vagrans

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Morphological Plasticity and Continuous Homeothermy of Overwintering Sorex Vagrans University of Montana ScholarWorks at University of Montana Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers Graduate School 1992 Morphological plasticity and continuous homeothermy of overwintering Sorex vagrans Scott W. Gillihan The University of Montana Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.umt.edu/etd Let us know how access to this document benefits ou.y Recommended Citation Gillihan, Scott W., "Morphological plasticity and continuous homeothermy of overwintering Sorex vagrans" (1992). Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers. 7020. https://scholarworks.umt.edu/etd/7020 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at ScholarWorks at University of Montana. It has been accepted for inclusion in Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks at University of Montana. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Maureen and Mike MANSFIELD LIBRARY Copying allowed as provided under provisions of the Fair Use Section of the U.S. COPYRIGHT LAW, 1976. Any copying for commercial purposes or financial gain may be under^en only with the author’s written consent. University of Montana Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. MORPHOLOGICAL PLASTICITY AND CONTINUOUS HOMEOTHERMY OF OVERWINTERING SOREX VAGRANS Scott W. Gillihan B. S. Colorado State University, 1984 Presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts University of Montana 1992 Approved by ChairmanA Bd^rd of Examiners Dean, Graduate ■ c2o. Date Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. UMI Number: EP37821 All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. UMT OiftHNTtation AiWmhing UMI EP37821 Published by ProQuest LLC (2013). Copyright in the Dissertation held by the Author. Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC. All rights reserved. This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code uest* ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Gillihan, Scott W., M.A., June 1992 Zoology Morphological Plasticity and Continuous Homeothermy of Overwintering Sorex vaarans (76 pp.) Director: Kerry R. Foresman Shrews are the smallest mammals to remain active all winter in North Temperate climates. Because their small size allows for minimal capacity for heat and energy storage, shrews experience rapid energetic turnover. This problem is exacerbated by the low ambient temperatures and reduced prey availability. To enhance overwinter survival, shrews employ a host of morphological, physiological, and behavioral strategies; this study examined the vagrant shrew (Sorex vaarans) for evidence of three of these strategies: winter weight depression, daily torpor, and reduced activity. Shrews were collected in western Montana throughout a 12- month period to provide a seasonal series of specimens. Total weight, total length, tail length, cranium height, and relative weights of the adrenals, liver, heart, testes, and interscapular brown adipose tissue were determined for each specimen. Additionally, winter-acclimatized shrews were housed in an environmental chamber under simulated natural photoperiod and temperature. The animals were placed on restricted diets and nest temperature was monitored for evidence of daily torpor. Data were collected concurrently on rest and activity periods, and compared with published data for summer-acclimatized S. vaarans. Most morphological values declined from the first summer to minimum values in winter, then increased to their highest values in the second spring and summer as sexual maturity was reached. Relative size of the heart and brown adipose tissue remained fairly constant. The winter weight loss is believed to serve to reduce absolute energy demands. Weight loss data from this study were graphed with similar data from the literature; the magnitude of the loss was seen to be greater in geographic areas with lower winter temperatures. No evidence of daily torpor was noted, although the possibility of very brief depressions of metabolism could not be eliminated. Analysis of activity patterns suggested that S. vaarans forages more frequently in winter, but for shorter periods, spending more time in the relative warmth of the nest. 11 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I am grateful to my advisor, Dr. Kerry Foresman, for his guidance in all phases of this study; Kerry's door was always open, and he never hesitated to set aside his work in order to discuss mine. I would also like to thank my committee members, Drs. Ken Dial and Dan Pletscher; their suggestions and criticisms greatly improved this thesis. Dave Worthington's computer expertise was invaluable, as were his comments throughout the course of this project. Jon Gregg and Burl Williams provided skillful assistance in setting up the equipment for the torpor trials. Debbie Conway, Darla Sherrard, and Chuck Tomkiewicz cheerfully helped with the very unglamorous task of digging pitfall traps. Steve Bell generously provided some of the shrews. Georgia Case assisted with field work but, more importantly, helped me to keep all of this in its proper perspective. I am especially grateful to Brenda Martin for sharing the sacrifice, frustration, drudgery, stress, challenge, accomplishment, triumph, and exultation that is graduate school. I reserve my highest praise for my family, whose unwavering support made everything possible. This research was funded in part by the University of Montana's Division of Biological Sciences, and by two Grants-in-Aid of Research from Sigma Xi. Ill Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. TABLE OF CONTENTS page ABSTRACT ........................................... Ü ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS........................................ iii LIST OF TABLES.......................................... V LIST OF FIGURES.......................................... vi INTRODUCTION............................................. 1 METHODS.................................................. 9 Trapping............................................ 9 Morphological Measurements ........... 9 Torpor Trials...................................... 10 Activity Patterns.................................. 12 Analysis............................................ 12 RESULTS........................... 15 Morphological Measurements......................... 15 Torpor Trials............... 29 Activity Patterns.................................. 29 DISCUSSION........................... 35 Morphological Measurements;........................ 35 Torpor Trials...................................... 48 Activity Patterns.................................. 53 APPENDIX. STATISTICAL TESTS............................. 56 LITERATURE CITED......................................... 68 IV Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. LIST OF TABLES Table Page 1 Comparison of male body weight by season.......... 56 2 Comparison of female body weight by season........ 57 3 Comparison of total length by season.............. 58 4 Comparison of tail length by season............... 59 5 Comparison of body length by.season......... 60 6 Comparison of cranium height by season......... 61 7 Comparison of adrenal gland index by season....... 62 8 Comparison of liver index by.season............... 63 9 Comparison of heart index by.season............... 64 10 Comparison of brown adipose tissue index by season............................................... 65 11 Comparison of testes index by season.............. 66 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. LIST OF FIGURES Page 1 Body weight..................... .................. 16 2 Male length measurements........................... 17 3 Female length measurements........................ 18 4 Cranium height.......... 19 5 Male adrenal gland weight and index................ 20 6 Female adrenal gland weight and index............. 21 7 Male liver weight and index. ................... 22 8 Female liver weight and index............... 23 9 Male heart weight and index............ 24 10 Female heart weight and index...................... 25 11 Male brown adipose tissue weight and index........ 26 12 Female brown adipose tissue weight and index...... 27 13 Testes weight and index............................ 28 14 Representative sleep period........................ 30 15 Representative rest/activity period................ 31 16 Daily activity pattern of shrews on ad lib diet............ 33 17 Daily activity pattern of shrews on restricted diet................................. 34 18 Mean monthly temperatures at Missoula............. 36 19 Mean monthly precipitation at Missoula............ 37 20 Winter
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