Abstract
The effect of ambient temperature on the daily running activity of the red squirrel TAMIASCIURUS HUDSONICUS was investigated. Running-wheel activity (min/day) of live-trapped male and female animals was monitored for 7 days in the laboratory after 10–16 days adaptation at environmental temperatures of 10°, 20°, 30° and 35°C and the mean daily activity correlated with Ta. The data show that activity and environmental temperature are inversely related. It is believed that the level of spontaneous running-wheel activity at these temperatures is a function of the heat balance of the animal.
Zusammenfassung
Die Wirkung der Umgebungstemperatur auf die Laufaktivität des Rothörnches, TAMIASCIURUS HUDSONICUS wurde im Laboratorium untersucht. Die Laufaktivität (Min./Tag) von lebend gefangenen männlichen und weiblichen Tieren wurde in einer Temperaturkammer nach je 10–16 Tagen Anpassung nacheinander bei Umgebungstemperaturen von 10°, 20°, 30° und 35°C als Mittel aus 7 Tagen-Versuche berechnet und mit der Temperatur korreliert. Die Werte zeigen, dass die Umgebungstemperatur und spontane Laufaktivität negativ korreliert sind. Es wird die Auffassung vertreten, dass das Ausmass der Laufaktivität bei diesen Temperaturen eine Funktion des Wärmegleichgewichtes der Tiere ist.
Resume
On a observé en laboratoire les effets de la température ambiante sur les déplacements de l'écureuil roux (TAMIASCIURUS HUDSONICUS). Pour l'expérience, on a utilisé des animaux des deux sexes capturés vivants et placés successivement, après 10 à 16 jours d'adaptation, à des températures de 10°, 20°, 30° et 35°C. On a ensuite calculé la corrélation entre la moyenne journalière (en minutes/jour) de 7 jours d'exposition d'une part, la température d'autre part. Les résultats montrent que la température ambiante et l'activité déambulatoire spontanée de cette sorte d'écureuils sont en relation inverse. On pense que l'importance de cette activité est fonction, par ces températures, de l'équilibre thermique des animaux examinés.
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Clarkson, D.P., Ferguson, J.H. Environmental temperature versus spontaneous running—wheel activity in the red squirrel, TAMIASCIURUS HUDSONICUS. Int J Biometeorol 16, 269–276 (1972). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01553738
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01553738