Body Composition Dynamics of a Small Herbivore, the Meadow Vole (Microtus Pennsylvanicus): A Field and Laboratory Perspective

In the field, meadow voles are relatively lean year-round, maintaining between 2 to 3 g of lipid. Percent body fat of individuals varied seasonally due primarily to losses in body mass of adult voles and reduction in growth rates by subadults during winter. When brought into the laboratory, voles si...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Unangst, Edward T., Jr
Format: Report
Language:English
Subjects:
ADIPOSE TISSUE
ADULTS
Anatomy and Physiology
ANIMALS
Biology
BODY WEIGHT
DIET
FATS
HERBIVORE
LIPID METABOLISM
LIPIDS
MEADOW VOLES (MICROTUS PENNSYLVANICUS)
PLANT-EATING ANIMALS
RODENTS
VEGETATION
VERTEBRATES
WILDLIFE
Online Access:Request full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:In the field, meadow voles are relatively lean year-round, maintaining between 2 to 3 g of lipid. Percent body fat of individuals varied seasonally due primarily to losses in body mass of adult voles and reduction in growth rates by subadults during winter. When brought into the laboratory, voles significantly increased body mass due to large gains in lipid mass and small decreases in fat-free mass, regardless of season of capture or diet quality. Within three weeks, voles increased body fat from 5 to 25% whether eating lab chow (5% dietary fat) or rabbit chow.