Post-fire recovery of torpor and activity patterns of a small mammal

• Published in: Biology letters (2005) 2017-05, Vol.13 (5), p.20170036-20170036
• Main Authors: Stawski, Clare, Hume, Taylor, Körtner, Gerhard, Currie, Shannon E., Nowack, Julia, Geiser, Fritz
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Activity patterns; Animal behavior; Animals; Antechinus; Antechinus stuartii; Behaviour; Ecosystem; Energy conservation; Energy consumption; Female; Fires; Food availability; Food security; Foraging habitats; Ground cover; Heterothermy; Mammals; Marsupial; Physiology; Predation; Recovery; Shelters; Torpor
• ISSN: 1744-9561; 1744-957X
• DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2017.0036

To cope with the post-fire challenges of decreased availability of food and shelter, brown antechinus (Antechinus stuartii), a small marsupial mammal, increase the use of energy-conserving torpor and reduce activity. However, it is not known how long it takes for animals to resume pre-fire torpor and activity patterns during the recovery of burnt habitat. Therefore, we tested the hypothesis that antechinus will adjust torpor use and activity after a fire depending on vegetation recovery. We simultaneously quantified torpor and activity patterns for female antechinus from three adjacent areas: (i) the area of a management burn 1 year post-fire, (ii) an area that was burned 2 years prior, and (iii) a control area. In comparison to shortly after the management burn, antechinus in all three groups displayed less frequent and less pronounced torpor while being more active. We provide the first evidence that only 1 year post-fire antechinus resume pre-fire torpor and activity patterns, probably in response to the return of herbaceous ground cover and foraging opportunities.