Summer declines in activity and body temperature offer polar bears limited energy savings
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Abstract
Polar bears (Ursus maritimus) summer on the sea ice or, where it melts, on shore. Although the physiology of “ice” bears in summer is unknown, “shore” bears purportedly minimize energy losses by entering a hibernation-like state when deprived of food. Such a strategy could partially compensate for the loss of on-ice foraging opportunities caused by climate change. However, here we report gradual, moderate declines in activity and body temperature of both shore and ice bears in summer, resembling energy expenditures typical of fasting, nonhibernating mammals. Also, we found that to avoid unsustainable heat loss while swimming, bears employed unusual heterothermy of the body core. Thus, although well adapted to seasonal ice melt, polar bears appear susceptible to deleterious declines in body condition during the lengthening period of summer food deprivation.
| Publication type | Article |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
| Title | Summer declines in activity and body temperature offer polar bears limited energy savings |
| Series title | Science |
| DOI | 10.1126/science.aaa8623 |
| Volume | 349 |
| Issue | 6245 |
| Year Published | 2015 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | American Association for the Advancement of Science |
| Publisher location | New York, NY |
| Contributing office(s) | Alaska Science Center Biology MFEB |
| Description | 4 p. |
| First page | 295 |
| Last page | 298 |
| Online Only (Y/N) | N |
| Additional Online Files (Y/N) | N |
| Google Analytic Metrics | Metrics page |