Changing seasonality and phenological responses of free-living male arctic ground squirrels: the importance of sex

摘要: Many studies have addressed the effects of climate change on species as a whole; however, few examined possibility sex-specific differences. To understand better impact that changing patterns snow-cover an important resident Arctic mammal, we investigated long-term (13 years) phenology hibernating male arctic ground squirrels living at two nearby sites in northern Alaska experience significantly different regimes. Previously, demonstrated influences timing phenological events females. Our results here suggest end heterothermy males is influenced by soil temperature and endogenous circannual clock, but emergence from hibernation female emergence. Males both sites, Atigun Toolik, same date spring, remain their burrows while undergoing reproductive maturation. However, Atigun, where snowmelt occur relatively early, emerge 8 days earlier than those maintaining 12-day period between found each site, reducing pre-emergence euthermic critical for This sensitivity to will need be matched phase shifts clock responsiveness environmental factors time heterothermy, if synchrony readiness sexes preserved rapidly climate.