کد مقاله کد نشریه سال انتشار مقاله انگلیسی نسخه تمام متن
4394104 1305519 2008 8 صفحه PDF دانلود رایگان
عنوان انگلیسی مقاله ISI
Potential thermoregulatory advantages of shade use by desert bighorn sheep
موضوعات مرتبط
مهندسی و علوم پایه علوم زمین و سیارات فرآیندهای سطح زمین
پیش نمایش صفحه اول مقاله
Potential thermoregulatory advantages of shade use by desert bighorn sheep
چکیده انگلیسی

Ungulates in arid climates use a variety of mechanisms to cope with environmental conditions that can result in heat stress and dehydration. Use of shade during midday is common among desert ungulates of the southwestern United States. Desert bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis mexicana) use both vegetation and caves as sources of thermal cover. We assessed potential thermoregulatory advantages of the use of vegetation and caves by desert bighorn sheep on the Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge, Arizona. Midday ambient temperatures in caves were an average of 6.9 °C (SE=0.344) lower than control sites; ambient temperature under tree canopies was an average of 3.3 °C (SE=0.950) below control sites. Caves provided higher quality shade than tree canopies; midday temperature in caves was an average of 3.4 °C (SE=1.06) lower than under tree canopies. Potential thermal benefits of both caves and tree canopies increased with increasing daily high temperature. Behavioral adaptations function in combination with physiological and morphological mechanisms and are of critical importance for the maintenance of temperature and water balance. Short-term physiological and ecological performance is influenced by habitat selection and use of microhabitat; abiotic factors (e.g., ambient temperature) can ultimately influence animal fitness and the demography of animal populations.

ناشر
Database: Elsevier - ScienceDirect (ساینس دایرکت)
Journal: Journal of Arid Environments - Volume 72, Issue 8, August 2008, Pages 1518–1525
نویسندگان
, , , ,