Can heterothermy facilitate the colonization of new habitats?

Abstract Increasing evidence shows that torpor in mammals is not only an effective adaptation for surviving predictable seasonal harsh conditions but is also employed as a response to acute emergency situations. This finding leads to the hypothesis that the ability to become heterothermic can also facilitate the colonization of new habitats, when mammals have to cross unsuitable, fragmented and/or food‐scarce landscapes. This hypothesis was first suggested in the context of the colonization of Madagascar, and it has never been evaluated in detail. In this review, we discuss the potential of heterothermy to affect colonization possibilities in general and the colonization of Madagascar in particular. We list several points supporting the hypothesis and contend that, unless colonization events coincidentally take place during the hibernation period, spontaneous daily torpor is probably more instrumental for surviving unexpected and severe conditions on a raft or when crossing harsh landscapes than seasonally occurring hibernation. We further propose that torpor can positively affect the establishment of a founder population by enabling reproductive arrest phases until conditions improve. Moreover, if viable offspring are born after arrival, this might abolish the absolute necessity of encountering individuals of the opposite sex. Altogether, it seems therefore consequential that heterothermic mammals with the ability to enter daily torpor are the most likely to arrive ...
Source: Mammal Review - Category: Zoology Authors: Tags: Review Source Type: research