R. Otsu et T. Kimura, EFFECTS OF FOOD AVAILABILITY AND AMBIENT-TEMPERATURE ON HIBERNATION IN THE JAPANESE DORMOUSE, GLIRULUS-JAPONICUS, Journal of ethology, 11(1), 1993, pp. 37-42
The effects of food availability and ambient temperature (Ta) on hiber
nation in the Japanese dormouse, Glirulus japonicus, were examined. Wh
en the dormice were deprived of food under natural environmental condi
tions in midwinter, they showed typical hibernation patterns; in contr
ast, the animals given ad lib food did not show continuous long-term t
orpor. Furthermore, exposure to constant low temperature did not affec
t the torpor patterns in the animals receiving adequate food. These re
sults suggest that food availability plays a decisive role in the onse
t and maintenance of hibernation in this species, and that low Ta does
not have a great influence on the torpor patterns in animals with acc
ess to food. This differs from the previous study that emphasized the
importance of Ta in the occurrence of torpor and discounted the effect
s of food shortage.