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BIOL 366 > Lecture 29- Mammal Adaptations > Flashcards

Lecture 29- Mammal Adaptations Flashcards

1
Q

Mammals in the north are in ____ diversity

A

Low

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2
Q

Describe the type of mammals in the boreal

A
  • 70 species of which 50 are herbivores
  • Artiodactyla = ungulates
  • Rodentia = rodents
  • Lagomorpha = hares, rabbits, pikas
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3
Q

Describe the types of mammals in the Arctic

A
  • Terrestrial and marine
  • 30-50 mammals in the circumpolar Arctic
  • 14% lagomorphs
  • 40% rodents
  • 33% carnivores
  • 13% ungulates
  • 8-10 seal species and about 9-12 whale species
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4
Q

What are some morphological conditions for adaptations for mammals in the north?

A
  • Body size (Bergmanns rule)
  • Colouration (Glogers rule)
  • Limb size (Allens rule)
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5
Q

What are some morphological adaptations for mammals?

A
  • Thick insulating coat
  • Prescence of a longer baculum
  • Low foot loading
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6
Q

What are the two types of coats mammals have during the year?

A
  1. Short, thin summer coat = usually brown
  2. Long, thick winter coat = usually white
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7
Q

What is an example of a species that have hollow hairs?

A

Caribou

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8
Q

Polar bears have ____ hair because ______

A
  • Translucent
  • It reflects light (appears white) which allows for better absorption of thermal radiation to black skin
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9
Q

Other than a longer baculum, what are some other sexual adaptations in mammals?

A
  • Delayed implantations
  • Allows seperation between mating and giving birth
  • Allows mating during season when mates are accessible
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10
Q

Why do is a longer baculum beneficial in mammals higher north?

A
  • May increase copulation success
  • Evolved to compensate for seasonality of resources and lower population density
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11
Q

What is a benefit to lower foot loading?

A
  • Lower foot loading = high foot surface area
  • Spreads lower body mass across a larger area
  • Skin less in the snow = saves energy and move efficiently
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12
Q

What is the downfall to higher foot loading?

A
  • Sink further in the snow
  • Present in species poorly adapted to snow travel
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13
Q

What are some behavioural adaptations for mammals?

A
  • Migration (mostly caribou)
  • Basking (seals and walruses)
  • Synchronous birthing (caribou, lemmings)
  • Food caching
  • Subnivean living
  • Snow coping methods
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14
Q

What is basking?

A

Angles body towards the sun which warms the body after cold dives

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15
Q

Predator swamping reduces the probability that ______

A

Any one individual will be prayed on

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16
Q

What is synchronous birthing?

A

Majority of the young are born within a short time frame

17
Q

What is food caching?

A

Store excess food for future

18
Q

What are the two types of food caching?

A
  1. Scatter hording = many small caches (reduces likelihood of stealing and requires spatial memory)
  2. Larder hoarding = one large cache (kept near den of animals, must be defended)
19
Q

What are some benefits to subnivean living?

A
  • Tunnels, air circulation = space to live, feed in
  • Access to plants for food
  • Provides insulation from cold
  • Protection from predators
  • Insulates fluctuations in air temperature
  • Hiemal threshold
20
Q

Deeper snow =?
Higher density =?

A
  • More insulation
  • Less insulation
21
Q

What is the hiemal threshold?

A

Snow thickness at which subnivean environment is protected from temperature fluctuations

22
Q

Describe some snow coping methods

A
  • Utilize food above the snow (browsing)
  • Digging into the snow for food
  • Specialized locomotion
  • Trail making
  • Habitat selection within winter range (choose most suitable snow conditions)
23
Q

Describe the snow and lemming cycles experiment

A
  • Tracked lemming density throughout trapping
  • Also tracked snow conditions
24
Q

What are the results of the snow and lemming cycle experiment?

A
  • Highest lemming density every 3-4 weeks
  • Large fluctuations in snow conditions
  • Over time snow depth increased, hiemal threshold reached sooner
  • Higher snow depth = higher lemming densities
  • Higher snow density = lower lemming densities
  • Snow characteristic influenced population cycles
25
Q

What are some effects of climate change on mammal populations?

A
  • Increased precipitation = lemmings no longer have huge population cycles
  • More consequences for community dynamics
  • Predator numbers wont increase periodically
  • Ptarmigan predation wont have periodic increases
  • Reduction in increased grazing by rodents with likely affect plant communities
  • Snowy owls and Arctic foxes had already declined in this region
26
Q

What are some physiological adaptations of mammals?

A
  • Organic phosphates
  • High RBC count
  • Well developed bronchioles
  • Eyesight
27
Q

What do organic phosphates do?

A

Reduces temperature sensitivity of hemoglobin (easier to circulate oxygen in cold)

28
Q

What is a benefit to higher RBC counts?

A
  • More efficient gas exchange
  • Conserves energy
29
Q

What are some benefits to well developed bronchioles?

A
  • Long and increased surface area
  • Improved warming and mixing of cold and warm air = heat conservation
30
Q

Mammals have an increased sensitivity to ?

A

light with blue hue (expanded visual spectrum towards UV light)

31
Q

Why do mammals need adaptations to their eyesight?

A

Long hours of darkness

32
Q

What part of the eye is changed in mammals in the north?

A

Changes to the tapetum lucidum (increases sensitivity and vision)

BIOL 366 (33 decks)

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