The winter metabolic depression in Arctic beavers ( Castor canadensis Kuhl) with comparisons to California beavers
No major seasonal changes were observed in California beavers kept under Vancouver climatic conditions, with a constant ration made available ad libitum, but Arctic beavers kept under the same conditions showed a growth cessation, a 40% reduction in food intake, and a depression in the 131 PBI conve...
Published in: | Canadian Journal of Zoology |
---|---|
Main Authors: | , |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
Published: |
Canadian Science Publishing
1969
|
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z69-157 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/z69-157 |
id |
crcansciencepubl:10.1139/z69-157 |
---|---|
record_format |
openpolar |
spelling |
crcansciencepubl:10.1139/z69-157 2023-12-17T10:24:43+01:00 The winter metabolic depression in Arctic beavers ( Castor canadensis Kuhl) with comparisons to California beavers Aleksiuk, Michael Cowan, Ian McTaggart 1969 http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z69-157 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/z69-157 en eng Canadian Science Publishing http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/page/about/CorporateTextAndDataMining Canadian Journal of Zoology volume 47, issue 5, page 965-979 ISSN 0008-4301 1480-3283 Animal Science and Zoology Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics journal-article 1969 crcansciencepubl https://doi.org/10.1139/z69-157 2023-11-19T13:38:15Z No major seasonal changes were observed in California beavers kept under Vancouver climatic conditions, with a constant ration made available ad libitum, but Arctic beavers kept under the same conditions showed a growth cessation, a 40% reduction in food intake, and a depression in the 131 PBI conversion ratio during the winter. These findings strongly indicated that the observed changes in the Arctic form are inherent attributes.Manipulation of light conditions had no detectable effects on California beavers but exposure of Arctic beavers to constant darkness, beginning in October, resulted in a reduction of food intake to zero after 17 and 22 days in two animals respectively, a weight loss, and a complete muscular paralysis of unknown nature. Exposure to constant incandescent light after 24 days of darkness erased these effects.It was concluded that northern beavers possess a winter metabolic depression induced by decreasing light intensity in the autumn. The normal mechanism for reversal is unknown, but restoration of light can accomplish reversal. The metabolic depression is poorly understood, but is characterized by an absence of growth, low thyroid activity, low food intake, a normal body temperature, and possibly a peripheral control of activity. The physiology of the apparent control mechanism is unknown. Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic Canadian Science Publishing (via Crossref) Arctic Canadian Journal of Zoology 47 5 965 979 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Canadian Science Publishing (via Crossref) |
op_collection_id |
crcansciencepubl |
language |
English |
topic |
Animal Science and Zoology Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics |
spellingShingle |
Animal Science and Zoology Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics Aleksiuk, Michael Cowan, Ian McTaggart The winter metabolic depression in Arctic beavers ( Castor canadensis Kuhl) with comparisons to California beavers |
topic_facet |
Animal Science and Zoology Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics |
description |
No major seasonal changes were observed in California beavers kept under Vancouver climatic conditions, with a constant ration made available ad libitum, but Arctic beavers kept under the same conditions showed a growth cessation, a 40% reduction in food intake, and a depression in the 131 PBI conversion ratio during the winter. These findings strongly indicated that the observed changes in the Arctic form are inherent attributes.Manipulation of light conditions had no detectable effects on California beavers but exposure of Arctic beavers to constant darkness, beginning in October, resulted in a reduction of food intake to zero after 17 and 22 days in two animals respectively, a weight loss, and a complete muscular paralysis of unknown nature. Exposure to constant incandescent light after 24 days of darkness erased these effects.It was concluded that northern beavers possess a winter metabolic depression induced by decreasing light intensity in the autumn. The normal mechanism for reversal is unknown, but restoration of light can accomplish reversal. The metabolic depression is poorly understood, but is characterized by an absence of growth, low thyroid activity, low food intake, a normal body temperature, and possibly a peripheral control of activity. The physiology of the apparent control mechanism is unknown. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Aleksiuk, Michael Cowan, Ian McTaggart |
author_facet |
Aleksiuk, Michael Cowan, Ian McTaggart |
author_sort |
Aleksiuk, Michael |
title |
The winter metabolic depression in Arctic beavers ( Castor canadensis Kuhl) with comparisons to California beavers |
title_short |
The winter metabolic depression in Arctic beavers ( Castor canadensis Kuhl) with comparisons to California beavers |
title_full |
The winter metabolic depression in Arctic beavers ( Castor canadensis Kuhl) with comparisons to California beavers |
title_fullStr |
The winter metabolic depression in Arctic beavers ( Castor canadensis Kuhl) with comparisons to California beavers |
title_full_unstemmed |
The winter metabolic depression in Arctic beavers ( Castor canadensis Kuhl) with comparisons to California beavers |
title_sort |
winter metabolic depression in arctic beavers ( castor canadensis kuhl) with comparisons to california beavers |
publisher |
Canadian Science Publishing |
publishDate |
1969 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z69-157 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/z69-157 |
geographic |
Arctic |
geographic_facet |
Arctic |
genre |
Arctic |
genre_facet |
Arctic |
op_source |
Canadian Journal of Zoology volume 47, issue 5, page 965-979 ISSN 0008-4301 1480-3283 |
op_rights |
http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/page/about/CorporateTextAndDataMining |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1139/z69-157 |
container_title |
Canadian Journal of Zoology |
container_volume |
47 |
container_issue |
5 |
container_start_page |
965 |
op_container_end_page |
979 |
_version_ |
1785569424168714240 |