AROUSE · Assessing the impact of climate fluctuations on hibernation phenology using novel dental biomarkers

Assessing the impact of climate fluctuations on hibernation phenology using novel dental biomarkers

Recent increases in global temperatures have been severely affecting the hibernation patterns of small mammals. Many species now tend to emerge too early in spring, potentially altering individual fitness and posing risks to population viability. Hibernation is a key physiological mechanism of metabolic reduction that allows small endothermic mammals to survive harsh seasonal climates, and it is associated with increased survival rates and the evolution of slow life histories. Previous research has investigated modern small-mammal hibernation from neurological, ethological, and physiological perspectives. However, despite its importance for understanding the link between climate change and phenology, the direct influence of long-term paleoclimatic fluctuations on small-mammal torpor and physiology has remained unexplored. Over the past ~50,000 years, several abrupt climate change events marked the transition from glacial to interglacial periods, profoundly impacting the life histories of mammals, including humans. The AROUSE project addresses this gap by examining the hibernation of small mammals from a novel, interdisciplinary perspective. It focuses on the micro-chemistry and histomorphometry of well-dated fossil and modern Alpine marmot (Marmota marmota) incisors, spanning from the Late Pleistocene to the Holocene, thus encompassing the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). Marmot odontoskeletal remains are abundant in archaeological contexts across this timeframe, providing an exceptional archive for the study of physiological adaptation. Through this approach, the project aims to generate unprecedented insights into the physiology, adaptation, and ecology of marmot hibernation during critical climatic transitions. The results are expected to inform multiple disciplines, including ethology, conservation biology, animal physiology, paleontology, paleoanthropology, archaeology, and modern medicine, supporting broader societal objectives related to climate change adaptation and biodiversity resilience. The expected impacts are significant in scale and scope. The identification of robust chemical biomarkers for hibernation and torpor will open new avenues in chronobiology, conservation planning, and the study of metabolic regulation, potentially informing medical research on suspended animation and metabolic disorders. Beyond scientific advances, the project also enhances awareness of how past biotic responses to climate variability can inform present-day conservation and climate strategies.

Текст от CORDIS, на английски · Данни: CORDIS, © Европейски съюз