Maximising survival by shifting the daily timing of activity

Author(s)

van der Vinne, Vincent ^[1] ; Tachinardi, Patricia ^{[2, 1]} ; Riede, Sjaak J. ^{[1, 3]} ; Akkerman, Jildert ^[1] ; Scheepe, Jamey ^[1] ; Daan, Serge ^[1] ; Hut, Roelof A. ^[1]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Groningen, Chronobiol Unit, Groningen Inst Evolutionary Life Sci, NL-9747 AG Groningen - Netherlands

^[2] Univ Sao Paulo, Dept Fisiol, Inst Biociencias, BR-05508 Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[3] Univ Leipzig, Dept Med, Integrated Res & Treatment Ctr Adipos Dis, Leipzig - Germany

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: ECOLOGY LETTERS; v. 22, n. 12, p. 2097-2102, DEC 2019.
• Web of Science Citations: 0

Abstract

Maximising survival requires animals to balance the competing demands of maintaining energy balance and avoiding predation. Here, quantitative modelling shows that optimising the daily timing of activity and rest based on the encountered environmental conditions enables small mammals to maximise survival. Our model shows that nocturnality is typically beneficial when predation risk is higher during the day than during the night, but this is reversed by the energetic benefit of diurnality when food becomes scarce. Empirical testing under semi-natural conditions revealed that the daily timing of activity and rest in mice exposed to manipulations in energy availability and perceived predation risk is in line with the model's predictions. Low food availability and decreased perceived daytime predation risk promote diurnal activity patterns. Overall, our results identify temporal niche switching in small mammals as a strategy to maximise survival in response to environmental changes in food availability and perceived predation risk. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 14/23843-6 - Timing of locomotor activity and body temperature under energetic challenges: a lab and field approach
• Grantee: Patricia Tachinardi Andrade Silva
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate