Essential fatty acids: their impact on free-living alpine marmots (Marmota marmota) [Acides gras essentiels : leur impact sur sur les marmottes alpines sauvages].

Résumé

Previous laboratory studies demonstratedprofound effects of dietary linoleic acid, a polyunsatureted fatty acid (PUFA), on hibernation patterns in rodents. We investigated PUFA composition in white adipose tissue (WAT), and possible influences of PUFAs on hibernation in free-living alpine marmots (Marmota marmota). Our results show considérable seasonal and regional variation in WAT fatty acid composition, as well as différences between adipose tissue sites. Further, hibernation body mass loss decreased as WAT linoleic acid content increased. Attenuated winter mass-loss in marmots with High dietary linoleic acid uptake appeared to be partly due to lowered mean gradients of body to ambient températures during deep hibernation. We conclude that local variability in dietary PUFA availability may be High enough to result in significant energetic conséquences for free-ranging hibernators.