Thermoregulation as a limit to habitat use in alpine marmots (Marmota marmota) [La thermorégulation comme limite à l'utilisation de l'habitat chez la marmotte alpine].

Résumé

The body temperature (Tb) of free-living alpine marmots rose with activity; the higher the effective environmental temperature (Te), the higher the rise. Maximum Tb of 400 C was reached at the time of greatest activity in late afternoon or evening. The activity pattern was strongly influenced by the microclimate. Up to an te of 25 C the animals spent more time above ground and were more active the higher Te was, but above 25 0 C this trend was reversed, and the animals wihdrew increasingly into their burrows. On warm days the activity pattern was therefore bimodal and above ground presence was reduced, in contast to cool days. Hence behavioural thermoregulation limits the available time for above ground activity on days with high Te in this strictly diurnal species. We suggest that the alpine marmots' preference for south oriented slopes is due to the better conditions for hibernation there.The microclimate during summer is more favourable on northerly slopes. Thermoregulatory constraints could also keep alpine marmots away from lower elevations.