title: Effect of diet quality and ambient temperature on the use of torpor by two species of neotropical nectar-feeding bats.
abstract: Neotropical bats use torpor as a strategy to save energy when they experience a low energy intake and/or low ambient temperature (Ta). Digestive physiology limits the energy intake of several glossophaginid bats, and could play an important role in the onset of torpor in these tropical animals. We measured the effect that diet quality andTahad on the use of torpor by the nectar-feeding batsGlossophaga soricinaandLeptonycteris yerbabuenaeCaptive bats were fed with 5% (low) or 35% (high) sucrose solutions while exposed to two differentTa(17.7 and 23.2°C; lowTaand highTa) in four different treatments: (1) high sucrose:highTa, (2) high sucrose:lowTa, (3) low sucrose:highTaand (4) low sucrose:lowTaWe measured their energy intake, changes in body mass (ΔMb) and skin temperature (Tskin) as response variables. Energy intake (in 10 h) was limited when both species fed on 5% sucrose, but body mass gain was only affected inG. soricina.Energy intake andTahad a negative effect on the minimumTskinof both species, and ΔMbaffected the time thatG. soricinaused torpor. Both species remained normothermic on the high sucrose:highTatreatment, but used torpor on the other three treatments. Bats used torpor during their resting and activity periods.Leptonycteris yerbabuenaespent more time in torpor in the low sucrose:highTatreatment, whileG. soricinaused this strategy for longer periods of time in the high sucrose:lowTatreatment. We found that diet quality andTaplayed an important role in the use of torpor by nectar-feeding bats.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Investigaciones en Ecosistemas y Sustentabilidad, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Apartado Postal 27-3 (Xangari), Morelia, Michoacán 58089, México jorgeayalaberdon@gmail.com.|CONACYT, Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala, 90062 Tlaxcala de Xicohténcatl, México.
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-2344-1565
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ayala-Berdon
authors.affiliation: Escuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores Morelia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 58089 Morelia, Michoacán, México.
authors.forename: Rommy
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vázquez-Fuerte
authors.affiliation: Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala, 90062 Tlaxcala de Xicohténcatl, México.
authors.forename: René
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Beamonte-Barrientos
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Investigaciones en Ecosistemas y Sustentabilidad, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Apartado Postal 27-3 (Xangari), Morelia, Michoacán 58089, México.
authors.forename: Jorge E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Schondube
mesh_terms: D000824:Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D000818:Animals; D002685:Chiroptera / Q000502:physiology*; D003080:Cold Temperature; D004032:Diet; D002149:Energy Intake; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D008297:Male; D013395:Sucrose / Q000378:metabolism; D064348:Torpor
chemical_list: D013395:Sucrose
keywords: Endothermy; Glossophaginid bats; Nectar; Neotropics; Physiological constraints; Ta