<
https://theconversation.com/bats-get-fat-to-survive-hard-times-but-climate-change-is-threatening-their-survival-strategy-259560>
"Bats are often cast as the unseen night-time stewards of nature, flitting
through the dark to control pest insects, pollinate plants and disperse seeds.
But behind their silent contributions lies a remarkable and underappreciated
survival strategy: seasonal fattening.
Much like bears and squirrels, bats around the world bulk up to get through
hard times – even in places where you might not expect it.
In a paper published today in
Ecology Letters, we analysed data from bat
studies around the world to understand how bats use body fat to survive
seasonal challenges, whether it’s a freezing winter or a dry spell.
The surprising conclusion? Seasonal fattening is a global phenomenon in bats,
not just limited to those in cold climates.
Even bats in the tropics, where it’s warm all year, store fat in anticipation
of dry seasons when food becomes scarce. That’s a survival strategy that’s been
largely overlooked. But it may be faltering as the climate changes, putting
entire food webs at risk."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
