2025/06/01 by Nicholas C. Wu, Tomás Villada‐Cadavid, Justin A. Welbergen +1 · 1 voice · 1 citation
Agricultural and Biological Sciences · Medicine · Environmental Science · #Bat Biology and Ecology Studies #Viral Infections and Vectors #Environmental and Biological Research in Conflict Zones
paper · pdf · doi:10.1111/ele.70155
ABSTRACT Seasonality is a fundamental challenge for life on Earth and energy storage prior to colder and drier periods by fattening is a common strategy for survival. Fattening should reflect a trade‐off between an expected seasonal energy deficit and the costs of increased body mass, which are particularly important to flying endotherms. We examined body mass change (Δ M b ), a proxy of fat storage, among bat populations over low productivity periods with global variation in yearly average and seasonality of local climates. We found that Δ M b increased with decreasing mean annual surface temperature (MAST) but Δ M b also increased at higher MAST with higher seasonality of rainfall. Seasonal use of body energy reserves by bats is predicted to be widespread in warm, seasonal climates at low latitudes but is poorly studied compared to cold temperate regions. In colder climates only, females lost less mass than males over winter, supporting the ‘thrifty females’ hypothesis, and Δ M b has increased with year of study in warm climates, possibly linked to effects of global climate change on their energetics. Our quantitative synthesis highlights how intrinsic and environmental factors shape seasonal fattening in bats, and its global importance for survival in this diverse and widespread mammal group.