Calibrating the data logger…
Mammals living in high-altitude environments must time their reproduction carefully so that offspring are born when food is available. For hibernating squirrels, food does not become available in the spring until melting snow stimulates growth of green vegetation, hence these squirrels often must emerge from hibernation and mate before the snow melts. However, we don't know what cues females use to anticipate the time of snow melt, in order to determine the correct time to mate, and we don't know what the consequences are for females that mate too late or too early. This study proposes to address both questions. The results will not only increase our understanding of how mammals adapt to the strong seasonality of high-altitude environments, but it also may enhance our understanding of the effects of climate change. Scientists fear that one consequence of warming temperatures is that the cues that animals use to anticipate seasonal events may no longer accurately predict those events.