Checking billy barr’s snow log…
Phenological mismatch has been shown to impact juvenile growth and body condition in several species of birds, but its effects on juvenile growth in small mammals are less well-documented. Golden-mantled ground squirrels (Callospermophilus lateralis, GMGS) are a small, hibernating mammal to whom body mass is particularly important for survival during their first winter. Using historic data from 1996-2021 from long-term studies at the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory, I investigated how GMGS pup growth rate is affected by litter emergence timing relative to the timing of peak abundance of common dandelions (Taraxacum officinale), a key diet item for GMGS. I found that pups emerging slightly later relative to peak dandelion abundance (greater mismatch) showed lower growth rates within two-weeks of emergence, with weaker effects of emergence timing on four and six-week growth rates, suggesting that older pups are better able to buffer against the effects of mismatch.
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