Do sculpin exhibit torpor to offset low food periods?
Do sculpin (Cottus sp.) exhibit torpor to offset low food periods?
Project Details
- Keywords: sculpin, torpor, survival
- Student Investigator:
Annaliese Moll
- Faculty Mentor: Keith Cox, Ph.D.
- Project Period: January 2015–July 2015
Funding Sources
- URECA: $1,962
Abstract
Many organisms struggle during periods of low food availability. In order to survive they down regulate their metabolic rate and go into a hibernation state. However, for non-mammals this state is referred to as torpor. The objective of this project is to conduct record of the metabolic rate of sculpin (Cottus sp.) experiencing torpor within a lab setting. This project is important as little work has been done in this field and may provide clues into over winter survival, compensatory growth, and pulsed feeding regimes.