Heat production in the lev ant vole microtus guentheri

The Levant vole Microtus guentheri is a common species in the "FertileCrescent". The populations of this species in Israel are marginal and they seemto be well adapted to the long dry and warm season of the Mediterraneanecosystem. Heat production and dissipation, nonshivering thermogenesis, andfood and energy consumption were studied in voles acclimated to an ambienttemperature of25 oc under a photoperiod regime of 121.: 12D. The Levant rolehas a high metabolic rate. Its resting metabolic rate is 39% higher than predictedfrom body mass. The high metabolic rate is sustained by high food and energyintakes, as well as by a high thermal conductance. High thermal conductancemay be considered as an adaptation for dissipating heat in a warm environment.Nonshivering thermogenesis is relatively low and therefore it may be assumedthat, under these conditions, the Levant vole does not depend on it as a majorsource of heat production.