Researchers at University of Manitoba find connection between ground squirrels and climate change
Ground squirrels and climate change, how are these two things connected?
University of Manitoba researchers have found a link between the two subjects and it has to do with the rodents' feet and sperm.
Miya Warrington and Jane Waterman, two researchers at the U of M, recently discovered some male Richardson's ground squirrels came out of hibernation during a warm winter and they had non-motile sperm.
The researchers said this was caused by the warmer-than-normal temperatures which caused the ground squirrels to end hibernation early.
Despite "shooting blanks" out of hibernation, the researchers said it didn't impact the number of young that were born this time.
"It could have gone badly. You could've had a year of not having as many young," said Warrington in an interview with CTV News.
However, this discovery led the researchers to look at ground squirrels in Africa.
Waterman has run a research project in South Africa on a population of Cape ground squirrels and had already compiled data on the animals over the years.
The researchers found the temperatures had risen by more than two degrees over the last 20 years where the ground squirrels were living and as a result, they noticed the rodents now have larger feet and smaller bodies.
The larger feet and smaller bodies help the animals cool down faster in the hot climate.
Warrington said these changes may seem small and not overly significant but it is something to keep an eye on.
"The thing about (ground squirrels), they are ecosystem engineers. So, these little ground squirrels, they create these burrows in clusters across the grasslands. And this actually contributes to the diversity of other animals there," said Warrington. "So if these guys even start changing how they behave, as well as their foot size and social behaviours, you could see changes in the ecosystem."
Warrington said they don't know yet if these changes can be classified as good or bad but there are several scenarios that they could speculate on.
"Maybe they are cooling down, but maybe it affects their ability to run away from predators...the other thing is if bodies are getting smaller, does that mean burrows are going to get smaller and change the landscape a bit, and what animals can use it. We don't know some of this stuff, but it's all things to think about because they are changing their environment just by being there. Anything that affects them could potentially affect the rest of the ecosystem."
She said people don't ignore the fatal impacts of climate change such as large wildfires or flooding, but added we can't ignore the non-lethal impacts either, like ground squirrel feet size, saying these seemingly little impacts now could lead to larger effects in the future.
"I think when we really think about these small effects, I think it's just to be mindful that these effects are occurring. Don't ignore them and just say, 'We're only going to look at the big things, only big things matter.' The small ones, they're indicators that something is going on."
The findings of Waterman and Warrington were published in the Journal of Mammalogy.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Doctors say capital gains tax changes will jeopardize their retirement. Is that true?
The Canadian Medical Association asserts the Liberals' proposed changes to capital gains taxation will put doctors' retirement savings in jeopardy, but some financial experts insist incorporated professionals are not as doomed as they say they are.
Something in the water? Canadian family latest to spot elusive 'Loch Ness Monster'
For centuries, people have wondered what, if anything, might be lurking beneath the surface of Loch Ness in Scotland. When Canadian couple Parry Malm and Shannon Wiseman visited the Scottish highlands earlier this month with their two children, they didn’t expect to become part of the mystery.
Fair in Ontario, flurries in Labrador: Weather systems make for an erratic spring
It's no secret that spring can be a tumultuous time for Canadian weather, and as an unseasonably mild El Nino winter gives way to summer, there's bound to be a few swings in temperature that seem out of the ordinary. From Ontario to the Atlantic, though, this week is about to feel a little erratic.
What do weight loss drugs mean for a diet industry built on eating less and exercising more?
Recent injected drugs like Wegovy and its predecessor, the diabetes medication Ozempic, are reshaping the health and fitness industries.
He replaced Mickey Mantle. Now baseball's oldest living major leaguer is turning 100
The oldest living former major leaguer, Art Schallock turns 100 on Thursday and is being celebrated in the Bay Area and beyond as the milestone approaches.
What a urologist wants you to know about male infertility
When opposite sex couples are trying and failing to get pregnant, the attention often focuses on the woman. That’s not always the case.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Made-in-Newfoundland vodka claims top prize at worldwide competition
A Newfoundland-made vodka has been named one of the world’s best by judges at this year’s World Vodka Awards.