Food availability positively affects the survival and somatic maintenance of hibernating garden dormice (Eliomys quercinus).
Sylvain GiroudMarie-Therese RaggerAmélie BailleFranz HoelzlSteve SmithJulia NowackThomas RufPublished in: Frontiers in zoology (2023)
We conclude that higher temperatures during winter, if associated with sufficient food availability, can have a positive effect on the individual's energy balance and somatic maintenance. These results suggest that winter food availability might be a crucial determinant for the survival of the garden dormouse in the context of ever-increasing environmental temperatures.