Rainfall/mm yr−1 | Aridity index | Aridity | Examples |
---|---|---|---|
< 25 | < 5 | Hyper-arid | Namib; Arabian |
25–200 | 5–20 | Arid | Mojave |
200–500 | 20–50 | Semi-arid | Parts of Sonoran |
Climate | % of deserts | Examples | Mean T a coldest month/°C | Mean T a warmest month/°C |
---|---|---|---|---|
Hot | 43 | Central Sahara; central Australian | 10–30 | > 30 |
Mild | 18 | Kalahari-Karoo, Chihuahuan | 10–20 | 10–30 |
Cool | 15 | Mojave, Namib | 0–10 | 10–30 |
Cold | 24 | Gobi | < 0 | 10–30 |
Mammal | Habitat | Urine concentration/mOsmol I−1 | U/P ratio |
---|---|---|---|
Small mammals | |||
rat | mesic | 2900 | 9 |
domestic cat | mesic | 3100 | 10 |
kangaroo rat | xeric | 5500 | 16 |
Large mammals | |||
beaver | freshwater/land | 520 | 1.7 |
human | mesic | 1400 | 4–5 |
porpoise | marine | 1800 | 5 |
eland | xeric | 1880 | 6 |
camel | xeric | 2800 | 8 |
Measurement | Winter (June–August) | Summer (Dec–March) |
---|---|---|
Mean rainfall/mm | 245 | 12 |
Body mass/g | 119.7 | 124.8 |
Water intake/ml day−1 | 40.4 ± 91* | 10.3 ± 2.3 |
Urine osmolality/mOsmol kg−1 | 1123 ± 472* | 3137 ± 472 |
T a for acclimation | Body mass pre-acclimation/g | Body mass post-acclimation/g | BMR/kJ day−1 | BMR/kJ day−1 g−1* | TEWL at 35° C/g H2O day−1 | TEWL at 25° C/g H2O day−1 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
15°C | 41.3 ± 7.0 | 44.1 ± 6.5 | 46.8 ± 6.9 | 3.55 ± 0.60 | 3.11 ± 0.4 | |
36°C | 37.2 ± 4.7 | 36.6 ± 3.6 | 32.9 ± 6.3 | 2.23 ± 0.28 | 2.17 ± 0.7 | |
P for difference between means | > 0.25 | < 0.04 | < 0.03 | < 0.003 | < 0.008 |
Summer 1998: % water content of grasses | Spring 1999: % water content of grasses | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Species | June | July | August | Mean | February | March | April | Mean |
Stipagrostis sp. | 4.6 ± 2.5 | 12.7 ± 10.5 | 4.4 ± 0.4 | 7.2 | 38.6 ± 8.1 | 45.7 ± 4.9 | 34.5 ± 8.5 | 39.6 |
Panicum turgidum | 45.4 ± 3.4 | 44.5 ± 5.3 | 41.4 ± 5.5 | 43.8 | 47.1 ± 4.9 | 51.9 ± 5.5 | 49.5 ± 4.4 | 49.5 |
Lasiurus scindicus | 35.7 ± 5.3 | 30.4 ± 5.6 | 27.0 ± 14.5 | 31.0 | 40.5 ± 8.2 | 55.6 ± 9.5 | 52.5 ± 5.9 | 49.5 |
Number and sex of animals | Mean body mass/kg | BMR/kJ day−1 | TEWL/g H2O day−1 | FMR/kJ day−1 | FWIR/cm3 day−1 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
(a) 6 females | 89.2 | 9160 ± 732 | 898 ± 126 | — | — |
(a) 6 males | 79.0 | 8674 ± 565 | 829 ± 181 | — | — |
P/data pair | P> 0.06 | P< 0.05 | P< 0.05 | ||
(b) 3 males + 3 females | 81.5 | — | — | 11076 ± 3070 | 1310 ± 1019 |
(in summer 1998) | |||||
(b) 5 males + 1 female | 89.0 | — | — | 22081 ± 3646 | 3438 ± 1006 |
(in spring 1999) | |||||
P/data pair | P> 0.5 | P< 0.0001 | P< 0.007 |
Species | Body mass/g | Ancestral site | Habitat type | NPP/g C m−2 yr−1 |
---|---|---|---|---|
P. eremicus | 22.2 ± 2.8* | Nr Tucson Arizona | Sonoran desert | 48 |
P. melanophrys | 45.0 ± 6.3 | Zacatecas in Mexico | Yucca/agave desert | 67 |
P. californicus | 43.5 ± 4.5 | Santa Monica Mts, CA | Chaparral/coastal sage scrub | 340 |
P. maniculatus | 19.0 ± 1.4 | Nr Ann Arbor, MI | Deciduous woodland and meadow | 600 |
P. leucopus | 19.1 ± 3.5 | Nr Linville, NC | Deciduous/coniferous forest | 604 |
Species | Body mass/g | BMR/kJ day−1 | TEWL/g H2O day−1 | Annual precipitation/mm | Log Q |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Grey-backed finchlark (Eremopterix verticalis) | 15.1 | — | 1.31 | 33.0 | 1.76 |
Stark's lark (Eremalauda stark) | 15.6 | — | 1.31 | 57.2 | 1.76 |
Desert lark (Ammomanes deserti) | 21.5 | 20.1 | 1.60 | 89.6 | 1.78 |
Dunn's lark (Eremalauda dunni) | 20.9 | 24.7 | 1.69 | 89.6 | 1.78 |
Hoopoe lark (Alaemon alaudipes) | 36.9 | 32.8 | 2.59 | 89.6 | 1.78 |
Black-crowned finchlark (Eremopterix nigriceps) | 15.2 | 16.5 | 1.34 | 209.1 | 2.24 |
Crested lark (Galerida cristata) | 31.2 | 32.2 | 2.44 | 209.1 | 2.24 |
Calandra lark (Melanocorypha calandra) | 50.6 | 49.5 | 3.03 | 250.0 | 2.26 |
Horned lark (Eremophila alpestris) | 26.0 | 28.6 | 2.08 | 309.9 | 2.41 |
Lesser short-toed lark (Calandrella rufescens) | 23.6 | 31.6 | — | 281.0 | 2.59 |
Short-toed lark (Calandrella brachydactyla) | 24.0 | 35.6 | — | 281.0 | 2.59 |
Spike-heeled lark (Chersomanes albofasciata) | 25.7 | 29.1 | 3.33 | 420.4 | 2.60 |
Skylark (Alauda arvensis) | 32.0 | 62.4 | 3.17 | 750.0 | 3.20 |
Woodlark (Lullula arborea) | 25.6 | 49.4 | 2.41 | 750.0 | 3.20 |