Data from: Post-fire recovery of torpor and activity patterns of a small mammal

To cope with the post-fire challenges of decreased availability of food and shelter, brown antechinus (Antechinus stuartii), a small marsupial mammal, increase the use of energy-conserving torpor and reduce activity. However, it is not known how long it takes for animals to resume pre-fire torpor and activity patterns during the recovery of burnt habitat. Therefore, we tested the hypothesis that antechinus will adjust torpor use and activity after a fire depending on vegetation recovery. We simultaneously quantified torpor and activity patterns for female antechinus from three adjacent areas: (i) the area of a management burn 1 year post-fire, (ii) an area that was burned 2 years prior, and (iii) a control area. In comparison to shortly after the management burn, antechinus in all three groups displayed less frequent and less pronounced torpor while being more active. We provide the first evidence that only 1 year post-fire antechinus resume pre-fire torpor and activity patterns, probably in response to the return of herbaceous ground cover and foraging opportunities.为应对火灾后食物与栖所可获得性下降的挑战，棕袋鼩（Antechinus stuartii，一种小型有袋类哺乳动物）会增加节能型蛰伏（torpor）的使用，并减少活动量。 然而目前尚不清楚，在过火栖息地的恢复过程中，动物需要多长时间才能恢复至火灾前的蛰伏与活动模式。 因此，我们验证了如下假说：袋鼩在火灾后的蛰伏使用与活动模式，会根据植被恢复情况进行调整。 我们同时对来自三个相邻区域的雌性棕袋鼩的蛰伏与活动模式进行了量化：(i) 火灾后1年的计划性烧除（management burn）区域，(ii) 两年前发生过火的区域，以及(iii) 对照区域。 与计划性烧除后短期内的观测结果相比，三个组中的棕袋鼩均表现出更低频次、更弱程度的蛰伏，且更为活跃。 本研究首次提供证据表明，仅在火灾后1年，棕袋鼩即可恢复至火灾前的蛰伏与活动模式，这一现象可能与草本地面覆被的恢复以及觅食机会的回归有关。