Coat color mismatch improves survival of a keystone boreal herbivore: energetic advantages exceed lost camouflage
J. L. Kennah, M. J. L. Peers, E. Vander Wal, Y. N. Majchrzak, A. K. Menzies, E. K. Studd, R. Boonstra, M. M. Humphries, T. S. Jung, A. J. Kenney, C. J. Krebs, S. Boutin
This study finds that coat color mismatch in snowshoe hares reduces autumn mortality risk due to energetic advantages from insulation and lower metabolic rates, despite reduced camouflage.
bioRxiv · Sep 24, 2021Ecology