Schneider J E, Wade G N
Department of Psychology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst 01003.
Physiol Behav. 1991 Jan;49(1):135-9. doi: 10.1016/0031-9384(91)90244-i.
Reproduction in Syrian hamsters is sensitive to the general availability of metabolic energy. For example, females often modify their litter size by cannibalism on days 1-7 postpartum, and the number of young eaten is a function of the total supply of metabolic energy as determined by both food supply and body fat content. If the level of cannibalism is a function of energy availability, it might be expected that a drop in ambient temperature would increase cannibalism, since cold acclimation demands greater energy expenditure. We found that hamsters ate significantly more of their offspring when housed at 10 compared to 22 degrees C during lactation. The effect of cold on cannibalism was attenuated in hamsters fattened prior to cold exposure and exaggerated in hamsters that were lean prior to cold exposure. Thus, the litter size maintained by Syrian hamsters is a function of the total supply of metabolic fuels as determined by energy sources, such as food supply and adipose tissue, and by energetic costs of thermoregulatory and other processes.
叙利亚仓鼠的繁殖对代谢能量的总体可利用性很敏感。例如，雌性仓鼠常在产后1 - 7天通过自相残杀来调整窝仔数，而被吃掉的幼崽数量是由食物供应和体脂含量所决定的代谢能量总供给的函数。如果自相残杀的程度是能量可利用性的函数，那么可以预期环境温度下降会增加自相残杀行为，因为冷适应需要更多的能量消耗。我们发现，哺乳期的仓鼠在10摄氏度环境中饲养时比在22摄氏度环境中饲养时吃掉的后代明显更多。冷暴露前已育肥的仓鼠，寒冷对自相残杀的影响减弱；而冷暴露前较瘦的仓鼠，这种影响则增强。因此，叙利亚仓鼠维持的窝仔数是由能量来源（如食物供应和脂肪组织）以及体温调节和其他过程的能量消耗所决定的代谢燃料总供给的函数。
