Colorado State Biology Professor Says Fatty Acids, Not Shadow, Key To Outcome Of Groundhog Day Feb. 2
Wednesday, January 28, 1998
Note to Editors: Media are welcome to arrange visits to
biology Professor Greg Florant's hibernation chamber at
Colorado State. About 20 marmots, relatives of the
groundhog, are hibernating in the chamber as part of an
extensive research project. The dark chamber has a
temperature of about 5 degrees and mimics conditions
hibernating animals would find in the wild. To arrange a
visit, call Florant at (970) 491-7627 before Groundhog Day
Feb. 2.
FORT COLLINS--Whether Punxsutawney Phil chooses six more
weeks of winter hibernation on Groundhog Day has more to do with
the makeup of fatty acids in his body than being scared by his
own shadow.
Colorado State University biology Professor Greg Florant, an
international expert on hibernating animals, recently discovered
that high amounts of linolenic acid can actually hinder
hibernation in marmots, a cousin of the groundhog. Excessive
amounts of this long-chain polyunsatured fatty acid also can
cause the animals to be more active--even continue to eat--at a
time they are supposed to enjoy a long winter's nap.
Florant said that linolenic acid (also called 18:3 and n-3)
and linoleic acid (also known as 18:2 and n-6) have been
identified in other hibernating animals as key influences on
successful hibernation. But Florant's recent work with graduate
student Vanessa Hill offers the first evidence that high levels
of linolenic acid may inhibit successful hibernation, while
balanced combinations of the two acids provide a restful sleep.
"When Punxsutawney Phil is pulled from his burrow on
Groundhog Day, it may actually be the ratio of these fatty acids
that determine whether he'll come out of hibernation early,"
Florant said.
"Through our research, we now know these fatty acids play a very
important role in successful hibernation, particularly if high
levels of linolenic acid are present."
In the spring and summer, hibernating animals like marmots
and groundhogs prepare themselves for the winter by gorging
themselves with leafy plants, seeds and nuts that contain varying
amounts of these fatty acids. The seasonal drop to colder
temperatures in September and October trigger a series of
physiological events that cause the animals to begin hibernating.
The most important catalyst for hibernation is a slow
decrease in the animals' body temperature from about 37 degrees
to 5 degrees. With their bodies nearly frozen in this state,
metabolic and other bodily functions slow dramatically, leaving
the animal immobile.
Mysteriously, the animals' body temperature slowly warms
back to normal levels about every 7 to 10 days during
hibernation, allowing them to waken for short periods of time.
After this short waking period, their body temperatures begin to
mysteriously drop far below normal and they enter the hibernation
state once again.
"This is an amazing process because it requires a great deal
of energy. They fast for seven months, relying solely on the fat
they've stored as an energy source," Florant said.
To study hibernating animals, Florant uses a special chamber
at Colorado State that mimics conditions the animals would
experience in the wild. The chamber is dark and cold--about 5
degrees--and is equipped with red lights, which the animals
cannot see. Currently, about 20 marmots and a dozen ground
squirrels are spending the winter in Florant's hibernation
chamber, unaware of their involvement in the biology professor's
research project.
So what do the hibernating marmots in Florant's lab predict
for Groundhog Day?
"These guys never see their shadow, so it's going to be a
long winter," he said.
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