Abstract
The life of almost every animal is divided into two basically different behavioural states: activity and rest. During activity a variety of vital tasks essential to ensure the maintenance of life are performed. The most prominent is foraging, but exploration, search for mates, and, in territorial species, patrolling and defence of the home range are also indispensable enterprises. On the other hand, activity is a state of increased mortality risk due to predators, harsh weather conditions, or any other source of disaster. Also, energetic expenditures are considerably increased during activity, caused by locomotion, stress, and thermoregulation.
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Halle, S., Stenseth, N.C. (2000). Introduction. In: Halle, S., Stenseth, N.C. (eds) Activity Patterns in Small Mammals. Ecological Studies, vol 141. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-18264-8_1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-18264-8_1
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