Diet and body temperature in mammals and birds

Abstract

AbstractAimWe test the hypothesis that endotherm body temperature varies with diet.LocationGlobal terrestrial ecosystems.MethodsWe compile data from the literature on diet and body temperature in mammals and birds. We analyse these and demonstrate global macrophysiological patterns.ResultsIn mammals, carnivores overall have a lower mean body temperature (Tb) than either herbivores or omnivores. However, within carnivores, those taking vertebrate prey have a higher meanTbthan predators of invertebrates. Among herbivores, species eating grass, leaves or seeds have the highest meanTb, those taking fruit an intermediate meanTband those taking flowers or nectar the lowest meanTb. These patterns are robust to the influence of body mass and phylogenetic non‐independence. In birds the relationship betweenTband diet is complicated by a significant inverse relationship between body mass andTband strong dietary niche conservation within lineages. After allowing for body mass, herbivores show an identical qualitative pattern to mammals, whereas carnivores show the opposite trend to mammals: those taking invertebrate prey have a higher meanTbthan those taking vertebrates.Main conclusionsThere is a significant relationship between diet andTbin mammals. Birds show a qualitatively similar but non‐significant pattern. Published studies show that in reptiles and fish herbivory is largely confined to species that can maintain a relatively highTbeither by living in warm environments or through behavioural thermoregulation. We therefore propose a general relationship for all vertebrates: herbivory requires a warmer body than carnivory. The basal metabolic rate (BMR) will then be higher in herbivores because of the universal relationship betweenBMRandTb, together with the higher maintenance costs of their longer guts. We suggest that the evolution of endothermy was a key factor in the widespread incidence of herbivory in mammals.