November is here! We generally think of September, October, and November as fall — and with winter waiting in the wings, the animals have basically three options: migrate, hibernate, or stay and endure it. And the plants have no choice but to stay and endure the winter.
Migration
By the end of November, most migratory birds will have left. They have been getting ready for the trip. Migration might sound like a good and easy way out, but it has its risks and is energetically expensive. Some birds have to store up large amounts of fat before they start their migration, while others must stop periodically to stoke their biological furnaces. And even if they reach their destination, the habitat may be denigrated or destroyed.
Hibernation
Hibernation enables animals to stay and avoid the cold and food scarcity. Similar to some migrating birds, the mammals that hibernate have to store up large amounts of energy reserves to get through the winter months. Then of course, they must find a relatively safe and warm place to hibernate. It might come as a surprise, but hibernation is not all that common for mammals in our region. Many mammals will remain active over much of the winter, but find a warm place to hunker down during the cold spells.
Enduring the winter
For those that do stay and tough it out, it is usually the cold, not snow, that is often the most serious factor. The mammals have put in their winter coats, and many animals will make behavioral and physiological changes to adjust to the winter cold. Mice and some other small mammals may be quite active under the big white insulating blanket of snow in what is called the subnivean, or “under snow,” world.
Plants
With few exceptions (e.g., conifers) the plants in the region will go dormant. Many trees and shrubs have already dropped their leaves. But plant tissues certainly can freeze, with ice crystals fatally ripping and tearing cells apart. However, they have anatomical and physiological adaptations to help them through the winter. A process called “acclimation” likely started in late summer, with the shortening of days and cessation of growth. It involves the movement of some organic compounds (e.g., sugar, hormones) which makes the plants hardier, or resistant to the below freezing temperatures (think antifreeze-like substances).
November can be unpredictable, but the animals and plants have been preparing for coming winter. With the exception of the migrants, by around the end of the month they should be well prepared for the return of Old Man Winter.
