Sett microclimate

Yayoi Kaneko - researcher at Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, conducted a study on the Sett microclimate. In this study, the internal conditions of setts within five European badger (Meles meles) social groups are monitored during the cub-rearing season. Sett temperature showed substantial and significant variation over this period, while relative humidity remained stable throughout.

Abstract
Maintaining homeothermy is essential for mammals, but has considerable energetic costs. In this study, Sett microclimate within five European badger (Meles meles) social groups during the cub-rearing season were monitored, that is, February to July, in 2004. Sett temperature showed substantial and significant variation over this period, while relative humidity remained stable throughout.

The Sett microclimate was least stable during the period for which cubs remain entirely below ground between February and April; however here the instrumented main sett demonstrated a much warmer and more stable temperature regime than did nearby subsidiary outliers. The authors (Yayoi Kaneko, Chris Newman, Christina D. Buesching and David W. Macdonald) postulate that the energy budget of reproducing females could be affected by even small temperature fluctuations, militating for optimal sett choice.

For comparison they also report microclimatic data from two artificial setts and found them to be markedly inferior in terms of thermal insulative properties, suggesting that man-made setts may need more careful consideration in both thermal and spatial setts network in each territory to adequately compensate the loss (e.g., destruction due to development) of a natural sett, especially as a breeding den.

Read the full paper here.