Global climate change presents a growing conservation threat, but our understanding of the effects of climate change remains limited for most species. We evaluated the annual climate cycle for threatened Mexican Spotted Owls (Strix occidentalis lucida) in high‐elevation mixed‐conifer forests in the Sacramento Mountains of New Mexico from 2005 to 2010. We used data from a network of weather stations in Mexican Spotted Owl habitat to describe annual temperature cycles, and precipitation data from a National Weather Service weather station to describe the annual precipitation cycle. We coupled these data with equations from the literature to estimate annual cycles in resting metabolic rate and evaporative water loss, and evaluated the potential effects of a warming climate on these parameters. Annual weather was characterized by cold, dry winters, warmer and dry springs, warm and wet summers, and cool and relatively wet falls. Ambient temperature never exceeded the upper critical temperature for Mexican Spotted Owls (35.2°C), but > 90% of 663,422 hourly temperature observations were below the lower critical temperature (18.2°C). Thus, heat stress was not predicted to occur, but owls likely expended energy on thermoregulation at low temperatures. Resting energy use peaked during winter (December–February) and was lowest when owls would be feeding young (May–August). In contrast, evaporative water loss peaked from June to August, when precipitation also peaked. Mexican Spotted Owls generally appeared well‐adapted to the current climate cycle in our montane study area, but late winter (February–March) may be a critical period in terms of energy requirements, and late spring (April–May) may be critical in terms of water relationships. Predicted changes in temperature through 2099 would result in reductions in predicted energy use by Mexican Spotted Owls, but increases in predicted water use. Water relationships may become increasingly important for Mexican Spotted Owls in the face of climate change, especially in warmer and drier areas. In forested areas, retaining patches of older forest with high canopy cover in cool, mesic sites may provide continued benefits to Mexican Spotted Owls under climate change.

中文翻译：

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新墨西哥州萨克拉曼多山脉的墨西哥斑点猫头鹰栖息地的年度气候：对应对气候变化的影响

全球气候变化提出了越来越多的保护威胁，但我们对大多数物种对气候变化影响的理解仍然有限。我们评估了受威胁的墨西哥斑点猫头鹰（Strix occidentalis lucida）从2005年到2010年在新墨西哥州萨克拉曼多山的高海拔混合针叶林中。我们使用了墨西哥斑点猫头鹰栖息地气象站网络的数据来描述年度温度周期以及国家气象局天气的降水数据台站描述年降水周期。我们将这些数据与文献中的方程式结合起来，以估算静止代谢率和蒸发水分流失的年度周期，并评估了气候变暖对这些参数的潜在影响。年度天气的特点是寒冷，干燥的冬季，温暖干燥的春季，温暖潮湿的夏季以及凉爽和相对潮湿的瀑布。环境温度从未超过墨西哥斑点猫头鹰的最高临界温度（35.2°C），但大于663％的最高温度 每小时422次温度观测值低于较低的临界温度（18.2°C）。因此，预计不会出现热应激，但猫头鹰可能会在低温下通过温度调节消耗能量。冬季（12月至2月）的静息能源使用量达到峰值，而猫头鹰要喂食幼崽（5月至8月）则最低。相反，蒸发水的损失在6月至8月达到峰值，而降水也达到峰值。在我们的山地研究区中，墨西哥斑O通常看起来很适应当前的气候周期，但是冬季（2月至3月）可能是能源需求的关键时期，而春季（4月至5月）可能是关键时期。水关系条款。预计到2099年温度的变化将导致墨西哥斑O的预测能源消耗减少，但预计的用水量会增加。面对气候变化，尤其是在温暖和干燥的地区，水关系对于墨西哥斑点猫头鹰可能变得越来越重要。在森林地区，在阴凉，潮湿的地方保留高冠层覆盖的老林斑块，可能会在气候变化下为墨西哥斑O提供持续的利益。