1
|
Hernández M, Ancona S, Hereira-Pacheco S, Díaz de la Vega-Pérez AH, Alberdi A, Navarro-Noya YE. Seasonal dietary changes relate to gut microbiota composition depending on the host species but do not correlate with gut microbiota diversity in arthropod-eating lizards. Mol Ecol 2024; 33:e17426. [PMID: 38825980 DOI: 10.1111/mec.17426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2023] [Revised: 05/11/2024] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/04/2024]
Abstract
The animal gut microbiota is strongly influenced by environmental factors that shape their temporal dynamics. Although diet is recognized as a major driver of gut microbiota variation, dietary patterns have seldom been linked to gut microbiota dynamics in wild animals. Here, we analysed the gut microbiota variation between dry and rainy seasons across four Sceloporus species (S. aeneus, S. bicanthalis, S. grammicus and S. spinosus) from central Mexico in light of temporal changes in diet composition. The lizard microbiota was dominated by Firmicutes (now Bacillota) and Bacteroidota, and the closely related species S. aeneus and S. bicanthalis shared a great number of core bacterial taxa. We report species-specific seasonal changes in gut microbiota diversity and composition: greater alpha diversity during the dry compared to the rainy season in S. bicanthalis, the opposite pattern in S. aeneus, and no seasonal differences in S. grammicus and S. spinosus. Our findings indicated a positive association between gut bacterial composition and dietary composition for S. bicanthalis and S. grammicus, but bacterial diversity did not increase linearly with dietary richness in any lizard species. In addition, seasonality affected bacterial composition, and microbial community similarity increased between S. aeneus and S. bicanthalis, as well as between S. grammicus and S. spinosus. Together, our results illustrate that seasonal variation and dietary composition play a role in shaping gut microbiota in lizard populations, but this is not a rule and other ecological factors influence microbiota variation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mauricio Hernández
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Honduras, Tegucigalpa, Honduras
- Centro Tlaxcala de Biología de la Conducta, Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala, Tlaxcala, Mexico
| | - Sergio Ancona
- Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva, Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Stephanie Hereira-Pacheco
- Laboratorio de Interacciones Bióticas, Centro de Investigación en Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala, Tlaxcala, Mexico
| | - Aníbal H Díaz de la Vega-Pérez
- Consejo Nacional de Humanidades Ciencias y Tecnologías-Centro Tlaxcala de Biología de la Conducta, Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala, Tlaxcala, Mexico
| | - Antton Alberdi
- Center for Evolutionary Hologenomics, The GLOBE Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Yendi E Navarro-Noya
- Laboratorio de Interacciones Bióticas, Centro de Investigación en Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala, Tlaxcala, Mexico
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Amer A, Spears S, Vaughn PL, Colwell C, Livingston EH, McQueen W, Schill A, Reichard DG, Gangloff EJ, Brock KM. Physiological phenotypes differ among color morphs in introduced common wall lizards (Podarcis muralis). Integr Zool 2024; 19:505-523. [PMID: 37884464 DOI: 10.1111/1749-4877.12775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2023]
Abstract
Many species exhibit color polymorphisms which have distinct physiological and behavioral characteristics. However, the consistency of morph trait covariation patterns across species, time, and ecological contexts remains unclear. This trait covariation is especially relevant in the context of invasion biology and urban adaptation. Specifically, physiological traits pertaining to energy maintenance are crucial to fitness, given their immediate ties to individual reproduction, growth, and population establishment. We investigated the physiological traits of Podarcis muralis, a versatile color polymorphic species that thrives in urban environments (including invasive populations in Ohio, USA). We measured five physiological traits (plasma corticosterone and triglycerides, hematocrit, body condition, and field body temperature), which compose an integrated multivariate phenotype. We then tested variation among co-occurring color morphs in the context of establishment in an urban environment. We found that the traits describing physiological status and strategy shifted across the active season in a morph-dependent manner-the white and yellow morphs exhibited clearly different multivariate physiological phenotypes, characterized primarily by differences in plasma corticosterone. This suggests that morphs have different strategies in physiological regulation, the flexibility of which is crucial to urban adaptation. The white-yellow morph exhibited an intermediate phenotype, suggesting an intermediary energy maintenance strategy. Orange morphs also exhibited distinct phenotypes, but the low prevalence of this morph in our study populations precludes clear interpretation. Our work provides insight into how differences among stable polymorphisms exist across axes of the phenotype and how this variation may aid in establishment within novel environments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ali Amer
- Department of Biological Sciences, Ohio Wesleyan University, Delaware, Ohio, USA
| | - Sierra Spears
- Department of Biological Sciences, Ohio Wesleyan University, Delaware, Ohio, USA
| | - Princeton L Vaughn
- Department of Biological Sciences, Ohio Wesleyan University, Delaware, Ohio, USA
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
| | - Cece Colwell
- Department of Biological Sciences, Ohio Wesleyan University, Delaware, Ohio, USA
| | - Ethan H Livingston
- Department of Biological Sciences, Ohio Wesleyan University, Delaware, Ohio, USA
| | - Wyatt McQueen
- Department of Biological Sciences, Ohio Wesleyan University, Delaware, Ohio, USA
| | - Anna Schill
- Department of Biological Sciences, Ohio Wesleyan University, Delaware, Ohio, USA
- Department of Biology, Idaho State University, Pocatello, Idaho, USA
| | - Dustin G Reichard
- Department of Biological Sciences, Ohio Wesleyan University, Delaware, Ohio, USA
| | - Eric J Gangloff
- Department of Biological Sciences, Ohio Wesleyan University, Delaware, Ohio, USA
| | - Kinsey M Brock
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, College of Natural Resources, University of California, Berkeley, USA
- Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley, USA
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Kang D, Zhao C, Sun Z, Chen G, Feng J, Zhu W, Huang Y, Zhao T. Effects of microhabitat features on the intraspecific variability of the distribution and functional traits in a highest elevational distributed lizard. Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e10902. [PMID: 38371862 PMCID: PMC10869896 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2023] [Revised: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 02/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Exploring the microhabitat determinants of organisms distribution and functional traits differences can help us better understand the importance of intraspecific variations in ecological niches. Investigations on animals functional niche primarily focused on differences among species and tended to neglect the potential variability within species, despite the fact that the ecological and evolutionary importance of intraspecific variations was widely recognized. In this study, we examined the influence of microhabitat features on the intraspecific variability of the distribution and functional traits of a highest elevational distributed lizard species Phrynocephalus erythrurus. To do so, field work was conducted between July and August, 2020 and August and September, 2021 in Namtso watershed in central Xizang, China. Specifically, 11 transects were sampled for P. erythrurus individuals, which were measured for a set of 10 morphological traits. Moreover, 11 microhabitat variables that potentially affect the distribution of lizards were also measured for each transect. Our results indicated that juveniles, males, and females exhibited different functional traits, allowing them to occupy distinct functional space. The distribution of juveniles, males, and females was determined by different microhabitat variables such as illuminance and air temperature. More importantly, these variables also determined the intraspecific functional traits variability in this lizard species. All of these results supported previous claims that intraspecific traits variation should be incorporated into functional ecological studies, and diverse microhabitat features should be conserved to maintain high intraspecific diversity. Future studies can focus on the food analysis to explore the linkage between functional traits and resources utilization within animal populations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Da Kang
- College of Fisheries, Southwest UniversityChongqingChina
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Plateau Wetland Conservation, Restoration and Ecological ServicesSouthwest Forestry UniversityKunmingChina
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization & Ecological Restoration Biodiversity Conservation Key Laboratory of Sichuan ProvinceChengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of SciencesChengduChina
- Key Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation (Ministry of Education)College of Life Science, China West Normal UniversityNanchongSichuan ProvinceChina
| | - Chunlin Zhao
- School of Biological and Chemical Engineering (School of Agriculture)Panzhihua UniversityPanzhihuaChina
| | - Zijian Sun
- College of Fisheries, Southwest UniversityChongqingChina
| | - Guozhu Chen
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Plateau Wetland Conservation, Restoration and Ecological ServicesSouthwest Forestry UniversityKunmingChina
| | - Jianyi Feng
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization & Ecological Restoration Biodiversity Conservation Key Laboratory of Sichuan ProvinceChengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of SciencesChengduChina
| | - Wenbo Zhu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization & Ecological Restoration Biodiversity Conservation Key Laboratory of Sichuan ProvinceChengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of SciencesChengduChina
| | - Yan Huang
- Key Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation (Ministry of Education)College of Life Science, China West Normal UniversityNanchongSichuan ProvinceChina
| | - Tian Zhao
- College of Fisheries, Southwest UniversityChongqingChina
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Plateau Wetland Conservation, Restoration and Ecological ServicesSouthwest Forestry UniversityKunmingChina
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization & Ecological Restoration Biodiversity Conservation Key Laboratory of Sichuan ProvinceChengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of SciencesChengduChina
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Karameta E, Sfenthourakis S, Pafilis P. Are all islands the same? A comparative thermoregulatory approach in four insular populations. AMPHIBIA-REPTILIA 2022. [DOI: 10.1163/15685381-bja10120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
As ectotherms, lizards, among the best models in thermal studies, are influenced by many abiotic factors. Interestingly, there is a scarcity of data regarding the impact that insularity may have on thermoregulation. Islands, depending their size and altitude, may differ considerably in the thermal conditions they provide to lizards. Here, we focused on a study system comprising islands that differ in morphological characteristics. We worked with four Rock Agama (Laudakia sp.) insular populations, namely Cyprus, Naxos, Delos, and Corfu. We measured body, operative and preferred temperatures and evaluated thermoregulation effectiveness (E). According to our findings, E differed among populations: Corfu received the lowest E (0.45), Cyprus and Naxos achieved median values (0.66 and 0.67, respectively) and lizards from Delos had the most effective thermoregulation (0.85). Our results underline the complex nature of insularity and its effect on saurian thermoregulation and highlight the importance of studying each insular population separately, taking into account the variable features of islands.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Emmanouela Karameta
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cyprus, Panepistimiou 1, 2109 Aglantzia, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Spyros Sfenthourakis
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cyprus, Panepistimiou 1, 2109 Aglantzia, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Panayiotis Pafilis
- Section of Zoology and Marine Biology, Department of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis, Ilissia 15784, Greece
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Bodensteiner BL, Gangloff EJ, Kouyoumdjian L, Muñoz MM, Aubret F. Thermal-metabolic phenotypes of the lizard Podarcis muralis differ across elevation, but converge in high-elevation hypoxia. J Exp Biol 2021; 224:273727. [PMID: 34761802 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.243660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
In response to a warming climate, many montane species are shifting upslope to track the emergence of preferred temperatures. Characterizing patterns of variation in metabolic, physiological and thermal traits along an elevational gradient, and the plastic potential of these traits, is necessary to understand current and future responses to abiotic constraints at high elevations, including limited oxygen availability. We performed a transplant experiment with the upslope-colonizing common wall lizard (Podarcis muralis) in which we measured nine aspects of thermal physiology and aerobic capacity in lizards from replicate low- (400 m above sea level, ASL) and high-elevation (1700 m ASL) populations. We first measured traits at their elevation of origin and then transplanted half of each group to extreme high elevation (2900 m ASL; above the current elevational range limit of this species), where oxygen availability is reduced by ∼25% relative to sea level. After 3 weeks of acclimation, we again measured these traits in both the transplanted and control groups. The multivariate thermal-metabolic phenotypes of lizards originating from different elevations differed clearly when measured at the elevation of origin. For example, high-elevation lizards are more heat tolerant than their low-elevation counterparts (counter-gradient variation). Yet, these phenotypes converged after exposure to reduced oxygen availability at extreme high elevation, suggesting limited plastic responses under this novel constraint. Our results suggest that high-elevation populations are well suited to their oxygen environments, but that plasticity in the thermal-metabolic phenotype does not pre-adapt these populations to colonize more hypoxic environments at higher elevations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Brooke L Bodensteiner
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, 165 Prospect Street, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Eric J Gangloff
- Station d'Ecologie Théorique et Expérimentale du CNRS - UMR 5321, 09200 Moulis, France.,Department of Biological Sciences, Ohio Wesleyan University, Delaware, 43015 OH, USA
| | - Laura Kouyoumdjian
- Station d'Ecologie Théorique et Expérimentale du CNRS - UMR 5321, 09200 Moulis, France
| | - Martha M Muñoz
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, 165 Prospect Street, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Fabien Aubret
- Station d'Ecologie Théorique et Expérimentale du CNRS - UMR 5321, 09200 Moulis, France.,School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Bentley, WA 6102, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Şahin MK, Kuyucu AC. Thermal biology of two sympatric Lacertid lizards (Lacerta diplochondrodes and Parvilacerta parva) from Western Anatolia. J Therm Biol 2021; 101:103094. [PMID: 34879912 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2021.103094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2021] [Revised: 09/07/2021] [Accepted: 09/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Sympatric lizard species present convenient models for studying differentiation in thermal behavior and the role of morphological differences in their thermal biology. Here we studied the thermal biology of two sympatric lizard species which occur sympatrically in the Phrygian Valley of Western Anatolia. These two species differ in body size, with Lacerta diplochondrodes being larger than Parvilacerta parva. The surface body temperatures of the individuals belonging to both species were recorded when active in the field. Additionally, several environmental parameters including solar radiation, substrate temperature, air temperature and wind speed were monitored to investigate the relative effects of these abiotic parameters on the thermal biology of the two species. The surface body temperature and temperature excess (difference between body and substrate temperature) of the two species, while being relatively close to each other, showed seasonal differences. Solar radiation, substrate temperature and air temperature were the main factors influencing their thermal biology. Additionally, although body size did not have a direct effect on body temperature or temperature excess, the interaction between body size and solar radiation on temperature excess was significant. In conclusion, our study partially supports the conservation of body temperature of related lizard species.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mehmet Kürşat Şahin
- Karamanoğlu Mehmetbey University, Department of Biology, Kamil Ozdag Faculty of Science, Karaman, Turkey.
| | - Arda Cem Kuyucu
- Hacettepe University, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Ankara, Turkey.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Wollenberg Valero KC, Garcia-Porta J, Irisarri I, Feugere L, Bates A, Kirchhof S, Jovanović Glavaš O, Pafilis P, Samuel SF, Müller J, Vences M, Turner AP, Beltran-Alvarez P, Storey KB. Functional genomics of abiotic environmental adaptation in lacertid lizards and other vertebrates. J Anim Ecol 2021; 91:1163-1179. [PMID: 34695234 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2021] [Accepted: 09/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Understanding the genomic basis of adaptation to different abiotic environments is important in the context of climate change and resulting short-term environmental fluctuations. Using functional and comparative genomics approaches, we here investigated whether signatures of genomic adaptation to a set of environmental parameters are concentrated in specific subsets of genes and functions in lacertid lizards and other vertebrates. We first identify 200 genes with signatures of positive diversifying selection from transcriptomes of 24 species of lacertid lizards and demonstrate their involvement in physiological and morphological adaptations to climate. To understand how functionally similar these genes are to previously predicted candidate functions for climate adaptation and to compare them with other vertebrate species, we then performed a meta-analysis of 1,100 genes under selection obtained from -omics studies in vertebrate species adapted to different abiotic factors. We found that the vertebrate gene set formed a tightly connected interactome, which was to 23% enriched in previously predicted functions of adaptation to climate, and to a large part (18%) involved in organismal stress response. We found a much higher degree of identical genes being repeatedly selected among different animal groups (43.6%), and of functional similarity and post-translational modifications than expected by chance, and no clear functional division between genes used for ectotherm and endotherm physiological strategies. In total, 171 out of 200 genes of Lacertidae were part of this network. These results highlight an important role of a comparatively small set of genes and their functions in environmental adaptation and narrow the set of candidate pathways and markers to be used in future research on adaptation and stress response related to climate change.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Joan Garcia-Porta
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Iker Irisarri
- Department of Applied Bioinformatics, Institute for Microbiology and Genetics, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany.,Campus Institut Data Science (CIDAS), Göttingen, Germany
| | - Lauric Feugere
- Department of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Hull, Kingston-Upon-Hull, UK
| | - Adam Bates
- Department of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Hull, Kingston-Upon-Hull, UK
| | - Sebastian Kirchhof
- Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Berlin, Germany.,New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | | | - Panayiotis Pafilis
- Section of Zoology and Marine Biology, Department of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Sabrina F Samuel
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Hull, Kingston-Upon-Hull, UK
| | - Johannes Müller
- Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Berlin, Germany
| | - Miguel Vences
- Zoological Institute, Braunschweig University of Technology, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Alexander P Turner
- Department of Computer Science, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
8
|
Muñoz MM. The Bogert effect, a factor in evolution. Evolution 2021; 76:49-66. [PMID: 34676550 DOI: 10.1111/evo.14388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2021] [Revised: 10/03/2021] [Accepted: 10/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Behavior is one of the major architects of evolution: by behaviorally modifying how they interact with their environments, organisms can influence natural selection, amplifying it in some cases and dampening it in others. In one of the earliest issues of Evolution, Charles Bogert proposed that regulatory behaviors (namely thermoregulation) shield organisms from selection and limit physiological evolution. Here, I trace the history surrounding the origin of this concept (now known as the "Bogert effect" or "behavioral inertia"), and its implications for physiological and evolutionary research throughout the 20th century. A key follow-up study in the early 21st century galvanized renewed interest in Bogert's classic ideas, and established a focus on slowdowns in the rate of evolution in response to regulatory behaviors. I illustrate recent progress on the Bogert effect in evolutionary research, and discuss the ecological variables that predict whether and how strongly the phenomenon unfolds. Based on these discoveries, I provide hypotheses for the Bogert effect across several scales: patterns of trait evolution within and among groups of species, spatial effects on the phenomenon, and its importance for speciation. I also discuss the inherent link between behavioral inertia and behavioral drive through an empirical case study linking the phenomena. Modern comparative approaches can help put the macroevolutionary implications of behavioral buffering to the test: I describe progress to date, and areas ripe for future investigation. Despite many advances, bridging microevolutionary processes with macroevolutionary patterns remains a persistent gap in our understanding of the Bogert effect, leaving wide open many avenues for deeper exploration.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Martha M Muñoz
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, 06511
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
|
10
|
Miranda-Calle AB, Pacheco LF, Aparicio J, Méndez-De la Cruz FR. Thermoregulation of Liolaemus aparicioi (Iguania: Liolaemidae) along a 1000 m elevational gradient in La Paz Valley, La Paz, Bolivia. J Therm Biol 2021; 99:102940. [PMID: 34420606 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2021.102940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2020] [Revised: 02/21/2021] [Accepted: 03/29/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Lizard species have diverse behavioral and physiological responses to thermo-environmental conditions, which allow them to inhabit a broad range of latitudes and elevations. Because the availability of suitable thermal resources is limited and more variable at high-elevation environments than at lower elevations, we expect high-elevation lizards to be constrained in their thermoregulation relative to lizards at lower elevations by the fewer available thermal resources to reach optimal temperatures (colder environment). We studied the thermal biology of an endemic and Critically Endangered lizard, Liolaemus aparicioi, to assess its thermal responses along a 1000 m elevational gradient in La Paz Valley from May to August of 2015 (dry season). We took field body and microhabitat temperatures at capture sites (substrate and air above ground), and body size (snout-vent length and mass) of individuals at Taypichullo (3000 m asl), Gran Jardín de la Revolución Municipal Park (3500 m asl), and Taucachi (4000 m asl) localities. Operative temperatures were taken from calibrated models deployed in different available microhabitats. Preferred temperatures and thermal tolerance limits were determined in laboratory settings for lizards from each locality. Field body, microhabitat, and operative temperatures decreased with increasing elevation and differed between sexes. Lizards at the high elevation locality had the lowest thermoregulatory efficiency as compared with the mid and lower elevation localities. In laboratory measurements, while the preferred temperatures varied between sexes, pooled preferred temperatures and thermal tolerances were similar in all localities. Although thermal resources at high elevation can limit thermoregulatory possibilities in L. aparicioi, behavioral microhabitat use, time allocated to thermoregulation, and physiological adjustments seem to be possible strategies to counteract thermal costs along elevational gradients.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Bruno Miranda-Calle
- Carrera de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias Puras y Naturales, Universidad Mayor de San Andrés, Campus Universitario, c/27 Cota Cota, C.P. 10077, Correo Central, La Paz, Bolivia; Área de Herpetología, Colección Boliviana de Fauna, Campus Universitario, c/27 Cota Cota, C.P. 08706, Correo Central, La Paz, Bolivia; Red de Investigadores en Herpetología, La Paz, Bolivia.
| | - Luis F Pacheco
- Instituto de Ecología, Carrera de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias Puras y Naturales, Universidad Mayor de San Andrés, Campus Universitario, c/27 Cota Cota, C.P. 10077, Correo Central, La Paz, Bolivia.
| | - James Aparicio
- Área de Herpetología, Colección Boliviana de Fauna, Campus Universitario, c/27 Cota Cota, C.P. 08706, Correo Central, La Paz, Bolivia; Red de Investigadores en Herpetología, La Paz, Bolivia.
| | - Fausto R Méndez-De la Cruz
- Laboratorio de Herpetología, Departamento de Zoología, Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria, C.P. 04510, Coyoacán, Ciudad de México, Mexico.
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Slavenko A, Allison A, Meiri S. Elevation is a stronger predictor of morphological trait divergence than competition in a radiation of tropical lizards. J Anim Ecol 2021; 90:917-930. [PMID: 33410529 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2020] [Accepted: 12/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Adaptations for efficient performance are expected to shape animal morphology based on selection for microhabitat use and ecological forces. The presence of competitor species is predicted to cause niches to contract and enhance trait divergence. Therefore, increased species richness is expected to lead to greater trait divergence, and to result in reduced overlap and similarity between morphologies of sympatric species. We examined patterns of morphospace occupancy and partitioning in the skink fauna of New Guinea, the world's largest tropical island. Because skink species richness is largely decoupled from elevation in New Guinea, we could examine the effects of both factors (as proxies for competition and abiotic conditions), on morphospace occupancy and partitioning. We measured 1,860 specimens from 79 species of skinks throughout Papua New Guinea, and examined their morphospace occupancy in a spatial context. We calculated, for each assemblage within equal-area cells, the volume of morphospace occupied by all skinks, the mean volume occupied per species, and the mean distance and overlap between all species pairs. We then examined whether these metrics are related to species richness and elevation. Elevation is a stronger predictor of morphospace occupancy than species richness. As elevation increases, intraspecific variation decreases and morphologies become more similar to each other such that overall morphospace occupancy decreases. Highland skinks are, on average, smaller, thinner and shorter limbed than lowland species. We hypothesise that harsh climates in the New Guinea highland habitats impose strong selection on skinks to occupy specific areas of morphospace that facilitate efficient thermoregulation in suboptimal thermal conditions. We conclude that the effect of competition on trait divergence on a community and assemblage scale is eclipsed by abiotic selection pressures in these harsh environments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alex Slavenko
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | | | - Shai Meiri
- School of Zoology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.,The Steinhardt Museum of Natural History, Tel Aviv, Israel
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Ortega Z, Mencía A, Giroux A, Pérez-Mellado V. Broad seasonal changes in thermoregulation of Podarcis lilfordi (Squamata, Lacertidae) at Binicodrell islet (Menorca, Spain). HERPETOZOA 2019. [DOI: 10.3897/herpetozoa.32.e35662] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Most lizards maintain quite constant body temperatures by behavioural means. Seasonal variations of environmental factors, such as temperature, sunlight exposure and wind intensity, influence lizard thermoregulatory abilities. Understanding how seasonal environmental shifts influence lizards’ thermoregulation helps us to know how they deal behaviourally with environmental changes, in general. We examined seasonal shifts (spring vs. summer) in behavioural thermoregulation in Podarcislilfordi from Binicodrell islet (Menorca, Spain). Operative temperatures varied between microhabitats and seasons, being lower in spring than in summer, regardless of sunlight exposure. Lizard body temperatures were also lower in spring than in summer. Lizards used sunny microhabitats more frequently in spring and shaded areas in summer. Habitat thermal quality was similar during both seasons, but lizards thermoregulated less accurately in spring than in summer. Thermoregulatory effectiveness was low in spring (0.28) and moderate in summer (0.76). In comparison with previously published results, our findings showed the marked seasonal variation in the effectiveness of thermoregulation amongst island populations, which should be considered in future comparative studies.
Collapse
|
13
|
Diele-Viegas LM, Rocha CFD. Unraveling the influences of climate change in Lepidosauria (Reptilia). J Therm Biol 2018; 78:401-414. [PMID: 30509664 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2018.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2018] [Revised: 10/25/2018] [Accepted: 11/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
In recent decades, changes in climate have caused impacts on natural and human systems on all continents and across the oceans and many species have shifted their geographic ranges, seasonal activities, migration patterns, abundances and interactions in response to these changes. Projections of future climate change are uncertain, but the Earth's warming is likely to exceed 4.8 °C by the end of 21th century. The vulnerability of a population, species, group or system due to climate change is a function of impact of the changes on the evaluated system (exposure and sensitivity) and adaptive capacity as a response to this impact, and the relationship between these elements will determine the degree of species vulnerability. Predicting the potential future risks to biodiversity caused by climate change has become an extremely active field of research, and several studies in the last two decades had focused on determining possible impacts of climate change on Lepidosaurians, at a global, regional and local level. Here we conducted a systematic review of published studies in order to seek to what extent the accumulated knowledge currently allow us to identify potential trends or patterns regarding climate change effects on lizards, snakes, amphisbaenians and tuatara. We conducted a literature search among online literature databases/catalogues and recorded 255 studies addressing the influence of climate change on a total of 1918 species among 49 Lepidosaurian's families. The first study addressing this subject is dated 1999. Most of the studies focused on species distribution, followed by thermal biology, reproductive biology, behavior and genetics. We concluded that an integrative approach including most of these characteristics and also bioclimatic and environmental variables, may lead to consistent and truly effective strategies for species conservation, aiming to buffer the climate change effects on this group of reptiles.
Collapse
|
14
|
Ćorović J, Crnobrnja-Isailović J. Aspects of thermal ecology of the meadow lizard (Darevskia praticola). AMPHIBIA-REPTILIA 2018. [DOI: 10.1163/15685381-17000218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
We studied the thermal biology of the meadow lizard (Darevskia praticola) in the peripheral part of its distribution range (westernmost edge of the distribution area). We assessed whether these lizards actively thermoregulate, estimated the accuracy and effectiveness of thermoregulation, and evaluated the thermal quality of the habitat using the standard thermal parameters: body (), preferred () with set-point range () and operative temperatures (). of the meadow lizard under controlled laboratory conditions was between 27.8°C and 31.4°C. In the field and averaged 29.0°C and 26.1°C, respectively. A large proportion of s fell below the range of the meadow lizard, and lizard s were substantially closer to the species’ range. Obtained values of thermoregulatory indices suggested that the meadow lizard thermoregulated actively, with a rather high accuracy () and effectiveness ( and ), and that their habitat at this locality was thermally favourable during the spring. Our results suggest that thermal requirements of the meadow lizard resemble those of alpine lacertids, while their s and are lower than in most lacertid lizards. Further thermoregulation studies could be an important step in predicting the impact of the global climate change on the meadow lizard and the risks of local extinctions of its peripheral populations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jelena Ćorović
- 1Department of Evolutionary Biology, Institute for Biological Research “Siniša Stanković”, University of Belgrade, Despota Stefana Boulevard 142, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Jelka Crnobrnja-Isailović
- 1Department of Evolutionary Biology, Institute for Biological Research “Siniša Stanković”, University of Belgrade, Despota Stefana Boulevard 142, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
- 2Department of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Sciences and Mathematics, University of Niš, Višegradska 33, 18000 Niš, Serbia
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Iglesias-Carrasco M, Head ML, Martín J, Cabido C. Increased temperature disrupts chemical communication in some species but not others: The importance of local adaptation and distribution. Ecol Evol 2017; 8:1031-1042. [PMID: 29375776 PMCID: PMC5773306 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.3646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2017] [Revised: 10/23/2017] [Accepted: 10/27/2017] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Environmental conditions experienced by a species during its evolutionary history may shape the signals it uses for communication. Consequently, rapid environmental changes may lead to less effective signals, which interfere with communication between individuals, altering life history traits such as predator detection and mate searching. Increased temperature can reduce the efficacy of scent marks released by male lizards, but the extent to which this negative effect is related to specific biological traits and evolutionary histories across species and populations have not been explored. We experimentally tested how increased temperature affects the efficacy of chemical signals of high‐ and low‐altitude populations of three lizard species that differ in their ecological requirements and altitudinal distributions. We tested the behavioral chemosensory responses of males from each species and population to male scent marks that had been incubated at one of two temperatures (cold 16°C or hot 20°C). In high‐altitude populations of a mountain species (Iberolacerta monticola), the efficacy of chemical signals (i.e., latency time and number of tongue flicks) was lower after scent marks had been exposed to a hot temperature. The temperature that scent marks were incubated at did not affect the efficacy of chemical signals in a ubiquitous species (Podarcis muralis) or another mountain species (I. bonalli). Our results suggest that specific ecological traits arising through local adaptation to restricted distributions may be important in determining species vulnerability to climatic change.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maider Iglesias-Carrasco
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology National Museum of Natural Sciences Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) Madrid Spain.,Department of Herpetology Aranzadi Science Society Donostia-San Sebastián Spain
| | - Megan L Head
- Division of Evolution, Ecology and Genetics Research School of Biology Australian National University Canberra ACT Australia
| | - José Martín
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology National Museum of Natural Sciences Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) Madrid Spain
| | - Carlos Cabido
- Department of Herpetology Aranzadi Science Society Donostia-San Sebastián Spain
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Pafilis P, Maragou P, Sagonas K, Valakos E. Partitioning thermal habitat on a vertical rock, a herculean task. J Therm Biol 2017; 70:54-60. [PMID: 29108558 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2017.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2017] [Revised: 10/06/2017] [Accepted: 10/20/2017] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Species occurring in sympatry have to effectively segregate their niche in order to co-exist. In the case of ectotherms in particular, the very important parameter of thermal biology has to be taken into account. Here we investigated the thermoregulatory effectiveness (E) of two endemic Greek lizards (Hellenolacerta graeca and Podarcis peloponnesiacus) that live syntopically on a rocky cliff in the Peloponnese. We presumed that the two species would select different microhabitats, to avoid interspecific competition, and follow a similar thermoregulation pattern as they experience the same conditions. We also expected that E values for both species would differ depending on the season. Overall, we found that the two species had similar E values for each season but differentiated partial thermoregulatory attributes. Though they both occurred in the same types of microhabitat, H. graeca selected higher sites (average 99cm above ground) than P. peloponnesiacus (average 44cm). Also, the latter achieved higher preferred temperatures during summer and winter. Finally, the effectiveness of thermoregulation for both species varied interseasonally and received its highest values during summer, in response to the lowest thermal quality that was observed then. Similar studies stress the importance of thermal shifts for ectotherm co-existence.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Panayiotis Pafilis
- Section of Zoology and Marine Biology, Dept. of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis, Ilissia 15784, Greece.
| | | | - Kostas Sagonas
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, E1 4NS London, UK
| | - Efstratios Valakos
- Section of Animal and Human Physiology, Dept. of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis, Ilissia 15784, Greece
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Living in sympatry: The effect of habitat partitioning on the thermoregulation of three Mediterranean lizards. J Therm Biol 2017; 65:130-137. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2017.02.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2016] [Revised: 02/14/2017] [Accepted: 02/24/2017] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
|
18
|
Ortega Z, Mencía A, Pérez-Mellado V. Wind constraints on the thermoregulation of high mountain lizards. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOMETEOROLOGY 2017; 61:565-573. [PMID: 27528186 DOI: 10.1007/s00484-016-1233-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2015] [Revised: 07/13/2016] [Accepted: 08/08/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Thermal biology of lizards affects their overall physiological performance. Thus, it is crucial to study how abiotic constraints influence thermoregulation. We studied the effect of wind speed on thermoregulation in an endangered mountain lizard (Iberolacerta aurelioi). We compared two populations of lizards: one living in a sheltered rocky area and the other living in a mountain ridge, exposed to strong winds. The preferred temperature range of I. aurelioi, which reflects thermal physiology, was similar in both areas, and it was typical of a cold specialist. Although the thermal physiology of lizards and the structure of the habitat were similar, the higher wind speed in the exposed population was correlated with a significant decrease in the effectiveness thermoregulation, dropping from 0.83 to 0.74. Our results suggest that wind reduces body temperatures in two ways: via direct convective cooling of the animal and via convective cooling of the substrate, which causes conductive cooling of the animal. The detrimental effect of wind on thermoregulatory effectiveness is surprising, since lizards are expected to thermoregulate more effectively in more challenging habitats. However, wind speed would affect the costs and benefits of thermoregulation in more complex ways than just the cooling of animals and their habitats. For example, it may reduce the daily activity, increase desiccation, or complicate the hunting of prey. Finally, our results imply that wind should also be considered when developing conservation strategies for threatened ectotherms.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zaida Ortega
- Department of Animal Biology, University of Salamanca, Campus Miguel de Unamuno, 37007, Salamanca, Spain.
| | - Abraham Mencía
- Department of Animal Biology, University of Salamanca, Campus Miguel de Unamuno, 37007, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Valentín Pérez-Mellado
- Department of Animal Biology, University of Salamanca, Campus Miguel de Unamuno, 37007, Salamanca, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
López-Alcaide S, Nakamura M, Smith EN, Martínez-Meyer E. Would behavioral thermoregulation enable pregnant viviparous tropical lizards to cope with a warmer world? Integr Zool 2017; 12:379-395. [PMID: 28058803 DOI: 10.1111/1749-4877.12253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Sceloporus lizards depend on external heat to achieve their preferred temperature (Tsel ) for performing physiological processes. Evidence both in the field and laboratory indicates that pregnant females of this Genus select body temperatures (Tb ) lower than 34 °C as higher temperatures may be lethal to embryos. Therefore, thermoregulation is crucial for successful embryo development. Given the increase in global air temperature, it is expected that the first compensatory response of species that inhabit tropical climates will be behavioral thermoregulation. We tested whether viviparous Sceloporus formosus group lizards in the wild exhibited differences in thermoregulatory behavior to achieve the known Tsel for developing embryos regardless of local thermal conditions. We quantified field active body temperature, thermoregulatory behavior mechanisms (time of sighting, microhabitat used and basking time) and available microhabitat thermal conditions (i.e. operative temperature) for 10 lizard species during gestation, distributed along an altitudinal gradient. We applied both conventional and phylogenic analyses to explore whether Tb or behavioral thermoregulation could be regulated in response to different thermal conditions. These species showed no significant differences in field Tb during gestation regardless of local thermal conditions. In contrast, they exhibited significant differences in their behavioral thermoregulation associated with local environmental conditions. Based on these observations, the differences in thermoregulatory behavior identified are interpreted as compensatory adjustments to local thermal conditions. We conclude that these species may deal with higher temperatures predicted for the tropics by modulating their thermoregulatory behavior.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Saúl López-Alcaide
- Departament of Zoology, Institute of Biology, National Autonomous University of Mexico, Mexico City, Mexico
| | | | - Eric N Smith
- Amphibian and Reptile Diversity Research Center and Department of Biology, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, Texas, USA
| | - Enrique Martínez-Meyer
- Departament of Zoology, Institute of Biology, National Autonomous University of Mexico, Mexico City, Mexico
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Adaptive seasonal shifts in the thermal preferences of the lizard Iberolacerta galani (Squamata, Lacertidae). J Therm Biol 2016; 62:1-6. [PMID: 27839544 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2016.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2016] [Revised: 10/03/2016] [Accepted: 10/16/2016] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
The León rock lizard, Iberolacerta galani, lives in isolated mountains of Spain. We studied the seasonal changes in the thermal biology of I. galani between spring and summer. We calculated precision, accuracy and effectiveness of thermoregulation and the habitat thermal quality for spring, and compared with the values of summer. In addition, we studied how the shift in the thermal preferences of lizards would contribute to achieve a higher effectiveness of thermoregulation. Thermal preferences of León rock lizards are among the lowest in lacertids, and are also very narrow, maintaining the narrowness among seasons. As for summer (27.90-29.70°C, mean value =28.76°C), the thermal preferences of I. galani are also low in spring (29.60-31.10°C, mean value =30.38°C), supporting the idea that this species is adapted to cold environments. The habitat thermal quality is lower in spring (10.99°C) than in summer (9.36°C), while the effectiveness of thermoregulation is higher in spring (0.92) than in summer (0.80). We found that the seasonal shift in thermal preferences contributes significantly to enhance the effectiveness of thermoregulation in both seasons, more in spring (0.45°C) than in summer (0.16°C). Because I. galani inhabits isolated mountains, where the activity period is reduced from April to October, we hypothesize that the observed adaptation of the thermal preferences, which enhance thermoregulation to a larger extent in spring, may evolved to maximize performance during the reproductive season.
Collapse
|
21
|
Seasonal patterns of body temperature and microhabitat selection in a lacertid lizard. ACTA OECOLOGICA-INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.actao.2016.08.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
|
22
|
Belasen A, Brock K, Li B, Chremou D, Valakos E, Pafilis P, Sinervo B, Foufopoulos J. Fine with heat, problems with water: microclimate alters water loss in a thermally adapted insular lizard. OIKOS 2016. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.03712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Anat Belasen
- Dept of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology; Univ. of Michigan; Ann Arbor MI USA
- School of Natural Resources and Environment; Univ. of Michigan; Ann Arbor MI USA
| | - Kinsey Brock
- School of Natural Resources and Environment; Univ. of Michigan; Ann Arbor MI USA
| | - Binbin Li
- School of Natural Resources and Environment; Univ. of Michigan; Ann Arbor MI USA
- Nicholas School of Environment; Duke Univ.; Durham NC USA
| | | | - Efstratios Valakos
- Dept of Animal and Human Physiology; National and Kapodistrian Univ. of Athens; Athens Greece
| | - Panayiotis Pafilis
- Dept of Zoology and Marine Biology; National and Kapodistrian Univ. of Athens; Athens Greece
| | - Barry Sinervo
- Dept of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology; Univ. of California; Santa Cruz CA USA
| | - Johannes Foufopoulos
- School of Natural Resources and Environment; Univ. of Michigan; Ann Arbor MI USA
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Pafilis P, Lymberakis P, Sagonas K, Valakos E. The particularities of a remote islet shape the thermoregulatory profile of an endemic Mediterranean lizard. J Therm Biol 2016; 61:55-60. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2016.08.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2016] [Revised: 08/23/2016] [Accepted: 08/23/2016] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
|
24
|
Ortega Z, Mencía A, Pérez-Mellado V. Sexual differences in behavioral thermoregulation of the lizard Scelarcis perspicillata. J Therm Biol 2016; 61:44-49. [PMID: 27712659 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2016.08.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2016] [Revised: 08/05/2016] [Accepted: 08/22/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Temperature determines all aspects of the biology of ectotherms. Although sexual differences in thermal ecology are not the rule in lizards, some species exhibit such differences. We studied the effect of sex and reproductive condition on the thermoregulation of an introduced population of Scelarcis perspicillata during the summer in Menorca (Balearic Islands, Spain). These lizards live in the wall surfaces of a limestone quarry, where the sun is scarce because of the narrowness of the quarry walls. The population is sexually dimorphic, with larger males than females. We measured body temperature (Tb) of adult males and females in the field, and air (Ta) and substrate temperature (Ts) at the capture sites, and recorded exposure to sunlight, height of the perch, and type of substrate. We also recorded operative temperatures (Te) as a null hypothesis of thermoregulation. Finally, we studied the thermal preferences of adult males and females in a laboratory thermal gradient. Thermal preferences were similar for pregnant and non-pregnant females, and sex did not affect the thermal preferences of lizards, even after controlling for the effect of body size. However, in the field, females achieved higher Tb than males, and occupied microhabitats with higher Ta and Ts and lower perch heights than males. Furthermore, females selected perches in full sun at a higher frequency than males. As a consequence, females achieved a higher accuracy and effectiveness of thermoregulation (0.89) than males (0.84). Thus, all else being equal, females would achieve a higher performance than males. The observed results are attributable to sexual differences in behaviour, probably in relation with the reproductive season.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zaida Ortega
- Department of Animal Biology, University of Salamanca, Campus Miguel de Unamuno, 37007 Salamanca, Spain.
| | - Abraham Mencía
- Department of Animal Biology, University of Salamanca, Campus Miguel de Unamuno, 37007 Salamanca, Spain
| | - Valentín Pérez-Mellado
- Department of Animal Biology, University of Salamanca, Campus Miguel de Unamuno, 37007 Salamanca, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Ortega Z, Mencía A, Pérez-Mellado V. Behavioral buffering of global warming in a cold-adapted lizard. Ecol Evol 2016; 6:4582-90. [PMID: 27386098 PMCID: PMC4931003 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.2216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2015] [Revised: 05/10/2016] [Accepted: 05/12/2016] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Alpine lizards living in restricted areas might be particularly sensitive to climate change. We studied thermal biology of Iberolacerta cyreni in high mountains of central Spain. Our results suggest that I. cyreni is a cold‐adapted thermal specialist and an effective thermoregulator. Among ectotherms, thermal specialists are more threatened by global warming than generalists. Alpine lizards have no chance to disperse to new suitable habitats. In addition, physiological plasticity is unlikely to keep pace with the expected rates of environmental warming. Thus, lizards might rely on their behavior in order to deal with ongoing climate warming. Plasticity of thermoregulatory behavior has been proposed to buffer the rise of environmental temperatures. Therefore, we studied the change in body and environmental temperatures, as well as their relationships, for I. cyreni between the 1980s and 2012. Air temperatures have increased more than 3.5°C and substrate temperatures have increased by 6°C in the habitat of I. cyreni over the last 25 years. However, body temperatures of lizards have increased less than 2°C in the same period, and the linear relationship between body and environmental temperatures remains similar. These results show that alpine lizards are buffering the potential impact of the increase in their environmental temperatures, most probably by means of their behavior. Body temperatures of I. cyreni are still cold enough to avoid any drop in fitness. Nonetheless, if warming continues, behavioral buffering might eventually become useless, as it would imply spending too much time in shelter, losing feeding, and mating opportunities. Eventually, if body temperature exceeds the thermal optimum in the near future, fitness would decrease abruptly.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zaida Ortega
- Department of Animal Biology University of Salamanca Campus Miguel de Unamuno 37007 Salamanca Spain
| | - Abraham Mencía
- Department of Animal Biology University of Salamanca Campus Miguel de Unamuno 37007 Salamanca Spain
| | - Valentín Pérez-Mellado
- Department of Animal Biology University of Salamanca Campus Miguel de Unamuno 37007 Salamanca Spain
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Ortega Z, Mencía A, Pérez-Mellado V. Are mountain habitats becoming more suitable for generalist than cold-adapted lizards thermoregulation? PeerJ 2016; 4:e2085. [PMID: 27280076 PMCID: PMC4893327 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.2085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2016] [Accepted: 05/05/2016] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Mountain lizards are highly vulnerable to climate change, and the continuous warming of their habitats could be seriously threatening their survival. We aim to compare the thermal ecology and microhabitat selection of a mountain lizard, Iberolacerta galani, and a widely distributed lizard, Podarcis bocagei, in a montane area. Both species are currently in close syntopy in the study area, at 1,400 m above the sea level. We determined the precision, accuracy and effectiveness of thermoregulation, and the thermal quality of habitat for both species. We also compared the selection of thermal microhabitats between both species. Results show that I. galani is a cold-adapted thermal specialist with a preferred temperature range of 27.9–29.7 °C, while P. bocagei would be a thermal generalist, with a broader and higher preferred temperature range (30.1–34.5 °C). In addition, I. galani selects rocky substrates while P. bocagei selects warmer soil and leaf litter substrates. The thermal quality of the habitat is higher for P. bocagei than for I. galani. Finally, P. bocagei achieves a significantly higher effectiveness of thermoregulation (0.87) than I. galani (0.80). Therefore, these mountain habitat conditions seem currently more suitable for performance of thermophilic generalist lizards than for cold-specialist lizards.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zaida Ortega
- Department of Animal Biology, University of Salamanca , Salamanca , Spain
| | - Abraham Mencía
- Department of Animal Biology, University of Salamanca , Salamanca , Spain
| | | |
Collapse
|