1
|
Stellatelli OA, Bonavita MI, Victorel C, Gómez Alés R, Moreno Azócar DL, Block C, Cruz FB. Thermo-physiological changes and reproductive investment in a liolaemid lizard at the extreme of the slow-fast continuum. J Exp Biol 2024; 227:jeb247506. [PMID: 38826150 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.247506] [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: 03/26/2024] [Accepted: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/04/2024]
Abstract
Gravid female lizards often experience reduced thermal preferences and impaired locomotor performance. These changes have been attributed to the physical burden of the clutch, but some authors have suggested that they may be due to physiological adjustments. We compared the thermal biology and locomotor performance of the lizard Liolaemus wiegmannii 1 week before and 1 week after oviposition. We found that gravid females had a thermal preference 1°C lower than that of non-gravid females. This was accompanied by a change in the thermal dependence of maximum running speed. The thermal optimum for locomotor performance was 2.6°C lower before oviposition than after. At relatively low temperatures (22 and 26°C), running speeds of females before oviposition were up to 31% higher than for females after oviposition. However, at temperatures above 26°C, females achieved similar maximum running speeds (∼1.5 m s-1) regardless of reproductive stage. The magnitude of the changes in thermal parameters and locomotor performance of L. wiegmannii females was independent of relative clutch mass (clutches weighed up to 89% of post-oviposition body mass). This suggests that the changes are not simply due to the clutch mass, but are also due to physiological adjustments. Liolaemus wiegmannii females simultaneously adjusted their own physiology in a short period in order to improve locomotor performance and allocated energy for embryonic development during late gravid stage. Our findings have implications for understanding the mechanisms underlying life histories of lizards on the fast extreme of the slow-fast continuum, where physiological exhaustion could play an important role.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Oscar A Stellatelli
- Grupo Vertebrados, Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras (IIMyC), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, B7602AYJ Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Mauro I Bonavita
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente (INIBIOMA), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y ́ Técnicas - Universidad Nacional del Comahue, 8400 San Carlos de Bariloche, Río Negro, Argentina
| | - Candela Victorel
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente (INIBIOMA), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y ́ Técnicas - Universidad Nacional del Comahue, 8400 San Carlos de Bariloche, Río Negro, Argentina
| | - Rodrigo Gómez Alés
- Gabinete Diversidad y Biología de Vertebrados del Árido (DIBIOVA), Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de San Juan, J5402DCS San Juan, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Centro Científico Tecnológico CONICET San Juan, J5400ARL San Juan, San Juan, Argentina
| | - Débora L Moreno Azócar
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente (INIBIOMA), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y ́ Técnicas - Universidad Nacional del Comahue, 8400 San Carlos de Bariloche, Río Negro, Argentina
| | - Carolina Block
- Grupo Vertebrados, Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras (IIMyC), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, B7602AYJ Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Félix B Cruz
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente (INIBIOMA), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y ́ Técnicas - Universidad Nacional del Comahue, 8400 San Carlos de Bariloche, Río Negro, Argentina
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Giacometti D, Palaoro AV, Leal LC, de Barros FC. How seasonality influences the thermal biology of lizards with different thermoregulatory strategies: a meta-analysis. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2024; 99:409-429. [PMID: 37872698 DOI: 10.1111/brv.13028] [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: 11/24/2022] [Revised: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/13/2023] [Indexed: 10/25/2023]
Abstract
Ectotherms that maintain thermal balance in the face of varying climates should be able to colonise a wide range of habitats. In lizards, thermoregulation usually appears as a variety of behaviours that buffer external influences over physiology. Basking species rely on solar radiation to raise body temperatures and usually show high thermoregulatory precision. By contrast, species that do not bask are often constrained by climatic conditions in their habitats, thus having lower thermoregulatory precision. While much focus has been given to the effects of mean habitat temperatures, relatively less is known about how seasonality affects the thermal biology of lizards on a macroecological scale. Considering the current climate crisis, assessing how lizards cope with temporal variations in environmental temperature is essential to understand better how these organisms will fare under climate change. Activity body temperatures (Tb ) represent the internal temperature of an animal measured in nature during its active period (i.e. realised thermal niche), and preferred body temperatures (Tpref ) are those selected by an animal in a laboratory thermal gradient that lacks thermoregulatory costs (i.e. fundamental thermal niche). Both traits form the bulk of thermal ecology research and are often studied in the context of seasonality. In this study, we used a meta-analysis to test how environmental temperature seasonality influences the seasonal variation in the Tb and Tpref of lizards that differ in thermoregulatory strategy (basking versus non-basking). Based on 333 effect sizes from 137 species, we found that Tb varied over a greater magnitude than Tpref across seasons. Variations in Tb were not influenced by environmental temperature seasonality; however, body size and thermoregulatory strategy mediated Tb responses. Specifically, larger species were subjected to greater seasonal variations in Tb , and basking species endured greater seasonal variations in Tb compared to non-basking species. On the other hand, the seasonal variation in Tpref increased with environmental temperature seasonality regardless of body size. Thermoregulatory strategy also influenced Tpref , suggesting that behaviour has an important role in mediating Tpref responses to seasonal variations in the thermal landscape. After controlling for phylogenetic effects, we showed that Tb and Tpref varied significantly across lizard families. Taken together, our results support the notion that the relationship between thermal biology responses and climatic parameters can be taxon and trait dependent. Our results also showcase the importance of considering ecological and behavioural aspects in macroecological studies. We further highlight current systematic, geographical, and knowledge gaps in thermal ecology research. Our work should benefit those who aim to understand more fully how seasonality shapes thermal biology in lizards, ultimately contributing to the goal of elucidating the evolution of temperature-sensitive traits in ectotherms.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Danilo Giacometti
- Departamento de Ecologia e Biologia Evolutiva, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Rua Professor Artur Riedel 275, Diadema, São Paulo, 09972-270, Brasil
- Department of Biological Sciences, Brock University, St. Catharines, ON, L2S3A1, Canada
| | - Alexandre V Palaoro
- Departamento de Ecologia e Biologia Evolutiva, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Rua Professor Artur Riedel 275, Diadema, São Paulo, 09972-270, Brasil
- Department of Material Sciences and Engineering, 490 Sirrine Hall, Clemson University, 515 Calhoun Dr, Clemson, SC, 29634, USA
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia, Universidade de São Paulo, Rua do Matão Trav. 14, São Paulo, 05508-090, Brasil
- Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Avenida Coronel Francisco H. dos Santos 100, Curitiba, Paraná, 82590-300, Brasil
| | - Laura C Leal
- Departamento de Ecologia e Biologia Evolutiva, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Rua Professor Artur Riedel 275, Diadema, São Paulo, 09972-270, Brasil
| | - Fábio C de Barros
- Departamento de Ecologia e Biologia Evolutiva, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Rua Professor Artur Riedel 275, Diadema, São Paulo, 09972-270, Brasil
- Departamento de Biociências, Universidade do Estado de Minas Gerais, Avenida Juca Stockler 1130, Passos, Minas Gerais, 37900-106, Brasil
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Zuliani M, Ghazian N, Owen M, Westphal MF, Butterfield HS, Lortie CJ. Shrub density effects on the presence of an endangered lizard of the Carrizo Plain National Monument, California. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e10128. [PMID: 37214602 PMCID: PMC10199236 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10128] [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: 07/15/2022] [Revised: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 05/11/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Positive associations between animals and foundational shrub species are frequent in desert ecosystems for shelter, resources, refuge, and other key ecological processes. Herein, we tested the impact of the density of the shrub species Ephedra californica on the presence and habitat use of the federally endangered lizard species, Gambelia sila. To do this, we used a 3-year radio telemetry dataset and satellite-based counts of shrub density across sites at the Carrizo Plain National Monument in San Luis Obispo County, CA. The effect of shrub density on lizard presence was contrasted with previous shrub cover analyses to determine whether measures of shrub density were superior to shrub cover in predicting lizard presence. Increasing shrub density increased lizard presence. As shrub density increased, lizards were located more frequently "above ground" versus "below ground" in burrows. Male lizards had significantly larger home ranges than females, but both sexes were similarly associated with increasing shrub densities. Shrub density and shrub cover models did not significantly differ in their prediction of lizard presence. These findings suggest that both habitat measures are effective analogs and that ecologically, both cover and the density of foundation shrub species are key factors for some desert lizards.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mario Zuliani
- Department of Biological ScienceYork UniversityTorontoOntarioCanada
| | - Nargol Ghazian
- Department of Biological ScienceYork UniversityTorontoOntarioCanada
| | - Malory Owen
- Department of Biological ScienceYork UniversityTorontoOntarioCanada
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
4
|
Oliveira P, Gomes V, Riaño G, Rato C. Ontogenic differences and sexual dimorphism of the locomotor performance in a nocturnal gecko, Tarentola mauritanica. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY. PART A, ECOLOGICAL AND INTEGRATIVE PHYSIOLOGY 2023; 339:28-36. [PMID: 35871279 DOI: 10.1002/jez.2645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2022] [Revised: 07/05/2022] [Accepted: 07/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Locomotion performance in reptiles is deeply associated with habitat use, escape from predators, prey capture, and territory defense. As ectotherms, this trait in lizards is extremely sensitive to body temperature (BT). However, most studies rarely look at locomotion patterns in an ontogenic perspective. The Moorish gecko, Tarentola mauritanica, was used to investigate the possible effects of distinct BTs on the locomotor performance within juveniles and adults. Not surprisingly, adult individuals significantly outperform the juveniles in speed at every BT. Moreover, except in the 30-day-old juveniles, there is a general trend for an increase of speed with BT. The comparison of these speed values with the ones obtained for diurnal lizard species, corroborates the premise that because nocturnal species are subject to low thermal heterogeneity, little selection for behavioral thermoregulation, but strong selection for high performance at relatively cool temperatures are expected. Furthermore, the higher locomotor performance in adults at 29°C, roughly coincides with previously obtained preferred BTs. However, further studies need to be conducted to build the full performance curve, and to validate the existence of coadaption between behavioral thermoregulation and thermal sensitivity of physiological performance. Finally, this study has found that adult males run significantly faster than females at the highest BTs, highlighting the importance in understanding sex differences, and its potential to drive sex-specific behaviors, ecology, and ultimately fitness.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pedro Oliveira
- CIBIO/InBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Universidade do Porto, Vila do Conde, Vairão, Vila do Conde, Portugal
| | - Verónica Gomes
- CIBIO/InBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Universidade do Porto, Vila do Conde, Vairão, Vila do Conde, Portugal.,BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Vairão, Portugal
| | - Gabriel Riaño
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology (CSIC-UPF), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Catarina Rato
- CIBIO/InBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Universidade do Porto, Vila do Conde, Vairão, Vila do Conde, Portugal.,BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Vairão, Portugal
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Liu W, Yang J, Meng Y, Wu D, Cui L, Li T, Sun B, Liu P. The divergent effects of moderate climate warming on the gut microbiota and energetic state of cold-climate lizards from open and semi-closed microhabitats. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:1050750. [PMID: 36483215 PMCID: PMC9722725 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.1050750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2022] [Accepted: 11/07/2022] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Understanding the physiological responses to warming temperatures is critical for evaluating the vulnerabilities of animals to climate warming. The physiological responses are increasingly affected by gut microbiota. However, the interactions between physiological responses and the gut microbiota of sympatric animals from various microhabitats in the face of climate change remain largely unknown. METHODS To evaluate the effects of warming temperatures on animals from different microhabitats, we compared locomotor performance, metabolic rate, growth, survival, and gut microbiota of two sympatric ectothermic species (Eremias argus and Takydromus amurensis) from open and semi-closed microhabitats under present and moderate warming climate conditions, respectively. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION We found that locomotor performance and growth rates of snout-vent length (SVL) were enhanced in both lizard species by warming climate. Interestingly, warming temperatures enhanced resting metabolic rates (RMR) in the open-habitat lizard, E. argus, but depressed them in the semi-closed habitat lizard, T. amurensis. Reversely, the metabolism-related gut microbiota was not affected by warming in E. argus, whereas it was significantly enhanced by warming in T. amurensis, indicating a plausible compensatory effect of the gut microbiota on the metabolic regulation of T. amurensis. Furthermore, warming likely improved immunity in both lizard species by significantly reducing pathogenic bacteria while increasing probiotics. This study found that high-latitude sympatric lizards from both open and semi-closed habitats were beneficial to warming temperatures by physiological modification and regulation of the gut microbiota and highlighted the importance of integrating the physiology and gut microbiota in evaluating the vulnerability of animals to climate warming.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wanli Liu
- College of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Normal University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Jing Yang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yu Meng
- College of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Normal University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Danyang Wu
- Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Luoxin Cui
- College of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Normal University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Teng Li
- College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Baojun Sun
- Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Peng Liu
- College of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Normal University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| |
Collapse
|