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Lara-Reséndiz RA, Sánchez JM, Paez RS, Muñiz-Leão S, Colli GR, Miles DB, Sinervo B, Pelegrin N. Hot, dry, and salty: The present and future of an Extremophile model lizard from Argentina. J Therm Biol 2024; 123:103917. [PMID: 38991264 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2024.103917] [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: 08/16/2023] [Revised: 07/02/2024] [Accepted: 07/04/2024] [Indexed: 07/13/2024]
Abstract
Global warming poses a threat to lizard populations by raising ambient temperatures above historical norms and reducing thermoregulation opportunities. Whereas the reptile fauna of desert systems is relatively well studied, the lizard fauna of saline environments has not received much attention and-to our knowledge-thermal ecology and the effects of global warming on lizards from saline environments have not been yet addressed. This pioneer study investigates the thermal ecology, locomotor performance and potential effects of climate warming on Liolaemus ditadai, a lizard endemic to one of the largest salt flats on Earth. We sampled L. ditadai using traps and active searches along its known distribution, as well as in other areas within Salinas Grandes and Salinas de Ambargasta, where the species had not been previously recorded. Using ensemble models (GAM, MARS, RandomForest), we modeled climatically suitable habitats for L. ditadai in the present and under a pessimistic future scenario (SSP585, 2070). L. ditadai emerges as an efficient thermoregulator, tolerating temperatures near its upper thermal limits. Our ecophysiological model suggests that available activity hours predict its distribution, and the projected temperature increase due to global climate change should minimally impact its persistence or may even have a positive effect on suitable thermal habitat. However, this theoretical increase in habitat could be linked to the distribution of halophilous scrub in the future. Our surveys reveal widespread distribution along the borders of Salinas Grandes and Salinas de Ambargasta, suggesting a potential presence along the entire border of both salt plains wherever halophytic vegetation exists. Optimistic model results, extended distribution, and no evidence of flood-related adverse effects offer insights into assessing the conservation status of L. ditadai, making it and the Salinas Grandes system suitable models for studying lizard ecophysiology in largely unknown saline environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafael A Lara-Reséndiz
- Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales. Centro de Zoología Aplicada, Rondeau 798, X5000AVP, Córdoba, Argentina; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal (IDEA), Rondeau 798, X5000AVP, Córdoba, Argentina; Instituto Tecnológico de Sonora, 85000, Cd. Obregón, Sonora, Mexico; Laboratorio Nacional Conahcyt de Biología del Cambio Climático, Mexico
| | - José M Sánchez
- Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales. Centro de Zoología Aplicada, Rondeau 798, X5000AVP, Córdoba, Argentina; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal (IDEA), Rondeau 798, X5000AVP, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Romina S Paez
- Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales. Centro de Zoología Aplicada, Rondeau 798, X5000AVP, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Suelem Muñiz-Leão
- Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales. Centro de Zoología Aplicada, Rondeau 798, X5000AVP, Córdoba, Argentina; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal (IDEA), Rondeau 798, X5000AVP, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Guarino R Colli
- Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, Distrito Federal, Brazil
| | - Donald B Miles
- Department of Biological Sciences, Ohio University, Athens, OH, USA
| | - Barry Sinervo
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Nicolás Pelegrin
- Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
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2
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Tatu A, Dutta S, Thaker M. Hotter deserts and the impending challenges for the Spiny-tailed Lizard in India. Biol Open 2024; 13:bio060150. [PMID: 38466074 PMCID: PMC11007731 DOI: 10.1242/bio.060150] [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: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 03/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Ectotherms are particularly vulnerable to climate change, especially those living in extreme areas, such as deserts, where species are already thermally constrained. Using the vulnerable herbivorous lizard Saara hardwickii as a model system, we used a multi-pronged approach to understand the thermal ecology of a desert agamid and potential impacts of rising temperatures. Our data included field-based measures of operative temperatures, body temperatures, and activity, as well as lab-based measures of thermal limits, preferences, and sprint speed. As expected, the temperature dependence of locomotor performance and foraging activity were different, and in the worst-case global warming scenario (SSP5-8.5), potential sprint speed may decrease by up to 14.5% and foraging activity may decrease by up to 43.5% by 2099. Burrows are essential thermal refuges, and global warming projections suggest that S. hardwickii may be restricted to burrows for up to 9 h per day by 2099, which would greatly limit critical activities, like foraging and seeking mating opportunities. Overall, we show that key information on thermal ecology, including temperature-sensitive behaviours in the wild, is necessary to understand the multiple ways in which increasing temperatures may influence ectothermic vertebrates, especially for species like S. hardwickii that are already vulnerable to environmental change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Avichal Tatu
- Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, 248001, India
- Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Karnataka, 560012, India
- School of Biosciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3052, Australia
| | - Sutirtha Dutta
- Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, 248001, India
| | - Maria Thaker
- Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Karnataka, 560012, India
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3
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Camacho A, Rodrigues MT, Jayyusi R, Harun M, Geraci M, Carretero MA, Vinagre C, Tejedo M. Does heat tolerance actually predict animals' geographic thermal limits? THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 917:170165. [PMID: 38242475 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.170165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2023] [Revised: 01/11/2024] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 01/21/2024]
Abstract
The "climate extremes hypothesis" is a major assumption of geographic studies of heat tolerance and climatic vulnerability. However, this assumption remains vastly untested across taxa, and multiple factors may contribute to uncoupling heat tolerance estimates and geographic limits. Our dataset includes 1000 entries of heat tolerance data and maximum temperatures for each species' known geographic limits (hereafter, Tmax). We gathered this information across major animal taxa, including marine fish, terrestrial arthropods, amphibians, non-avian reptiles, birds, and mammals. We first tested if heat tolerance constrains the Tmax of sites where species could be observed. Secondly, we tested if the strength of such restrictions depends on how high Tmax is relative to heat tolerance. Thirdly, we correlated the different estimates of Tmax among them and across species. Restrictions are strong for amphibians, arthropods, and birds but often weak or inconsistent for reptiles and mammals. Marine fish describe a non-linear relationship that contrasts with terrestrial groups. Traditional heat tolerance measures in thermal vulnerability studies, like panting temperatures and the upper set point of preferred temperatures, do not predict Tmax or are inversely correlated to it, respectively. Heat tolerance restricts the geographic warm edges more strongly for species that reach sites with higher Tmax for their heat tolerance. These emerging patterns underline the importance of reliable species' heat tolerance indexes to identify their thermal vulnerability at their warm range edges. Besides, the tight correlations of Tmax estimates across on-land microhabitats support a view of multiple types of thermal challenges simultaneously shaping ranges' warm edges for on-land species. The heterogeneous correlation of Tmax estimates in the ocean supports the view that fish thermoregulation is generally limited, too. We propose new hypotheses to understand thermal restrictions on animal distribution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agustín Camacho
- Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva, Estación Biológica de Doñana, CSIC, Av. Américo Vespucio 26, 41092 Sevilla, Spain; São Paulo, SP, CEP: 05508-090, Brazil.
| | - Miguel Trefaut Rodrigues
- Laboratorio de Herpetologia, Departamento de Zoologia, Instituto de Biociências, USP, Rua do Matão, trav. 14, n° 321, Cidade Universitária, São Paulo, SP CEP: 05508-090, Brazil
| | - Refat Jayyusi
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, USA
| | - Mohamed Harun
- Administração Nacional das Àreas de Conservaçao, Ministério da Terra, Ambiente e desenvolvimento rural, Rua da Resistência, nr° 1746/47 8° andar, Maputo, Mozambique; Faculdade de Veterinaria UEM, Maputo, Mozambique
| | - Marco Geraci
- Arnold School of Public Health, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of South Carolina, USA; CCMAR - Centre of Marine Sciences, University of Algarve, Faro, Portugal; MEMOTEF Department, School of Economics, Sapienza University of Rome
| | - Miguel A Carretero
- CIBIO-InBIO, Universidade do Porto, Campus de Vairão, Rua Padre Armando Quintas, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal; BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Campus de Vairão, P-4485-661 Vairão, Portugal; Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences of the University of Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
| | - Catarina Vinagre
- CCMAR - Centre of Marine Sciences, University of Algarve, Faro, Portugal
| | - Miguel Tejedo
- Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva, Estación Biológica de Doñana, CSIC, Av. Américo Vespucio 26, 41092 Sevilla, Spain
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4
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Clark RC, Johnson JC. The functional microclimate of an urban arthropod pest: Urban heat island temperatures in webs of the western black widow spider. J Therm Biol 2024; 120:103814. [PMID: 38402729 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2024.103814] [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] [Received: 09/27/2023] [Revised: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
Urbanization alters natural landscapes and creates unique challenges for urban wildlife. Similarly, the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect can produce significantly elevated temperatures in urban areas, and we have a relatively poor understanding of how this will impact urban biodiversity. In particular, most studies quantify the UHI using broad-scale climate data rather than assessing microclimate temperatures actually experienced by organisms. In addition, studies often fail to address spatial and temporal complexities of the UHI. Here we examine the thermal microclimate and UHI experienced in the web of Western black widow spiders (Latrodectus hesperus), a medically-important, superabundant urban pest species found in cities across the Western region of North America. We do this using replicate urban and desert populations across an entire year to account for seasonal variation in the UHI, both within and between habitats. Our findings reveal a strong nighttime, but no daytime, UHI effect, with urban spider webs being 2-5 °C warmer than desert webs at night. This UHI effect is most prominent during the spring and least prominent in winter, suggesting that the UHI need not be most pronounced when temperatures are most elevated. Urban web temperatures varied among urban sites in the daytime, whereas desert web temperatures varied among desert sites in the nighttime. Finally, web temperature was significantly positively correlated with a spider's boldness, but showed no relationship with voracity towards prey, web size, or body condition. Understanding the complexities of each organism's thermal challenges, the "functional microclimate", is crucial for predicting the impacts of urbanization and climate change on urban biodiversity and ecosystem functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan C Clark
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85281, USA
| | - J Chadwick Johnson
- School of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Arizona State University at the West Campus, Glendale, AZ, 85069, USA.
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5
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Alujević K, Bakewell L, Clifton IT, Cox CL, Frishkoff LO, Gangloff EJ, Garcia-Costoya G, Gifford ME, Glenwinkel M, Gulati SAK, Head A, Miles M, Pettit C, Watson CM, Wuthrich KL, Logan ML. 3D printed models are an accurate, cost-effective, and reproducible tool for quantifying terrestrial thermal environments. J Therm Biol 2024; 119:103762. [PMID: 38071898 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2023.103762] [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] [Received: 08/14/2023] [Revised: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2024]
Abstract
Predicting ecological responses to rapid environmental change has become one of the greatest challenges of modern biology. One of the major hurdles in forecasting these responses is accurately quantifying the thermal environments that organisms experience. The distribution of temperatures available within an organism's habitat is typically measured using data loggers called operative temperature models (OTMs) that are designed to mimic certain properties of heat exchange in the focal organism. The gold standard for OTM construction in studies of terrestrial ectotherms has been the use of copper electroforming which creates anatomically accurate models that equilibrate quickly to ambient thermal conditions. However, electroformed models require the use of caustic chemicals, are often brittle, and their production is expensive and time intensive. This has resulted in many researchers resorting to the use of simplified OTMs that can yield substantial measurement errors. 3D printing offers the prospect of robust, easily replicated, morphologically accurate, and cost-effective OTMs that capture the benefits but alleviate the problems associated with electroforming. Here, we validate the use of OTMs that were 3D printed using several materials across eight lizard species of different body sizes and living in habitats ranging from deserts to tropical forests. We show that 3D printed OTMs have low thermal inertia and predict the live animal's equilibration temperature with high accuracy across a wide range of body sizes and microhabitats. Finally, we developed a free online repository and database of 3D scans (https://www.3dotm.org/) to increase the accessibility of this tool to researchers around the world and facilitate ease of production of 3D printed models. 3D printing of OTMs is generalizable to taxa beyond lizards. If widely adopted, this approach promises greater accuracy and reproducibility in studies of terrestrial thermal ecology and should lead to improved forecasts of the biological impacts of climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karla Alujević
- Department of Biology and Program in Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, NV, 89557, USA.
| | - Leah Bakewell
- Department of Biological Sciences and Institute for the Environment, Florida International University, Miami, FL, 33199, USA
| | - Ian T Clifton
- Department of Biological Sciences and Institute for the Environment, Florida International University, Miami, FL, 33199, USA; Department of Biology, University of Arkansas at Little Rock, Little Rock, AR, 72204, USA
| | - Christian L Cox
- Department of Biological Sciences and Institute for the Environment, Florida International University, Miami, FL, 33199, USA
| | - Luke O Frishkoff
- Department of Biology, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX, 76019, USA
| | - Eric J Gangloff
- Department of Biological Sciences, Ohio Wesleyan University, Delaware, OH, 43015, USA
| | - Guillermo Garcia-Costoya
- Department of Biology and Program in Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, NV, 89557, USA
| | - Matthew E Gifford
- Department of Biology, University of Central Arkansas, Conway, AR, 72035, USA
| | - Madison Glenwinkel
- Department of Biology and Program in Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, NV, 89557, USA
| | - Samir A K Gulati
- Department of Biology and Program in Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, NV, 89557, USA
| | - Alyssa Head
- Department of Biological Sciences, Ohio Wesleyan University, Delaware, OH, 43015, USA
| | - Monica Miles
- Department of Biology, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX, 76019, USA
| | - Ciara Pettit
- Department of Biological Sciences, Ohio Wesleyan University, Delaware, OH, 43015, USA
| | - Charles M Watson
- Department of Life Sciences, Texas A&M University San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, 78249, USA
| | - Kelly L Wuthrich
- Department of Biological Sciences and Institute for the Environment, Florida International University, Miami, FL, 33199, USA
| | - Michael L Logan
- Department of Biology and Program in Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, NV, 89557, USA
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6
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Camacho A, Brunes TO, Rodrigues MT. Dehydration alters behavioral thermoregulation and the geography of climatic vulnerability in two Amazonian lizards. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0286502. [PMID: 37910524 PMCID: PMC10619801 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0286502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2021] [Accepted: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023] Open
Abstract
High temperatures and low water availability often strike organisms concomitantly. Observing how organisms behaviorally thermohydroregulate may help us to better understand their climatic vulnerability. This is especially important for tropical forest lizards, species that are purportedly under greater climatic risk. Here, we observed the influence of hydration level on the Voluntary Thermal Maximum (VTmax) in two small Amazonian lizard species: Loxopholis ferreirai (semiaquatic and scansorial) and Loxopholis percarinatum (leaf litter parthenogenetic dweller), accounting for several potential confounding factors (handling, body mass, starting temperature and heating rate). Next, we used two modeling approaches (simple mapping of thermal margins and NicheMapR) to compare the effects of dehydration, decrease in precipitation, ability to burrow, and tree cover availability, on geographic models of climatic vulnerability. We found that VTmax decreased with dehydration, starting temperature, and heating rates in both species. The two modeling approaches showed that dehydration may alter the expected intensity, extent, and duration of perceived thermal risk across the Amazon basin for these forest lizards. Based on our results and previous studies, we identify new evidence needed to better understand thermohydroregulation and to model the geography of climatic risk using the VTmax.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agustín Camacho
- Departamento de Fisiologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- Departmento de Ecología Evolutiva, Estación Biológica de Doñana, Sevilla, España
| | - Tuliana O. Brunes
- Departmento de Zoologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
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7
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Llanos-Garrido A, Santos T, Díaz JA. Negative effects of the spatial clumping of thermal resources on lizard thermoregulation in a fragmented habitat. J Therm Biol 2023; 115:103604. [PMID: 37421838 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2023.103604] [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] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Revised: 05/25/2023] [Accepted: 05/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/10/2023]
Abstract
In ecosystems threatened by the expansion of croplands, habitat fragmentation and climate change, two of the main extinction drivers, may have thermoregulation-mediated interacting effects on demographic trends of terrestrial ectotherms. We studied the thermal biology of a metapopulation of the widespread Mediterranean lacertid Psammodromus algirus in ten fragments of evergreen or deciduous oak forests interspersed among cereal fields. We obtained thermoregulation statistics (selected temperature range, body and operative temperatures, thermal quality of the habitat, and precision, accuracy, and effectiveness of thermoregulation) that could be compared among fragments and with conspecific populations living in unfragmented habitat. We also measured the selection (use vs. availability) and spatial distribution of sunlit and shaded patches used for behavioral thermoregulation in fragments, and we estimated operative temperatures and thermal habitat quality in the agricultural matrix surrounding the fragments. Variation of the thermal environment was much larger within fragments than among them, and thermoregulation was accurate, precise, and efficient throughout the fragmented landscape; its effectiveness was similar to that of previously studied unfragmented populations. The average distance between sunlit and shaded patches was shorter in deciduous than in evergreen fragments, producing a more clumped distribution of the mosaic of thermal resources. Consequently, in evergreen habitat the cost of thermoregulation was higher, because lizards were more selective in their choice of sunlit sites (i.e. they used sunlit patches closer to shade and refuge than expected at random, and the extent of such selection was larger than at deciduous habitat). Temperatures available in croplands were too high to allow lizard dispersal, at least in the post-breeding season. This result confirms the role of croplands as a thermal barrier that promotes inbreeding and associated fitness losses in isolated fragments, and it forecasts a dark future for populations of forest lizards in agricultural landscapes under the combined effects of habitat fragmentation and global warming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Llanos-Garrido
- Department of Biodiversity, Ecology and Evolution, Faculty of Biology, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Tomás Santos
- Department of Biodiversity, Ecology and Evolution, Faculty of Biology, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - José A Díaz
- Department of Biodiversity, Ecology and Evolution, Faculty of Biology, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
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8
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Mathewson PD, Darnell MZ, Lane ZM, Yeghissian TG, Levinton J, Porter WP. Incorporating species-specific morphology improves model predictions of thermal and hydric stress in the sand fiddler crab, Leptuca pugilator. J Therm Biol 2023; 115:103613. [PMID: 37437372 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2023.103613] [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: 06/03/2022] [Revised: 06/03/2023] [Accepted: 06/04/2023] [Indexed: 07/14/2023]
Abstract
Understanding where and why organisms are experiencing thermal and hydric stress is critical for predicting species' responses to climate change. Biophysical models that explicitly link organismal functional traits like morphology, physiology, and behavior to environmental conditions can provide valuable insight into determinants of thermal and hydric stress. Here we use a combination of direct measurements, 3D modeling, and computational fluid dynamics to develop a detailed biophysical model of the sand fiddler crab, Leptuca pugilator. We compare the detailed model's performance to a model using a simpler ellipsoidal approximation of a crab. The detailed model predicted crab body temperatures within 1 °C of observed in both laboratory and field settings; the ellipsoidal approximation model predicted body temperatures within 2 °C of observed body temperatures. Model predictions are meaningfully improved through efforts to incorporate species-specific morphological properties rather than relying on simple geometric approximations. Experimental evaporative water loss (EWL) measurements indicate that L. pugilator can modify its permeability to EWL as a function of vapor density gradients, providing novel insight into physiological thermoregulation in the species. Body temperature and EWL predictions made over the course of a year at a single site demonstrate how such biophysical models can be used to explore mechanistic drivers and spatiotemporal patterns of thermal and hydric stress, providing insight into current and future distributions in the face of climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul D Mathewson
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.
| | - M Zachary Darnell
- Division of Coastal Sciences, School of Ocean Science and Engineering, The University of Southern Mississippi, Ocean Springs, MS, USA
| | - Zachary M Lane
- Division of Coastal Sciences, School of Ocean Science and Engineering, The University of Southern Mississippi, Ocean Springs, MS, USA
| | - Talene G Yeghissian
- Division of Coastal Sciences, School of Ocean Science and Engineering, The University of Southern Mississippi, Ocean Springs, MS, USA
| | - Jeffrey Levinton
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Warren P Porter
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
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9
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Alujević K, Streicher JW, Garcia RA, Riesgo A, Taboada S, Logan ML, Clusella-Trullas S. Mismatches between phenotype and environment shape fitness at hyperlocal scales. Proc Biol Sci 2023; 290:20230865. [PMID: 37312553 PMCID: PMC10265021 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.0865] [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: 04/12/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/15/2023] Open
Abstract
In the era of human-driven climate change, understanding whether behavioural buffering of temperature change is linked with organismal fitness is essential. According to the 'cost-benefit' model of thermoregulation, animals that live in environments with high frequencies of favourable thermal microclimates should incur lower thermoregulatory costs, thermoregulate more efficiently and shunt the associated savings in time and energy towards other vital tasks such as feeding, territory defence and mate acquisition, increasing fitness. Here, we explore how thermal landscapes at the scale of individual territories, physiological performance and behaviour interact and shape fitness in the southern rock agama lizard (Agama atra). We integrated laboratory assays of whole organism performance with behavioural observations in the field, fine-scale estimates of environmental temperature, and paternity assignment of offspring to test whether fitness is predicted by territory thermal quality (i.e. the number of hours that operative temperatures in a territory fall within an individual's performance breadth). Male lizards that occupied territories of low thermal quality spent more time behaviourally compensating for sub-optimal temperatures and displayed less. Further, display rate was positively associated with lizard fitness, suggesting that there is an opportunity cost to engaging in thermoregulatory behaviour that will change as climate change progresses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karla Alujević
- Centre for Invasion Biology, Department of Botany and Zoology, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch 7600, South Africa
- Department of Biology and Program in Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557, USA
| | | | - Raquel A. Garcia
- Centre for Invasion Biology, Department of Botany and Zoology, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch 7600, South Africa
| | - Ana Riesgo
- Department of Life Sciences, The Natural History Museum, London SW7 5BD, UK
- Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, Madrid, Spain
| | - Sergio Taboada
- Department of Life Sciences, The Natural History Museum, London SW7 5BD, UK
- Departamento de Biodiversidad, Ecología y Evolución, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Facultad de Ciencias, 28049 Madrid, Spain
- Departamento de Ciencias de la Vida, EU-US Marine Biodiversity Group, Universidad de Alcalá, 28871 Alcalá de Henares, Spain
| | - Michael L. Logan
- Department of Biology and Program in Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557, USA
| | - Susana Clusella-Trullas
- Centre for Invasion Biology, Department of Botany and Zoology, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch 7600, South Africa
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10
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Doucette LI, Duncan RP, Osborne WS, Evans M, Georges A, Gruber B, Sarre SD. Climate warming drives a temperate-zone lizard to its upper thermal limits, restricting activity, and increasing energetic costs. Sci Rep 2023; 13:9603. [PMID: 37311881 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-35087-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 05/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Lizards are considered vulnerable to climate change because many operate near their thermal maxima. Exposure to higher temperatures could reduce activity of these animals by forcing them to shelter in thermal refugia for prolonged periods to avoid exceeding lethal limits. While rising temperatures should reduce activity in tropical species, the situation is less clear for temperate-zone species where activity can be constrained by both low and high temperatures. Here, we measure the effects of natural variation in environmental temperatures on activity in a temperate grassland lizard and show that it is operating near its upper thermal limit in summer even when sheltering in thermal refuges. As air temperatures increased above 32 °C, lizard activity declined markedly as individuals sought refuge in cool microhabitats while still incurring substantial metabolic costs. We estimate that warming over the last two decades has required these lizards to increase their energy intake up to 40% to offset metabolic losses caused by rising temperatures. Our results show that recent increases in temperature are sufficient to exceed the thermal and metabolic limits of temperate-zone grassland lizards. Extended periods of high temperatures could place natural populations of ectotherms under significantly increased environmental stress and contribute to population declines and extinction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa I Doucette
- Centre for Conservation Ecology and Genomics, Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra, Bruce, ACT, 2617, Australia.
- Department of Natural Resources and Renewables, 136 Exhibition Street, Kentville, NS, B4N 4ES, Canada.
| | - Richard P Duncan
- Centre for Conservation Ecology and Genomics, Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra, Bruce, ACT, 2617, Australia
| | - William S Osborne
- Centre for Conservation Ecology and Genomics, Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra, Bruce, ACT, 2617, Australia
| | - Murray Evans
- Conservation Research, Environment and Planning Directorate, ACT Government, Mitchell, ACT, 2911, Australia
| | - Arthur Georges
- Centre for Conservation Ecology and Genomics, Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra, Bruce, ACT, 2617, Australia
| | - Bernd Gruber
- Centre for Conservation Ecology and Genomics, Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra, Bruce, ACT, 2617, Australia
| | - Stephen D Sarre
- Centre for Conservation Ecology and Genomics, Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra, Bruce, ACT, 2617, Australia.
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11
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Selected microhabitat and surface temperatures of two sympatric lizard species. ACTA OECOLOGICA 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.actao.2022.103887] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
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12
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Cardona-Botero VE, Lara-Reséndiz RA, Woolrich-Piña GA, Pineda E, Lira-Noriega A, Gadsden H. Seasonal and elevational variation in thermal ecology of the crevice-dwelling knob-scaled lizard Xenosaurus fractus from central-eastern Mexico. J Therm Biol 2023; 112:103432. [PMID: 36796888 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2022.103432] [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: 03/08/2022] [Revised: 11/22/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
There is strong covariation between the thermal physiology of ectothermic animals and their thermal environment. Spatial and temporal differences in the thermal environment across a species' range may result in changes in thermal preferences between populations of that species. Alternatively, thermoregulatory-based microhabitat selection can allow individuals to maintain similar body temperatures across a broad thermal gradient. Which strategy a species adopts is often dependent on taxon-specific levels of physiological conservatism or ecological context. Identifying which strategies species use in response to spatial and temporal variation in environmental temperatures requires empirical evidence, which then can support predictions as to how a species might respond to a changing climate. Here we present findings of our analyses of the thermal quality, thermoregulatory accuracy and efficiency for the lizard, Xenosaurus fractus, across an elevation-thermal gradient and over the temporal thermal variation associated with seasonal changes. Xenosaurus fractus is a strict crevice-dweller, a habitat that can buffer this lizard from extreme temperatures and is a thermal conformer (body temperatures reflect air and substrate temperatures). We found populations of this species differed in their thermal preferences along an elevation gradient and between seasons. Specifically, we found that habitat thermal quality, thermoregulatory accuracy and efficiency (all measures of how well the lizards' body temperatures compared to their preferred body temperatures) varied along thermal gradients and with season. Our findings indicate that this species has adapted to local conditions and shows seasonal flexibility in those spatial adaptations. Along with their strict crevice-dwelling habitat, these adaptations may provide some protection against a warming climate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria E Cardona-Botero
- Red de Biología y Conservación de Vertebrados, Instituto de Ecología A.C., Carretera Antigua a Coatepec 351, Col. El Haya, CP 91073, Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico.
| | - Rafael A Lara-Reséndiz
- Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Centro de Zoología Aplicada and Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal, Córdoba, Argentina; Departamento de Ciencias del Agua y Medio Ambiente, Instituto Tecnológico de Sonora, Ciudad Obregón, Sonora, Mexico
| | - Guillermo A Woolrich-Piña
- Tecnológico Nacional de México campus Zacapoaxtla. Subdirección de Investigación y Posgrado, División de Biología, Carretera Acuaco-Zacapoaxtla Km. 8, Col. Totoltepec, C. P. 73680, Zacapoaxtla, Puebla, Mexico
| | - Eduardo Pineda
- Red de Biología y Conservación de Vertebrados, Instituto de Ecología A.C., Carretera Antigua a Coatepec 351, Col. El Haya, CP 91073, Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico
| | - Andrés Lira-Noriega
- CONACYT Research Fellow, Red de Estudios Moleculares Avanzados, Instituto de Ecología A.C., Carretera Antigua a Coatepec 351, Col. El Haya, CP 91070, Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico
| | - Héctor Gadsden
- Instituto de Ecología, A. C.-Centro Regional del Bajío, Av. Lázaro Cárdenas 253, A. P. 386, C. P. 61600, Pátzcuaro, Michoacán, Mexico; Lindale St. s/n, Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada
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13
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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.
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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
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14
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Matavelli R, Oliveira JM, Soininen J, Ribeiro MC, Bertoluci J. Altitude and temperature drive anuran community assembly in a Neotropical mountain region. Biotropica 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/btp.13074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Rodrigo Matavelli
- Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz Universidade de São Paulo (ESALQ/USP) Piracicaba Brazil
- Laboratório de Ecologia Espacial e Conservação (LEEC) Departamento de Biodiversidade Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) Rio Claro Brazil
| | - Juliano Machado Oliveira
- Laboratório de Ecologia Espacial e Conservação (LEEC) Departamento de Biodiversidade Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) Rio Claro Brazil
| | - Janne Soininen
- Department of Geosciences and Geography University of Helsinki Helsinki Finland
| | - Milton Cezar Ribeiro
- Laboratório de Ecologia Espacial e Conservação (LEEC) Departamento de Biodiversidade Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) Rio Claro Brazil
| | - Jaime Bertoluci
- Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz Universidade de São Paulo (ESALQ/USP) Piracicaba Brazil
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15
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Parlin AF, Schaeffer PJ. Cardiovascular contributions and energetic costs of thermoregulation in ectothermic vertebrates. J Exp Biol 2022; 225:274253. [PMID: 35119074 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.243095] [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: 06/28/2021] [Accepted: 10/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Ectothermic vertebrates use a suite of physiological and behavioral mechanisms to thermoregulate, which result in various thermoregulatory strategies from thermoconformity to thermoregulation. Here, we present a novel synthesis of theoretical and empirical methods to determine cardiovascular contributions to heat transfer in free-living ectothermic vertebrates. We start by identifying the fundamental components of heat transfer and the cardiovascular mechanisms for physiological modulation of heat exchange, and then integrate these components into a single, integrative framework: the cardiovascular heat exchange framework (CHEF). We demonstrate that this framework can identify details of the thermoregulatory strategy in two turtle species, most notably the preponderance of instances where turtles use physiological mechanisms to avoid overheating, suggesting vulnerability to climate change. As modulated physiological contributions to heat flow incur a greater energy demand than relying on unmodulated passive heat transfer, we then asked whether we could characterize the energetic costs of thermoregulation. We measured field metabolic rate (FMR) in free-living turtles and used the CHEF to determine FMR while actively or passively thermoregulating. Comparing an individual's actual FMR to the rate calculated assuming absence of thermoregulation revealed that painted turtles, a partial thermoregulator, elevate their daily energy expenditure (DEE) by about 25%, while box turtles, a thermoconformer, have a DEE that is nearly unchanged as a result of thermoregulation. This integrative framework builds a new paradigm that provides a mechanism to explain correlations between energy demand and thermoregulatory strategy, quantifies the energetic costs of thermoregulation, and identifies the role of cardiovascular contributions to thermoregulation in free-living animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam F Parlin
- Department of Biology, Miami University, Oxford, OH 45056, USA
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16
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Correspondence between thermal biology and locomotor performance in a liolaemid lizard from the southeastern coastal Pampas of Argentina. J Therm Biol 2021; 105:103173. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2021.103173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2021] [Revised: 12/12/2021] [Accepted: 12/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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17
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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: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [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.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martha M Muñoz
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, 06511
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18
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Urohidrosis as an overlooked cooling mechanism in long-legged birds. Sci Rep 2021; 11:20018. [PMID: 34625581 PMCID: PMC8501033 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-99296-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2021] [Accepted: 09/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Behavioural thermoregulation could buffer the impacts of climate warming on vertebrates. Specifically, the wetting of body surfaces and the resulting evaporation of body fluids serves as a cooling mechanism in a number of vertebrates coping with heat. Storks (Ciconiidae) frequently excrete onto their legs to prevent overheating, a phenomenon known as urohidrosis. Despite the increasingly recognised role of bare and highly vascularised body parts in heat exchange, the ecological and evolutionary determinants of urohidrosis have been largely ignored. We combine urohidrosis data from a scientifically curated media repository with microclimate and ecological data to investigate the determinants of urohidrosis in all extant stork species. Our phylogenetic generalised linear mixed models show that high temperature, humidity and solar radiation, and low wind speed, promote the use of urohidrosis across species. Moreover, species that typically forage in open landscapes exhibit a more pronounced use of urohidrosis than those mainly foraging in waterbodies. Substantial interspecific variation in temperature thresholds for urohidrosis prevalence points to different species vulnerabilities to high temperatures. This integrated approach that uses online data sources and methods to model microclimates should provide insight into animal thermoregulation and improve our capacity to make accurate predictions of climate change's impact on biodiversity.
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19
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Vicenzi N, Massarelli R, Ibargüengoytía N, Corbalán V. Basking and retreat site selection of Phymaturus palluma, a rock-dwelling lizard in the Highlands of Aconcagua. AN ACAD BRAS CIENC 2021; 93:e20190662. [PMID: 34076087 DOI: 10.1590/0001-3765202120190662] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2019] [Accepted: 01/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Basking and retreat sites constitute a key resource in the habitat of any ectotherm. Identifying the elements that are used and modelling the microhabitat selection of species is crucial for assessing the impact of anthropogenic disturbances at the population level and, therefore, focusing on conservation efforts. We investigated how structural attributes of the microhabitat and biotic factors influence the probability of basking and retreat sites use by Phymaturus palluma, a rock-dwelling and viviparous lizard endemic to the Central Andes of Argentina. We measured the characteristics of a series of rocks (basking sites) and shelters (retreat sites) in the study area and compared lizard resource use versus availability using resource selection analyses (RSFs). According to our best RSF model, P. palluma select high and large rocks as basking sites and prefer those near their retreat sites and far from the basking sites of their neighbours. In contrast, retreat site selection is related to the length, depth, slope, and width of the shelter. Microhabitat site selection of P. palluma is associated with behavioural improvements such as enhancing basking capacity, reducing both intraspecific competition with neighbours and predation risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadia Vicenzi
- Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones en Zonas Áridas, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (IADIZA-CONICET), Av. Ruiz Leal s/n, 5500 Ciudad de Mendoza, Argentina.,Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, Padre Contreras 1300, 5500 Ciudad de Mendoza, Argentina
| | - Rubén Massarelli
- Dirección de Recursos Naturales Renovables, Secretaría de Ambiente y Ordenamiento Territorial, Av. L. Peltier 351, 5500 Ciudad de Mendoza, Argentina
| | - Nora Ibargüengoytía
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (INIBIOMA-CONICET), Quintral 1250, 8400 Río Negro, Argentina.,Departamento de Zoología, Centro Regional Universitario Bariloche, Universidad del Comahue, Quintral 1250, 8400 Río Negro, Argentina
| | - Valeria Corbalán
- Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones en Zonas Áridas, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (IADIZA-CONICET), Av. Ruiz Leal s/n, 5500 Ciudad de Mendoza, Argentina
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20
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Pincebourde S, Dillon ME, Woods HA. Body size determines the thermal coupling between insects and plant surfaces. Funct Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Sylvain Pincebourde
- Institut de Recherche sur la Biologie de l'Insecte UMR 7261 CNRS ‐ Université de Tours Tours France
| | - Michael E. Dillon
- Department of Zoology & Physiology and Program in Ecology University of Wyoming Laramie WY USA
| | - H. Arthur Woods
- Division of Biological Sciences University of Montana Missoula MT USA
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21
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Albedo and Thermal Ecology of White, Red, and Black Cows ( Bos taurus) in a Cold Rangeland Environment. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:ani11051186. [PMID: 33919099 PMCID: PMC8143126 DOI: 10.3390/ani11051186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2021] [Revised: 04/13/2021] [Accepted: 04/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Cattle in high-elevation rangelands experience cold and hot extremes. Given the increase in black hided cattle globally, thermoregulation options on rangelands, and hide color function affecting mammal thermal ecology, this study quantified winter albedo, external cattle temperatures (Tempcow), and differences (ΔT) between Tempcow and ambient air temperature (Tempamb), for different color cattle along a thermal gradient (≈-33 °C to +33 °C). From 2016 to 2018, I measured 638 individual Tempcow × Tempamb combinations for white (n = 183), red (n = 158), and black (n = 297) Bos taurus female cattle free roaming extensive Wyoming, USA rangelands. Pixel brightness of cow images relative to snow indicated mean (±standard error) albedo for white, red, and black cows (n = 3 of each) was 0.69 (±0.15), 0.16 (±0.04), and 0.04 (±0.01), respectively (p = 0.0027). Tempcow was explained by Tempamb (+), clear sky insolation index (+), and cow albedo (-). However, ΔT was explained by Tempamb (-), long-wave radiation (infrared; RadLW (-)), Tempcow (+), and cow albedo (+). Tempamb relative to ΔT was correlated for all hide colors (all p-values < 0.0001; all r2 values > 0.7)), yet slopes (m) were ~2× greater for red and black cows than white cows.
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22
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Palmer BJ, Fulbright TE, Grahmann ED, HernÁNdez F, Hehman MW, Wester DB. Vegetation Structural Attributes Providing Thermal Refugia for Northern Bobwhites. J Wildl Manage 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.22006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Brandon J. Palmer
- Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute, Texas A&M University—Kingsville Kingsville TX 78363 USA
| | - Timothy E. Fulbright
- Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute, Texas A&M University—Kingsville Kingsville TX 78363 USA
| | | | - Fidel HernÁNdez
- Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute, Texas A&M University—Kingsville Kingsville TX 78363 USA
| | | | - David B. Wester
- Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute, Texas A&M University—Kingsville Kingsville TX 78363 USA
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23
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Cecchetto NR, Medina SM, Ibargüengoytía NR. Running performance with emphasis on low temperatures in a Patagonian lizard, Liolaemus lineomaculatus. Sci Rep 2020; 10:14732. [PMID: 32895421 PMCID: PMC7477221 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-71617-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2020] [Accepted: 08/19/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Lizard activity and endurance of cold climate is regulated by several factors such as evolutionary potential, acclimatization capacity, physiological tolerance, and locomotion among thermally advantageous microenvironments. Liolaemus lineomaculatus, a lizard inhabiting a wide range of cold environments in Patagonia, provides an excellent model to test interpopulation variability in thermal performance curves (TPCs) and usage of microhabitats. We obtained critical thermal minima and maxima, and performed running trials at eight temperatures using lizards from both a temperate-site (high-altitude) population at 42° S and a cold-site population at 50° S. The availability of environmental temperatures for running performance in open ground and in potential lizard refuges were recorded, and showed that lizards in the temperate site had a greater availability of thermal environments offering temperatures conducive to locomotion. Generalized additive mixed models showed that the two populations displayed TPCs of different shapes in 0.15 m runs at temperatures near their optimal temperature, indicating a difference in thermal sensitivity at high temperatures. However, the rest of the locomotor parameters remained similar between Liolaemus lineomaculatus from thermal and ecological extremes of their geographic distribution and this may partly explain their ability to endure a cold climate.
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Affiliation(s)
- N R Cecchetto
- Ecophysiology and Life History of Reptiles: Research Laboratory, Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (INIBIOMA, CONICET-Universidad Nacional del Comahue), 8400, San Carlos de Bariloche, Río Negro, Argentina.
| | - S M Medina
- Centro de Investigación Esquel de Montaña y Estepa Patagónica, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CIEMEP-CONICET), 9200, Esquel, Chubut, Argentina
| | - N R Ibargüengoytía
- Ecophysiology and Life History of Reptiles: Research Laboratory, Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (INIBIOMA, CONICET-Universidad Nacional del Comahue), 8400, San Carlos de Bariloche, Río Negro, Argentina
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24
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Taylor EN, Diele‐Viegas LM, Gangloff EJ, Hall JM, Halpern B, Massey MD, Rödder D, Rollinson N, Spears S, Sun B, Telemeco RS. The thermal ecology and physiology of reptiles and amphibians: A user's guide. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY PART 2020; 335:13-44. [DOI: 10.1002/jez.2396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2020] [Revised: 06/12/2020] [Accepted: 06/13/2020] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Emily N. Taylor
- Biological Sciences Department California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo California
| | | | | | - Joshua M. Hall
- Department of Biological Sciences Auburn University Auburn Alabama
| | | | - Melanie D. Massey
- Department of Biology Dalhousie University Halifax Nova Scotia Canada
| | - Dennis Rödder
- Zoologisches Forschungsmuseum Alexander Koenig Bonn Germany
| | - Njal Rollinson
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of Toronto St. Toronto Ontario Canada
- School of the Environment University of Toronto Toronto Ontario Canada
| | - Sierra Spears
- Department of Zoology Ohio Wesleyan University Delaware Ohio
| | - Bao‐jun Sun
- Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
| | - Rory S. Telemeco
- Department of Biology California State University Fresno California
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25
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Vicenzi N, Laspiur A, Sassi PL, Massarelli R, Krenz J, Ibargüengoytía NR. Impact of temperature on bite force and bite endurance in the leopard iguana ( Diplolaemus leopardinus) in the Andes Mountains. J Exp Biol 2020; 223:jeb221382. [PMID: 32366690 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.221382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2020] [Accepted: 04/28/2020] [Indexed: 08/26/2023]
Abstract
In ectotherms, temperature exerts a strong influence on the performance of physiological and ecological traits. One approach to understanding the impact of rising temperatures on animals and their ability to cope with climate change is to quantify variation in thermal-sensitive traits. Here, we examined the thermal biology, temperature dependence and thermal plasticity of bite force (endurance and magnitude) in Diplolaemus leopardinus, an aggressive and territorial lizard endemic to Mendoza province, Argentina. Our results indicate that this lizard behaves like a moderate thermoregulator that uses the rocks of its environment as the main heat source. Bite endurance was not influenced by head morphometry and body temperature, whereas bite force was influenced by head length and jaw length, and exhibited thermal dependence. Before thermal acclimation treatments, the maximum bite force for D. leopardinus occurred at the lowest body temperature and fell sharply with increasing body temperature. After acclimation treatments, lizards acclimated at higher temperatures exhibited greater bite force. Bite force showed phenotypic plasticity, which reveals that leopard iguanas are able to maintain (and even improve) their bite force under a rising-temperature scenario.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadia Vicenzi
- Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones en Zonas Áridas. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (IADIZA-CONICET), Av. Ruiz Leal s/n, Ciudad de Mendoza 5500, Argentina
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, Padre Contreras 1300, Mendoza 5500, Argentina
| | - Alejandro Laspiur
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (INIBIOMA-CONICET), Quintral 1250, Río Negro 8400, Argentina
- Escuela Universitaria de Ciencias de la Salud (EUCS), Universidad Nacional de San Juan, Rawson 1850, San Juan 5419, Argentina
| | - Paola L Sassi
- Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones en Zonas Áridas. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (IADIZA-CONICET), Av. Ruiz Leal s/n, Ciudad de Mendoza 5500, Argentina
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, Padre Contreras 1300, Mendoza 5500, Argentina
| | - Rubén Massarelli
- Dirección de Recursos Naturales Renovables, Secretaría de Ambiente y Ordenamiento Territorial, Av. L. Peltier 351, Ciudad de Mendoza 5500, Argentina
| | - John Krenz
- Department of Biological Sciences, Minnesota State University, Mankato, MN 56001, USA
| | - Nora R Ibargüengoytía
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (INIBIOMA-CONICET), Quintral 1250, Río Negro 8400, Argentina
- Departamento de Zoología, Centro Regional Universitario Bariloche, Universidad del Comahue, Quintral 1250, Río Negro 8400, Argentina
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26
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The effects of fire on the thermal environment of sagebrush communities. J Therm Biol 2020; 89:102488. [PMID: 32364967 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2019.102488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2019] [Accepted: 12/22/2019] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Thermal heterogeneity provides options for organisms during extreme temperatures that can contribute to their fitness. Sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) communities exhibit vegetation heterogeneity that creates thermal variation at fine spatial scales. However, fire can change vegetation and thereby variation within the thermal environment of sagebrush communities. To describe spatial and temporal thermal variation of sagebrush communities following wildfire, we measured black bulb temperature (Tbb) at 144 random points dispersed within unburned and burned communities, for 24-h at each random point. We observed a wide thermal gradient in unburned (-7.3° to 63.3 °C) and burned (-4.6° to 64.8 °C) sagebrush communities. Moreover, unburned and burned sagebrush communities displayed high thermal heterogeneity relative to ambient temperature (Tair). Notably, Tbb varied by 47 °C in both unburned and burned communities when Tair was 20 °C. However, fire greatly reduced the buffering capacity and thermal refuge of Wyoming big sagebrush (A. tridentata wyomingensis) communities during low and high Tair. Furthermore, fire increased Tbb in Wyoming big sagebrush and mountain big sagebrush (A. t. vaseyana) during the mid-day hours. These results demonstrate how fire changes the thermal environment of big sagebrush communities and the importance of shrub structure which can provide thermal refuge for organisms in burned communities during extreme low and high Tair.
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Latitudinal comparison of the thermal biology in the endemic lizard Liolaemus multimaculatus. J Therm Biol 2020; 88:102485. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2019.102485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2019] [Revised: 12/05/2019] [Accepted: 12/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
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Cook TR, Martin R, Roberts J, Häkkinen H, Botha P, Meyer C, Sparks E, Underhill LG, Ryan PG, Sherley RB. Parenting in a warming world: thermoregulatory responses to heat stress in an endangered seabird. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2020; 8:coz109. [PMID: 31976077 PMCID: PMC6970236 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coz109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2019] [Revised: 11/19/2019] [Accepted: 01/02/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The frequency of extreme weather events, including heat waves, is increasing with climate change. The thermoregulatory demands resulting from hotter weather can have catastrophic impacts on animals, leading to mass mortalities. Although less dramatic, animals also experience physiological costs below, but approaching, critical temperature thresholds. These costs may be particularly constraining during reproduction, when parents must balance thermoregulation against breeding activities. Such challenges should be acute among seabirds, which often nest in locations exposed to high solar radiation and predation risk. The globally endangered bank cormorant Phalacrocorax neglectus breeds in southern Africa in the winter, giving little scope for poleward or phenological shifts in the face of increasing temperatures. Physiological studies of endangered species sensitive to human disturbance, like the bank cormorant, are challenging, because individuals cannot be captured for experimental research. Using a novel, non-invasive, videographic approach, we investigated the thermoregulatory responses of this seabird across a range of environmental temperatures at three nesting colonies. The time birds spent gular fluttering, a behaviour enhancing evaporative heat loss, increased with temperature. Crouching or standing birds spent considerably less time gular fluttering than birds sitting on nests (ca 30% less at 22°C), showing that postural adjustments mediate exposure to heat stress and enhance water conservation. Crouching or standing, however, increases the vulnerability of eggs and chicks to suboptimal temperatures and/or expose nest contents to predation, suggesting that parents may trade-off thermoregulatory demands against offspring survival. We modelled thermoregulatory responses under future climate scenarios and found that nest-bound bank cormorants will gular flutter almost continuously for several hours a day by 2100. The associated increase in water loss may lead to dehydration, forcing birds to prioritize survival over breeding, a trade-off that would ultimately deteriorate the conservation status of this species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothée R Cook
- FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, DST-NRF Centre of Excellence, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch 7701, South Africa
- BLOOM Association, 62 Bis Avenue Parmentier, 75011 Paris, France
| | - Rowan Martin
- FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, DST-NRF Centre of Excellence, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch 7701, South Africa
| | - Jennifer Roberts
- FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, DST-NRF Centre of Excellence, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch 7701, South Africa
| | - Henry Häkkinen
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn, TR10 9FE UK
| | - Philna Botha
- FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, DST-NRF Centre of Excellence, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch 7701, South Africa
- Animal Demography Unit, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch 7701, South Africa
| | - Corlia Meyer
- Centre for Research on Evaluation, Science and Technology, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch 7600, South Africa
| | - Emilee Sparks
- FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, DST-NRF Centre of Excellence, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch 7701, South Africa
| | - Leslie G Underhill
- Animal Demography Unit, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch 7701, South Africa
| | - Peter G Ryan
- FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, DST-NRF Centre of Excellence, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch 7701, South Africa
| | - Richard B Sherley
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn, TR10 9FE UK
- Environment and Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter, Penryn TR10 9FE, UK
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Niewiarowski PH, Dhinojwala A, Garner AM. A Physical Model Approach to Gecko Adhesion Opportunity and Constraint: How Rough Could It Be? Integr Comp Biol 2019; 59:203-213. [PMID: 31065674 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icz029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
It has been nearly 20 years since Autumn and colleagues established the central role of van der Waals intermolecular forces in how geckos stick. Much has been discovered about the structure and function of fibrillar adhesives in geckos and other taxa, and substantial success has been achieved in translating natural models into bioinspired synthetic adhesives. Nevertheless, synthetics still cannot match the multidimensional performance observed in the natural gecko system that is simultaneously robust to dirt and water, resilient over thousands of cycles, and purportedly competent on surfaces that are rough at drastically different length scales. Apparent insensitivity of adhesion to variability in roughness is particularly interesting from both a theoretical and applied perspective. Progress on understanding the extent to which and the basis of how the gecko adhesive system is robust to variation in roughness is impeded by the complexity of quantifying roughness of natural surfaces and a dearth of data on free-ranging gecko substrate use. Here we review the main challenges in characterizing rough surfaces as they relate to collecting relevant estimates of variation in gecko adhesive performance across different substrates in their natural habitats. In response to these challenges, we propose a practical protocol (borrowing from thermal biophysical ecological methods) that will enable researchers to design detailed studies of structure-function relationships of the gecko fibrillar system. Employing such an approach will help provide specific hypotheses about how adhesive pad structure translates into a capacity for robust gecko adhesion across large variation in substrate roughness. Preliminary data we present on this approach suggest its promise in advancing the study of how geckos deal with roughness variation. We argue and outline how such data can help advance development of design parameters to improve bioinspired adhesives based on the gecko fibrillar system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter H Niewiarowski
- Integrated Bioscience Program, Department of Biology, University of Akron, Akron, OH 44325, USA
| | - Ali Dhinojwala
- Integrated Bioscience Program, Department of Biology, University of Akron, Akron, OH 44325, USA.,Department of Polymer Science, University of Akron, Akron, OH 44325, USA
| | - Austin M Garner
- Integrated Bioscience Program, Department of Biology, University of Akron, Akron, OH 44325, USA
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Pafilis P, Herrel A, Kapsalas G, Vasilopoulou-Kampitsi M, Fabre AC, Foufopoulos J, Donihue CM. Habitat shapes the thermoregulation of Mediterranean lizards introduced to replicate experimental islets. J Therm Biol 2019; 84:368-374. [PMID: 31466776 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2019.07.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2019] [Revised: 07/11/2019] [Accepted: 07/27/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Both environmental temperatures and spatial heterogeneity can profoundly affect the biology of ectotherms. In lizards, thermoregulation may show high plasticity and may respond to environmental shifts. In the context of global climate change, lizards showing plastic thermoregulatory responses may be favored. In this study, we designed an experiment to evaluate the extent to which lizard thermoregulation responds to introduction to a new environment in a snapshot of time. In 2014, we captured individuals of the Aegean Wall lizard (Podarcis erhardii) from Naxos Island (429.8 km2) and released them onto two small, lizard-free islets, Galiatsos (0.0073 km2) and Kampana (0.004 km2) (Aegean Sea, Greece). In 2017, we returned to the islets and estimated the effectiveness (E), accuracy and precision of thermoregulation measuring operative, preferred (Tpref) and body temperatures. We hypothesized that the three habitats would differ in thermal quality and investigated the extent to which lizards from Naxos demonstrate plasticity when introduced to the novel, islet habitats. Thermal parameters did not differ between Galiatsos and Naxos and this was reflected in the similar E and Tpref. However, lizards from Kampana deviated in all focal traits from Naxos, resulting in higher E and a preference for higher Tpref. In sum, Naxos lizards shifted their thermoregulatory profile due to the idiosyncratic features of their new islet habitat. Our results advocate a high plasticity in lizard thermoregulation and suggest that there is room for effective responses to environmental changes, at least for Podarcis lizards in insular habitats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Panayiotis Pafilis
- Dept. of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece; Zoological Museum, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece.
| | - Anthony Herrel
- Dept. Adaptation du Vivant, UMR 7179 CNRS/MNHN, Paris, France; Dept. of Biology, University of Antwerp, Belgium; Dept. of Biology, Ghent University, Belgium
| | - Grigoris Kapsalas
- Dept. of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece
| | | | - Anne-Claire Fabre
- Dept. of Life Sciences, The Natural History Museum, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - Colin M Donihue
- Dept. Adaptation du Vivant, UMR 7179 CNRS/MNHN, Paris, France; Dept. of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, USA; Dept. of Biology, Washington University of St. Louis, USA
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The Thermoregulatory Behavior of Nectar Foraging Polistine Wasps ( Polistes dominula and Polistes gallicus) in Different Climate Conditions. INSECTS 2019; 10:insects10070187. [PMID: 31252677 PMCID: PMC6681210 DOI: 10.3390/insects10070187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2019] [Revised: 06/14/2019] [Accepted: 06/22/2019] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Polistine wasps collect nectar for their energetic demand and for the provision of the brood. They are mainly ectothermic during different behavioral tasks. We investigated the body temperature of two species living in differing habitats and climate regions, in order to reveal the environmental influence on their thermoregulatory behavior. The species were Polistes dominula in the temperate climate of Central Europe, and Polistes gallicus in the warm Mediterranean climate of Southern Europe. The wasp’s body temperature was measured during foraging on lovage (Levisticum officinale) and fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) by infrared thermography in the entire ambient temperature range they are usually exposed to (Ta ~ 20–40 °C). The temperature of all body parts increased nearly linearly with ambient temperature, with the thorax as the warmest part. To achieve optimal foraging temperatures, they preferably use solar radiation. An “operative temperature model” enabled the evaluation of the endothermic effort. Polistes dominula foraging on lovage exhibited no endothermic activity. However, while foraging on fennel they had a weak and almost constant endothermic performance of about 1 °C. Polistes gallicus, by contrast, exhibited mostly no or only minor endothermy during foraging. Both wasps avoid a high energetic effort and this way reduce their foraging costs.
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32
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The effect of body posture on available habitat and activity-time in a lizard: Implications for thermal ecology studies. J Therm Biol 2019; 82:10-17. [PMID: 31128637 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2019.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2019] [Revised: 03/11/2019] [Accepted: 03/13/2019] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Ectothermic animals contend with variable environmental temperature through behavioral thermoregulation, including selection of activity-times and microhabitat spaces with suitable operative temperatures. Thus, an important component to understanding the influence of temperature on animals is through the assessment of thermal constraints on time and space usage. Thermal ecologists have recognized that postural adjustments are an important part of behavioral thermoregulation. However, the impact of postural adjustments on available space and time has received little attention. We hypothesized that postural adjustments would significantly affect the thermal availability of space and time for surface activity. To test our hypothesis, we used data collected over a four-year study of the thermal ecology of Eastern Collared Lizards (Crotaphytus collaris) in Arkansas. We used a novel approach to model three distinct postures used by C. collaris, and to assess the impact of posture on available space and time. For our study species and habitat, posture had a significant impact on several indices of available space and time including: a) a 13% increase in length of the reproductive activity season, b) a 35% increase in the frequency distribution of habitat within active body temperature range and c) a 42% increase in average thermal quality index. We conclude that posture can significantly impact space and time available for surface activity in species that employ it for thermoregulation. Thus, a clearer understanding of the thermal constraints on time-space usage in ectotherms requires consideration of the impact of posture on the spatiotemporal distribution of thermally suitable microhabitats.
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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.
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34
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Nordahl O, Tibblin P, Koch-Schmidt P, Berggren H, Larsson P, Forsman A. Sun-basking fish benefit from body temperatures that are higher than ambient water. Proc Biol Sci 2019; 285:rspb.2018.0639. [PMID: 29848654 PMCID: PMC5998101 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2018.0639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2018] [Accepted: 05/03/2018] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
In terrestrial environments, cold-blooded animals can attain higher body temperatures by sun basking, and thereby potentially benefit from broader niches, improved performance and higher fitness. The higher heat capacity and thermal conductivity of water compared with air have been universally assumed to render heat gain from sun basking impossible for aquatic ectotherms, such that their opportunities to behaviourally regulate body temperature are largely limited to choosing warmer or colder habitats. Here we challenge this paradigm. Using physical models we first show that submerged objects exposed to natural sunlight attain temperatures in excess of ambient water. We next demonstrate that free-ranging carp (Cyprinus carpio) can increase their body temperature during aquatic sun basking close to the surface. The temperature excess gained by basking was larger in dark than in pale individuals, increased with behavioural boldness, and was associated with faster growth. Overall, our results establish aquatic sun basking as a novel ecologically significant mechanism for thermoregulation in fish. The discovery of this previously overlooked process has practical implications for aquaculture, offers alternative explanations for behavioural and phenotypic adaptations, will spur future research in fish ecology, and calls for modifications of models concerning climate change impacts on biodiversity in marine and freshwater environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oscar Nordahl
- Department of Biology and Environmental Science, Linnaeus University, Barlastgatan 11, 392 31, Kalmar, Sweden
| | - Petter Tibblin
- Department of Biology and Environmental Science, Linnaeus University, Barlastgatan 11, 392 31, Kalmar, Sweden
| | - Per Koch-Schmidt
- Department of Biology and Environmental Science, Linnaeus University, Barlastgatan 11, 392 31, Kalmar, Sweden
| | - Hanna Berggren
- Department of Biology and Environmental Science, Linnaeus University, Barlastgatan 11, 392 31, Kalmar, Sweden
| | - Per Larsson
- Department of Biology and Environmental Science, Linnaeus University, Barlastgatan 11, 392 31, Kalmar, Sweden
| | - Anders Forsman
- Department of Biology and Environmental Science, Linnaeus University, Barlastgatan 11, 392 31, Kalmar, Sweden
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Walker M, Humphries S. 3D Printing: Applications in evolution and ecology. Ecol Evol 2019; 9:4289-4301. [PMID: 31016005 PMCID: PMC6468079 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.5050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2018] [Revised: 02/17/2019] [Accepted: 02/19/2019] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
In the commercial and medical sectors, 3D printing is delivering on its promise to enable a revolution. However, in the fields of Ecology and Evolution we are only on the brink of embracing the advantages that 3D printing can offer. Here we discuss examples where the process has enabled researchers to develop new techniques, work with novel species, and to enhance the impact of outreach activities. Our aim is to showcase the potential that 3D printing offers in terms of improved experimental techniques, greater flexibility, reduced costs and promoting open science, while also discussing its limitations. By taking a general overview of studies using the technique from fields across the broad range of Ecology and Evolution, we show the flexibility of 3D printing technology and aim to inspire the next generation of discoveries.
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Kline HN, Fulbright TE, Grahmann ED, Hernández F, Wester DB, Brennan LA, Hehman MW. Temperature influences resource use by chestnut-bellied scaled quail. Ecosphere 2019. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.2599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Holley N. Kline
- Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute; Texas A&M University-Kingsville; MSC 218 Kingsville Texas 78363 USA
| | - Timothy E. Fulbright
- Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute; Texas A&M University-Kingsville; MSC 218 Kingsville Texas 78363 USA
| | - Eric D. Grahmann
- Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute; Texas A&M University-Kingsville; MSC 218 Kingsville Texas 78363 USA
| | - Fidel Hernández
- Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute; Texas A&M University-Kingsville; MSC 218 Kingsville Texas 78363 USA
| | - David B. Wester
- Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute; Texas A&M University-Kingsville; MSC 218 Kingsville Texas 78363 USA
| | - Leonard A. Brennan
- Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute; Texas A&M University-Kingsville; MSC 218 Kingsville Texas 78363 USA
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O’Connor R, Brigham R, McKechnie A. Extreme operative temperatures in exposed microsites used by roosting Rufous-cheeked Nightjars (Caprimulgus rufigena): implications for water balance under current and future climate conditions. CAN J ZOOL 2018. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2017-0310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Nocturnally active birds roosting in exposed microsites can experience operative temperatures (Te) that markedly differ from air temperature (Ta). Thus, quantifying Te becomes important for accurately modeling energy and water balance. We measured Te at roost and nest sites used by Rufous-cheeked Nightjars (Caprimulgus rufigena A. Smith, 1845) (mean body mass = 57.1 g) with three-dimensionally printed models covered with the plumage of a bird. Additionally, we estimated site-specific diurnal water requirements for evaporative cooling by integrating Te and Ta profiles with evaporative water loss (EWL) data for Rufous-cheeked Nightjars. Between the hours of 12:00 and 15:00, representing maximum solar radiation, mean Te at roost sites varied from 33.1 to 49.9 °C, whereas at the single nest site, Te averaged 51.4 °C. Mean diurnal EWL, estimated using Te, ranged from 2.8 to 10.5 g among roosts, values 1.2- and 3.6-fold greater, respectively, than Ta estimates. At the nest site, total EWL estimated using Te was 11.3 g, 4.0-fold greater than the corresponding estimate based on Ta. Consequently, Rufous-cheeked Nightjars can experience EWL potentially approaching their limits of dehydration tolerance. In the absence of microsite changes, climate change during the 21st century could perhaps create thermal conditions under which Rufous-cheeked Nightjars exceed dehydration tolerance limits before the onset of their nocturnal active phase.
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Affiliation(s)
- R.S. O’Connor
- DST–NRF Centre of Excellence at the Percy FitzPatrick Institute, Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X20, Hatfield 0028, South Africa
| | - R.M. Brigham
- Department of Biology, University of Regina, Regina, SK S4S 0A2, Canada
| | - A.E. McKechnie
- DST–NRF Centre of Excellence at the Percy FitzPatrick Institute, Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X20, Hatfield 0028, South Africa; South African Research Chair in Conservation Physiology, National Zoological Garden, South African National Biodiversity Institute, P.O. Box 754, Pretoria 0001, South Africa
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38
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Olsen BRL, Fulbright TE, Hernández F, Grahmann ED, Wester DB, Hehman MW. Ground surface vs. black globe temperature in northern bobwhite resource selection. Ecosphere 2018. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.2441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin R. L. Olsen
- Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute; Texas A&M University-Kingsville; MSC 218 Kingsville Texas 78363 USA
| | - Timothy E. Fulbright
- Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute; Texas A&M University-Kingsville; MSC 218 Kingsville Texas 78363 USA
| | - Fidel Hernández
- Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute; Texas A&M University-Kingsville; MSC 218 Kingsville Texas 78363 USA
| | - Eric D. Grahmann
- Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute; Texas A&M University-Kingsville; MSC 218 Kingsville Texas 78363 USA
| | - David B. Wester
- Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute; Texas A&M University-Kingsville; MSC 218 Kingsville Texas 78363 USA
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39
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Agosta SJ, Joshi KA, Kester KM. Upper thermal limits differ among and within component species in a tritrophic host-parasitoid-hyperparasitoid system. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0198803. [PMID: 29894508 PMCID: PMC5997305 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0198803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2017] [Accepted: 05/27/2018] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding how climate change affects host-parasite systems and predicting the consequences for ecosystems, economies, and human health has emerged as an important task for science and society. Some basic insight into this complex problem can be gained by comparing the thermal physiology of interacting host and parasite species. In this study, we compared upper thermal tolerance among three component species in a natural host-parasitoid-hyperparasitoid system from Virginia, USA. To assess the ecological relevance of our results, we also examined a record of maximum daily air temperatures collected near the study site in the last 124 years. We found that the caterpillar host Manduca sexta had a critical thermal maximum (CTmax) about 4°C higher than the parasitic wasp, Cotesia congregata, and the hyperparasitic wasp, Conura sp., had a CTmax about 6°C higher than its host, C. congregata. We also found significant differences in CTmax among instars and between parasitized and non-parasitized M. sexta. The highest maximum daily air temperature recorded near the study in the last 124 years was 42°C, which equals the average CTmax of one species (C. congregata) but is several degrees lower than the average CTmax of the other two species (M. sexta, Conura sp.) in this study. Our results combined with other studies suggest that significant differences in thermal performance within and among interacting host and parasite species are common in nature and that climate change may be largely disruptive to these systems with responses that are highly variable and complex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Salvatore J. Agosta
- Center for Environmental Studies, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, United States of America
- Department of Biology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Kanchan A. Joshi
- Department of Biology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Karen M. Kester
- Department of Biology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, United States of America
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40
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Milling CR, Rachlow JL, Olsoy PJ, Chappell MA, Johnson TR, Forbey JS, Shipley LA, Thornton DH. Habitat structure modifies microclimate: An approach for mapping fine‐scale thermal refuge. Methods Ecol Evol 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/2041-210x.13008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte R. Milling
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Sciences University of Idaho Moscow Idaho
- School of Environment and Natural Resources The Ohio State University Columbus Ohio
| | - Janet L. Rachlow
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Sciences University of Idaho Moscow Idaho
| | - Peter J. Olsoy
- School of the Environment Washington State University Pullman Washington
| | - Mark A. Chappell
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology University of California Riverside California
| | | | | | - Lisa A. Shipley
- School of the Environment Washington State University Pullman Washington
| | - Daniel H. Thornton
- School of the Environment Washington State University Pullman Washington
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41
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Zhang W, Li N, Tang X, Liu N, Zhao W. Changes in intestinal microbiota across an altitudinal gradient in the lizard Phrynocephalus vlangalii. Ecol Evol 2018; 8:4695-4703. [PMID: 29760909 PMCID: PMC5938461 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.4029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2017] [Revised: 02/24/2018] [Accepted: 03/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
High altitude is an important driving force in animal evolution. However, the effect of altitude on gut microbial communities in reptiles has not been examined in detail. Here, we investigated the intestinal microbiota of three populations of the lizard Phrynocephalus vlangalii living at different altitudes using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, and Proteobacteria were the most abundant phyla. Bacteroides, Odoribacter, and Parabacteroides were the most abundant genera. Significant differences in the intestinal microbiota composition were found among the three populations from different altitudes. The proportions of Verrucomicrobia and Akkermansia decreased, whereas Bacteroides increased significantly with altitude. Greater abundance of Bacteroides at higher altitude led to the fractional increase in the phylum Bacteroides relative to other phyla. Hypoxia may be the main factor that caused intestinal microbiota variation in P. vlangalii along the altitude gradient. Overall, our study suggested that the community composition and structure of intestinal microbiota of the lizard P. vlangalii varied along altitudes, and such differences likely play a certain role in highland adaptation. Our findings warrant a further study that would determine whether ambient and body temperatures play a key role in the modulation of intestinal microbiota in reptiles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenya Zhang
- Gansu Key Laboratory of Biomonitoring and Bioremediation for Environmental Pollution School of Life Sciences Lanzhou University Lanzhou China
| | - Na Li
- Gansu Key Laboratory of Biomonitoring and Bioremediation for Environmental Pollution School of Life Sciences Lanzhou University Lanzhou China
| | - Xiaolong Tang
- Gansu Key Laboratory of Biomonitoring and Bioremediation for Environmental Pollution School of Life Sciences Lanzhou University Lanzhou China
| | - Naifa Liu
- Gansu Key Laboratory of Biomonitoring and Bioremediation for Environmental Pollution School of Life Sciences Lanzhou University Lanzhou China
| | - Wei Zhao
- Gansu Key Laboratory of Biomonitoring and Bioremediation for Environmental Pollution School of Life Sciences Lanzhou University Lanzhou China
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42
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Moore D, Stow A, Kearney MR. Under the weather?-The direct effects of climate warming on a threatened desert lizard are mediated by their activity phase and burrow system. J Anim Ecol 2018; 87:660-671. [PMID: 29446081 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.12812] [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: 03/27/2017] [Accepted: 01/09/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
For ectotherms such as lizards, the importance of behavioural thermoregulation in avoiding thermal extremes is well-established and is increasingly acknowledged in modern studies of climate warming and its impacts. Less appreciated and understood are the buffering roles of retreat sites and activity phase, in part because of logistical challenges of studying below-ground activity. Burrowing and nocturnal activity are key behavioural adaptations that have enabled a diverse range of reptiles to survive extreme environmental temperatures within hot desert regions. Yet, the direct impact of recent global warming on activity potential has been hypothesised to have caused extinctions in desert lizards, including the Australian arid zone skink Liopholis kintorei. We test the relevance of this hypothesis through a detailed characterisation of the above- and below-ground thermal and hydric microclimates available to, and used by, L. kintorei. We integrate operative temperatures with observed body temperatures to construct daily activity budgets, including the inference of subterranean behaviour. We then assess the likelihood that contemporary and future local extinctions in this species, and those of similar burrowing habits, could be explained by the direct effects of warming on its activity budget and exposure to thermal extremes. We found that L. kintorei spent only 4% of its time active on the surface, primarily at dusk, and that overall potential surface activity will be increased, not restricted, with climate warming. The burrow system provides an exceptional buffer to current and future maximum extremes of temperature (≈40°C reduction from potential surface temperatures), and desiccation (burrows near 100% humidity). Therefore, any climate warming impacts on this species are likely to be indirect. Our findings reflect the general buffering capacity of underground microclimates, therefore, our conclusions for L. kintorei are more generally applicable to nocturnal and crepuscular ectotherms, and highlight the need to consider the buffering properties of retreat sites and activity phase when forecasting climate change impacts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danae Moore
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde, New South Wales, Australia.,Australian Wildlife Conservancy, Newhaven Wildlife Sanctuary, Alice Springs, Northern Territory, Australia
| | - Adam Stow
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Michael Ray Kearney
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
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Angeli NF, Lundgren IF, Pollock CG, Hillis-Starr ZM, Fitzgerald LA. Dispersal and population state of an endangered island lizard following a conservation translocation. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2018; 28:336-347. [PMID: 29350826 DOI: 10.1002/eap.1650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2016] [Revised: 08/07/2017] [Accepted: 08/28/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Population size is widely used as a unit of ecological analysis, yet to estimate population size requires accounting for observed and latent heterogeneity influencing dispersion of individuals across landscapes. In newly established populations, such as when animals are translocated for conservation, dispersal and availability of resources influence patterns of abundance. We developed a process to estimate population size using N-mixture models and spatial models for newly established and dispersing populations. We used our approach to estimate the population size of critically endangered St. Croix ground lizards (Ameiva polops) five years after translocation of 57 individuals to Buck Island, an offshore island of St. Croix, United States Virgin Islands. Estimates of population size incorporated abiotic variables, dispersal limits, and operative environmental temperature available to the lizards to account for low species detection. Operative environmental temperature and distance from the translocation site were always important in fitting the N-mixture model indicating effects of dispersal and species biology on estimates of population size. We found that the population is increasing its range across the island by 5-10% every six months. We spatially interpolated site-specific abundance from the N-mixture model to the entire island, and we estimated 1,473 (95% CI, 940-1,802) St. Croix ground lizards on Buck Island in 2013 corresponding to survey results. This represents a 26-fold increase since the translocation. We predicted the future dispersal of the lizards to all habitats on Buck Island, with the potential for the population to increase by another five times in the future. Incorporating biologically relevant covariates as explicit parameters in population models can improve predictions of population size and the future spread of species introduced to new localities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole F Angeli
- Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, 77843, USA
- Applied Biodiversity Science Doctoral Program, Texas A&M University, 210 Nagle Hall, College Station, Texas, 77843, USA
| | - Ian F Lundgren
- National Park Service, Buck Island Reef National Monument, Christiansted, Virgin Islands, 00820, USA
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Inouye Regional Center, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, 96818, USA
| | - Clayton G Pollock
- National Park Service, Buck Island Reef National Monument, Christiansted, Virgin Islands, 00820, USA
| | - Zandy M Hillis-Starr
- National Park Service, Buck Island Reef National Monument, Christiansted, Virgin Islands, 00820, USA
| | - Lee A Fitzgerald
- Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, 77843, USA
- Applied Biodiversity Science Doctoral Program, Texas A&M University, 210 Nagle Hall, College Station, Texas, 77843, USA
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Loehr VJT. Thermoregulatory challenges in the habitat of the world's smallest tortoise, Chersobius signatus. J Therm Biol 2018; 71:62-68. [PMID: 29301701 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2017.10.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2017] [Revised: 10/28/2017] [Accepted: 10/30/2017] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Ectotherms have various means of dealing with low environmental temperatures, but relatively few species have been rigorously investigated. Consequently, we have little information to predict how ectotherm populations might respond to global temperature changes. Tortoises from temperate and subtropical regions often overcome periodically cool conditions by hibernation, but speckled dwarf tortoises (Chersobius signatus) need to remain active to exploit ephemeral resources in their arid winter-rainfall habitat. This study investigated how dwarf tortoises cope with low temperatures in winter and spring, by measuring thermal habitat quality and thermoregulation based on differently-sized operative temperature models in sun, shade, and in deep crevices. Investigations continued in summer and autumn to obtain a year-round picture of thermoregulatory challenges. Although large models (i.e., larger than dwarf tortoises) were expected to have lower operative temperatures than smaller models, due to the former's larger thermal inertia, all model sizes had similar temperatures. Hence, the species' small body size does not appear constrained by obtainable body temperatures in cool seasons. Nevertheless, low operative temperatures in winter posed a challenge for the tortoises, which reached their field-preferred body temperature for an average of only 0.8-0.9h per day. Moreover, a low thermoregulation effectiveness suggested that tortoises traded-off physiological benefits of favourable body temperatures against predation risk. Spring and autumn provided higher temperatures, but summer caused the greatest thermoregulatory challenge. Although summer body temperatures were closer to field-preferred body temperature than in any other season, tortoises required rock crevices to avoid overheating. The small size of dwarf tortoises might help them utilise crevices. In summer, maximum operative temperatures in crevices were similar to field-preferred body temperature, indicating that an increase in environmental temperatures might be detrimental to dwarf tortoises. In light of projected temperature rises, future studies should assess if dwarf tortoises can cope with higher environmental temperatures in summer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victor J T Loehr
- Homopus Research Foundation, Kwikstaartpad 1, 3403ZH IJsselstein, The Netherlands.
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45
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Bramer I, Anderson BJ, Bennie J, Bladon AJ, De Frenne P, Hemming D, Hill RA, Kearney MR, Körner C, Korstjens AH, Lenoir J, Maclean IM, Marsh CD, Morecroft MD, Ohlemüller R, Slater HD, Suggitt AJ, Zellweger F, Gillingham PK. Advances in Monitoring and Modelling Climate at Ecologically Relevant Scales. ADV ECOL RES 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.aecr.2017.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 104] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
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46
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McCafferty DJ, Pandraud G, Gilles J, Fabra-Puchol M, Henry PY. Animal thermoregulation: a review of insulation, physiology and behaviour relevant to temperature control in buildings. BIOINSPIRATION & BIOMIMETICS 2017; 13:011001. [PMID: 29130885 DOI: 10.1088/1748-3190/aa9a12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Birds and mammals have evolved many thermal adaptations that are relevant to the bioinspired design of temperature control systems and energy management in buildings. Similar to many buildings, endothermic animals generate internal metabolic heat, are well insulated, regulate their temperature within set limits, modify microclimate and adjust thermal exchange with their environment. We review the major components of animal thermoregulation in endothermic birds and mammals that are pertinent to building engineering, in a world where climate is changing and reduction in energy use is needed. In animals, adjustment of insulation together with physiological and behavioural responses to changing environmental conditions fine-tune spatial and temporal regulation of body temperature, while also minimizing energy expenditure. These biological adaptations are characteristically flexible, allowing animals to alter their body temperatures to hourly, daily, or annual demands for energy. They exemplify how buildings could become more thermally reactive to meteorological fluctuations, capitalising on dynamic thermal materials and system properties. Based on this synthesis, we suggest that heat transfer modelling could be used to simulate these flexible biomimetic features and assess their success in reducing energy costs while maintaining thermal comfort for given building types.
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Affiliation(s)
- D J McCafferty
- Mécanismes Adaptatifs et Evolution (MECADEV UMR 7179), Sorbonne Universités, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, 1 avenue du Petit Château, 91800 Brunoy, France
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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.
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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
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Muñoz MM, Losos JB. Thermoregulatory Behavior Simultaneously Promotes and Forestalls Evolution in a Tropical Lizard. Am Nat 2017; 191:E15-E26. [PMID: 29244559 DOI: 10.1086/694779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
The role of behavior in evolution has long been discussed, with some arguing that behavior promotes evolution by exposing organisms to selection (behavioral drive) and others proposing that it inhibits evolution by shielding organisms from environmental variation (behavioral inertia). However, this discussion has generally focused on the effects of behavior along a single axis without considering that behavior simultaneously influences selection in various niche dimensions. By examining evolutionary change along two distinct niche axes-structural and thermal-we propose that behavior simultaneously drives and impedes evolution in a group of Anolis lizards from the Caribbean island of Hispaniola. Specifically, a behavioral shift in microhabitat to boulders at high altitude enables thermoregulation, thus forestalling physiological evolution in spite of colder environments. This same behavioral shift drives skull and limb evolution to boulder use. Our results emphasize the multidimensional effects of behavior in evolution. These findings reveal how, rather than being diametrically opposed, niche conservatism and niche lability can occur simultaneously. Furthermore, patterns of niche evolution may vary at different geographic scales: because of thermoregulatory behavior, lizards at high and low elevation share similar microclimatic niches (consistent with niche conservatism) while inhabiting distinct macroclimatic environments (consistent with niche divergence). Together, our results suggest that behavior can connect patterns of niche divergence and conservatism at different geographic scales and among traits.
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Pattinson NB, Smit B. Seasonal behavioral responses of an arid-zone passerine in a hot environment. Physiol Behav 2017; 179:268-275. [PMID: 28663111 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2017.06.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2017] [Revised: 06/11/2017] [Accepted: 06/25/2017] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Many arid-zone animals have to forage under extremely hot conditions to maintain water and energy balance. The effect of high air temperatures (Tair) on the behavioral patterns of small endothermic animals-characterized by their high energy and water demands-will provide a valuable framework for understanding species vulnerability to climate warming. We determined the seasonal behavioral responses to changes in Tair in a~10-g arid-zone passerine, the rufous-eared warbler (Malcorus pectoralis), in the Karoo semi-desert, South Africa. Rufous-eared warblers showed significant temperature-dependence in their behavior in summer, but not in winter. During summer, the warblers frequently experienced Tair exceeding 40°C in the shade. For all observations <26°C compared to >36°C, the warblers showed reductions in preening (40% decrease), foraging effort (56% decrease), and foraging success (15% decrease), as well as a significant increase in time spent engaged in evaporative cooling behavior. Moreover, as Tair increased the warblers shifted increasingly off the ground and out of the full sun, into microsites in the shade (131% increase) and in shrubs (23% increase). In this regard, behavior varied seasonally, with the time spent in the shade 23% higher, and foraging effort 28% higher, in summer compared to winter across a range of moderate Tair (15-30°C). Our findings emphasize the link between behavior and temperature in small birds inhabiting hot, arid environments, as well as the importance of understanding these responses for predicting biologically meaningful responses (and hence, vulnerability) of arid-zone avian communities to climactic shifts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas B Pattinson
- Centre of African Conservation Ecology, Department of Zoology, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, Port Elizabeth 6031, South Africa
| | - Ben Smit
- Centre of African Conservation Ecology, Department of Zoology, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, Port Elizabeth 6031, South Africa.
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50
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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]
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