1
|
Horváth G, Sos T, Bóné G, Lőrincz CE, Pap PL, Herczeg G. Integrating behavioural thermoregulatory strategy into the animal personality framework using the common lizard, Zootoca vivipara as a model. Sci Rep 2024; 14:14200. [PMID: 38902323 PMCID: PMC11189939 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-64305-z] [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: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 06/07/2024] [Indexed: 06/22/2024] Open
Abstract
The study of consistent between-individual behavioural variation in single (animal personality) and across two or more behavioural traits (behavioural syndrome) is a central topic of behavioural ecology. Besides behavioural type (individual mean behaviour), behavioural predictability (environment-independent within-individual behavioural variation) is now also seen as an important component of individual behavioural strategy. Research focus is still on the 'Big Five' traits (activity, exploration, risk-taking, sociability and aggression), but another prime candidate to integrate to the personality framework is behavioural thermoregulation in small-bodied poikilotherms. Here, we found animal personality in thermoregulatory strategy (selected body temperature, voluntary thermal maximum, setpoint range) and 'classic' behavioural traits (activity, sheltering, risk-taking) in common lizards (Zootoca vivipara). Individual state did not explain the between-individual variation. There was a positive behavioural type-behavioural predictability correlation in selected body temperature. Besides an activity-risk-taking syndrome, we also found a risk-taking-selected body temperature syndrome. Our results suggest that animal personality and behavioural syndrome are present in common lizards, both including thermoregulatory and 'classic' behavioural traits, and selecting high body temperature with high predictability is part of the risk-prone behavioural strategy. We propose that thermoregulatory behaviour should be considered with equal weight to the 'classic' traits in animal personality studies of poikilotherms employing active behavioural thermoregulation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gergely Horváth
- Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology, Institute of Biology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány Péter sétány 1/c, 1117, Budapest, Hungary.
- HUN-REN-ELTE-MTM Integrative Ecology Research Group, Pázmány Péter sétány 1/C, 1117, Budapest, Hungary.
| | - Tibor Sos
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology, Centre for Systems Biology, Biodiversity and Bioresources, Babeş-Bolyai University, Clinicilor street 5-7, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
- "Milvus Group" Bird and Nature Protection Association, B-dul 1 Decembrie 1918 121, 540445, Tîrgu Mureș, Romania
| | - Gábor Bóné
- "Milvus Group" Bird and Nature Protection Association, B-dul 1 Decembrie 1918 121, 540445, Tîrgu Mureș, Romania
| | - Csanád Endre Lőrincz
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Neuroscience, Faculty of Science and Informatics, University of Szeged, Közép fasor 52, 6726, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Péter László Pap
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology, Centre for Systems Biology, Biodiversity and Bioresources, Babeş-Bolyai University, Clinicilor street 5-7, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Gábor Herczeg
- Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology, Institute of Biology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány Péter sétány 1/c, 1117, Budapest, Hungary
- HUN-REN-ELTE-MTM Integrative Ecology Research Group, Pázmány Péter sétány 1/C, 1117, Budapest, Hungary
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Desai B, Bhowmik T, Srinivasan R, Whitaker N, Ghosal R. Monitoring the stress physiology of free-ranging mugger crocodiles ( Crocodylus palustris) across diverse habitats within Central Gujarat, India. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2024; 12:coae035. [PMID: 38840751 PMCID: PMC11151695 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coae035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2023] [Revised: 05/03/2024] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024]
Abstract
Animals face several challenges in their natural environment, and to cope with such conditions, they may exhibit contrasting physiological responses that directly affect their overall well-being and survival. In this study, we assessed physiological responses via faecal glucocorticoid metabolite (fGCM) measurements in free-ranging mugger crocodiles inhabiting diverse habitats in Gujarat, India. We sampled muggers within Charotar, a rural area (Zone A) with local people having high tolerance towards the presence of muggers, and Vadodara, a region having both urban (Zone B) and rural (Zone C) areas with high levels of human-mugger conflict (HMC). Further, muggers in Vadodara live in water bodies that are mostly polluted due to sewage disposal from adjoining chemical industries. To measure fGCM (mean ± SEM, ng/g dry faeces) levels in muggers, scats were collected during both breeding (N = 107 scats) and non-breeding (N = 22 scats) seasons from all three zones. We used captive muggers (a focal enclosure) to biologically validate (via capture and restraint) the selected fGCM assay (11-oxoetiocholanolone assay). We showed a significant (P < 0.05) 11-fold increase in fGCM levels between pre-capture (540.9 ± 149.2, N = 11) and post-capture (6259.7 ± 1150.5, N = 11) samples. The validated assay was applied to free-ranging muggers during the breeding season, and Zone A showed significantly (P < 0.05) lower fGCM levels (542.03 ± 71.3) compared to muggers of Zone B (1699.9 ± 180.8) and Zone C (1806.4 ± 243.2), both zones having high levels of HMC with polluted water bodies. A similar contrast in fGCM levels was also observed during the non-breeding season. Overall, the study demonstrated that fGCM levels in muggers varied across habitats, and such variation could be due to a multitude of ecological factors that the species experience in their immediate local environment. Moreover, high fGCM levels in muggers of Vadodara during both breeding and non-breeding seasons may indicate a condition of chronic stress, which could be maladaptive for the species.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Brinky Desai
- Biological and Life Sciences, School of Arts and Sciences, Ahmedabad University, Commerce Six Roads, Navrangpura, Ahmedabad 380009, Gujarat, India
| | - Tathagata Bhowmik
- Biological and Life Sciences, School of Arts and Sciences, Ahmedabad University, Commerce Six Roads, Navrangpura, Ahmedabad 380009, Gujarat, India
| | - Rohith Srinivasan
- Biological and Life Sciences, School of Arts and Sciences, Ahmedabad University, Commerce Six Roads, Navrangpura, Ahmedabad 380009, Gujarat, India
| | - Nikhil Whitaker
- Madras Crocodile Bank Trust, Post Bag No 4, Mahabalipuram, Chennai 603104, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Ratna Ghosal
- Biological and Life Sciences, School of Arts and Sciences, Ahmedabad University, Commerce Six Roads, Navrangpura, Ahmedabad 380009, Gujarat, India
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Stark G, Ma L, Zeng ZG, Du WG, Levy O. State-dependent movement choices of desert lizards: The role of behavioural thermoregulation during summer and winter. J Therm Biol 2024; 121:103841. [PMID: 38552446 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2024.103841] [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: 10/23/2023] [Revised: 03/01/2024] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024]
Abstract
Environmental temperatures are increasing worldwide, threatening desert ectotherms already living at their thermal limits. Organisms with flexible thermoregulatory behaviours may be able to mitigate the effects of extreme temperatures by moving among microhabitats, yet little work has tracked movement patterns of desert ectotherms in the wild over diurnal scales or compared behaviour among seasons. Here, we used camera traps to track the thermoregulatory behaviour and microhabitat choices of 30 desert lizards (Messalina bahaldini) in custom, outdoor arenas that provided access to open, rock, and bush microhabitats. We found that in the summer, lizards preferred to move to the shaded microhabitats and remain there under warmer conditions. During winter, however, lizards' activity was not related to temperature, and lizards mostly chose to remain in the open habitat. Interestingly, in both seasons, lizards tended to remain in their current microhabitat and moved infrequently between certain combinations of microhabitats. Our study shows that thermoregulation (shade-seeking behaviour) is a major factor during summer, helping lizards to avoid extreme temperatures, but not during winter, and shows a novel effect of current microhabitat on movement, suggesting that other biotic or abiotic factors may also drive microhabitat choice. Understanding the complex factors at play in microhabitat choice is critical for developing conservation programs that effectively mitigate the negative impacts of climate change on desert animals.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gavin Stark
- Tel Aviv University, Faculty of Life Sciences, School of Zoology, Israel.
| | - Liang Ma
- Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, People's Republic of China; School of Ecology, Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, People's Republic of China.
| | - Zhi-Gao Zeng
- Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, People's Republic of China.
| | - Wei-Guo Du
- Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, People's Republic of China.
| | - Ofir Levy
- Tel Aviv University, Faculty of Life Sciences, School of Zoology, Israel.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Stark G, Ma L, Zeng ZG, Du WG, Levy O. Cool shade and not-so-cool shade: How habitat loss may accelerate thermal stress under current and future climate. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2023; 29:6201-6216. [PMID: 37280748 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2022] [Revised: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Worldwide habitat loss, land-use changes, and climate change threaten biodiversity, and we urgently need models that predict the combined impacts of these threats on organisms. Current models, however, overlook microhabitat diversity within landscapes and so do not accurately inform conservation efforts, particularly for ectotherms. Here, we built and field-parameterized a model to examine the effects of habitat loss and climate change on activity and microhabitat selection by a diurnal desert lizard. Our model predicted that lizards in rock-free areas would reduce summer activity levels (e.g. foraging, basking) and that future warming will gradually decrease summer activity in rocky areas, as even large rocks become thermally stressful. Warmer winters will enable more activity but will require bushes and small rocks as shade retreats. Hence, microhabitats that may seem unimportant today will become important under climate change. Modelling frameworks should consider the microhabitat requirements of organisms to improve conservation outcomes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gavin Stark
- Faculty of Life Sciences, School of Zoology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Liang Ma
- Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China
- Princeton School of Public and International Affairs, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
| | - Zhi-Gao Zeng
- Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Wei-Guo Du
- Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Ofir Levy
- Faculty of Life Sciences, School of Zoology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Kelly AM, Thompson RR. Testosterone facilitates nonreproductive, context-appropriate pro- and anti-social behavior in female and male Mongolian gerbils. Horm Behav 2023; 156:105436. [PMID: 37776832 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2023.105436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2023] [Revised: 08/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 10/02/2023]
Abstract
A growing body of literature suggests that testosterone (T) rapidly modulates behavior in a context-specific manner. However, the timescales in which T can rapidly mediate distinct types of behavior, such as pro- vs. anti- social responses, has not been studied. Thus, here we examined acute T influences on social behavior in male and female Mongolian gerbils in nonreproductive contexts. Females and males received an injection of either saline or T and were first tested in a social interaction test with a same-sex, familiar peer. 5 min after the peer interaction, subjects then underwent a resident-intruder test with a novel, same-sex conspecific. After another 5 min, gerbils were tested in a novel object task to test context-specificity (i.e., social vs. nonsocial) of T effects on behavior. Within 1 h, males and females injected with T exhibited more huddling with a peer but more active avoidance of and less time spent in proximity of an intruder than did animals injected with saline. T effects on behavior were specific to social contexts, such that T did not influence investigation of the novel object. Together these findings show that T rapidly promotes pro-social responses to a familiar peer and anti-social responses to an intruder in the same individuals within 5 min of experiencing these disparate social contexts. This demonstrates that T rapidly facilitates behavior in a context-appropriate manner outside the context of reproduction and reveals that rapid effects of T on behavior are not restricted to males.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Aubrey M Kelly
- Department of Psychology, Emory University, 36 Eagle Row, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.
| | - Richmond R Thompson
- Division of Social Sciences, Oxford College of Emory University, 801 Emory Street, Oxford, GA 30054, USA
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Silva KRDA, Gomes LG, Ferreira VL, Strüssmann C, Moreira LFB. Seasonal changes in taxonomic and functional diversity of lizard communities in southern Brazilian Pantanal. AN ACAD BRAS CIENC 2022; 94:e20201793. [PMID: 36477224 DOI: 10.1590/0001-3765202220201793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2020] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Seasonal changes play a key ecological role, structuring biotic processes and communities. Yet we generally lack an understanding of how seasonal flood regimes affect communities in floodplains. Herein, we investigated the effects of seasonal changes in taxonomic and functional diversity of lizard communities in southern Pantanal ecoregion. Lizards were sampled in seven sites encompassing seasonally flooded grasslands and dense arboreal savannas, across rainy and dry seasons (2005-2006). Functional diversity metrics were based on three morphological traits and included intraspecific variability. We collected a total of 810 lizards from 13 species. Species richness did not differ across seasons or months. Lizard abundance varied among sampling months, but did not differ between rainy and dry season. Low values of abundance were recorded at drawdown period. Community composition did not vary between seasons. Functional diversity metrics exhibited random distributions, and both functional richness and evenness were not influenced by seasons. Although communities seem to be resilient to seasonal variations, our findings highlighted that transition from rainy to dry season may represent an important constraint on lizard abundance. Including traits related to food acquisition and predator avoidance could provide new insights into the effects of seasonal floods on floodplains' lizard communities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Karoline R DA Silva
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia e Conservação da Biodiversidade, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso/UFMT, Instituto de Biociências, Av. Fernando Corrêa da Costa, 2367, 78060-900 Cuiabá, MT, Brazil
| | - Liara G Gomes
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia e Conservação da Biodiversidade, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso/UFMT, Instituto de Biociências, Av. Fernando Corrêa da Costa, 2367, 78060-900 Cuiabá, MT, Brazil
| | - Vanda L Ferreira
- Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul/UFMS, Instituto de Biociências, Av. Costa e Silva, s/n, 79070-900 Campo Grande, MS, Brazil
| | - Christine Strüssmann
- Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso/UFMT, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Av. Fernando Corrêa da Costa, 2367, 78060-900 Cuiabá, MT, Brazil
| | - Leonardo F B Moreira
- Instituto Nacional de Pesquisa do Pantanal/INPP, Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi, Av. Fernando Corrêa da Costa, 2367, 78060-900 Cuiabá, MS, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Garcia CK, Robinson GP, Gambino BJ, Rua MT, Laitano O, Clanton TL. The impact of castration on physiological responses to exertional heat stroke in mice. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0275715. [PMID: 36227921 PMCID: PMC9560521 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0275715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2022] [Accepted: 09/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The capability of male mice to exercise in hot environments without succumbing to exertional heat stroke (EHS) is markedly blunted compared to females. Epidemiological evidence in humans and other mammals also suggests some degree of greater vulnerability to heat stroke in males compared to females. The origins of these differences are unknown, but testosterone has previously been shown to induce faster elevations in core temperature during acute, passive heat exposure. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that loss of testosterone and related sex hormones through castration would improve the performance and heat tolerance of male mice during EHS exposure. METHODS Twenty-four male mice were randomly divided into 3 groups, untreated EHS mice (SHAM-EHS), castrated EHS mice (CAS+EHS) and naïve exercise controls (NAIVE). Exercise performance and physiological responses in the heat were monitored during EHS and early recovery. Two weeks later, blood and tissues were collected and analyzed for biomarkers of cardiac damage and testosterone. RESULTS Core temperature in CAS+EHS rose faster to 39.5°C in the early stages of the EHS trial (P<0.0001). However, both EHS groups ran similar distances, exhibited similar peak core temperatures and achieved similar exercise times in the heat, prior to symptom limitation (unconsciousness). CAS+EHS mice had ~10.5% lower body mass at the time of EHS, but this provided no apparent advantage in performance. There was no evidence of myocardial damage in any group, and testosterone levels were undetectable in CAS+EHS after gonadectomy. CONCLUSIONS The results of these experiments exclude the hypothesis that reduced performance of male mice during EHS trials is due to the effects of male sex hormones or intact gonads. However, the results are consistent with a role of male sex hormones or intact gonads in suppressing the early and rapid rise in core temperature during the early stages of exercise in the heat.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christian K. Garcia
- Department of Applied Physiology and Kinesiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States of America
| | - Gerard P. Robinson
- Department of Applied Physiology and Kinesiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States of America
| | - Bryce J. Gambino
- Department of Applied Physiology and Kinesiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States of America
| | - Michael T. Rua
- Department of Applied Physiology and Kinesiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States of America
| | - Orlando Laitano
- Department of Applied Physiology and Kinesiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States of America
| | - Thomas L. Clanton
- Department of Applied Physiology and Kinesiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Domínguez‐Godoy MA, Hudson R, Montoya B, Bastiaans E, Díaz de la Vega‐Pérez AH. Too cool to fight: Is ambient temperature associated with male aggressive behavior in the mesquite lizard? J Zool (1987) 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/jzo.12979] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- M. A. Domínguez‐Godoy
- Doctorado en Ciencias Biológicas Centro Tlaxcala de Biología de la Conducta Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala Tlaxcala Mexico
- Laboratorio de Herpetología Departamento de Zoología Instituto de Biología Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México Ciudad de México Mexico
| | - R. Hudson
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México Ciudad de México Mexico
| | - B. Montoya
- Centro Tlaxcala de Biología de la Conducta Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala Tlaxcala Mexico
| | - E. Bastiaans
- State University of New York College at Oneonta Oneonta NY USA
| | - A. H. Díaz de la Vega‐Pérez
- Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología‐Centro Tlaxcala de Biología de la Conducta Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala Tlaxcala Mexico
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Ord TJ. Costs of territoriality: a review of hypotheses, meta-analysis, and field study. Oecologia 2021; 197:615-631. [PMID: 34716493 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-021-05068-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2021] [Accepted: 10/17/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
The evolution of territoriality reflects the balance between the benefit and cost of monopolising a resource. While the benefit of territoriality is generally intuitive (improved access to resources), our understanding of its cost is less clear. This paper combines: 1. a review of hypotheses and meta-analytic benchmarking of costs across diverse taxa; and 2. a new empirical test of hypotheses using a longitudinal study of free-living male territorial lizards. The cost of territoriality was best described as a culmination of multiple factors, but especially costs resulting from the time required to maintain a territory (identified by the meta-analysis) or those exacerbated by a territory that is large in size (identified by the empirical test). The meta-analysis showed that physiological costs such as energetic expenditure or stress were largely negligible in impact on territory holders. Species that used territories to monopolise access to mates appeared to incur the greatest costs, whereas those defending food resources experienced the least. The single largest gap in our current understanding revealed by the literature review is the potential cost associated with increased predation. There is also a clear need for multiple costs to be evaluated concurrently in a single species. The empirical component of this study showcases a powerful analytical framework for evaluating a range of hypotheses using correlational data obtained in the field. More broadly, this paper highlights key factors that should be considered in any investigation that attempts to account for the evolutionary origin or ecological variation in territorial behaviour within and between species.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Terry J Ord
- Evolution and Ecology Research Centre, and School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Kensington, NSW, Australia.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Nay TJ, Longbottom RJ, Gervais CR, Johansen JL, Steffensen JF, Rummer JL, Hoey AS. Regulate or tolerate: Thermal strategy of a coral reef flat resident, the epaulette shark, Hemiscyllium ocellatum. JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY 2021; 98:723-732. [PMID: 33206373 DOI: 10.1111/jfb.14616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2020] [Revised: 10/23/2020] [Accepted: 11/17/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Highly variable thermal environments, such as coral reef flats, are challenging for marine ectotherms and are thought to invoke the use of behavioural strategies to avoid extreme temperatures and seek out thermal environments close to their preferred temperatures. Common to coral reef flats, the epaulette shark (Hemiscyllium ocellatum) possesses physiological adaptations to hypoxic and hypercapnic conditions, such as those experienced on reef flats, but little is known regarding the thermal strategies used by these sharks. We investigated whether H. ocellatum uses behavioural thermoregulation (i.e., movement to occupy thermally favourable microhabitats) or tolerates the broad range of temperatures experienced on the reef flat. Using an automated shuttlebox system, we determined the preferred temperature of H. ocellatum under controlled laboratory conditions and then compared this preferred temperature to 6 months of in situ environmental and body temperatures of individual H. ocellatum across the Heron Island reef flat. The preferred temperature of H. ocellatum under controlled conditions was 20.7 ± 1.5°C, but the body temperatures of individual H. ocellatum on the Heron Island reef flat mirrored environmental temperatures regardless of season or month. Despite substantial temporal variation in temperature on the Heron Island reef flat (15-34°C during 2017), there was a lack of spatial variation in temperature across the reef flat between sites or microhabitats. This limited spatial variation in temperature creates a low-quality thermal habitat limiting the ability of H. ocellatum to behaviourally thermoregulate. Behavioural thermoregulation is assumed in many shark species, but it appears that H. ocellatum may utilize other physiological strategies to cope with extreme temperature fluctuations on coral reef flats. While H. ocellatum appears to be able to tolerate acute exposure to temperatures well outside of their preferred temperature, it is unclear how this, and other, species will cope as temperatures continue to rise and approach their critical thermal limits. Understanding how species will respond to continued warming and the strategies they may use will be key to predicting future populations and assemblages.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tiffany J Nay
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
| | - Rohan J Longbottom
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
| | - Connor R Gervais
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Jacob L Johansen
- Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawaii, Kaneohe, Hawaii, USA
| | - John F Steffensen
- Marine Biological Section, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Helsingør, Denmark
| | - Jodie L Rummer
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
| | - Andrew S Hoey
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
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
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Zhang L, Chen L, Meng Z, Jia M, Li R, Yan S, Tian S, Zhou Z, Diao J. Effects of L-Glufosinate-ammonium and temperature on reproduction controlled by neuroendocrine system in lizard (Eremias argus). ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2020; 257:113564. [PMID: 31753638 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2019.113564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2019] [Revised: 10/15/2019] [Accepted: 11/01/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
In the context of global warming, an important issue is that many pesticides become more toxic, putting non-target organisms at higher risk of pesticide exposure. Eremias argus (a native Chinese lizard) was selected as animal model in this study. As a kind of poikilothermic vertebrate, E.argus is sensitive to temperature change. The experimental design [(with or without L-Glufosinate-ammonium (L-GLA) pollution × two temperatures (25 and 30 °C)] was used in this study for 90 days to identify the chronic effects of the pesticide-temperature interaction on the lizards' neuroendocrine-regulated reproduction. Survival rate, body weight, clutch characteristics, testicular histopathology, the content of neurotransmitters and related enzyme activity, the level of sex steroid, the expression of Heat shock protein 70 (HSP70), antioxidant system, the accumulation and degradation of L-GLA were examined. Results showed that L-GLA disrupt reproduction of lizards through hypothalamus-pituitary-gonad (HPG) axis. In addition, temperature can not only change the environmental behavior of pesticides, but also alter the physiological characteristics of lizards. Thus, our results emphasized that temperature is an essential abiotic factor that should not be overlooked in ecotoxicological studies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Luyao Zhang
- Department of Applied Chemistry, China Agricultural University, Yuanmingyuan West Road 2, Beijing 100193, China; Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Food Nutrition and Human Health, Yuanmingyuan West Road 2, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Li Chen
- Department of Applied Chemistry, China Agricultural University, Yuanmingyuan West Road 2, Beijing 100193, China; Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Food Nutrition and Human Health, Yuanmingyuan West Road 2, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Zhiyuan Meng
- Department of Applied Chemistry, China Agricultural University, Yuanmingyuan West Road 2, Beijing 100193, China; Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Food Nutrition and Human Health, Yuanmingyuan West Road 2, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Ming Jia
- Department of Applied Chemistry, China Agricultural University, Yuanmingyuan West Road 2, Beijing 100193, China; Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Food Nutrition and Human Health, Yuanmingyuan West Road 2, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Ruisheng Li
- Department of Applied Chemistry, China Agricultural University, Yuanmingyuan West Road 2, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Sen Yan
- Department of Applied Chemistry, China Agricultural University, Yuanmingyuan West Road 2, Beijing 100193, China; Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Food Nutrition and Human Health, Yuanmingyuan West Road 2, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Sinuo Tian
- Department of Applied Chemistry, China Agricultural University, Yuanmingyuan West Road 2, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Zhiqiang Zhou
- Department of Applied Chemistry, China Agricultural University, Yuanmingyuan West Road 2, Beijing 100193, China; Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Food Nutrition and Human Health, Yuanmingyuan West Road 2, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Jinling Diao
- Department of Applied Chemistry, China Agricultural University, Yuanmingyuan West Road 2, Beijing 100193, China; Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Food Nutrition and Human Health, Yuanmingyuan West Road 2, Beijing 100193, China.
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Loughran CL, Wolf BO. The functional significance of panting as a mechanism of thermoregulation and its relationship to the critical thermal maxima in lizards. J Exp Biol 2020; 223:jeb.224139. [DOI: 10.1242/jeb.224139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2020] [Accepted: 07/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Because most desert-dwelling lizards rely primarily on behavioral thermoregulation for the maintenance of active body temperatures, the effectiveness of panting as a thermoregulatory mechanism for evaporative cooling has not been widely explored. We measured changes in body temperature (Tb) with increasing air temperature (Ta) for seventeen species of lizards that range across New Mexico and Arizona and quantified the temperatures associated with the onset of panting, the capacity of individuals to depress Tb below Ta while panting and estimated the critical thermal maxima (CTmax) for each individual. We examined these variables as a function of phylogeny, body mass, and local acclimatization temperature. We found that many species can depress Tb 2-3°C below Ta while panting, and the capacity to do so appears to be a function of each species’ ecology and thermal environment, rather than phylogeny. Panting thresholds and CTmax’s are phylogenetically conserved within groups. Understanding the functional significance of panting and its potential importance as a thermoregulatory mechanism will improve our understanding of the potential for species’ persistence in an increasingly warmer world.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Caleb L. Loughran
- Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, MSC03-2020, Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001, USA
| | - Blair O. Wolf
- Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, MSC03-2020, Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001, USA
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Fey SB, Vasseur DA, Alujević K, Kroeker KJ, Logan ML, O'Connor MI, Rudolf VHW, DeLong JP, Peacor S, Selden RL, Sih A, Clusella-Trullas S. Opportunities for behavioral rescue under rapid environmental change. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2019; 25:3110-3120. [PMID: 31148329 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.14712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2019] [Accepted: 05/09/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Laboratory measurements of physiological and demographic tolerances are important in understanding the impact of climate change on species diversity; however, it has been recognized that forecasts based solely on these laboratory estimates overestimate risk by omitting the capacity for species to utilize microclimatic variation via behavioral adjustments in activity patterns or habitat choice. The complex, and often context-dependent nature, of microclimate utilization has been an impediment to the advancement of general predictive models. Here, we overcome this impediment and estimate the potential impact of warming on the fitness of ectotherms using a benefit/cost trade-off derived from the simple and broadly documented thermal performance curve and a generalized cost function. Our framework reveals that, for certain environments, the cost of behavioral thermoregulation can be reduced as warming occurs, enabling behavioral buffering (e.g., the capacity for behavior to ameliorate detrimental impacts) and "behavioral rescue" from extinction in extreme cases. By applying our framework to operative temperature and physiological data collected at an extremely fine spatial scale in an African lizard, we show that new behavioral opportunities may emerge. Finally, we explore large-scale geographic differences in the impact of behavior on climate-impact projections using a global dataset of 38 insect species. These multiple lines of inference indicate that understanding the existing relationship between thermal characteristics (e.g., spatial configuration, spatial heterogeneity, and modal temperature) is essential for improving estimates of extinction risk.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Samuel B Fey
- Department of Biology, Reed College, Portland, Oregon
| | - David A Vasseur
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Karla Alujević
- Department of Botany and Zoology & Centre for Invasion Biology, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
| | - Kristy J Kroeker
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California
| | - Michael L Logan
- Department of Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, Nevada
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama City, Panama
| | - Mary I O'Connor
- Department of Zoology and Biodiversity Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | | | - John P DeLong
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Nebraska
| | - Scott Peacor
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan
| | - Rebecca L Selden
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Natural Resources, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey
| | - Andy Sih
- Department of Environmental Science & Policy, University of California Davis, Davis, California
| | - Susana Clusella-Trullas
- Department of Botany and Zoology & Centre for Invasion Biology, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Sannolo M, Carretero MA. Dehydration constrains thermoregulation and space use in lizards. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0220384. [PMID: 31344149 PMCID: PMC6657907 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0220384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2018] [Accepted: 07/15/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Climate change is negatively affecting many species. The increase in mean air temperature is often associated with shifts in distribution, changes in phenology, and local extinctions. Other factors that only partially correlate with air temperature, like water shortage, may also contribute to the negative consequences of climate change. Although the effect of temperature on lizards' ecophysiology is highly studied, many lizards are also at risks of increased water loss and dehydration, which are predicted to increase under climate change. Here we aimed for the first time to explore if lacertid lizards exposed to dehydration thermoregulate less precisely than hydrated lizards and if dehydrated lizards are less active, change the daily pattern of thermoregulation and balance water balance against thermoregulation. We exposed four lizard species with differences in the thermal preference to thermal gradients with or without a source of water. We measured preferred body temperatures, daily pattern of thermoregulation, and the use of space. Dehydration negatively affected thermoregulation in all investigated species. Dehydrated lizards reduced their preferred body temperature and showed a species-specific pattern of hourly change in thermal preference. Furthermore, they more frequently used the colder parts of the gradients and spent more time hidden. Lizards experiencing dehydration may suffer a reduction in survival and fitness because of poor thermoregulation. Similarly, they may spend more time hidden, waiting for more favourable weather conditions. Such inactivity may carry ecological costs especially in those regions that undergo either short or prolonged periods of droughts.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marco Sannolo
- CIBIO, Research Centre in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources, InBIO, Universidade do Porto, Campus de Vairão, Rua Padre Armando Quintas, Vairão, Vila do Conde, Portugal
- Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade do Porto, R. Campo Alegre, Porto, Portugal
| | - Miguel Angel Carretero
- CIBIO, Research Centre in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources, InBIO, Universidade do Porto, Campus de Vairão, Rua Padre Armando Quintas, Vairão, Vila do Conde, Portugal
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Angilletta MJ, Youngblood JP, Neel LK, VandenBrooks JM. The neuroscience of adaptive thermoregulation. Neurosci Lett 2019; 692:127-136. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2018.10.046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2018] [Revised: 10/17/2018] [Accepted: 10/21/2018] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
|
17
|
Rusch TW, Sears MW, Angilletta MJ. Lizards perceived abiotic and biotic stressors independently when competing for shade in terrestrial mesocosms. Horm Behav 2018; 106:44-51. [PMID: 30218647 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2018.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2018] [Revised: 09/03/2018] [Accepted: 09/10/2018] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Hormones such as glucocorticoids and androgens enable animals to respond adaptively to environmental stressors. For this reason, circulating glucocorticoids became a popular biomarker for estimating the quality of an environment, and circulating androgens are frequently used to indicate social dominance. Here, we show that access to thermal resources influence the hormones and behavior of male lizards (Sceloporus jarrovi). We exposed isolated and paired males to different thermal landscapes, ranging from one large patch of shade to sixteen smaller patches. Both the presence of a competitor and the patchiness of the thermal environment influenced hormone concentrations and movement patterns. When shade was concentrated in space, paired lizards competed more aggressively and circulated more corticosterone. Even without competitors, lizards circulated more corticosterone in landscapes with fewer patches of shade. Conversely, shifts in circulating testosterone depended only on the relative body size of a lizard; when paired, large males and small males circulated more and less testosterone, respectively. Furthermore, isolated males moved the farthest and covered the most area when shade was concentrated in a single patch, but paired males did the opposite. Because the total area of shade in each landscape was the same, these hormonal and behavioral responses of lizards reflect the ability to access shade. Thus, circulating glucocorticoids should reflect the thermal quality of an environment when researchers have controlled for other factors. Moreover, a theory of stress during thermoregulation would help ecologists anticipate physiological and behavioral responses to changing climates.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Travis W Rusch
- Arizona State University, School of Life Sciences, Tempe, AZ, USA.
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
18
|
Winterová B, Gvoždík L. Influence of interspecific competitors on behavioral thermoregulation: developmental or acute plasticity? Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-018-2587-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
|
19
|
Affiliation(s)
- Lumír Gvoždík
- Inst. of Vertebrate Biology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Květná 8; CZ-603 65 Brno Czech Republic
| |
Collapse
|