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Dezetter M, Le Galliard JF, Lourdais O. Behavioural hydroregulation protects against acute effects of drought in a dry-skinned ectotherm. Oecologia 2023; 201:355-367. [PMID: 36564481 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-022-05299-1] [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: 04/26/2022] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
During extreme climate events, behavioural thermoregulation may buffer ectotherms from thermal stress and overheating. However, heatwaves are also combined with dry spells and limited water availability, and how much individuals can behaviourally mitigate dehydration risks through microclimate selection remains largely unknown. Herein, we investigated the behavioural and physiological responses to changes in air and microhabitat humidity in a terrestrial ectotherm, the asp viper (Vipera aspis). We exposed individuals to a simulated heatwave together with water deprivation for 3 weeks, and manipulated air water vapour density (wet air vs. dry air) and microclimate (wet shelter vs. dry shelter) in a two-by-two factorial design. Dry air conditions led to substantial physiological dehydration and muscle wasting. Vipers exposed to dry air used more often a shelter that offered a moist microclimate, which reduced dehydration and muscle wasting at the individual level. These results provide the first experimental evidence that active behavioural hydroregulation can mitigate specific physiological stress responses caused by a dry spell in an ectotherm. Future studies investigating organismal responses to climate change should consider moisture gradient in the habitat and integrate both hydroregulation and thermoregulation behaviours.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathias Dezetter
- Sorbonne University, CNRS, UMR 7618, IRD, INRA, Institut d'écologie et des sciences de l'environnement (iEES Paris), Tours 44-45, 4 Place Jussieu, 75005, Paris, France.
- Centre d'étude biologique de Chizé, UMR 7372 CNRS-La Rochelle Université, 79360, Villiers en Bois, France.
| | - Jean-François Le Galliard
- Sorbonne University, CNRS, UMR 7618, IRD, INRA, Institut d'écologie et des sciences de l'environnement (iEES Paris), Tours 44-45, 4 Place Jussieu, 75005, Paris, France
- Département de Biologie, Ecole Normale Supérieure, PSL Research University, CNRS, UMS 3194, Centre de Recherche en écologie expérimentale et Prédictive (CEREEP-Ecotron IleDeFrance), 78 rue du château, 77140, Saint-Pierre-Lès-Nemours, France
| | - Olivier Lourdais
- Centre d'étude biologique de Chizé, UMR 7372 CNRS-La Rochelle Université, 79360, Villiers en Bois, France
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85287-4501, USA
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2
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Sandfoss MR, Brischoux F, Lillywhite HB. Intraspecific investigation of dehydration-enhanced innate immune performance and endocrine stress response to sublethal dehydration in a semi-aquatic species of pit viper. J Exp Biol 2022; 225:276533. [PMID: 35946379 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.243894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2021] [Accepted: 08/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Sublethal dehydration can cause negative physiological effects, but recent studies investigating the sub-lethal effects of dehydration on innate immune performance in reptiles have found a positive correlation between innate immune response and plasma osmolality. To investigate if this is an adaptive trait that evolved in response to dehydration in populations inhabiting water-scarce environments, we sampled free-ranging cottonmouths (n=26 adult cottonmouths) from two populations inhabiting contrasting environments in terms of water availability: Snake Key (n=12), an island with no permanent sources of fresh water and Paynes Prairie (n=14), a flooded freshwater prairie. In addition to field surveys, we manipulated the hydration state of 17 cottonmouths (Paynes Prairie n=9, Snake Key n=8) in a laboratory setting and measured the response of corticosterone and innate immune performance to dehydration with the aim of identifying any correlation or trade-offs between them. We measured corticosterone of cottonmouths at a baseline level and then again following a 60-min stress test when at three hydration states: hydrated, dehydrated, and rehydrated. We found that innate immune performance improved with dehydration and then returned to baseline levels within 48 hours of rehydration, which agrees with previous research in reptiles. Despite the frequent exposure of cottonmouths on Snake Key to dehydrating conditions, we did not find cottonmouths inhabiting the island to show a greater magnitude or more prolonged immune response compared to cottonmouths from Paynes Prairie. We also found a positive association between dehydration and corticosterone values.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark R Sandfoss
- Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - François Brischoux
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC), UMR 7372 CNRS and La Rochelle Université, 79360 Villiers en Bois, France
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Cañas CA, Castaño-Valencia S, Castro-Herrera F. Biological and medical aspects related to the yellow-bellied sea snake Hydrophis platurus (Linnaeus, 1766): A view from Colombia. Travel Med Infect Dis 2022; 49:102410. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tmaid.2022.102410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2022] [Revised: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 07/25/2022] [Indexed: 10/16/2022]
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Dezetter M, Le Galliard JF, Leroux-Coyau M, Brischoux F, Angelier F, Lourdais O. Two stressors are worse than one: combined heatwave and drought affect hydration state and glucocorticoid levels in a temperate ectotherm. J Exp Biol 2022; 225:274818. [PMID: 35319758 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.243777] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2021] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Heatwaves and droughts are becoming more intense and frequent with climate change. These extreme weather events often occur simultaneously and may alter organismal physiology, yet their combined impacts remain largely unknown. Here, we experimentally investigated physiological responses of a temperate ectotherm, the asp viper (Vipera aspis), to a simulated heatwave and drought. We applied a two-by-two factorial design by manipulating the daily temperature cycle (control vs. heatwave) and the water availability (water available vs. water-deprived) over a month followed by exposure to standard thermal conditions with ad libium access to water. Simulated heatwave and water deprivation additively increased mass loss, while water deprivation led to greater plasma osmolality (dehydration). Mass gain from drinking after the treatment period was higher in vipers from the heatwave and water-deprived group suggesting that thirst was synergistically influenced by thermal and water constraints. Heatwave conditions and water deprivation also additively increased baseline corticosterone levels but did not influence basal metabolic rates and plasma markers of oxidative stress. Our results demonstrate that a short-term exposure to combined heatwave and drought can exacerbate physiological stress through additive effects, and interactively impact behavioral responses to dehydration. Considering combined effects of temperature and water availability is thus crucial to assess organismal responses to climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathias Dezetter
- Sorbonne University, CNRS, IRD, INRA, Institut d'écologie et des sciences de l'environnement (iEES Paris), 4 Place Jussieu, 75252 Paris Cedex 5, France.,Centre d'étude biologique de Chizé, UMR 7372 CNRS-La Rochelle Université, , 79360, Villiers en Bois, France
| | - Jean-François Le Galliard
- Sorbonne University, CNRS, IRD, INRA, Institut d'écologie et des sciences de l'environnement (iEES Paris), 4 Place Jussieu, 75252 Paris Cedex 5, France.,Ecole normale supérieure, PSL University, Département de biologie, CNRS, UMS 3194, Centre de recherche en écologie expérimentale et prédictive (CEREEP-Ecotron IleDeFrance), 11 chemin de Busseau, 77140 Saint-Pierre-lès-Nemours, France
| | - Mathieu Leroux-Coyau
- Sorbonne University, CNRS, IRD, INRA, Institut d'écologie et des sciences de l'environnement (iEES Paris), 4 Place Jussieu, 75252 Paris Cedex 5, France
| | - François Brischoux
- Centre d'étude biologique de Chizé, UMR 7372 CNRS-La Rochelle Université, , 79360, Villiers en Bois, France
| | - Fréderic Angelier
- Centre d'étude biologique de Chizé, UMR 7372 CNRS-La Rochelle Université, , 79360, Villiers en Bois, France
| | - Olivier Lourdais
- Centre d'étude biologique de Chizé, UMR 7372 CNRS-La Rochelle Université, , 79360, Villiers en Bois, France.,School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-4501, USA
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Bessesen B, González‐Suárez M. Safe from sunburn: The divergent diel pattern of a Hydrophis sea snake. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e8436. [PMID: 35127005 PMCID: PMC8796931 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2021] [Revised: 11/19/2021] [Accepted: 11/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Diel activity patterns are an important aspect of wildlife ecology and evolution and provide valuable information for conservation and monitoring, yet for many species, activity patterns remain unstudied and may be presumed to mirror related taxa. Here, we describe the distinct diel patterns of an endemic population of venomous sea snakes Hydrophis platurus xanthos inhabiting a narrow range (circa 320 km2) in Golfo Dulce, Costa Rica. To investigate, we conducted a systematic visual survey over five 24-h cycles and evaluated 339 h of previously obtained sighting data from different studies spanning a decade. While sporadic diurnal surfacing does occur, mostly for respiration, our observations revealed marked crepuscular peaks with regular surfacing through the night. We also report on observed surface behaviors that were also found to vary in frequency at different phases of the photoperiodic cycle. In particular, we show feeding as more common at night. Hydrophis platurus xanthos has developed a circadian rhythm that differs noticeably from its taxonomic parent (H. p. platurus is reported as diurnal across its Indo-Pacific range), and no congeners have been categorized as crepuscular. Our work thus contributes to the ecological knowledge of this evolutionarily distinct marine elapid and offers insights into the potential role of environmental conditions in shaping animal activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brooke Bessesen
- Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyUniversity of ReadingReadingUK
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Edwards M, Sheehy CM, Fedler MT, Lillywhite HB. Thirst and drinking in North American watersnakes ( Nerodia spp.). J Exp Biol 2021; 224:224/5/jeb241414. [PMID: 33674397 PMCID: PMC7938798 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.241414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2020] [Accepted: 01/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
We quantified drinking behavior in three species of North American watersnakes: Nerodia clarkii, which is a marine or brackish water amphibious species, and Nerodiafasciata and Nerodiataxispilota, both freshwater amphibious species. All three species have relatively small and similar thresholds of dehydration (TH, approximately −4% loss of body mass) that elicit thirst and drinking of fresh water. These species have higher thirst sensitivity than several species of hydrophiine and laticaudine sea snakes, which are characterized by much lower TH (greater dehydration, −9% to <−20%). Nerodia clarkii, which is often found in coastal oceanic water, refused to drink seawater, but drank fresh water when dehydrated. In separate trials involving dehydration of N. clarkii and N. fasciata that were concurrently fed fish at regular intervals, snakes eventually refused to eat at TH of approximately −12% of original body mass, but resumed eating after they were allowed to drink fresh water and rehydrate. The drinking behaviors of Nerodia corroborate previous data on the importance of fresh water for drinking, and they complement growing evidence that dietary water does not itself mitigate dehydration in snakes. These new data increase understanding of water relationships in the context of evolutionary transitions from land to sea, and they emphasize the importance of fresh water resources in the conservation of coastal and marine species of reptiles. Summary: Relatively small levels of dehydration elicit drinking of fresh water in three species of North American watersnakes, including a semi-marine species in which moderate, progressive dehydration is also shown to inhibit feeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Edwards
- Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611-8525, USA
| | - Coleman M Sheehy
- Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611-8525, USA
| | - Matthew T Fedler
- Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611-8525, USA.,Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, 1105 SW Williston Road, Gainesville, FL 32601, USA
| | - Harvey B Lillywhite
- Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611-8525, USA
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Crowe-Riddell JM, Williams R, Chapuis L, Sanders KL. Ultrastructural evidence of a mechanosensory function of scale organs (sensilla) in sea snakes (Hydrophiinae). ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2019; 6:182022. [PMID: 31183131 PMCID: PMC6502359 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.182022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2018] [Accepted: 03/15/2019] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
The evolution of epidermal scales was a major innovation in lepidosaurs, providing a barrier to dehydration and physical stress, while functioning as a sensitive interface for detecting mechanical stimuli in the environment. In snakes, mechanoreception involves tiny scale organs (sensilla) that are concentrated on the surface of the head. The fully marine sea snakes (Hydrophiinae) are closely related to terrestrial hydrophiine snakes but have substantially more protruding (dome-shaped) scale organs that often cover a larger portion of the scale surface. Various divergent selection pressures in the marine environment could account for this morphological variation relating to detection of mechanical stimuli from direct contact with stimuli and/or indirect contact via water motion (i.e. 'hydrodynamic reception'), or co-option for alternate sensory or non-sensory functions. We addressed these hypotheses using immunohistochemistry, and light and electron microscopy, to describe the cells and nerve connections underlying scale organs in two sea snakes, Aipysurus laevis and Hydrophis stokesii. Our results show ultrastructural features in the cephalic scale organs of both marine species that closely resemble the mechanosensitive Meissner-like corpuscles that underlie terrestrial snake scale organs. We conclude that the scale organs of marine hydrophiines have retained a mechanosensory function, but future studies are needed to examine whether they are sensitive to hydrodynamic stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenna M. Crowe-Riddell
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia 5005, Australia
| | - Ruth Williams
- Adelaide Microscopy, the Centre for Advanced Microscopy and Microanalysis, Adelaide, South Australia 5005, Australia
| | - Lucille Chapuis
- College of Life and Environmental Science, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QD, UK
| | - Kate L. Sanders
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia 5005, Australia
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