Alligator metabolism studies on chemical reactions in vivo

Coulson, Roland A.; Hernandez, Thomas

doi:10.1016/0305-0491(83)90418-2

Cited by 84 publications

(48 citation statements)

References 96 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…Our study focused only on relationships between alligator body condition and water depth in the Everglades; however, we should note that there are other factors that may affect condition such as habitat, animal density, and ambient temperature (Taylor, 1979;Coulson & Hernandez, 1983;Lewis & Gatten, 1985;Seebacher et al, 2003;Rice et al, 2007). Studies that examine linkages between body condition and other environmental factors, such as ambient temperature and local differences in site productivity, may help us understand whether there are other determinants of body condition for freeranging alligators.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 96%

Relationship between body condition of American alligators and water depth in the Everglades, Florida

Fujisaki

Rice

Pearlstine³

et al. 2009

Hydrobiologia

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Feeding opportunities of American alligators (Alligator mississippiensis) in freshwater wetlands in south Florida are closely linked to hydrologic conditions. In the Everglades, seasonally and annually fluctuating surface water levels affect populations of aquatic organisms that alligators consume. Since prey becomes more concentrated when water depth decreases, we hypothesized an inverse relationship between body condition and water depth in the Everglades. On average, condition of adult alligators in the dry season was significantly higher than in the wet season, but this was not the case for juveniles/ subadults. The correlation between body condition and measured water depth at capture locations was weak; however, there was a significant negative correlation between the condition and predicted water depth prior to capture for all animals except for spring juveniles/subadults which had a weak positive condition-water depth relationship. Overall, a relatively strong inverse correlation occurred at 10-49 days prior to the capture day, suggesting that current body condition of alligators may depend on feeding opportunities during that period. Fitted regression of body condition on water depth (mean depth of 10 days when condition-water depth correlation was greatest) resulted in a significantly negative slope, except for spring adult females and spring juveniles/subadults for which slopes were not significantly different from zero. Our results imply that water management practices may be critical for alligators in the Everglades since water depth can affect animal condition in a relatively short period of time.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 96%

Relationship between body condition of American alligators and water depth in the Everglades, Florida

Fujisaki

Rice

Pearlstine³

et al. 2009

Hydrobiologia

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Temperatures below and above POBT interfere with digestion and immune function. American alligators take twice as long to digest food at 20°C than 28°C, whereas smoothsided caimans digest food three times faster at 30°C than 15°C (Diefenbach, 1975;Coulson and Hernandez, 1983). However, experimental infection of American alligators kept at 30°C demonstrated the greatest white blood cell response to infection and survival, whereas alligators held above the POBT at 35°C succumbed to infection in 3 weeks (Glassman and Bennet, 1978).…”

Section: Thermoregulationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A higher dosage (150 mg/kg) anesthetized an alligator for 30 hours (Coulson, Hernandez, 1983). Tricaine has also been used in spectacled caiman (110 to 154 mg/kg IM) with no effect (Johnson, 1991).…”

Section: Tricaine Methane Sulfonatementioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Crocodilians (Crocodiles, Alligators, Caimans, Gharial)

West

BSc

Caulkett

2007

Zoo Animal and Wildlife Immobilization and Anesthesia

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

“…Whereas during muscular exercise reptiles often incur in a metabolic acidosis that may cause a reduction in blood oxygen affinity via Bohr effect (Nikinmaa, 1990), during digestion the pH of the blood undergoes an alkalinization due to acid secretion into the lumen of the stomach (the so-called postprandial alkaline tide) (Rune, 1965;Coulson and Hernadez, 1983). However, this response is attenuated in most reptiles by a respiratory acidosis caused by a relative hypoventilation (see Wang et al, 2001a).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 97%