Behavioral Thermoregulation Increases Growth Rate in a Nocturnal Lizard

Autumn, Kellar; Nardo, Dale F. De

doi:10.2307/1564552

Cited by 142 publications

(69 citation statements)

References 27 publications

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“…Every hour, the body temperature of the chameleons was taken. Chameleons were starved for 24h before thermal preference trails because feeding state affects temperature preference in lizards (Autumn and De Nardo, 1995;Li et al, 2010).…”

Section: Thermal Preferencementioning

confidence: 99%

Impacts of temperature on performance in two species of South African dwarf chameleons,Bradypodion pumilumandB. occidentale

Segall

Tolley

Vanhooydonck

et al. 2013

Journal of Experimental Biology

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SUMMARYTemperature is an extrinsic factor that influences reptile behavior because of its impact on reptile physiology. Understanding the impact of temperature on performance traits is important as it may affect the ecology and fitness of ectothermic animals such as reptiles. Here, we examined the temperature dependence of performance in two species of South African dwarf chameleon (Bradypodion): one adapted to a semi-arid environment and one to a mesic environment. Ecologically relevant performance traits were tested at different temperatures to evaluate their thermal dependence, and temperature-performance breadths for 80% and 90% of each performance trait were calculated. Our results show distinct differences in the thermal dependence of speed-versus force-related performance traits. Moreover, our results show that the semi-arid species is better adapted to higher temperatures and as such has a better chance of coping with the predicted increases in environmental temperature. The mesic area-adapted species seems to be more sensitive to an increase in temperature and could therefore potentially be threatened by the predicted future climate change. However, further studies investigating the potential for acclimation in chameleons are needed to better understand how animals may respond to future climate change.

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Section: Thermal Preferencementioning

confidence: 99%

Impacts of temperature on performance in two species of South African dwarf chameleons,Bradypodion pumilumandB. occidentale

Segall

Tolley

Vanhooydonck

et al. 2013

Journal of Experimental Biology

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show abstract

“…Almost all aspects of the behaviour and physiology of reptiles are sensitive to T b , including growth rates (Autumn and De Nardo 1995), sex determination (in some species; Crews and Bull 2008), locomotion (Herrel et al 2007), immune function (Mondal and Rai 2001) and foraging ability (Avery et al 1982). Most of these physiological processes are optimized within a narrow range of T b (Angilletta et al 2002).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A cold-adapted reptile becomes a more effective thermoregulator in a thermally challenging environment

Besson

Cree

2010

Oecologia

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Thermoregulation is of great importance for the survival and fitness of ectotherms as physiological functions are optimized within a narrow range of body temperature (T(b)). The precision with which reptiles thermoregulate has been proposed to be related to the thermal quality of their environments. Although a number of studies have looked at the effect of thermal constraints imposed by diel, seasonal and altitudinal variation on thermoregulatory strategies, few have addressed this question in a laboratory setting. We conducted a laboratory experiment to test whether tuatara, Sphenodon punctatus (order Rhynchocephalia), a cold-adapted reptile endemic to New Zealand, modify their thermoregulatory behaviour in response to different thermal environments. We provided tuatara with three thermal treatments: high-quality habitat [preferred T(b) (T(sel)) could be reached for 8 h/day], medium-quality habitat (T(sel) available for 5 h/day) and low-quality habitat (T(sel) available for 3 h/day). All groups maintained body mass, but tuatara in the low-quality habitat thermoregulated more accurately and tended to maintain higher T (b)s than tuatara in the high-quality habitat. This study thus provides experimental evidence that reptiles are capable of adjusting their thermoregulatory behaviour in response to different thermal constraints. This result also has implications for the conservation of tuatara. A proposed translocation from their current habitat to a higher latitudinal range within New Zealand (similar to the shift from our 8 h/day to our 5 h/day regime) is unlikely to induce thermoconformity; rather, tuatara will probably engage in more effective thermoregulatory behaviour.

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“…The range around an optimum temperature required for the performance of a certain process is known as the thermal performance breadth (sensu Pough and Gans 1982). Discrepancies between actual body temperatures and optimal temperature ranges should reduce performance and therefore Wtness (Autumn and De Nardo 1995). For example, a shortterm consequence of suboptimal body temperatures could be reduced activity (Bennett 1983), and consequently a reduction in food intake or rates of feeding (e.g.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

An experimental study of the effects of weed invasion on lizard phenotypes

Downes

Hoefer

2007

Oecologia

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We examined how a weed affected the basking and activity of a diurnal lizard, and the potential cascading effects of these shifts for life history strategies and expression of morphology. Hatchlings of the diurnal lizard Lampropholis delicata were raised to maturity in outdoor enclosures that mimicked high, moderate and low invasion by a sprawling plant (blue periwinkle, Vinca major). Skinks depend on sunlight for growth and maintenance. Periwinkle differs from displaced grassland by being structurally complex and blocking sunlight. Lizards restricted to the enclosure floor achieved preferred body temperatures only when exposure to periwinkle was moderate or low. However, lizards in high invasion enclosures could reach preferred body temperatures by climbing plants and basking on exposed canopy. This shift in basking strategy resulted in lizards growing longer hind limbs compared with animals that rarely (moderate invasion) and never (low invasion) climbed plants. Consequently, lizards reared in high invasion enclosures sprinted faster than conspecifics reared in lower invasion environments. Throughout the study there was no significant variation among treatments in the tendency of animals to be moving when they were not hidden. However, lizards in high invasion treatments hid more often during the day, were lighter in body mass, and females had lighter clutch masses and offspring than did those from moderate and low invasion enclosures. Thus, microhabitat degradation can drive a cascade of changes to an animal's ecology.

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Behavioral Thermoregulation Increases Growth Rate in a Nocturnal Lizard

Cited by 142 publications

References 27 publications

Impacts of temperature on performance in two species of South African dwarf chameleons,Bradypodion pumilumandB. occidentale

Impacts of temperature on performance in two species of South African dwarf chameleons,Bradypodion pumilumandB. occidentale

A cold-adapted reptile becomes a more effective thermoregulator in a thermally challenging environment

An experimental study of the effects of weed invasion on lizard phenotypes

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