Cool shade and not‐so‐cool shade: How habitat loss may accelerate thermal stress under current and future climate

Stark, Gavin; Ma, Liang; Zeng, Zhen; Du, Wei‐Guo; Levy, Ohad

doi:10.1111/gcb.16802

Cited by 14 publications

(11 citation statements)

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“…Understanding the intra‐specific variation in physiological characteristics in arid and mesic environments is crucial to comprehending the intricate connections between animals and their environments, how those affect their ranges, and the processes that shape them. Studying intra‐specific ecophysiological traits may also be vital in order to assess the future ramifications of globally rising temperatures, which can potentially cause local extinctions and range reduction or expansion (Deutsch et al., 2008; Dupoué et al., 2017; Herrando‐Pérez et al., 2020; Kearney, 2013; Kearney et al., 2013; Kirchhof et al., 2017; Sinervo et al., 2010; Stark et al., 2023). It can also benefit conservationists in conducting recovery actions, such as translocations or reintroductions (Besson & Cree, 2010; Cooper et al., 2018; Tarszisz et al., 2014), and in assessing the abilities of species to facilitate invasion of new habitats (Kolbe et al., 2014; Lapwong et al., 2020).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ecophysiological trait variation in desert versus Mediterranean populations of a gecko

Schwarz,

Stark,

Levin

et al. 2023

Journal of Zoology

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Populations inhabiting several biomes may experience different abiotic and biotic conditions, exerting local selection pressures. Temperature and water regimes are interconnected variables, that may differ between biomes, and greatly influence ecophysiological traits, such as metabolic and evaporative water loss rates. We hypothesized that Ptyodactylus guttatus (Sinai Fan‐fingered Gecko) individuals, which occupy the Mediterranean and desert biomes across Israel, would follow the “metabolic cold adaptation” hypothesis and be adapted to the microclimate in the biome they inhabit. We thus predicted that desert individuals would prefer lower temperatures, and have lower resting metabolic rates and evaporative water loss rates at higher ambient temperatures than Mediterranean individuals. We also predicted that Mediterranean individuals would have a better body condition than individuals from the desert, because of higher primary productivity in the Mediterranean biome, and would therefore have higher mite loads. We further predicted that geckos from the desert would have longer limbs, enabling them to lose more heat to the environment, according to Allen's rule. To test these hypotheses, we measured the temperature preferences, field body temperatures, resting metabolic rates, evaporative water loss rates, body conditions, mite loads, and limb lengths of 82 P. guttatus individuals collected from four localities two from the desert biome and two from the Mediterranean biome. There were no significant differences in any of the tested traits when comparing between biomes. However, we found some differences in the evaporative water loss rates, body temperatures, body condition, and forelimb lengths between the northernmost and southernmost, and driest and wettest localities, supporting some of our predictions. Our results highlight the importance of the resolution of the analysis. Although some ecophysiological traits of P. guttatus seem to be conserved across localities and biomes, thermal plasticity in these traits may have helped this species reach its current distribution and occupy two biomes.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ecophysiological trait variation in desert versus Mediterranean populations of a gecko

Schwarz,

Stark,

Levin

et al. 2023

Journal of Zoology

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The negative effect of removing certain microhabitat features changes depending on climatic conditions (Stark et al, 2023). Lizard image created with BioRe nder.com.

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confidence: 99%

“…This kind of analysis can inform decisions about what habitat features should be targets for maintenance as habitat degradation occurs, or for remediation of already disturbed habitats (Froidevaux et al, 2022). Stark et al (2023) have laid an exciting foundation to be built on in future work. Greater complexity in subsequent analyses will shed more light on the effects of habitat degradation and the importance of different microhabitat types.…”

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confidence: 99%

“…There is much work still to do. However, Stark et al (2023) have left little doubt that robust predictions about the thermal ecology of climate warming should consider habitat modification, providing an important stepping stone toward a more comprehensive understanding of the effects of anthropogenic change.…”

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confidence: 99%

“…What happens when we take habitat modification into account? Stark et al (2023) investigated this question by modeling the temperature-dependent activity of the small-spotted lizard (Mesalina bahaeldini) in the Judean desert. Rocks and bushes provide shade within this habitat.…”

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confidence: 99%

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Habitat degradation exacerbates the effects of anthropogenic warming by removing thermal refuges

Gunderson

2023

Global Change Biology

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High‐resolution climate data reveal an increasing risk of warming‐driven activity restriction for diurnal and nocturnal lizards

Dufour,

Tsang,

Alston

et al. 2024

Ecology and Evolution

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Widespread species experience a variety of climates across their distribution, which can structure their thermal tolerance, and ultimately, responses to climate change. For ectotherms, activity is highly dependent on temperature, its variability and availability of favourable microclimates. Thermal exposure and tolerance may be structured by the availability and heterogeneity of microclimates for species living along temperature and/or precipitation gradients – but patterns and mechanisms underlying such gradients are poorly understood. We measured critical thermal limits (CTmax and CTmin) for five populations of two sympatric lizard species, a nocturnal gecko (Chondrodactylus bibronii) and a diurnal skink (Trachylepis variegata) and recorded hourly thermal variation for a year in three types of microclimate relevant to the activity of lizards (crevice, full sun and partial shade) for six sites across a precipitation gradient. Using a combination of physiological and modelling approaches, we derived warming tolerance for the present and the end of the century. In the present climate, we found an overall wider thermal tolerance for the nocturnal species relative to the diurnal species, and no variation in CTmax but variable CTmin along the precipitation gradient for both species. However, warming tolerances varied significantly over the course of the day, across months and microhabitats. The diurnal skink was most restricted in its daily activity in the three driest sites with up to six daily hours of restricted activity in the open (i.e. outside refugia) during the summer months, while the impacts for the nocturnal gecko were less severe, due to its higher CTmax and night activity. With climate change, lizards will experience more months where activity is restricted and increased exposure to high temperatures even within the more sheltered microhabitats. Together our results highlight the importance of considering the relevant spatiotemporal scale and habitat for understanding the thermal exposure of diurnal and nocturnal species.

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Cool shade and not‐so‐cool shade: How habitat loss may accelerate thermal stress under current and future climate

Cited by 14 publications

References 124 publications

Ecophysiological trait variation in desert versus Mediterranean populations of a gecko

Ecophysiological trait variation in desert versus Mediterranean populations of a gecko

Habitat degradation exacerbates the effects of anthropogenic warming by removing thermal refuges

High‐resolution climate data reveal an increasing risk of warming‐driven activity restriction for diurnal and nocturnal lizards

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