Lizard thermal trait variation at multiple scales: a review

Abstract

Thermal trait variation is of fundamental importance to forecasting the impacts of environmental change on lizard diversity. Here, we review the literature for patterns of variation in traits of upper and lower sub-lethal temperature limits, temperature preference and active body temperature in the field, in relation to space, time and phylogeny. Through time, we focus on the direction and magnitude of trait change within days, among seasons and as a consequence of acclimation. Across space, we examine altitudinal and latitudinal patterns, incorporating inter-specific analyses at regional and global scales. This synthesis highlights the consistency or lack thereof, of thermal trait responses, the relative magnitude of change among traits and several knowledge gaps identified in the relationships examined. We suggest that physiological information is becoming essential for forecasting environmental change sensitivity of lizards by providing estimates of plasticity and evolutionary scope.

Thermal biology of two sympatric Lacertid lizards (Lacerta diplochondrodes and Parvilacerta parva) from Western Anatolia

“…Additionally, the relatively close pattern of body temperatures across different months suggest that these two species maintain similar body temperatures to each other through variable environmental temperatures. These results are in compliance with results from other studies and reviews, which suggest that thermal biology of lizards is a relatively conserved trait across different species (Clusella-Trullas and Chown, 2014;Gómez Alés et al, 2017;Grigg et al, 2013;Rowe et al, 2020).…”

Thermal biology of two sympatric Lacertid lizards (Lacerta diplochondrodes and Parvilacerta parva) from Western Anatolia

“…Additionally, the relatively close pattern of body temperatures across different months suggest that these two species maintain similar body temperatures to each other through variable environmental temperatures. These results are in compliance with results from other studies and reviews, which suggest that thermal biology of lizards is a relatively conserved trait across different species (Clusella-Trullas and Chown, 2014;Gómez Alés et al, 2017;Grigg et al, 2013;Rowe et al, 2020).…”

Thermal physiology responds to interannual temperature shifts in a montane horned lizard, Phrynosoma orbiculare

“…Thus, it is possible (if not more likely) that increases in these two traits reflect, at least in large part, phenotypic plasticity in response to warmer temperatures (Bonamour, Chevin, Charmantier, & Teplitsky, 2019). Our findings echo patterns found in previous studies, which indicate that CT min and T pref exhibit more within‐generation plasticity than CT max (Clusella‐Trullas & Chown, 2014; Gvoždík, 2012; Kingsolver & Huey, 1998). Thus, the ability for organisms to dynamically alter some aspects of their physiology to fluctuating environments appears to be quite strong.…”

Thermal ecology of the Atlas day gecko Quedenfeldtia moerens in an arid area of Morocco, and a comparison with its congener Q. trachyblepharus

“…These results indicated that the diurnal gecko of Anti-Atlas have higher preferred body temperature range than the diurnal gecko of the High Atlas (T set range: 29.8°C-31.7°C). Although we compared only two populations which limits the power of our analysis, our findings are in line with previous studies that have observed relations between thermal preference and altitude distributions of lizards (Clusella-Trullas and Chown, 2014). The species from high altitudes or that experience cooler temperatures have lower preferred body temperature ranges than species living in hotter climatic conditions (Blouin-Demers and Nadeau, 2005; Clusella-Trullas and Chown, 2014).…”

Thermal biology of two sympatric Lacertid lizards (Lacerta diplochondrodes and Parvilacerta parva) from Western Anatolia

“…Additionally, the relatively close pattern of body temperatures across different months suggest that these two species maintain similar body temperatures to each other through variable environmental temperatures. These results are in compliance with results from other studies and reviews, which suggest that thermal biology of lizards is a relatively conserved trait across different species (Clusella-Trullas and Chown, 2014;Gómez Alés et al, 2017;Grigg et al, 2013;Rowe et al, 2020).…”

Thermal physiology responds to interannual temperature shifts in a montane horned lizard, Phrynosoma orbiculare

“…Thus, it is possible (if not more likely) that increases in these two traits reflect, at least in large part, phenotypic plasticity in response to warmer temperatures (Bonamour, Chevin, Charmantier, & Teplitsky, 2019). Our findings echo patterns found in previous studies, which indicate that CT min and T pref exhibit more within‐generation plasticity than CT max (Clusella‐Trullas & Chown, 2014; Gvoždík, 2012; Kingsolver & Huey, 1998). Thus, the ability for organisms to dynamically alter some aspects of their physiology to fluctuating environments appears to be quite strong.…”

Thermal ecology of the Atlas day gecko Quedenfeldtia moerens in an arid area of Morocco, and a comparison with its congener Q. trachyblepharus

“…These results indicated that the diurnal gecko of Anti-Atlas have higher preferred body temperature range than the diurnal gecko of the High Atlas (T set range: 29.8°C-31.7°C). Although we compared only two populations which limits the power of our analysis, our findings are in line with previous studies that have observed relations between thermal preference and altitude distributions of lizards (Clusella-Trullas and Chown, 2014). The species from high altitudes or that experience cooler temperatures have lower preferred body temperature ranges than species living in hotter climatic conditions (Blouin-Demers and Nadeau, 2005; Clusella-Trullas and Chown, 2014).…”

Thermal biology of two sympatric Lacertid lizards (Lacerta diplochondrodes and Parvilacerta parva) from Western Anatolia

“…Additionally, the relatively close pattern of body temperatures across different months suggest that these two species maintain similar body temperatures to each other through variable environmental temperatures. These results are in compliance with results from other studies and reviews, which suggest that thermal biology of lizards is a relatively conserved trait across different species (Clusella-Trullas and Chown, 2014;Gómez Alés et al, 2017;Grigg et al, 2013;Rowe et al, 2020).…”

Thermal physiology responds to interannual temperature shifts in a montane horned lizard, Phrynosoma orbiculare

“…Thus, it is possible (if not more likely) that increases in these two traits reflect, at least in large part, phenotypic plasticity in response to warmer temperatures (Bonamour, Chevin, Charmantier, & Teplitsky, 2019). Our findings echo patterns found in previous studies, which indicate that CT min and T pref exhibit more within‐generation plasticity than CT max (Clusella‐Trullas & Chown, 2014; Gvoždík, 2012; Kingsolver & Huey, 1998). Thus, the ability for organisms to dynamically alter some aspects of their physiology to fluctuating environments appears to be quite strong.…”

Thermal ecology of the Atlas day gecko Quedenfeldtia moerens in an arid area of Morocco, and a comparison with its congener Q. trachyblepharus

“…These results indicated that the diurnal gecko of Anti-Atlas have higher preferred body temperature range than the diurnal gecko of the High Atlas (T set range: 29.8°C-31.7°C). Although we compared only two populations which limits the power of our analysis, our findings are in line with previous studies that have observed relations between thermal preference and altitude distributions of lizards (Clusella-Trullas and Chown, 2014). The species from high altitudes or that experience cooler temperatures have lower preferred body temperature ranges than species living in hotter climatic conditions (Blouin-Demers and Nadeau, 2005; Clusella-Trullas and Chown, 2014).…”