Effects of reproductive status and high ambient temperatures on the body temperature of a free-ranging basoendotherm

With the development of small implantable data loggers and externally attached temperature-sensitive radio transmitters, increasing attention is being paid to determining the thermoregulatory strategies of free-ranging birds and mammals. One of the constraints of such studies is that without a direct measure of metabolic rate, it is difficult to determine the significance of lowered body temperatures. We surveyed the literature and found that many different definitions have been used to discriminate torpor from normothermy. Many studies use arbitrary temperature thresholds without regard for the normothermic body temperature of the individuals or species involved. This variation makes comparison among studies difficult and means that ecologically and energetically significant small reductions in body temperature may be overlooked. We suggest that normothermic body temperature for each individual animal should be determined and that torpor be defined as occurring when the body temperature drops below that level. When individuals' active temperatures are not available, a species-specific value should be used. Of greater value, however, are the depth and duration of torpor bouts. We suggest several advantages of this definition over those used in the past.

Download Full-text

The metabolic rate and thermal conductance of the eastern barred bandicoot (Perameles gunnii) at different ambient temperatures

Australian Journal of Zoology ◽

10.1071/zo03064 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 51 (6) ◽

pp. 603 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

M. P. Ikonomopoulou ◽

R. W. Rose

Keyword(s):

Oxygen Consumption ◽

Body Temperature ◽

Metabolic Rate ◽

Thermal Conductance ◽

The Body ◽

High Metabolic Rate ◽

Ambient Temperatures ◽

Reduced Body ◽

Thermoneutral Zone ◽

Reproductive Females

We investigated the metabolic rate, thermoneutral zone and thermal conductance of the eastern barred bandicoot in Tasmania. Five adult eastern barred bandicoots (two males, three non-reproductive females) were tested at temperatures of 3, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 and 40°C. The thermoneutral zone was calculated from oxygen consumption and body temperature, measured during the daytime: their normal resting phase. It was found that the thermoneutral zone lies between 25°C and 30°C, with a minimum metabolic rate of 0.51 mL g–1 h–1 and body temperature of 35.8°C. At cooler ambient temperatures (3–20°C) the body temperature decreased to approximately 34.0°C while the metabolic rate increased from 0.7 to 1.3 mL g–1�h–1. At high temperatures (35°C and 40°C) both body temperature (36.9–38.7°C) and metabolic rate (1.0–1.5 mL g–1 h–1) rose. Thermal conductance was low below an ambient temperature of 30°C but increased significantly at higher temperatures. The low thermal conductance (due, in part, to good insulation, a reduced body temperature at lower ambient temperatures, combined with a relatively high metabolic rate) suggests that this species is well adapted to cooler environments but it could not thermoregulate easily at temperatures above 30°C.

Download Full-text

Temperature regulation and water balance of day-active Zophosis congesta beetles in East Africa

Journal of Tropical Ecology ◽

10.1017/s0266467400000730 ◽

1986 ◽

Vol 2 (2) ◽

pp. 139-146 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Eivin Røskaft ◽

Karl Erik Zachariassen ◽

Geoffrey M. O. Maloiy ◽

John M. Z. Kamau

Keyword(s):

Body Temperature ◽

Water Loss ◽

The Body ◽

Evaporative Heat Loss ◽

The Sun ◽

East African ◽

Ambient Temperatures ◽

Cooling Period ◽

Lethal Level ◽

Heat Influx

ABSTRACTEast African tenebrionid beetles of the species Zophosis congesta are active on sun-exposed surfaces in dry habitats during the hottest part of the day, when most other animals have retreated to protected areas. They remain on the surface at ambient temperatures up to 65°C which is 15°C above their highest tolerated body temperature. The beetles appear to regulate their body temperature behaviourally. They frequently rest and cool in the shade, and after each cooling period they remain on the sun-exposed surface until the heat influx from the environment has caused the body temperature to rise close to the lethal level. They have relatively low rates of transpiratory water loss, and appear unable to depress their body temperature by means of evaporative heat loss. The rate of metabolic production of water amounts to only about 20% of the rate of transpiratory water loss. Thus, the beetles depend strongly on water intake from dietary sources. The advantage of this type of activity pattern is probably avoidance of predators.

Download Full-text

Effects of centrally and systemically administered indomethacin on body temperature in exercising rats

AJP Regulatory Integrative and Comparative Physiology ◽

10.1152/ajpregu.1993.265.1.r230 ◽

1993 ◽

Vol 265 (1) ◽

pp. R230-R234 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

H. Tanaka ◽

M. Yanase-Fujiwara ◽

K. Kanosue

Keyword(s):

Body Temperature ◽

Prostaglandin Synthesis ◽

The Body ◽

O2 Uptake ◽

Ambient Temperatures ◽

Male Wistar Rats ◽

Vasomotor Activity ◽

Skin Blood Vessels ◽

Exercise Induced ◽

And Control

Subcutaneous and intracerebroventricular (icv) injections of indomethacin were used to test whether prostaglandin synthesis is essential for the exercise-induced increase in a rat's body temperature. At an air temperature of 24 degrees C, male Wistar rats ran on a treadmill at 10-15 m/min 20 min after 300-micrograms icv injection or 60 min after 15-mg/kg sc injection of indomethacin or of control vehicle. The rectal temperature (Tre) of control rats in 17 control experiments increased by 1.0 degree C during exercise, whereas the Tre of the rats pretreated with intracerebroventricular indomethacin increased by only 0.4 degrees C. Threshold Tre for tail vasodilation was significantly lower in rats pretreated with indomethacin than the control rats (38.4 +/- 0.1 vs. 38.9 +/- 0.1 degrees C), but O2 uptake did not differ between indomethacin-pretreated and control rats. Subcutaneous injection of indomethacin did not affect the body temperature, tail vasomotor activity, or O2 uptake of exercising rats. Intracerebroventricular indomethacin did not affect Tre or tail vasomotor activity of rats resting at ambient temperatures of 24 and 28 degrees C. Present results suggest that prostaglandin synthesis is required for the vasoconstrictive effect of exercise on skin blood vessels and thus for the exercise-induced elevation of body temperature.

Download Full-text

Temperature regulation and cold acclimation in the golden hamster

Journal of Applied Physiology ◽

10.1152/jappl.1965.20.3.405 ◽

1965 ◽

Vol 20 (3) ◽

pp. 405-410 ◽

Cited By ~ 39

Author(s):

Hermann Pohl

Keyword(s):

Oxygen Consumption ◽

Body Temperature ◽

Ambient Temperature ◽

Cold Acclimation ◽

Heat Production ◽

Golden Hamster ◽

Thermal Conductance ◽

Muscular Activity ◽

The Body ◽

Ambient Temperatures

Characteristics of cold acclimation in the golden hamster, Mesocricetus auratus, were 1) higher metabolic rate at -30 C, 2) less shivering when related to ambient temperature or oxygen consumption, and 3) higher differences in body temperature between cardiac area and thoracic subcutaneous tissues at all ambient temperatures tested, indicating changes in tissue insulation. Cold-acclimated hamsters also showed a rise in temperature of the cardiac area when ambient temperature was below 15 C. Changes in heat distribution in cold-acclimated hamsters suggest higher blood flow and heat production in the thoracic part of the body in the cold. The thermal conductance through the thoracic and lumbar muscle areas, however, did not change notably with lowering ambient temperature. Marked differences in thermoregulatory response to cold after cold acclimation were found between two species, the golden hamster and the thirteen-lined ground squirrel, showing greater ability to regulate body temperature in the cold in hamsters. hibernator; oxygen consumption— heat production; body temperature — heat conductance; muscular activity — shivering; thermoregulation Submitted on July 6, 1964

Download Full-text

A songbird adjusts its heart rate and body temperature in response to season and fluctuating daily conditions

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences ◽

10.1098/rstb.2020.0213 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 376 (1830) ◽

pp. 20200213 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Nils Linek ◽

Tamara Volkmer ◽

J. Ryan Shipley ◽

Cornelia W. Twining ◽

Daniel Zúñiga ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Heart Rate ◽

Body Temperature ◽

Environmental Conditions ◽

Field Studies ◽

Weather Extremes ◽

Ambient Temperatures ◽

In The Wild ◽

Radio Transmitters ◽

Save Energy ◽

Free Ranging

In a seasonal world, organisms are continuously adjusting physiological processes relative to local environmental conditions. Owing to their limited heat and fat storage capacities, small animals, such as songbirds, must rapidly modulate their metabolism in response to weather extremes and changing seasons to ensure survival. As a consequence of previous technical limitations, most of our existing knowledge about how animals respond to changing environmental conditions comes from laboratory studies or field studies over short temporal scales. Here, we expanded beyond previous studies by outfitting 71 free-ranging Eurasian blackbirds ( Turdus merula ) with novel heart rate and body temperature loggers coupled with radio transmitters, and followed individuals in the wild from autumn to spring. Across seasons, blackbirds thermoconformed at night, i.e. their body temperature decreased with decreasing ambient temperature, but not so during daytime. By contrast, during all seasons blackbirds increased their heart rate when ambient temperatures became colder. However, the temperature setpoint at which heart rate was increased differed between seasons and between day and night. In our study, blackbirds showed an overall seasonal reduction in mean heart rate of 108 beats min −1 (21%) as well as a 1.2°C decrease in nighttime body temperature. Episodes of hypometabolism during cold periods likely allow the birds to save energy and, thus, help offset the increased energetic costs during the winter when also confronted with lower resource availability. Our data highlight that, similar to larger non-hibernating mammals and birds, small passerine birds such as Eurasian blackbirds not only adjust their heart rate and body temperature on daily timescales, but also exhibit pronounced seasonal changes in both that are modulated by local environmental conditions such as temperature. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Measuring physiology in free-living animals (Part I)’.

Download Full-text

The on-Host Temperature Environment for 2 Australian Reptile Ticks

Australian Journal of Zoology ◽

10.1071/zo9920583 ◽

1992 ◽

Vol 40 (6) ◽

pp. 583 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

NB Chilton ◽

CM Bull

Keyword(s):

Body Temperature ◽

Ground Surface ◽

Attachment Site ◽

The Body ◽

Ixodid Ticks ◽

Threshold Temperature ◽

Ambient Temperatures ◽

Interspecific Differences ◽

Specific Temperature ◽

Selection Of

The temperatures experienced by the ixodid ticks Amblyomma limbatum and Aponomma hydrosauri whilst attached to sleepy lizards, Tiliqua rugosa, were examined to determine whether differences in the body temperature of the host could explain (1) interspecific differences in the feeding and mating sites of ticks on hosts, and/or (2) the position of the tick parapatric boundary near the transition from mallee to non-mallee vegetation. Attached ticks were exposed to temperatures that were related to, but often higher than, ambient temperatures. Ground surface temperature was a better predictor of lizard body temperature than was air temperature. Mean body temperatures of lizards during winter were lower than those in spring, due to lower ambient temperatures, and were consistently below the threshold temperature required to induce mating in both tick species. Low temperature can also explain the cessation of feeding by larval and nymphal ticks on hosts during winter. The selection of feeding and mating sites by ticks could not be attributed to specific temperature requirements because no attachment site was consistently warmer than another. Furthermore, no change in body temperature of the lizards was detected across the tick parapatric boundary.

Download Full-text

Changes in the body temperature during the annual cycle and metabolic rate in the raven Corvus corax at winter ambient temperatures

Doklady Biological Sciences ◽

10.1134/s0012496608050189 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 422 (1) ◽

pp. 339-341 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

A. I. Anufriev ◽

N. G. Solomonov ◽

A. P. Isayev ◽

V. F. Yadrikhinsky ◽

N. I. Mordosova

Keyword(s):

Body Temperature ◽

Metabolic Rate ◽

Annual Cycle ◽

The Body ◽

Corvus Corax ◽

Ambient Temperatures

Download Full-text

Study on the Effect of the Ambient Temperature toward the Quality of Sleep

International Journal of Electrical and Computer Engineering (IJECE) ◽

10.11591/ijece.v7i6.pp2986-2992 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 7 (6) ◽

pp. 2986

Author(s):

Wira Hidayat bin Mohd Saad ◽

Khoo Chin Wuen ◽

Masrullizam bin Mat Ibrahim ◽

Nor Hashimah Binti Mohd Saad ◽

Syafeeza Binti Ahmad Radz ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Heart Rate ◽

Body Temperature ◽

Ambient Temperature ◽

Body Condition ◽

Body Movement ◽

The Body ◽

Quality Of Sleep ◽

Ambient Temperatures ◽

The Right

Getting enough sleep at the right times can help in improving quality of life and protect mental and physical health. This study proposes a portable sleep monitoring device to determine the relationship between the ambient temperature and quality of sleep. Body condition parameter such as heart rate, body temperature and body movement was used to determine quality of sleep. All readings will be log into database so that users can review back and hence analyze quality of sleep. The functionality of the overall system is designed for a better experience with a very minimal intervention to the user. The simple test on the body condition (body temperature and heart rate) while asleep with several different ambient temperatures are varied and the result shows that someone has a better sleep for the temperature range of 23 to 28 degree Celsius. This can prove by lower body temperature and lower heart rate.

Download Full-text

THE EFFECT OF TEMPERATURE AND PHOTOPERIOD ON THE YEARLY HIBERNATING BEHAVIOR OF CAPTIVE GOLDEN-MANTLED GROUND SQUIRRELS (CITELLUS LATERALIS TESCORUM)

Canadian Journal of Zoology ◽

10.1139/z63-087 ◽

1963 ◽

Vol 41 (6) ◽

pp. 1103-1120 ◽

Cited By ~ 130

Author(s):

Eric T. Pengelley ◽

Kenneth C. Fisher

Keyword(s):

High Temperature ◽

Body Temperature ◽

Ground Squirrels ◽

The Body ◽

Effect Of Temperature ◽

Cyclic Variation ◽

Ambient Temperatures ◽

Lighting Conditions ◽

Citellus Lateralis ◽

Specific Stage

The state of torpidity (hibernation), the food consumption, and the weight of a number of C. lateralis were recorded daily, weekly, and weekly, respectively, for periods up to 2 years. At ambient temperatures of 32° F, 70° F, and 95–100° F and under constant lighting conditions, all animals displayed an approximately 1-year cyclic variation in weight which roughly paralleled the consumption of food. Under these constant conditions of light and temperature the animals subjected to 32° F and 70° F hibernated, i.e., their body temperature dropped nearly to the ambient and they became torpid. The body temperature of animals kept at 95–100° F could not drop and these animals did not become torpid.Hibernation could not be induced by removal of food but was greatly prolonged if food was not present in the cages at the time the whole hibernation period was ending. The onset of hibernation could be changed only slightly by changing the day lengths. Hibernation was possible only at a specific stage of the weight cycle. The length of the weight cycle was shortened by exposure to an ambient temperature of 95–100° F. By manipulation of the length of the exposure to the high temperature it was possible to have animals hibernating in summer and active in winter. It was not possible to produce a similar shift in the phase of the weight cycle, and hence of hibernation, by changing the lighting conditions.

Download Full-text