Critical thermal maximum in mice

1976 ◽  
Vol 40 (5) ◽  
pp. 683-687 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. L. Wright

The critical thermal maximum (the colonic temperature of heat-induced convulsion and righting reflex loss) and thermoregulatory response of male mice were examined following I, exposure to colonic temperature (Tco) 42 degrees C; II, a single exposure to the critical thermal maximum (Tco 44 degrees C); AND III, acclimation at ambient temperatures of 15 or 30 degrees C for 14 days. The critical thermal maximum (CTM) was greater in 30 degrees C acclimated mice than 15 degrees C acclimated mice but was unchanged in mice surviving exposure to Tco 42 degrees C or the CTM. The heating time to apparent breakdown of thermoregulation coincident with an explosive rise in the Tco during exposure to ambient temperature 40.8 degrees C was increased (100%) during the 48-h period following exposure to Tco 42 degrees. It appeared that mice exposed to severe, short-term heat stress (Tco 42 degrees) undergo a compensatory increase in their thermoregulatory cooling capacity with little or no change in the upper temperature tolerated. The animals did, however, exhibit the capability for adaptive adjustments of the upper thermal limit during extended exposure to the more prolonged and less severe environmental heat stress of acclimation at 30 degrees C.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chi-Man Leong ◽  
Toby P. N. Tsang ◽  
Benoit Guénard

ABSTRACTUpper thermal limit (UTL) is a key trait in evaluating ectotherm fitness. Critical Thermal maximum CTmax, often used to characterize the UTL of an organism in laboratory setting, needs to be accurate to characterize this significant and field-relevant threshold. The lack of standardization in CTmax assays has, however, introduce methodological problems in its measurement and incorrect estimation of species upper thermal limit; with potential major implications on the use of CTmax in forecasting community dynamics under climate change. In this study we ask if a satisfactory ramping rate can be identified to produce accurate measures of CTmax for multiple species.We first identified the most commonly used ramping rates (i.e. 0.2, 0.5 and 1.0 °Cmin−1) based on a literature review, and determined the ramping rate effects on CTmax value measurements in 27 ant species (7 arboreal, 16 ground, 4 subterranean species) from eight subfamilies using both dynamic and static assays. In addition, we used field observations on multiple species foraging activity in function of ground temperatures to identify the most biologically relevant CTmax value to ultimately develop a standardized methodological approach.Integrating dynamic and static assays provided a powerful approach to identify a suitable ramping rate for the measurements of CTmax values in ants. Our results also showed that among the values tested the ramping rate of 1 °Cmin−1 is optimal, with convergent evidences from CTmax values measured in laboratory and from foraging thermal maximum measured in the field. Finally, we illustrate how methodological bias in terms of physiological trait measurements can also affect the detection of phylogenetic signal (Pagel’s λ and Bloomberg’s K) in subsequent analyses.Overall, this study presents a methodological framework allowing the identification of suitable and standardized ramping rates for the measurement of ant CTmax, which may be used for other ectotherms. Particular attention should be given to CTmax values retrieved from less suitable ramping rate, and the potential biases that functional trait based research may induce on topics such as global warming, habitat conversion or their impacts on analytical interpretations on phylogenetic conservatism.


Author(s):  
Lily N Edwards-Callaway ◽  
M Caitlin Cramer ◽  
Caitlin N Cadaret ◽  
Elizabeth J Bigler ◽  
Terry E Engle ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Shade is a mechanism to reduce heat load providing cattle with an environment supportive of their welfare needs. Although heat stress has been extensively reviewed, researched, and addressed in dairy production systems, it has not been investigated in the same manner in the beef cattle supply chain. Like all animals, beef cattle are susceptible to heat stress if they are unable to dissipate heat during times of elevated ambient temperatures. There are many factors that impact heat stress susceptibility in beef cattle throughout the different supply chain sectors, many of which relate to the production system, i.e. availability of shade, microclimate of environment, and nutrition management. The results from studies evaluating the effects of shade on production and welfare are difficult to compare due to variation in structural design, construction materials used, height, shape, and area of shade provided. Additionally, depending on operation location, shade may or may not be beneficial during all times of the year, which can influence the decision to make shade a permanent part of management systems. Shade has been shown to lessen the physiologic response of cattle to heat stress. Shaded cattle exhibit lower respiration rates, body temperatures, and panting scores compared to un-shaded cattle in weather that increases the risk of heat stress. Results from studies investigating the provision of shade indicate that cattle seek shade in hot weather. The impact of shade on behavioral patterns is inconsistent in the current body of research, some studies indicating shade provision impacts behavior and other studies reporting no difference between shaded and un-shaded groups. Analysis of performance and carcass characteristics across feedlot studies demonstrated that shaded cattle had increased ADG, improved feed efficiency, HCW, and dressing percentage when compared to cattle without shade. Despite the documented benefits of shade, current industry statistics, although severely limited in scope, indicate low shade implementation rates in feedlots and data in other supply chain sectors do not exist. Industry guidelines and third party on-farm certification programs articulate the critical need for protection from extreme weather but are not consistent in providing specific recommendations and requirements. Future efforts should include: updated economic analyses of cost versus benefit of shade implementation, exploration of producer perspectives and needs relative to shade, consideration of shade impacts in the cow-calf and slaughter plant segments of the supply chain, and integration of indicators of affective (mental) state and preference in research studies to enhance the holistic assessment of cattle welfare.


1998 ◽  
Vol 66 (2) ◽  
pp. 431-440 ◽  
Author(s):  
A.-H. Tauson ◽  
A. Chwalibog ◽  
J. Ludvigsen ◽  
K. Jakobsen ◽  
G. Thorbek

AbstractThe effects of short-term exposure to high ambient temperatures on gas exchange, heat production (HE), respiration rate (RR) and rectal temperature were evaluated individually with boars of approximately 100 kg live weight. The boars were of different breeds with four of Yorkshire (YS), eight of Danish Landrace (DL), out of which three were found stress susceptible by the halothane test (DLH+), eight of Duroc (DR) and eight of Hampshire (HS) breeds. After 1 h rest in the respiration chamber at 17·0°C the gas exchange measurements started with al-h basal period at 17 °C, followed by 2h of heating during which temperature increased to 35·0 °C (period I) and then further to 39·7X1 (period II). Then cooling of the chamber started, and after 1 h (period III) temperature had decreased to 21·8°C, and after the 2nd h of cooling (period IV) temperature was 18·2 °C. The gas exchange was measured for each hour from 09.00 h (basal period) until 14.00 h (period IV). RR was recorded every 15 min. Rectal temperatures were measured when the animals were removed from the chamber. The gas exchange and HE increased slowly during period I but rapidly in period II, followed by decreasing values in the cooling periods. HS and DLH+ had considerably higher gas exchange and HE than other breeds in these two periods and the values remained high during period III. In period IV all breeds had gas exchange rates and HE below those of the basal period. RR increased slightly in period I and then a sharp increase followed during period II. Maximum RR was recorded in period III with an average of 183 breaths per min for all breeds. RR increased earlier and more steeply in HS and reached the highest mean value of 236 breaths per min. Four HS boars salivated heavily during heat stress and rectal temperatures of these animals were 39·7 °C when removed from the chamber compared with close to 39·0 °C for all other breeds. It was concluded that there were considerable breed differences in response to heat stress and that DLH+ and HS were more severely stressed than boars ofYS, DL and DR.


2018 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Manuela L. Brandão ◽  
Gisele Colognesi ◽  
Marcela C. Bolognesi ◽  
Roselene S. Costa-Ferreira ◽  
Thaís B. Carvalho ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Changes in water temperature may affect the aggressive behavior of aquatic organisms, such as fish, either by changing some physiological mechanisms or by increasing the probability of encounters between individuals as a result of variation in their swimming activity. In our study, we evaluated the influence of increasing and decreasing temperature on the aggressive behavior of the Neotropical cichlid fish Cichlasoma paranaense. Firstly, we tested the critical thermal maximum (CTMax) tolerated by this species. Then, we tested the effect of decreasing or increasing the water temperature in 6o C (starting at 27° C) on the aggressive interactions of fish under isolation or housed in groups. We found a CTMax value of 39° C for C. paranaense. We also observe that a 6° C decrease in water temperature lowers swimming activity and aggressive interactions in both isolated and group-housed fish, as expected. On the other hand, the increase in temperature had no effect on the fish’s aggressive behavior, neither for isolated nor for grouped fish. We concluded that C. paranaense shows high tolerance to elevated temperatures and, in turn, it does not affect aggressive behavior. Nevertheless, we cannot dismiss possible effects of elevated temperatures on aggressive interactions over longer periods.


HortScience ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 53 (10) ◽  
pp. 1416-1422 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giverson Mupambi ◽  
Stefano Musacchi ◽  
Sara Serra ◽  
Lee A. Kalcsits ◽  
Desmond R. Layne ◽  
...  

Globally, apple production often occurs in semiarid climates characterized by high summer temperatures and solar radiation. Heat stress events occur regularly during the growing season in these regions. For example, in the semiarid eastern half of Washington State, historic weather data show that, on average, 33% of the days during the growing season exceed 30 °C. To mediate some of the effects of heat stress, protective netting (PN) can be used to reduce the occurrence of fruit sunburn. However, the impacts of reduced solar radiation in a high light environment on light-use efficiency and photosynthesis are poorly understood. We sought to understand the ecophysiological response of apple (Malus domestica Borkh. cv. Honeycrisp) under blue photoselective PN during days with low (26.6 °C), moderate (33.7 °C), or high (38.1 °C) ambient temperatures. Two treatments were evaluated; an uncovered control and blue photoselective PN. Maximum photochemical efficiency of PSII, or photosystem II (Fv/Fm) was significantly greater at all measurement times under blue photoselective PN compared with the control on days with high ambient temperatures. Fv/Fm dropped below 0.79, which is considered the threshold for stress, at 1000 hr in the control and at 1200 hr under blue photoselective PN on a day with high ambient temperature. On days with low or moderate ambient temperatures, Fv/Fm was significantly greater under blue photoselective PN at 1400 hr, which coincided with the peak in solar radiation. ‘Honeycrisp’ apple exhibited dynamic photoinhibition as shown by the diurnal decline in Fv/Fm. Quantum photosynthetic yield of PSII (ΦPSII) was also generally greater under blue photoselective PN compared with the control for days with moderate or high ambient temperatures. Photochemical reflectance index (ΔPRI), the difference in reflectance between a stress-responsive and nonstress-responsive wavelength, was greater under PN compared with the control on the day with high ambient temperatures, with no differences observed under low or moderate ambient temperatures. Leaf gas exchange did not show noticeable improvement under blue photoselective netting when compared with the control despite the improvement in leaf-level photosynthetic light use efficiency. In conclusion, PN reduced incoming solar radiation, improved leaf-level photosynthetic light use efficiency, and reduced the symptoms of photoinhibition in a high-light, arid environment.


1987 ◽  
Vol 253 (1) ◽  
pp. R39-R45 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Oufara ◽  
H. Barre ◽  
J. L. Rouanet ◽  
J. Chatonnet

To explain tolerance of heat and cold in gerbils (Gerbillus campestris) in their natural environment, a comparative study was made of thermoregulatory reactions in these animals and white mice (Mus musculus) of the same body mass exposed for 2-3 h to ambient temperatures (Ta) ranging from -23 to 40 degrees C. Metabolic rate (MR), evaporative heat loss (EHL), colonic temperature (Tb), and electromyographic activity (EMG) were measured. Nonshivering thermogenesis (NST) was also evaluated from the increase in MR after norepinephrine injection. In gerbils, tolerance of cold was higher than in mice; there was no fall in Tb in cold-acclimated (CA) and control (TN) gerbils after 3 h of exposure at -20 and -10 degrees C Ta, respectively; peak MR (PMR) reached five to six times resting MR (RMR) in gerbils and four to five times in mice. In gerbils, RMR was 35% below that of mice. In TN gerbils, EHL did not increase before 38 degrees C Ta; EHL increased at 26 degrees C in mice. In both animals, cold acclimation increased cold tolerance, PMR, RMR, and NST. Low RMR, high Tb, and mainly burrowing habits preserve gerbils from overheating and save water in hot and arid environments, and a conspicuous tolerance of cold allows them to live and forage in the wild during the cold night.


1993 ◽  
Vol 75 (6) ◽  
pp. 2570-2579 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Gautier ◽  
M. Bonora ◽  
H. C. Trinh

We investigated in conscious rats the characteristics and modes of action of CO2 on thermoregulation and ventilatory control during cold stress. In a group of 10 rats studied intact and after carotid body denervation, measurements of metabolic rate (VO2), ventilation (V), shivering, and colonic temperature (Tc) were made at controlled ambient temperatures (Ta) of 25, 20, 15, 10, and 5 degrees C. Animals were exposed on different days to 1) normoxia, 2) normoxia and 4% CO2, 3) 12% hypoxia, or 4) 10.8% hypoxia and 4% CO2. The following results were obtained. 1) During CO2 exposure in normoxia or hypoxia, VO2 is increased at Ta of 25 degrees C and decreased for lower Ta. These effects are partly mediated by carotid body afferents. 2) Shivering and nonshivering thermogenesis and therefore Tc regulation are affected by CO2 exposure as shown by relationships between VO2-Tc and VO2-shivering intensity. 3) V is controlled by PO2 and PCO2 directly through their peripheral and central actions but also indirectly through their effects on VO2. Our conclusions are as follows. 1) Control of Tc is markedly dependent on PCO2 level. Carotid body afferents play a role, but direct central effects acting on the different sources of thermogenesis and possibly on thermolysis are most prominent. 2) As far as control of V is concerned, during hypercapnia in normoxia or hypoxia, several analogies may be formed between exposure to cold and muscular exercise, both of which increase VO2 and V, suggesting common integrative mechanisms at the central nervous system level.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document