Null models and the thermal biology of the anguid lizard Anguis fragilis; evidence for thermoregulation?

AbstractObservations were made on the behaviour and body temperatures of the legless lizard Anguis fragilis when active above ground in outdoor enclosures. The lizards were most frequently observed in partially shaded locations followed by fully shaded areas; full basking and locomotory movement were minor activities irrespective of weather conditions. Weather conditions had no significant influence on behaviour. Tests for thermoregulation using null models indicated that the main reason for movement above ground was thermoregulatory. Body temperatures were significantly higher than shade operative temperatures but lower than operative temperatures in open locations whatever the weather. Standard deviations in body temperature, employed as a measure of thermoregulatory precision, were lower than standard deviations of operative temperatures in sunny weather but not significantly different from operative temperatures during overcast weather or shaded operative temperatures during sunny weather. The limited amount of locomotory movement suggests thermoregulation was achieved through selection of appropriate microenvironments.

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Thermal biology, activity, and population parameters of Cnemidophorus vacariensis (Squamata, Teiidae), a lizard endemic to southern Brazil

Iheringia Série Zoologia ◽

10.1590/s0073-47212011000300002 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 101 (4) ◽

pp. 283-295 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Rodrigo Caruccio ◽

Renata Cardoso Vieira ◽

Laura Verrastro ◽

Denise Mello Machado

Keyword(s):

Growth Rate ◽

Population Structure ◽

Body Temperature ◽

Thermal Environment ◽

Seasonal Activity ◽

Southern Brazil ◽

Body Temperatures ◽

Thermal Biology ◽

Environment Temperature ◽

Average Body

We investigated the following aspects of the biology of a population of Cnemidophorus vacariensis Feltrim & Lema, 2000 during the four seasons: thermal biology, relationship with the thermal environment, daily and seasonal activity, population structure and growth rate. Cnemidophorus vacariensis is restricted to rocky outcrops of the "campos de cima da serra" grasslands on the Araucaria Plateau, southern Brazil, and is currently listed as regionally and nationally threatened with extinction. Data were collected from October 2004 through September 2007 in the state of Rio Grande do Sul. Sampling was conducted randomly from 08:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. The capture-mark-recapture method was employed. The lizards were captured by hand, and their cloacal temperature, sex, snout-ventral length (SVL), mass, and the temperature of their microhabitat (substrate temperature and air temperature) were recorded. Individuals were then marked by toe-clipping and released at the site of capture. Body temperatures were obtained for 175 individuals, activity data for 96 individuals, and data on population structure and growth for 59 individuals. All data were obtained monthly, at different times of the day. Cnemidophorus vacariensis average body temperature was 23.84ºC, ranging between 9.6 and 38.2ºC. Temperatures ranged between 21 and 29ºC. The correlation between external heat sources, substrate and air were positive and significant and there was a greater correlation between lizard's temperature and the temperature of the substrate (tigmothermic species). The relatively low body temperatures of individuals are associated with the climate of their environment (altitude up to 1,400 m), with large variations in temperature throughout the day and the year, and low temperatures in winter. The average body temperature observed for C. vacariensis was low when compared with that of phylogenetically related species, suggesting that the thermal biology of this species reflects adaptations to the temperate region where it lives. The monthly rates of activity of lizards were related to monthly variations in the ambient temperatures. Our data suggest that the daily and seasonal activity of C. vacariensis result from the interaction between two factors: changes in the environment temperature and the relationship between individuals and their thermal environment. The population structure of C. vacariensis varied throughout the study period, with maximum biomass in January and maximum density in February (recruitment period). The sex ratio diverged from the expected 1:1. The growth analysis showed a negative relationship between the growth rate of individuals and the SVL, revealing that young individuals grow faster than adults, a typical pattern for short-lived species. The population studied showed a seasonal and cyclical variation associated with the reproductive cycle. The life strategy of C. vacariensis seems to include adaptations to the seasonal variations in temperature, typical of its environment.

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Thermal Relations of Testudo hermanni robertmertensi WERMUTH in S. France

Amphibia-Reptilia ◽

10.1163/156853884x00075 ◽

1984 ◽

Vol 5 (1) ◽

pp. 37-41 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

David Stubbs ◽

Adrian Hailey ◽

Elizabeth Pulford

Keyword(s):

Body Temperature ◽

Air Temperature ◽

Indirect Evidence ◽

Body Temperatures ◽

Mean Body Temperature ◽

Testudo Hermanni ◽

The Mean ◽

Selection Of ◽

Thermal Relations

AbstractThe mean body temperature of T. hermanni in woodland in France was 28.5 °C (August 1981). Body temperatures were elevated above air temperature and indirect evidence for basking and selection of an optimal microenvironment is discussed.

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Thermal biology of Amphisbaena munoai (Squamata: Amphisbaenidae)

Zoologia (Curitiba) ◽

10.3897/zoologia.35.e24574 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 35 ◽

pp. 1-9 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Nathalia Rocha Matias ◽

Laura Verrastro

Keyword(s):

Body Temperature ◽

Ambient Temperature ◽

Thermal Environment ◽

Rio Grande ◽

The Body ◽

Rio Grande Do Sul ◽

Body Temperatures ◽

Physiological Mechanisms ◽

Thermal Biology ◽

The Relationship

Studies on the thermal biology of fossorial reptiles that examine the relationship between the body temperature and thermal environment are needed to determine the extent of their thermoregulation abilities. This study assessed the thermal biology of Amphisbaena munoai Klappenbach, 1969 in the rocky fields of the Rio Grande do Sul and in the laboratory. The body temperature of most individuals was between 24 and 30 °C, both in the field (n = 81) and laboratory (n = 19). More individuals were caught in winter (n = 55) and spring (n = 60) than in summer (n = 25) and fall (n = 45), and in spring, individuals showed similar nocturnal and diurnal activities. In the laboratory, we found individuals with body temperatures up to 5 °C higher than the ambient temperature (n = 4), suggesting that some physiological mechanisms participate in the thermoregulation of these animals. Amphisbaena munoai is a thigmothermic species that is capable of actively regulating its temperature by selecting microhabitats such that its various activities occur within an ideal temperature range. This study is the first to evaluate the effect of seasonality and diurnal and nocturnal variations on the thermoregulation of an amphisbaenid.

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Why tropical forest lizards are vulnerable to climate warming

Proceedings of The Royal Society B Biological Sciences ◽

10.1098/rspb.2008.1957 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 276 (1664) ◽

pp. 1939-1948 ◽

Cited By ~ 483

Author(s):

Raymond B. Huey ◽

Curtis A. Deutsch ◽

Joshua J. Tewksbury ◽

Laurie J. Vitt ◽

Paul E. Hertz ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Body Temperature ◽

Tropical Forest ◽

Puerto Rican ◽

Climate Warming ◽

Species At Risk ◽

Body Temperatures ◽

Thermal Biology ◽

Focal Species ◽

Tropical Lowland ◽

Biological Impacts

Biological impacts of climate warming are predicted to increase with latitude, paralleling increases in warming. However, the magnitude of impacts depends not only on the degree of warming but also on the number of species at risk, their physiological sensitivity to warming and their options for behavioural and physiological compensation. Lizards are useful for evaluating risks of warming because their thermal biology is well studied. We conducted macrophysiological analyses of diurnal lizards from diverse latitudes plus focal species analyses of Puerto Rican Anolis and Sphaerodactyus . Although tropical lowland lizards live in environments that are warm all year, macrophysiological analyses indicate that some tropical lineages (thermoconformers that live in forests) are active at low body temperature and are intolerant of warm temperatures. Focal species analyses show that some tropical forest lizards were already experiencing stressful body temperatures in summer when studied several decades ago. Simulations suggest that warming will not only further depress their physiological performance in summer, but will also enable warm-adapted, open-habitat competitors and predators to invade forests. Forest lizards are key components of tropical ecosystems, but appear vulnerable to the cascading physiological and ecological effects of climate warming, even though rates of tropical warming may be relatively low.

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Behavioral responses to pyrogen in cold-stressed and starved newborn rabbits

AJP Regulatory Integrative and Comparative Physiology ◽

10.1152/ajpregu.1981.241.3.r167 ◽

1981 ◽

Vol 241 (3) ◽

pp. R167-R172 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

N. Kleitman ◽

E. Satinoff

Keyword(s):

Body Temperature ◽

Cold Stress ◽

Thermal Gradient ◽

Behavioral Responses ◽

Body Temperatures ◽

Temperature Selection ◽

Selection Of

Starvation for 2 days and a chronic mild cold stress prevented the rises in body temperature that normally occur in newborn rabbits that have been injected with pyrogen (Piromen, 5 mg/kg). Nevertheless, the stressed pups selected significantly warmer positions in a thermal gradient than did saline-injected littermates and thereby raised their body temperatures. Enhanced heat seeking and subsequent fever were also observed in normally fed pups that were incubated at 24 degrees C and had become hypothermic after pyrogen injection. The responses of the pups before they were allowed to thermoregulate behaviorally resemble the types of thermal responses to infection seen in human newborns. The temperature selection of these pups, and others, indicates that pyrogen elevates the set points of newborn rabbits when endothermic fever is attenuated or even absent.

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Field body temperature of the glass lizard Ophisaurus apodus in Yugoslavia

Amphibia-Reptilia ◽

10.1163/156853886x00253 ◽

1986 ◽

Vol 7 (1) ◽

pp. 43-49 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

R. Meek

Keyword(s):

Body Temperature ◽

The Body ◽

Body Temperatures ◽

Cloudy Weather ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Sunny Weather ◽

Daily Period

AbstractObservations have been made during both cloudy and sunny weather on the body temperatures of the glass lizard Ophisaurus apodus in Yugoslavia. The results indicate that during sunny weather this species is heliothermic elevating its body temperature to around 30°c. When the weather was cloudy glass lizards were observed abroad on grass covered clearings but body temperatures were significantly lower during cloudy weather than those recorded under sunny weather. There was no significant difference between body temperatures measured during sunny weather in May and sunny weather in September and October. The body temperatures of males, females and juveniles were not significantly different during sunny or cloudy weather. For most of the daily period there was little difference between body temperatures except between 1700-1900 hrs when they were significantly lower. In general, the body temperatures of field measured 0. opodus were lower than those recorded from animals in laboratory heat gradients (Cherchi, 1961; Hailey, 1984).

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Thermal biology of the spotted snow skink, Niveoscincus ocellatus, along an altitudinal gradient

Australian Journal of Zoology ◽

10.1071/zo18014 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 66 (4) ◽

pp. 235 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Luh P. E. K. Yuni ◽

Susan M. Jones ◽

Erik Wapstra

Keyword(s):

Body Temperature ◽

High Altitude ◽

Altitudinal Gradient ◽

Thermal Environment ◽

The Body ◽

Activity Period ◽

Lower Body ◽

Body Temperatures ◽

Mean Body Temperature ◽

Thermal Biology

Body temperatures in ectotherms are strongly affected by their thermal environment. Ectotherms respond to variation in the thermal environment either by modification of behavioural thermoregulation to maintain their optimal body temperature or by shifting their optimal body temperature. In this study, the body temperatures of males of three populations of spotted snow skinks, Niveoscincus ocellatus, living along an altitudinal gradient (low, mid, and high altitude) were studied in the field and laboratory in spring, summer, and autumn, representing the full activity period of this species. The environmental variation across both sites and seasons affected their field active body temperatures. At the low and mid altitude, N. ocellatus had a higher mean body temperature than at the high altitude. Animals achieved their thermal preference at the low and mid altitude sites in all seasons. At the high altitude, however, N. ocellatus struggled to reach its preferred body temperatures, especially in autumn. The lower body temperature at the high-altitude site is likely due to limited thermal opportunity and/or an effect of avoiding the costs associated with increased intensity of basking.

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Body temperature of horses spending time in paddocks in various weather conditions during the summer

Roczniki Naukowe Polskiego Towarzystwa Zootechnicznego ◽

10.5604/01.3001.0014.0502 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 16 (1) ◽

pp. 53-66

Author(s):

Iwona Janczarek ◽

Elżbieta Wnuk - Pawlak ◽

Anna Wiśniewska ◽

Dominika Dziuban ◽

Martyna Frątczak ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Body Temperature ◽

Surface Temperature ◽

Air Temperature ◽

Infrared Camera ◽

Weather Conditions ◽

The Other ◽

Body Parts ◽

Internal Temperature ◽

Thermal Imagers ◽

Sunny Weather

The aim of the study was to determine the internal and surface temperature of selected body parts of horses during their stay in paddocks in various weather conditions in the summer. The study was conducted on 10 adult thoroughbred mares. The experiment was carried out on horses spending time in the paddock in four eight-hour stages with differing weather conditions in summer (sunny, cloudy, rainy and windy). Measurements of internal temperature (Veterinär SC 12 veterinary thermometer) and surface temperature of the head, rib area and croup (Thermal Imagers Ti9 FLUKE infrared camera and SmartView 4.1 software) were carried out at rest and again after four and eight hours in the paddock. It was concluded that the time horses spend in the paddock in summer should depend on weather conditions. Many hours spent outside the stable during sunny weather accompanied by high air temperature can contribute to overheating. On the other hand, rain and wind can cause hypothermia. Therefore, it is worth considering leaving horses in the stable or limiting their stay in the paddock to no more than four hours.

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Assessment of reproductive capacity of representatives of ancestral complexes and especially their selection of seed in dry conditions

World Ecology Journal ◽

10.25726/nm.2019.66.65.001 ◽

2019 ◽

pp. 1-23

Author(s):

А.В. Семенютина ◽

С.Е. Лазарев ◽

К.А. Мельник

Keyword(s):

Weather Conditions ◽

Reproductive Capacity ◽

Limiting Factors ◽

Scientific Center ◽

Gleditsia Triacanthos ◽

Biological Potential ◽

Forest Reclamation ◽

Dry Conditions ◽

Generative Phase ◽

Selection Of

Представители родовых комплексов Robinia (Робиния), Gleditsia (Гледичия) относятся к экономически важным и перспективным, для деградированных ландшафтов засушливого региона, видам растений. Несмотря на это до последнего времени отсутствуют сведения по многим видам этих родовых комплексов, связанные с вопросами экологических основ семеноведения и их репродуктивной способности в условиях светлокаштановых почв Волгоградской области. Все это направлено на выявление и расширение перспективных ареалов культивирования для лесомелиорации и озеленения населенных пунктов. Цель исследований изучение репродуктивной способности представителей родовых комплексов Robinia (Робиния), Gleditsia (Гледичия) в коллекциях ФНЦ агроэкологии РАН и выявление особенностей их селекционного семеноведения для лесомелиорации и озеленения населенных пунктов в сухостепных условиях. Объектами исследований являлись виды и формы рода Robinia: R. viscosa Vent. R. neomexicana Gray. R. pseudoacacia L. R. neomexicana х pseudoacacia, и Gleditsia (G. triacanthos L., G. triacanthos L. f. inermis, G. caspica Desf, G. texana Sarg., G. aquatica, G. japonica, G. caspica, G. sinensis), произрастающие в кластерных участках коллекций ФНЦ агроэкологии РАН, кадастр 34:34:000000:122, 34:34:060061:10. Разработка основ селекционного семеноведения базируется на изучении репродуктивных особенностей выделенных для целевого использования собственных биоресурсов с учетом возможностей всестороннего изучения генеративных качеств и оценки биологического потенциала. Выявлено, что стабильность плодоношения фиксируется через несколько лет после вступления в генеративную фазу: у Robinia и Gleditsia 67 лет. Первое цветение у Gleditsia triacanthos и G. texana, G. aquatica наблюдалось в возрасте 5 лет, G. japonica 6, G. caspica и G. sinensis 8 лет. Завязываемость плодов зависит не только от возраста растения, но и от погодных условий во время цветения. На семенную продуктивность влияет количество выпавших осадков и сумма активных температур в период созревания плодов. Формирование более крупных плодов и семян наблюдается в возрасте до 15 лет. В результате исследований (20172019 гг.) выявлено влияние лимитирующих факторов на биологический потенциал цветения, плодоношения и семенную продуктивность для определения ареалов их культивирования. Representatives of generic systems Robinia, Gleditsia are economically important and promising for degraded arid landscapes of the region, types of plants. Despite this, until recently, there is no information on many types of these generic complexes related to the environmental foundations of seed and their reproductive capacity in light chestnut soils of the Volgograd region. All this is aimed at identifying and expanding promising areas of cultivation for forest reclamation and greening of settlements. The aim of the research is to study the reproductive capacity of representatives of ancestral complexes Robinia, Gleditsia in the collections of the Federal scientific center for Agroecology Russian Academy of Sciences and the identifying features of their selection of seed for forest reclamation and landscaping of settlements in the dry steppe conditions. The objects of research were species and forms of the genus Robinia: R. viscosa Vent. R. neomexicana Gray. R. pseudoacacia L. R. neomexicana x pseudoacacia and Gleditsia (G. triacanthos L., G. triacanthos L. f. inermis, G. caspica Desf, G. texana Sarg., G. aquatica, G. japonica, G. caspica, G. sinensis), growing in the cluster areas of collections of FSC Agroecology RAS, cadastre 34:34:000000:122, 34:34:060061:10. The development of the principles of seed breeding is based on the study of reproductive characteristics of the allocated for the targeted use of their own bioresources, taking into account the possibilities of a comprehensive study of generative qualities and assessment of biological potential. It was found that the stability of fruiting is fixed a few years after entering the generative phase: Robinia and Gleditsia 67 years. The first flowering in Gleditsia triacanthos and G. texana, G. aquatica was observed at the age of 5 years, G. japonica 6, G. caspica and G. sinensis 8 years. Fruit setability depends not only on the age of the plant, but also on weather conditions during flowering. Seed productivity is affected by the amount of precipitation and the amount of active temperatures during the ripening period. The formation of larger fruits and seeds is observed in the age of 15 years. As a result of studies (20172019), the influence of limiting factors on the biological potential of flowering, fruiting and seed production to determine the areas of their cultivation was revealed.

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