scholarly journals Potential benefits from global warming to the thermal biology and locomotor performance of an endangered Patagonian lizard

PeerJ ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. e7437 ◽  
Author(s):  
Facundo Cabezas-Cartes ◽  
Jimena B. Fernández ◽  
Fernando Duran ◽  
Erika L. Kubisch
Keyword(s):  
Global Warming ◽  
Thermal Sensitivity ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Locomotor Performance ◽  
Thermal Physiology ◽  
Thermal Biology ◽  
Individual Fitness ◽  
Future Global Warming ◽  
Preferred Temperatures ◽  
Environmental Temperatures

Global warming can significantly affect many aspects of the biology of animal species, including their thermal physiology and physiological performance. Thermal performance curves provide a heuristic model to evaluate the impacts of temperature on the ecophysiology of ectotherms. When integrated with other thermal biology parameters, they can be used to predict the impacts of climate change on individual fitness and population viability. In this study, we combine holistic measures of thermal physiology and the thermal sensitivity of locomotor performance with environmental temperatures measured at fine scale to estimate the vulnerability to global warming of the endangered Patagonian lizard Phymaturus tenebrosus. Our results indicate that this lizard exhibits its preferred temperatures and maximum locomotor performance at higher temperatures than the mean temperature it currently experiences in its habitat. In addition, it exhibits a low effectiveness of thermoregulation, being a poor thermoregulator. In view of the results obtained, we suggest that the climatic conditions of Patagonia may be advantageous for P. tenebrosus to survive future global warming, since its thermal physiology and locomotor performance may improve under increasing in environmental temperatures in its habitat.

Thermal preferences and effects of temperature on fitness parameters of an endemic Argentinean tarantula (Grammostola vachoni)

2020 ◽  
Vol 98 (2) ◽  
pp. 134-141 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Schwerdt ◽  
A.E. de Villalobos ◽  
F. Pérez-Miles ◽  
N. Ferretti
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Sensitivity ◽  
Iucn Red List ◽  
Locomotor Performance ◽  
Temperature Preference ◽  
Thermal Biology ◽  
Fitness Parameters ◽  
Preferred Temperatures ◽  
Temperature Ranges ◽  
Thermal Preferences ◽  
Successful Behavior

Mygalomorphs depend on thermal microhabitats for successful behavior, but their thermal biology is still poorly known. Grammostola vachoni Schiapelli and Gerschman, 1961 is an endemic tarantula from Argentina and it is listed as vulnerable in the IUCN Red List. However, little is known about its biology; therefore, we attempted to explore the thermal biology of juveniles and adult females of G. vachoni under laboratory conditions. We characterized the preferred temperatures, evaluated the relationship between temperature and locomotor performance, and calculated the thermal sensitivity. Individuals showed a peak temperature preference and spent 40% of the total time at 25–29 °C; we did not find any significant differences in temperature preference between juveniles and females. We found that locomotor performance is strongly affected by high temperatures. Different sprint speeds of juveniles and females were found at 5, 35, and 40 °C. The highest thermal sensitivity was recorded in the lowest temperature range and thermal sensitivity was lowest in the highest temperature ranges. Our results are relevant in the context of climate change, because thermal parameters constitute a useful tool to explore some possible effects of this change on body temperature and thus the physiological performance and vulnerability of ectotherms like G. vachoni.

Vulnerability to global warming of a Critically Endangered lizard from the Monte Desert, Patagonia Argentina

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
María Victoria Brizio ◽  
Facundo Cabezas-Cartes ◽  
Jimena Beatriz Fernández ◽  
Rodrigo Gómez Alés ◽  
Luciano Javier Avila
Keyword(s):  
Global Warming ◽  
Thermal Sensitivity ◽  
Thermal Conditions ◽  
Sun Exposure ◽  
Critically Endangered ◽  
Body Temperatures ◽  
Monte Desert ◽  
Safety Margins ◽  
Environmental Temperatures

Reptiles’ body temperature is strongly influenced by the thermal quality of microhabitats, exploiting the favourable environmental temperatures, and avoiding exposure to extreme thermal conditions. For these reasons, reptiles’ populations are considered to be especially vulnerable to changes in environmental temperatures produced by climate change. Here, we study the thermal physiology of the Critically Endangered lizard Liolaemus cuyumhue Avila, Morando, Perez and Sites, 2009. We hypothesise that, (1) there is a thermal coadaptation between optimal temperature for locomotor performance of L. cuyumhue and its thermal preference; (2) L. cuyumhue lives in an environment with low thermal quality; (3) a raise in environmental temperatures due to global warming will impose a decrement in locomotor speed represented by lower warming tolerance and narrower thermal safety margins, increasing their already high vulnerability. We registered field body temperatures (Tb), preferred body temperatures (Tpref), the operative (Te), and the thermal sensitivity of locomotion at different body temperatures. Our results indicate that this lizard is not currently under environmental stress or exceeding its thermal limits, but that it is thermorregulating below Tpref to avoid overheating, and that an increase in environmental temperature higher than 3.5 °C will strongly affect the use of microhabitats with direct sun exposure.

Dealing with hot rocky environments: Critical thermal maxima and locomotor performance in Leptodactylus lithonaetes (Anura: Leptodactylidae)

2019 ◽  
pp. 155-161 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ivan Beltran
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Temperature ◽  
Extreme Temperature ◽  
Effect Of Temperature ◽  
Maximum Speed ◽  
Locomotor Performance ◽  
Extreme Temperatures ◽  
Physiological Limits ◽  
Fitness Consequences ◽  
Thermal Maximum ◽  
Environmental Temperatures

Environmental temperature has fitness consequences on ectotherm development, ecology and behaviour. Amphibians are especially vulnerable because thermoregulation often trades with appropriate water balance. Although substantial research has evaluated the effect of temperature in amphibian locomotion and physiological limits, there is little information about amphibians living under extreme temperature conditions. Leptodactylus lithonaetes is a frog allegedly specialised to forage and breed on dark granitic outcrops and associated puddles, which reach environmental temperatures well above 40 ˚C. Adults can select thermally favourable microhabitats during the day while tadpoles are constrained to rock puddles and associated temperature fluctuations; we thus established microhabitat temperatures and tested whether the critical thermal maximum (CTmax) of L. lithonaetes is higher in tadpoles compared to adults. In addition, we evaluated the effect of water temperature on locomotor performance of tadpoles. Contrary to our expectations, puddle temperatures were comparable and even lower than those temperatures measured in the microhabitats used by adults in the daytime. Nonetheless, the CTmax was 42.3 ˚C for tadpoles and 39.7 ˚C for adults. Regarding locomotor performance, maximum speed and maximum distance travelled by tadpoles peaked around 34 ˚C, approximately 1 ˚C below the maximum puddle temperatures registered in the puddles. In conclusion, L. lithonaetes tadpoles have a higher CTmax compared to adults, suggesting a longer exposure to extreme temperatures that lead to maintain their physiological performance at high temperatures. We suggest that these conditions are adaptations to face the strong selection forces driven by this granitic habitat.

scholarly journals Global warming in Amazonia: impacts and Mitigation

2009 ◽  
Vol 39 (4) ◽  
pp. 1003-1011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philip Martin Fearnside
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Global Warming ◽  
Forest Fires ◽  
El Niño ◽  
El Nino ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Carbon Accounting ◽  
Amazon Forest ◽  
Temperature Oscillations

Global warming has potentially catastrophic impacts in Amazonia, while at the same time maintenance of the Amazon forest offers one of the most valuable and cost-effective options for mitigating climate change. We know that the El Niño phenomenon, caused by temperature oscillations of surface water in the Pacific, has serious impacts in Amazonia, causing droughts and forest fires (as in 1997-1998). Temperature oscillations in the Atlantic also provoke severe droughts (as in 2005). We also know that Amazonian trees die both from fires and from water stress under hot, dry conditions. In addition, water recycled through the forest provides rainfall that maintains climatic conditions appropriate for tropical forest, especially in the dry season. What we need to know quickly, through intensified research, includes progress in representing El Niño and the Atlantic oscillations in climatic models, representation of biotic feedbacks in models used for decision-making about global warming, and narrowing the range of estimating climate sensitivity to reduce uncertainty about the probability of very severe impacts. Items that need to be negotiated include the definition of "dangerous" climate change, with the corresponding maximum levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Mitigation of global warming must include maintaining the Amazon forest, which has benefits for combating global warming from two separate roles: cutting the flow the emissions of carbon each year from the rapid pace of deforestation, and avoiding emission of the stock of carbon in the remaining forest that can be released by various ways, including climate change itself. Barriers to rewarding forest maintenance include the need for financial rewards for both of these roles. Other needs are for continued reduction of uncertainty regarding emissions and deforestation processes, as well as agreement on the basis of carbon accounting. As one of the countries most subject to impacts of climate change, Brazil must assume the leadership in fighting global warming.

scholarly journals Effects of climate change on environmental sustainability

2021 ◽  
Vol 250 ◽  
pp. 01005
Author(s):  
Manuela Tvaronavičienė
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Global Warming ◽  
Natural Resources ◽  
Carbon Footprint ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Industrial Pollution ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Adaptation Strategies ◽  
Viable Solution ◽  
The World

Adaptation strategies to the climate change include measures that can be taken to take account of the new climatic conditions. This paper aims at assessing the effects of climate change on environmental sustainability. This sustainability constitutes a major problem in many countries and regions around the world that experience industrial pollution, degradation of land as well as natural disasters caused by the global warming. The paper shows that adaptation strategies are often parallel strategies that can be integrated simultaneously with the management of natural resources. They can make resources more efficient and resilient to climate change. The paper shows that reducing the carbon footprint by more than 50 percent by 2030 and eliminating it by 2050 might be a viable solution how to tackle the climate change and support the environmental sustainability.

scholarly journals PLANT COMMUNITY CHANGE ACROSS THE PALEOCENE-EOCENE BOUNDARY IN THE GULF COASTAL PLAIN, CENTRAL TEXAS

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer D. Wagner ◽  
Daniel J. Peppe ◽  
Jennifer M.K. O'Keefe ◽  
Christopher Dennison
Keyword(s):  
Global Warming ◽  
Plant Community ◽  
Plant Communities ◽  
Coastal Plain ◽  
Community Change ◽  
Northern Great Plains ◽  
Gulf Coastal Plain ◽  
High Turnover ◽  
Future Global Warming ◽  
Central Texas

During the early Paleogene the Earth experienced long-term global warming punctuated by several short-term ‘hyperthermal’ events, the most pronounced of which is the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM). During this time, tropical climates expanded into extra-tropical areas potentially forming a wide band of ‘paratropical’ forests that are hypothesized to have expanded into the mid-latitude Northern Great Plains (NGP). Relatively little is known about these ‘paratropical’ floras, which would have extended across the Gulf Coastal Plain (GCP). This study assesses the preserved floras from the GCP in Central Texas before and after the PETM to define plant ecosystem changes associated with the hyperthermal event in this region. These floras suggest a high turnover rate, change in plant community composition, and uniform plant communities across the GCP at the Paleocene-Eocene boundary. Paleoecology and paleoclimate estimates from Central Texas PETM floras suggest a warm and wet environment, indicative of tropical seasonal forest to tropical rainforest biomes. Fossil evidence from the GCP combined with data from the NGP and modern tropics suggest that warming during the PETM helped create a ‘paratropical belt’ that extended into the mid-latitudes. Evaluating the response of plant communities to rapid global warming is important for understanding and preparing for current and future global warming and climate change.

scholarly journals Effective CO<sub>2</sub> lifetime and future CO<sub>2</sub> levels based on fit function

2013 ◽  
Vol 31 (9) ◽  
pp. 1591-1596 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. R. Sonnemann ◽  
M. Grygalashvyly
Keyword(s):  
Global Warming ◽  
Power Function ◽  
Co2 Emission ◽  
Emission Rates ◽  
Atmospheric Emissions ◽  
Atmospheric Concentration ◽  
Effective Lifetime ◽  
Global Emission ◽  
Future Global Warming ◽  
Atmospheric Co2 Concentrations

Abstract. The estimated global CO2 emission rates and the measured atmospheric CO2 concentrations show that only a certain share of the emitted CO2 accumulates in the atmosphere. For given atmospheric emissions of CO2, the effective lifetime determines its accumulation in the atmosphere and, consequently, its impact on the future global warming. We found that on average the inferred effective lifetime of CO2 decreases as its atmospheric concentration increases, reducing the rate of its accumulation in the atmosphere. We derived a power function that fits the varying lifetimes. Based on this fitting function, we calculated the increase of CO2 for different scenarios of future global emission rates.

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