Temperature acclimation affects thermal preference and tolerance in three Eremias lizards (Lacertidae)

Abstract

We acclimated adult males of three Eremias lizards from different latitudes to 28°C, 33 °C or 38°C to examine whether temperature acclimation affects their thermal preference and tolerance and whether thermal preference and tolerance of these lizards correspond with their latitudinal distributions. Overall, selected body temperature (Tsel) and viable temperature range (VTR) were both highest in E. brenchleyi and lowest in E. multiocellata, with E. argus in between; critical thermal minimum (CTMin) was highest in E. multiocellata and lowest in E. brenchleyi, with E. argus in between; critical thermal maximum (CTMax) was lower in E. multiocellata than in other two species. Lizards acclimated to 28°C and 38 °C overall selected lower body temperatures than those acclimated to 33°C; lizards acclimated to high temperatures were less tolerant of low temperatures, and vice versa; lizards acclimated to 28 °C were less tolerant of high temperatures but had a wider VTR range than those acclimated to 33°C and 38°C. Lizards of three species acclimated to the three temperatures always differed from each other in CTMin, but not in Tsel, CTMax and VTR. Our results show that: temperature acclimation plays an important role in influencing thermal preference and tolerance in the three Eremias lizards, although the degrees to which acclimation temperature affects thermal preference and tolerance differ among species; thermal preference rather than tolerance of the three Eremias lizards corresponds with their latitudinal distributions.

Effects of temperature and food availability on selected body temperature and locomotor performance of Plestiodon (Eumeces) chinensis (Scincidae)

“…Among such factors, ambient temperature and food availability are undoubtedly the most important, since temperature can aff ect the behavior and physiological functions (Johnston and Bennett, 1996 ), and food consumption provides the required energy input (Sibly, 1981 ). Although the environmental temperature and food availability may aff ect T sel and locomotor performance in some species (Swoap et al, 1993 ;Rock et al, 2000 ;Lin and Ji, 2005 ;Li et al, 2009 ), most studies were carried out with constant temperature and ignored potential eff ects of fl uctuating temperature that could cause more profound variation in T sel and locomotor performance. Furthermore, both environmental temperature and food availability is suspected to have cumulative eff ects on the above-mentioned behaviors; however, these eff ects have not been clearly understood.…”

Thermal plasticity due to parental and early‐life environments in the jacky dragon (Amphibolurus muricatus)

“…Higher developmental temperatures have been shown to significantly increase heat tolerance in Drosophila, with small or large effect sizes depending on the study (Crill et al, 1996;van Heerwaarden et al, 2016). The effect may also be due to short-term acclimation to warmer temperatures, which occurs in many animals, including reptiles (Glanville & Seebacher, 2006;Gvoždík et al, 2007;Li, Wang, Mei, & Ji, 2009;Pintor, Schwarzkopf, & Krockenberger, 2016).…”

Thermal ecological physiology of native and invasive frog species: do invaders perform better?

“…Previous evidence suggested that both CT min and CT max are highly flexible traits that respond to changes in temperature (Li et al ., 2009; Chanthy et al ., 2012; Ruiz-Aravena et al ., 2014; Davies et al ., 2015). As we mentioned above, there are higher inter-specific differences and variability in CT min , in comparison to CT max and T br , among X. laevis and C. gayi .…”