Understanding the role of temperature in seasonal timing: Effects on behavioural, physiological and molecular phenotypes

Abstract

Organisms adapt to daily and seasonal environmental changes to maximise their metabolic and reproductive fitness. For seasonally breeding animals, photoperiod is considered the most robust cue to drive these changes. It, however, does not explain the interannual variations in different seasonal phenotypes. Several studies have repeatedly shown the influence of ambient temperature on the timing of different seasonal physiologies including the timing of migration, reproduction and its associated behaviours, etc. In the present review, we have discussed the effects of changes in ambient temperature on different seasonal events in endotherms with a focus on migratory birds as they have evolved to draw benefits from distinct but largely predictable seasonal patterns of natural resources. We have further discussed the physiological and molecular mechanisms by which temperature affects seasonal timings. The primary brain area involved in detecting temperature changes is the hypothalamic preoptic area. This area receives thermal inputs via sensory neurons in the peripheral ganglia that measure changes in thermoregulatory tissues such as the skin and spinal cord. For the input signals, several thermal sensory TRP (transient receptor potential ion channels) channels have been identified across different classes of vertebrates. These channels are activated at specific thermal ranges. Once perceived, this information should activate an effector function. However, the link between temperature sensation and the effector pathways is not properly understood yet. Here, we have summarised the available information that may help us understand how temperature information is translated into seasonal timing.