Seasonal plasticity in the thermal sensitivity of metabolism but not water loss in a fossorial ectotherm

Research Square (Research Square), Год журнала: 2025, Номер unknown

Опубликована: Янв. 10, 2025

Ectotherms from highly seasonal habitats should have enhanced potential for physiological plasticity to cope with climatic variability. However, whether this pattern is applicable fossorial ectotherms, who are potentially buffered thermal variability, still unclear. Here, we evaluated how acclimatisation (spring vs. autumn) affected the sensitivity of standard metabolic rates (SMR), evaporative water loss (EWL), and skin resistance (R_s) in spotted salamander (Ambystoma maculatum). We hypothesised that temperature would both short- long-term effects over traits (i.e., acute exposure test temperatures acclimatisation, respectively). After accounting body mass sex, found short-term changes led an increase SMR, EWL, R_s. Additionally, SMR R_s differed between seasons, but EWL did not. Sustaining low high spring may allow salamanders allocate energy toward overwintering emergence breeding while simultaneously maximising conservation. By contrast, maintaining autumn forage aboveground on rainy nights replenish reserves preparation winter. Despite common assumption ectotherms effects, our study shows functional differences seasons provisioning accompanied by energetic hydroregulatory requirements.

Язык: Английский

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Thermal Plasticity Changes Competitive Ability Across a Woodland Salamander Hybrid System

Ethology, Год журнала: 2025, Номер unknown

Опубликована: Фев. 3, 2025

ABSTRACT Temperature mediates performance in ectotherms, affecting their ability to grow, survive, and reproduce. Aggression evasion are key examples of thermally dependent behaviors that can impact fitness. However, we know relatively little about how the thermal plasticity such varies among close relatives impacts competitive outcomes. Woodland salamanders (Genus: Plethodon ) from Appalachian Mountains distributed across wide gradients accordance with latitude or elevation. These plethodontid (lungless) compete for space develop hybrid zones where territories overlap species. Plethodontids tend exhibit increased aggression at warmer temperatures, suggesting as temperatures rise, behavioral interactions may be altered ways zone dynamics. It is thus far unclear, however, salamander hybrids, which encroach on parent populations drive exclusion, respond behaviorally warming. Here, used staged bouts examine effects temperature shermani teyahalee system southern Appalachians. The behavior populations, particularly P. , appears more sensitive changes than individuals. Additionally, evasive was significantly plastic aggressive response Our results suggest rising increase competition preferable microhabitats, but parental will asymmetric. therefore alter outcomes competition, determining persist under rapid

Язык: Английский

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Seasonal plasticity in the thermal sensitivity of metabolism but not water loss in a fossorial ectotherm

Oecologia, Год журнала: 2025, Номер 207(5)

Опубликована: Апрель 23, 2025

Язык: Английский

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