Thermal plasticity in young snakes: how will climate change affect the thermoregulatory tactics of ectotherms?

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  • Author(s): Aubret F;Aubret F; Shine R
  • Source:
    The Journal of experimental biology [J Exp Biol] 2010 Jan 15; Vol. 213 (2), pp. 242-8.
  • Publication Type:
    Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Language:
    English
  • Additional Information
    • Source:
      Publisher: Company Of Biologists Limited Country of Publication: England NLM ID: 0243705 Publication Model: Print Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1477-9145 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 00220949 NLM ISO Abbreviation: J Exp Biol Subsets: MEDLINE
    • Publication Information:
      Publication: London : Company Of Biologists Limited
      Original Publication: London, Cambridge Univ. Press.
    • Subject Terms:
      Climate Change*; Body Temperature Regulation/*physiology ; Snakes/*physiology; Animals ; Behavior, Animal/physiology ; Cold Temperature ; Hot Temperature ; Motor Activity/physiology
    • Abstract:
      Climate change will result in some areas becoming warmer and others cooler, and will amplify the magnitude of year-to-year thermal variation in many areas. How will such changes affect animals that rely on ambient thermal heterogeneity to behaviourally regulate their body temperatures? To explore this question, we raised 43 captive-born tiger snakes Notechis scutatus in enclosures that provided cold (19-22 degrees C), intermediate (19-26 degrees C) or hot (19-37 degrees C) thermal gradients. The snakes adjusted their diel timing of thermoregulatory behaviour so effectively that when tested 14 months later, body temperatures (mean and maximum), locomotor speeds and anti-predator behaviours did not differ among treatment groups. Thus, the young snakes modified their behaviour to compensate for restricted thermal opportunities. Then, we suddenly shifted ambient conditions to mimic year-to-year variation. In contrast to the earlier plasticity, snakes failed to adjust to this change, e.g. snakes raised at cooler treatments but then shifted to hot conditions showed a higher mean body temperature for at least two months after the onset of the new thermal regime. Hence, thermal conditions experienced early in life influenced subsequent thermoregulatory tactics; the mean selected temperature of a snake depended more upon its prior raising conditions than upon its current thermoregulatory opportunities. Behavioural plasticity thus allows snakes to adjust to suboptimal thermal conditions but this plasticity is limited. The major thermoregulatory challenge from global climate change may not be the shift in mean values (to which our young snakes adjusted) but the increased year-to-year variation (with which our snakes proved less able to deal).
    • Publication Date:
      Date Created: 20091230 Date Completed: 20100323 Latest Revision: 20100519
    • Publication Date:
      20240829
    • Accession Number:
      10.1242/jeb.035931
    • Accession Number:
      20038657