Functional responses in a lizard along a 3.5‐km altitudinal gradient

• DOI: 10.1111/jbi.14711
• Publication Date: 2023-09-09T07:50:22Z
• Authors: Nina Serén; Rodrigo Megía‐Palma; Tatjana Simčič; Miha Krofel; Fabio Maria Guarino; Catarina Pinho; Anamarija Žagar; Miguel A. Carretero
• Keywords: Ectotherm; Cline (biology); Environmental gradient

Abstract Aim Physiological and metabolic performance are key mediators of the functional response species to environmental change. Few environments offer such a multifaceted array stressors as high‐altitude habitats, which differ markedly in temperature, water availability, UV radiation oxygen pressure compared low‐altitude habitats. Species that inhabit large altitudinal gradients thus excellent models study how organisms respond variation. Location Tenerife island, Canary Islands archipelago (Spain). Taxon lizard ( Gallotia galloti , Lacertidae). Methods We integrated data on age structure, thermal hydric regulatory behaviour four stress‐related biomarkers for an insular inhabits extreme range (sea level 3700 m a.s.l.), understand ectotherms' age, ecophysiology metabolism can be affected by Results found marked differences stress markers associated with altitude (particularly abundance carbonyl metabolites relative telomere length), but without linear pattern along cline. Contrary expectations, longer telomeres lower content were detected at highest altitude, suggesting reduced these populations. Evaporative loss differed between populations did not follow gradient. Lizard structure or physiological change across different altitudes. Mixed signals life‐history ecology suggest complex responses variable conditions this species. Main Conclusions Our integrative multiple traits demonstrated adaptation highly divergent is potentially linked interplay plasticity local variably traits.