Predicting the physiological performance of ectotherms in fluctuating thermal environments

• DOI: 10.1242/jeb.058032
• Publication Date: 2012-01-25T18:28:15Z
• Authors: Amanda C. Niehaus; Michael J. Angill...; Michael W. Sears; Craig E. Franklin; Robbie S. Wilson
• Keywords: Ectotherm; Predictability; Environmental change

SUMMARY Physiological ecologists have long sought to understand the plasticity of organisms in environments that vary widely among years, seasons and even hours. This is now more important because human-induced climate change predicted affect both mean variability thermal environment. Although environmental occurs ubiquitously, relatively few researchers studied effects fluctuating on performance developing organisms. Even fewer tried validate a framework for predicting environments. Here, we determined whether reaction norms based at constant temperatures (18, 22, 26, 30 34°C) could be used predict embryonic larval anurans (18–28°C 18–34°C). Based existing theory, generated hypotheses about stress acclimation predictability variable Our empirical models poorly striped marsh frogs (Limnodynastes peronii) temperatures, suggesting extrapolation from studies conducted under artificial conditions would lead erroneous conclusions. During majority ontogenetic stages, growth development proceeded rapidly than expected, acute exposures extreme enable greater do chronic exposures. Consistent with accurately less results underscore need measure physiological naturalistic when testing or parameterizing life-history evolution.