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Activity, Heat Exchange, and Energetics during Thermoregulation

Parlin, Adam Fletcher
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=miami1569671412540066

Abstract Details

2019, Doctor of Philosophy, Miami University, Biology.
Thermoregulation uses behavioral and physiological adjustments to compensate for thermally unfavorable conditions, but the extent that ambient conditions affect organismal function and thermal maintenance under natural conditions remains to be explored in depth. Therefore, I investigate what environmental factors impact organismal performance and how the cardiovascular system contributes to heat exchange in the field. First, I determine the extent that ambient conditions influence activity and movement under field conditions for Eastern box turtles (Terrapene carolina carolina). In contrast to previous laboratory work investigating effects of temperature on performance, I found that box turtle activity and movement in the field was largely independent of ambient conditions. Furthermore, the activity was consistent over a wide range of temperatures indicating that box turtles are thermal generalists. Next, I develop an integrative framework that combines biophysical principles and empirical measurements to gauge the cardiovascular role in active and passive heat exchange. I demonstrate the utility of the framework on two turtle species (box turtle and painted turtle, Chrysemys picta marginata) that use different thermoregulatory strategies. Eastern box turtles are characterized as a thermoconformers, strictly relying on ambient conditions to regulate body temperature, while painted turtles are characterized as partial thermoregulators, utilizing behaviors such as basking to regulate body temperature. The cardiovascular heat exchange framework that I develop was able to successfully identify active and passive mechanisms of heat transfer for both species. Finally, I implement the conceptual framework to parse out the cardiovascular role in active heat exchange and energetic demands of varying thermoregulatory strategies. The thermoconformer used significantly less energy per season than the partial thermoregulator during the beginning and middle of their active seasons. Furthermore, both species utilized active mechanisms of heat exchange to mitigate heat loss at night and slow the rate of temperature increase during the day. Although many previous studies have noted `hotter is better’ for ectotherms, the consequences of upper thermal limits imply a disconnect between the ecologically relevant and physiologically optimal temperatures. These studies provide a basis for the integration of theoretical principles and empirical data to better understand organismal function and energetics regulating temperature and heat exchange in the field.
Paul Schaeffer (Advisor)
José Pedro S. do Amaral (Committee Member)
Michelle Boone (Committee Member)
M. Henry Stevens (Committee Member)
Kyle Timmerman (Committee Member)
102 p.
Biology; Ecology; Physiology
thermoregulation; energetics; FMR; heart rate; movement; activity

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Parlin, A. F. (2019). Activity, Heat Exchange, and Energetics during Thermoregulation [Doctoral dissertation, Miami University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=miami1569671412540066

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Parlin, Adam. Activity, Heat Exchange, and Energetics during Thermoregulation . 2019. Miami University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=miami1569671412540066.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Parlin, Adam. "Activity, Heat Exchange, and Energetics during Thermoregulation ." Doctoral dissertation, Miami University, 2019. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=miami1569671412540066

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

miami1569671412540066
423
© 2019, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Miami University and OhioLINK.