Diving through the thermal window: implications for a warming world

Hamish A Campbell; Ross G Dwyer; Matthew Gordos; Craig E Franklin

doi:10.1098/rspb.2010.0902

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Diving through the thermal window: implications for a warming world

Journal article

Peer reviewed

Diving through the thermal window: implications for a warming world

Hamish A Campbell, Ross G Dwyer, Matthew Gordos and Craig E Franklin

Royal Society of London. Proceedings B. Biological Sciences, Vol.277(1701), pp.3837-3844

2010

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2010.0902

PMCID: PMC2992703

PMID: 20610433

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Abstract

aerobic dive limit

temperature

crocodilian

acclimatization

ectotherm

Population decline and a shift in the geographical distribution of some ectothermic animals have been attributed to climatic warming. Here, we show that rises in water temperature of a few degrees, while within the thermal window for locomotor performance, may be detrimental to diving behaviour in air-breathing ectotherms (turtles, crocodilians, marine iguanas, amphibians, snakes and lizards). Submergence times and internal and external body temperature were remotely recorded from freshwater crocodiles (Crocodylus johnstoni) while they free-ranged throughout their natural habitat in summer and winter. During summer, the crocodiles' mean body temperature was 5.2 +/- 0.1 degrees C higher than in winter and the largest proportion of total dive time was composed of dive durations approximately 15 min less than in winter. Diving beyond 40 min during summer required the crocodiles to exponentially increase the time they spent on the surface after the dive, presumably to clear anaerobic debt. The relationship was not as significant in winter, even though a greater proportion of dives were of a longer duration, suggesting that diving lactate threshold (DLT) was reduced in summer compared with winter. Additional evidence for a reduced DLT in summer was derived from the stronger influence body mass exerted upon dive duration, compared to winter. The results demonstrate that the higher summer body temperature increased oxygen demand during the dive, implying that thermal acclimatization of the diving metabolic rate was inadequate. If the study findings are common among air-breathing diving ectotherms, then long-term warming of the aquatic environment may be detrimental to behavioural function and survivorship.

Details

Title: Diving through the thermal window: implications for a warming world
Authors: Hamish A Campbell (Author) - University of Queensland
Ross G Dwyer (Author) - University of Exeter
Matthew Gordos (Author) - Wollongbar Agricultural Institute
Craig E Franklin (Author) - University of Queensland
Publication details: Royal Society of London. Proceedings B. Biological Sciences, Vol.277(1701), pp.3837-3844
Publisher: The Royal Society Publishing
DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2010.0902
ISSN: 1471-2954
PMID: 20610433; PMC2992703
Organisation Unit: University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland; School of Science, Technology and Engineering
Language: English
Record Identifier: 99629339802621
Output Type: Journal article

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