Tag: temperature

animal physiological ecology

Fluctuating temperatures increase energy expenditure during embryonic development in wall lizards

Amanda K. Pettersen, Andreas Nord, Geoffrey M. While, Tobias Uller This is a plain language summary of a Functional Ecology research article which can be found here. All animals undergo embryonic development from a single fertilised egg to a feeding juvenile, which is an energetically expensive period of life, and can be a bottleneck for survival. During this early development, embryos are non-feeding and rely … Continue reading Fluctuating temperatures increase energy expenditure during embryonic development in wall lizards

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evolutionary ecology

Developmental responses to temperature vary across populations from a latitudinal cline in a temperate butterfly

Nadja Verspagen, Suvi Ikonen, Dirk Maes, Constanti Stefanescu, Michelle F. DiLeo, Marjo Saastamoinen This is a plain language summary of a Functional Ecology research article which can be found here. Global temperatures are rising due to climate change, and this can have large effects on organisms. Insects are a large and diverse group of animals that play important roles in ecosystems and human lives, for … Continue reading Developmental responses to temperature vary across populations from a latitudinal cline in a temperate butterfly

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evolutionary ecology

Why does temperature determine sex in alligators?

Samantha L. Bock, Yeraldi Loera, Josiah M. Johnson, Christopher R. Smaga, David L. Haskins, Tracey D. Tuberville, Randeep Singh, Thomas R. Rainwater, Philip M. Wilkinson, Benjamin B. Parrott This is a plain language summary of a Functional Ecology research article which can be found here. The temperature an animal experiences during development can determine whether it becomes male or female in many reptiles and fishes. … Continue reading Why does temperature determine sex in alligators?

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behavioural ecology

Timing matters: Effects of heatwaves on animal reproduction

Natalie Pilakouta, Lorelei Sellers, Rebecca Barratt, Alice Ligonniere This is a plain language summary of a Functional Ecology research article which can be found here. As our planet continues to warm due to global climate change, the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, such as heatwaves, has been on the rise. Heatwaves are not just uncomfortable for humans; they also pose significant challenges for … Continue reading Timing matters: Effects of heatwaves on animal reproduction

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evolutionary ecology

Eating less might not always help one to live longer

Felix Zajitschek, Susanne R.K.Zajitschek, Ana C.O. Vasconcelos, Russell Bonduriansky This is a plain language summary of a Functional Ecology research article which can be found here. Moderate dietary restriction has been known to prolong life in laboratory animals, but it remains unclear whether this response is an adaptive strategy that promotes survival in the wild. In a new study conducted on fruit flies, we attempted … Continue reading Eating less might not always help one to live longer

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animal physiological ecology

Do marine protozoans decrease size with warming?

Albert Calbet and Enric Saiz This is a plain language summary of a Functional Ecology research article which can be found here. It is well known that organisms inhabiting warmer habitats are smaller than those from colder  ones. For cold-blooded organisms, including unicellular ones, the rule also applies when conducting experiments in which they are exposed to different temperatures during their development. This is known … Continue reading Do marine protozoans decrease size with warming?

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animal physiological ecology

Seeking a ‘just right’ site for the Western Swamp Turtle

Siobhan Paget, Adrian C. Gleiss, Gerald Kuchling, Nicola J. Mitchell This is a plain language summary of a Functional Ecology research article which can be found here. The western swamp turtle is a critically endangered freshwater turtle from Western Australia, and one of the world’s rarest reptiles. Swamp turtles occupy seasonal wetlands that fill in winter, during which time turtles are active and feed. In … Continue reading Seeking a ‘just right’ site for the Western Swamp Turtle

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ecosystems ecology

Diverse collaborations between above- and belowground nutrient strategies in alpine coniferous forests

Junxiang Ding, Wenjing Ge, Qing Liu, Qitong Wang, Deliang Kong, Huajun Yin This is a plain language summary of a Functional Ecology research article which can be found here. Nutrient limitation by nitrogen and phosphorus occurs widely in terrestrial plants. To cope with such nutrient limitation, plants have evolved two important strategies, namely, optimizing belowground nutrient acquisition by roots and symbiotic mycorrhizal fungi, and enhancing … Continue reading Diverse collaborations between above- and belowground nutrient strategies in alpine coniferous forests

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Commentary, plant physiological ecology

How experiments can better assess the influence of temperature and daylength on biological activity

Daniel Buonaiuto, Megan Donahue, Elizabeth Wolkovich This is a plain language summary of a Functional Ecology commentary article which can be found here. Changes in daylength (hours of light each day) and temperature are important environmental cues for major biological processes, such as spring leafout. To understand how exactly these cues alter biological activity, researchers have long used labs, greenhouses and indoor growth chamber experiments … Continue reading How experiments can better assess the influence of temperature and daylength on biological activity

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animal physiological ecology

Temperature and resource availability influence body size in North American bats

Jesse M. Alston, Douglas A. Keinath, Craig K.R. Willis, Cori L. Lausen, Joy M. O’Keefe, Janet D. Tyburec, Hugh G. Broders, Paul R. Moosman, Timothy C. Carter, Carol L. Chambers, Erin H. Gillam, Keith Geluso, Theodore J. Weller, Douglas W. Burles, Quinn E. Fletcher, Kaleigh J.O. Norquay, Jacob R. Goheen This is a plain language summary of a Functional Ecology research article which can be … Continue reading Temperature and resource availability influence body size in North American bats

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