Responses of Paramecium to Temperature Change

SYNOPSIS. The effect of temperature on the swimming velocity of Paramecium was investigated. When paramecia cultured at 25 C were transferred to various temperatures, their swimming velocity was increased immediately and then decreased exponentially with time to a new steady velocity. The relaxation time was about 1 min, independent of the new temperature. At a constant temperature the steady velocity was inversely proportional to viscosity. The velocity acceleration was observed when the sudden temperature change was larger than ± 1 C. Its magnitude became constant when the temperature change was greater than several degrees. The steady velocity as a function of temperature had a sharp maximum at the culture temperature and decreased on both sides of this temperature. Incubation of paramecia at 30 C for several hr after cultivation at 25 C shifted the maximum temperature of the steady velocity to 30 C. The temperature at which paramecia gathered in a temperature gradient cell correlated closely with the temperature of the maximum steady velocity.