Use of operative temperature and standard operative temperature models in thermal biology

Operative temperature (T_e) and standard operative temperature (T_es) models have been used to address ecological questions about the thermal biology of ectotherms and endotherms for over 25 years. This review focuses on the accuracy and use of T_e and T_es models in ecological and physiological studies. The utility of T_e and T_es models lie in the fact that they take a multivariate problem involving inputs of air temperature, ground temperature, solar radiation, and wind speed and map them into a single thermal metric on a spatial scale appropriate for the animal. The most reliable T_e models are copper casts that mimic the morphology and absorptivity of an animal. Simplified T_e models such as cylinders and spheres have been shown to produce errors in T_e as large as 12 °C under certain conditions and should only be used after careful calibration against a live animal. The accuracy of heated T_es models has been addressed in much less detail then that of T_e models. When calibrated and used under conditions of low solar radiation, heated taxidermic mounts and simplified T_es models produce errors in net heat production on the order of 5% or less. In order to provide reliable data, all types of models must be calibrated over an ecologically realistic range of environmental conditions experienced by the animal. This advice has been largely ignored in the literature, where 61% of the of studies examined failed to properly calibrate the models prior to use. Additionally, studies using these models tend to lack experimental rigor, using only one or two models to make measurements on 1 or 2 days of the active season. When used correctly, T_e and T_es models can be powerful tools for integrating the thermal environment experienced by an animal into a single metric that can address questions regarding the ecology, physiology, and behavior of endotherms and ectotherms. However, until investigators make the effort to use these models in a scientifically valid manner with proper calibration and experimental design their value to thermal biologists will be limited.     

Design and performance of a rugged standard operative temperature thermometer for avian studies

The lack of a truly satisfactory sensor which can characterize the thermal environment at the spatial scale experienced by small endotherms has hindered study of their thermoregulatory behavior. We describe a general design for a rugged, easily constructed sensor to measure standard operative temperature, T_es. We present specific designs for adult dark-eyed juncos (Junco hyemalis) and hatchling mallards (Anas platyrhynchos). Sensor response was stable and repeatable (±1.4%) over the course of several months. Over the range of conditions for which validation data were available (variable air temperature and wind with negligible net radiation), sensors predicted the mean net heat production of live animals to within ±0.023 W (equivalent to ±1°C at T_es=15°C). The main limit on accuracy was scatter in the data on metabolism and evaporative water loss in live animals. These sensors are far more rugged and easily constructed than the heated taxidermic mounts previously used to measure T_es. These characteristics facilitate the use of significant numbers of sensors in thermal mapping studies of endotherms.     

Metabolic response to changes in temperature in northern wheatears from an arctic and a temperate populations

Until recently it had been widely accepted that birds are energetically adapted to the latitude they inhabit, having an increased basal metabolic rate (BMR) at higher latitudes. Latterly, this general view has been questioned and the influence of phenotypic flexibility, due to factors such as habitat, life‐history or acclimatization has received increased attention. In particular, focus has been directed towards comparing species from arid and mesic habitats, but less attention has been given to species which breed in cold climates. We chose to study northern wheatears Oenanthe oenanthe from two populations at different latitudes (southern Norway, Iceland), but with similar life‐histories and habitat requirements throughout the year, in a common‐garden experiment. In order to assess true latitudinal trends in metabolic rate, we estimated the nocturnal resting metabolic rate (RMR) of northern wheatears from southern Norway and Iceland at different temperatures from 0° to 30°C. We found that Norwegian birds had overall lower metabolic rates than Icelandic birds, which were also slightly larger. This difference was not observed at 0°C, which might indicate that Icelandic birds might rely on better feather insulation reducing metabolic costs at very low temperatures. At temperatures above 10°C birds of both populations had constant metabolic values, indicating that their thermoneutral range almost completely covered the temperatures experienced during the breeding period. This study shows that the northern wheatear, which is one of only a few insectivorous long‐distance migratory songbirds occurring at such high latitudes, has evolved metabolic adaptations to life at cold temperatures which are endogenously determined.     

A simple index of standard operative temperature for mule deer and cattle in winter

1. 1. Scientists often use ambient temperature, relative humidity, or windspeed alone to describe an animal's thermal environment. Standard operative temperature (T_es) incorporates solar and thermal radiation, ambient temperature, and windspeed with a species' resistance to heat loss; thus it more accurately represents an animal's thermal environment. Standard operative temperature is not often recorded in the field because of instruments needed to measure short- and long-wave radiation.

2. 2. Our objective was to determine if regression equations could relate simple micrometeorological measurements to T_es for mule deer and cattle in winter.

3. 3. Blackglobe and ambient temperatures, windspeed, net radiation, total radiation, albedo, and ground surface temperature were recorded during one winter in a field in Bozeman, Montana. We used species specific resistance values for mule deer and cattle in winter to calculate T_es for both species. Then, we regressed T_es with blackglobe and ambient temperatures, and windspeed. The mule deer regression model was applied to an independent data set to determine if it worked well under varying weather conditions.

4. 4. The mule deer and cattle regression models represented T_es for both species well (adjusted R² 0.96 and 0.94, respectively). The mule deer regression model also represented the independent data set well. Standard operative temperatures predicted by our model and those predicted by the independent data set were highly correlated (r > 0.96 for four different comparisons). Our simple micrometeorological measurements are suitable predictors of T_es for mule deer and cattle in winter.

     

Metabolic control of histone demethylase activity involved in plant response to high temperature

Jumonji C (JmjC) domain proteins are histone lysine demethylases that require ferrous iron and alpha-ketoglutarate (or α-KG) as cofactors in the oxidative demethylation reaction. In plants, α-KG is produced by isocitrate dehydrogenases (ICDHs) in different metabolic pathways. It remains unclear whether fluctuation of α-KG levels affects JmjC demethylase activity and epigenetic regulation of plant gene expression. In this work, we studied the impact of loss of function of the cytosolic ICDH (cICDH) gene on the function of histone demethylases in Arabidopsis thaliana. Loss of cICDH resulted in increases of overall histone H3 lysine 4 trimethylation (H3K4me3) and enhanced mutation defects of the H3K4me3 demethylase gene JMJ14. Genetic analysis suggested that the cICDH mutation may affect the activity of other demethylases, including JMJ15 and JMJ18 that function redundantly with JMJ14 in the plant thermosensory response. Furthermore, we show that mutation of JMJ14 affected both the gene activation and repression programs of the plant thermosensory response and that JMJ14 and JMJ15 repressed a set of genes that are likely to play negative roles in the process. The results provide evidence that histone H3K4 demethylases are involved in the plant response to elevated ambient temperature.

Histone H3K4me3 demethylases JMJ14, JMJ15, and JMJ18 function redundantly in the plant thermosensory response, which is affected by mutation of the cytosolic isocitrate dehydrogenase gene.     

Species interaction and response to wind speed alter the impact of projected temperature change in a montane ecosystem

Question: How does an improved understanding of species interactions, combined with an additional ecological variable (wind speed), alter the projected vegetation response to variation in altitudinal temperature? Location: Cairngorm Mountains, Scotland. Methods: Montane heathland vegetation was sampled from 144 plots (432 quadrats) comprising eight altitudinal transects. Ordination by partial DCA and path analysis was used to confirm: (1) the effect of wind speed and altitude (≈ temperature) on vegetation structure, i.e. canopy height and cover of bare ground, and (2) the control of arctic/alpine macrolichen occurrence by vegetation structure. Nested regression analysis was used to project the response of vegetation structure and lichen occurrence to temperature change scenarios with and without a step‐wise change in future wind speed. Results: Warming trends shifted vegetation zones upwards, with a subsequent loss of suitable habitat for arctic/alpine lichens. However, incorporating wind speed as an additional explanatory variable had an important modifying effect on the vegetation response to temperature: decreasing wind speed exaggerates the effects of increased temperature and vice versa. Our models suggest that for the wind‐driven heath examined, a 20% increase in mean wind speed may negate the effect of increased temperature on vegetation structure, resulting in no net change in lichen occurrence. Conclusions: We caution that an improved understanding of species interactions in vegetation response models may force the consideration of locally variable environmental parameters (e.g. wind speed), bringing into question the predicted vegetation response based on standard projections of temperature change along altitudinal gradients.     

Metabolic evolution in response to interspecific competition in a eukaryote

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Sweating response in man during transient rises of air temperature

Nude men were exposed to neutral environments (Ta = 28 degrees C, Pw = 20 mbar) changing to warm environments (Ta = 50 degrees C, Pw = 20 mbar). The transient period from neutral to warm environment lasted 4 min (dTA/DT = 5.50 degrees C/min) or 20 min (DTa/dt = 1.10 degrees C/min) or 40 min (dTa/dt = 0.55 degrees C/min) or 60 min (dTa/dt = 0.37 degrees C/min). Continuous measurements were made of rectal and mean skin temperatures and of body weigth loss. Sweating started before appreciable variation in rectal temperature. Onset of sweating could be explained by a peripheral proportional and rate control. Unsteady-state sweating can be predicted by summated stimulation of skin and rectal temperatures. This stimulation could be increased for some subjects by a multiplicative effect due to differences in local skin temperatures. This multiplicative effect occurred during the first transient period.     

Metabolic responses to low temperature in fish muscle

For most fish, body temperature is very close to that of the habitat. The diversity of thermal habitats exploited by fish as well as their capacity to adapt to thermal change makes them excellent organisms in which to examine the evolutionary and phenotypic responses to temperature. An extensive literature links cold temperatures with enhanced oxidative capacities in fish tissues, particularly skeletal muscle. Closer examination of inter-species comparisons (i.e. the evolutionary perspective) indicates that the proportion of muscle fibres occupied by mitochondria increases at low temperatures, most clearly in moderately active demersal species. Isolated muscle mitochondria show no compensation of protein-specific rates of substrate oxidation during evolutionary adaptation to cold temperatures. During phenotypic cold acclimation, mitochondrial volume density increases in oxidative muscle of some species (striped bass Morone saxatilis, crucian carp Carassius carassius), but remains stable in others (rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss). A role for the mitochondrial reticulum in distributing oxygen through the complex architecture of skeletal muscle fibres may explain mitochondrial proliferation. In rainbow trout, compensatory increases in the protein-specific rates of mitochondrial substrate oxidation maintain constant capacities except at winter extremes. Changes in mitochondrial properties (membrane phospholipids, enzymatic complement and cristae densities) can enhance the oxidative capacity of muscle in the absence of changes in mitochondrial volume density. Changes in the unsaturation of membrane phospholipids are a direct response to temperature and occur in isolated cells. This fundamental response maintains the dynamic phase behaviour of the membrane and adjusts the rates of membrane processes. However, these adjustments may have deleterious consequences. For fish living at low temperatures, the increased polyunsaturation of mitochondrial membranes should raise rates of mitochondrial respiration which would in turn enhance the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), increase proton leak and favour peroxidation of these membranes. Minimisation of mitochondrial oxidative capacities in organisms living at low temperatures would reduce such damage.     

Metabolic response of bluegill to exercise at low water temperature: implications for angling conservation

The metabolic response of fish to exercise is highly dependent on environmental factors such as temperature. In addition to natural challenges that force exercise (foraging, avoiding predators, etc.), sportfish species are also subjected to exercise when they are hooked by anglers, leading to metabolic energy costs that may impact fitness. While several studies have examined the physiological response of fish to capture in warm conditions, little work has examined this response under cold winter conditions when fish are targeted by ice-anglers. To fill this gap, we examined the metabolic impacts of exercise duration and air exposure on bluegill, Lepomis macrochirus, at a temperature typical for ice angling. Thirty-two bluegill were subjected to a simulated angling session which included either a light (30 s) or exhaustive exercise procedure, followed by either 30 s or 4 min of air exposure. Fish were then assessed at 5 °C for the following metabolic metrics using intermittent-flow respirometry: standard metabolic rate (SMR), maximum metabolic rate (MMR), aerobic scope (AS), recovery time, and excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC). Fish exercised to exhaustion had higher EPOC compared to lightly exercised fish, however EPOC was not affected by air exposure time. No other metrics were impacted by air exposure or exercise duration. These results are directly applicable to physiological outcomes for fish captured by ice-anglers during the winter and suggest that both low temperatures and low durations of exercise serve to keep metabolic costs low for fish angled during the winter months.