Abstract
Climate change is in part responsible for the 70% decline in amphibian species numbers worldwide. Although temperature is expected to impact whole-organism performance in ectotherms, reversible thermal acclimation has been suggested as a mechanism that may buffer responses to abrupt temperature changes. Here, we test for an effect of acclimation on locomotor performance traits (jump force and stamina) in adults of two predominantly aquatic and closely related frog species from different climatic regions, Xenopus tropicalis (tropical) and Xenopus laevis (temperate). We find significant effects of acclimation temperature on exertion capacity and for jump force in X. tropicalis but no effect of acclimation temperature on burst performance in X. laevis. Our results suggest that the two locomotor performance traits measured are differentially impacted by acclimation temperature in X. tropicalis. Our results further support the hypothesis that lower-latitude ectotherms might have greater acclimation capacity than high-latitude ones. Finally, our results highlight the importance of investigating multiple performance traits when evaluating how animals may cope with changes in temperature. Further work is required to evaluate the potential for acclimation in mitigating the negative impacts of climate change on amphibian populations.
Highlights
The high thermal sensitivity of ectothermic organisms makes them relevant for examining the consequences of climate change in terms of biodiversity erosion (van Berkum, 1986; Angilletta et al, 2002, Chown et al, 2010; Sinervo et al, 2010)
Exertion capacity was dependent on the acclimation temperature and the test temperature
Exertion capacity was higher when individuals were measured at a higher test temperature (29◦C) compared to a lower test temperature (24◦C) (+2.3 seconds, t = 2.25, P = 0.025; Fig. 1B)
Summary
The high thermal sensitivity of ectothermic organisms makes them relevant for examining the consequences of climate change in terms of biodiversity erosion (van Berkum, 1986; Angilletta et al, 2002, Chown et al, 2010; Sinervo et al, 2010). Despite the global decline in amphibians, some amphibians have become invasive pests and threaten local biodiversity (e.g. Rhinella marina; Shine, 2010, Lithobates catesbeianus; Ficetola et al, 2010, Xenopus laevis; Measey et al, 2012; Courant et al, 2018). How these species are capable of coping with changes in climatic conditions as they are moved from one region to another remains poorly understood but may provide insights into the mechanisms underlying temperature-related coping mechanisms
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