Preferred Temperature Research Articles

Investigation of the effect of water temperature on water consumption of cats

Cats can naturally obtain their water requirements on the water content of their food. The wild cats usually do not need to drink water, because their prey (e.g., birds, small rodents, insects) contains about 70-75% body water. The same situation is applied for domestic cats too, which eat canned wet food that contains high level of water. However, if the water level of the diet is less than 60%, cats need additional drinking water. A mature cat must consume 60ml/kg/day water to maintain its body functions without any problem. Otherwise cats will be easily dehydrated and chronic dehydration can lead some health problems such as bladder and renal diseases and circulatory problems. Any practical method that could increase cats water consumption, would have a reducing effect on the before mentioned diseases.
 Regarding the water consumption, the taste of water has been found as effective as the other physiological stimulants such as mouth dryness, plasma osmolality and blood volume. Temperature is considered to be very important for the taste perception of animals. The preference for the water temperature varies among the animal species. 
 So we hypothesized that, cooling the drinking water can encourage cats to drink more water and we aimed to investigate the effect of the water temperature on water consumption of cats. 
 This research has conducted with 8 domestic, mature and healthy pet cats (Felis domesticus) that live indoor. We measured the water consumption of cats for two weeks. During the first week, temperature of water has not been intervened, and the cats' normal water consumption were measured. On the 1st day, 500 ml water, measured with graduated cylinder, was provided in a standard water bowl. After 24 hours, the remained water has been measured and noted. After each measurement, cat owners refreshed the drinking water. In the 2nd week, we started to add four ice cubes to the water bowl, three times in a day. First week, cat’s average normal water consumption has found 142,26±8,09 ml/kg/day. (p

Plastic responses to warmer climates: a semi-natural experiment on lizard populations.

Facing warming environments, species can exhibit plastic or microevolutionary changes in their thermal physiology to adapt to novel climates. Here, using semi-natural mesocosms, we experimentally investigated over two successive years whether a 2°C-warmer climate produces selective and inter- and intragenerational plastic changes in the thermal traits (preferred temperature and dorsal coloration) of the lizard Zootoca vivipara. In a warmer climate, the dorsal darkness, dorsal contrast, and preferred temperature of adults plastically decreased and covariances between these traits were disrupted. While selection gradients were overall weak, selection gradients for darkness were slightly different between climates and in the opposite direction to plastic changes. Contrary to adults, male juveniles were darker in warmer climates either through plasticity or selection and this effect was strengthened by intergenerational plasticity when juveniles' mothers also experienced warmer climates. While the plastic changes in adult thermal traits alleviate the immediate overheating costs of warming, its opposite direction to selective gradients and to juveniles' phenotypic responses may slow down evolutionary shifts toward phenotypes that are better adapted to future climates. Our study demonstrates the importance of considering inter- and intragenerational plasticity along with selective processes to better understand adaptation and population dynamics in light of climate change.

Flexible load optimal regulation strategy of commercial buildings under the environment of electricity market

Under the electricity market environment, the flexible load of power users can not only reduce the cost of power consumption by adjusting their own power consumption behaviors according to the real-time price (RTP), but also can obtain additional benefits by participating in auxiliary services. The load of commercial buildings (CBs) is concentrated and makes a greater contribution to the peak load of the power system. If the flexible load of CBs can be regulated, it has great benefits for shifting the peak load of the power system in addition to reducing the electricity cost. On the basis of analyzing the characteristics of flexible loads in CBs, a flexible load regulation model including short-time interruptible load (IL), reducible load (RL), translatable load (TL), air conditioning system (ACS) and energy storage system (ESS) is established. Considering the electrical comfort and temperature preference, the objective function is jointly constructed with the electrical cost, temperature discomfort and ancillary service income. An optimal regulation strategy for multiple types of flexible loads in CBs based on the electricity market environment to realize the economic power consumption of CBs is formulated. The simulation results show that the proposed strategy can reduce the power cost of CBs and lower the peak demand under the condition of satisfying the power consumption comfort.

Thermal comfort and adaptive capacities: Differences among students at various school stages

In educational buildings, ensuring thermal comfort is crucial in guaranteeing pupils' health and high learning. Previous studies show different thermal comfort expectations in the educational stage. However, only a few studies have simultaneously investigated all educational stages and considered schools and universities in different areas. In this study, data collected from 24 classrooms in the winter and 1548 questionnaires were used to analyse all the educational stages in one region, thus minimising the possible bias associated with the climate zone, operation mode, and cultural adaptation. Hence, all differences in the perception of the thermal environment were likely to be due to only the educational stage. The results showed that adaptive capacities, such as clothing insulation and window operation, decrease at lower educational stages. Neutral, comfort and preferred temperatures are largely dependent on the educational stage and increase with it (e.g. 20.6, 21.7, 23.1, and 23.6 °C for primary school, middle school, high school, and university, respectively). Furthermore, a linear relationship between students’ age and neutral temperature was derived. These differences in thermal comfort expectations were reflected in the variable predictive capability of the predicted mean vote (the greatest difference between predicted and actual thermal sensations in primary school). Overall, this study provides evidence of the necessity for thermal comfort models that can capture variations depending on the educational stage.

Investigation on Thermal Comfort and Thermal Adaptive Behaviors of Rural Residents in Suibin Town, China, in Summer

With global warming, the climate is becoming hotter, even at higher latitudes. In order to clarify the thermal environment and thermal comfort level of rural residents at higher latitudes in summer, a field survey on thermal comfort was conducted in Suibin Town, China. The results show the following: (1) The correlation between the operative temperature and the mean thermal sensation score is stronger than that between the operative temperature and the thermal sensation score. Moreover, the applicability of the thermal comfort evaluation index of the operative temperature in severely cold areas was verified. The linear regression method showed that the neutral temperature is 25.1 °C and the thermal acceptable range is 22.5–27.6 °C. (2) There is a strong correlation between thermal sensation and thermal acceptability. (3) The preferred temperature in summer is 25.3 °C. Moreover, rural residents prefer cooler indoor temperatures in summer. (4) The clothing insulation of rural residents decreases with an increase in the indoor operative temperature. (5) Rural residents’ acceptance of the indoor temperature in summer is influenced by the economy, psychology, adaptive behaviors, etc. Moreover, rural residents expect cooler indoor temperatures in summer and will adapt to the thermal environment via low-cost adaptive behaviors.

Adverse Weather Impacts on Winter Wheat, Maize and Potato Yield Gaps in northern Belgium

Adverse weather conditions greatly reduce crop yields, leading to economic losses and lower food availability. The characterization of adverse weather and the quantification of their potential impact on arable farming is necessary to advise farmers on feasible and effective adaptation strategies and to support decision making in the agriculture sector. This research aims to analyze the impact of adverse weather on the yield of winter wheat, grain maize and late potato using a yield gap approach. A time-series analysis was performed to identify the relationship between (agro-)meteorological indicators and crop yields and yield gaps in Flanders (northern Belgium) based on 10 years of field trial and weather data. Indicators were calculated for different crop growth stages and multiple soils. Indicators related to high temperature, water deficit and water excess were analyzed, as the occurrence frequency and intensity of these weather events will most likely increase by 2030–2050. The concept of “yield gap” was used to analyze the effects of adverse weather in relation to other yield-reducing factors such as suboptimal management practices. Winter wheat preferred higher temperatures during grain filling and was negatively affected by wet conditions throughout the growing season. Maize was especially vulnerable to drought throughout the growing season. Potato was more affected by heat and drought stress during tuber bulking and by waterlogging during the early growth stages. The impact of adverse weather on crop yield was influenced by soil type, and optimal management practices mitigated the impact of adverse weather.

Global patterns and predictors of avian population density

AbstractAimHow population density varies across animal species in the context of environmental gradients, and associated migratory strategies, remains poorly understood. The recent influx of avian trait data and population density estimates allows these patterns to be described and explored in unprecedented detail. This study aims to identify the main macroecological drivers of population density in birds.LocationGlobal.Time period1970–2021.Major taxa studiedBirds (Aves).MethodsWe collated a dataset of 5072 local population density estimates for 1853 species and modelled population density as a function of trait and environmental predictors in a Bayesian framework accounting for phylogenetic and spatial autocorrelation. We explored the influence of body mass, diet, primary lifestyle, mating system, nesting behaviour, territoriality, and migratory behaviour on population density, accounting for a range of environmental variables, including preferred habitat type, primary productivity, precipitation and temperature. Based on this empirical baseline, we then predicted the mean population density for 9089 species of birds and estimated global geographic patterns of bird population density.ResultsPopulation density was lower in species with larger body mass and higher trophic levels, and also declined in territorial species, migratory species, brood parasites and species inhabiting resource‐poor habitat types (e.g., deserts). Conversely, population density increased in cooperative breeders. Environmental drivers were most influential for migratory birds, with precipitation and temperature both associated with higher population density. Overall, bird population densities were higher at lower latitudes.Main conclusionsOur results support previous findings on the role of body mass, diet and environmental gradients, but also reveal novel species‐specific drivers of avian densities related to reproduction, migration and resource‐holding behaviour. Substantial fine‐scale variation remains unexplained. We provide a global dataset of population density predictions for use in macroecological analyses and conservation assessments.

Sensitivity and preference of local airflows beneath garments with personalised temperatures and velocities

Microclimate ventilation under garment is one of the effective means to relieve heat stress of human body, while the sensitivity and preference of airflow at different body parts are not thoroughly studied. This study investigates the local airflow sensitivity of five body segments by a psychophysical method, whereby twelve subjects were stimulated by three temperatures of ventilation under garment (Tsk - 5 °C, Tsk, or Tsk + 5 °C, Tsk is the initial local skin temperature); at the front chest, upper back, lower back, front thigh, and back thigh areas. Airflow sensitivity was tested to enhance when the airflow became warmer or cooler than the Tsk, showing that human skin can recognise variations in airflow velocity with a difference threshold of 0.23 ± 0.06 m/s. The front chest was the least sensitive of all three airflow temperatures, while the back thigh was the most sensitive to cool airflow. Twelve subjects then underwent controllable local ventilation at 35 °C, RH 40%. The airflow preference, psychological and physiological responses, and energy consumption were analysed. The preferred airflow temperature was approximately 26 °C (25.7 ± 1.8–25.9 ± 1.4 °C), while the preferred airflow velocity had a large individual variation. The lower back should be primarily ventilated, obtaining comfort enhancement with an energy saving of 30–40% compared to others; the front chest or the upper back should be added for higher cooling demand. This study helps us to understand the characteristics of airflow sensitivity on localised skin and optimises the design of individual ventilation.

Zoogeographic Analysis of the Features of Temperature Preferences of Fish of the European Part of Russia

Zoogeographic Analysis of the Features of Temperature Preferences of Fish of the European Part of Russia

Kinetic Study for Janus Green Dye Adsorption from Aqueous Solutions Using Iraqi Bauxite Clay and its Composite

Clays are considered important natural materials in the field of water purification, including bauxite clay (BAU) and its prepared and activated composite (BAU/CMC-AC) with carboxymethyl cellulose polymer. The ad-sorbent surfaces are characterized by FTIR and XRD techniques. The adsorp-tion of green janus (JG) from an aqueous solution with bauxite and its compo-site were studied under the influence of different conditions of the weight and size of adsorbed surface particles, contact time and temperature. The results were found to be: contact time (90, 45) min for maximum quantity adsorbed of (JG) dye on bauxite and its composite respectively. The experimental data were tested on pseudo 1st- and 2nd-order kinetic models. It was shown to apply more with the pseudo-2nd order kinetic model for both adsorbents. It also showed that the highest removal percentage were (78%, 88.5 %) for the bauxite surface and its composite (BAU, BAU/CMC-AC) at the preferred temperature

Circadian rhythm of preferred temperature in fish: Behavioural thermoregulation linked to daily photocycles in zebrafish and Nile tilapia

Ectothermic vertebrates, e.g. fish, maintain their body temperature within a specific physiological range mainly through behavioural thermoregulation. Here, we characterise the presence of daily rhythms of thermal preference in two phylogenetically distant and well-studied fish species: the zebrafish (Danio rerio), an experimental model, and the Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), an aquaculture species. We created a non-continuous temperature gradient using multichambered tanks according to the natural environmental range for each species. Each species was allowed to freely choose their preferred temperature during the 24h cycle over a long-term period. Both species displayed strikingly consistent temporal daily rhythms of thermal preference with higher temperatures being selected during the second half of the light phase and lower temperatures at the end of the dark phase, with mean acrophases at Zeitgeber Time (ZT) 5.37 h (zebrafish) and ZT 12.5 h (tilapia). Interestingly, when moved to the experimental tank, only tilapia displayed consistent preference for higher temperatures and took longer time to establish the thermal rhythms. Our findings highlight the importance of integrating both light-driven daily rhythm and thermal choice to refine our understanding of fish biology and improve the management and welfare of the diversity of fish species used in research and food production.

Thermoregulatory behavior varies with altitude and season in the sceloporine mesquite lizard

In ectothermic animals, body temperature is the most important factor affecting physiology and behavior. Reptiles depend on environmental temperature to regulate their body temperature, so geographic variation in environmental temperature can affect the biology of these organisms in the short and long term. We may expect physiological and behavioral responses to temperature change to be especially important in ectotherms inhabiting temperate zones, where different seasons present different thermal challenges. High-mountain temperate systems represent a natural laboratory for studies of evolutionary and plastic variation in thermal biology. The aim of the present study is to evaluate operative temperature with biophysical models, active body temperature under field conditions, preferred temperature in a thermal gradient in the laboratory, and thermal indexes in Sceloporus grammicus lizards along an elevational gradient. We measured these traits in three populations at 2500, 3400, and 4100 m elevation at different seasons of the year (spring, summer and autumn). Our results showed that operative temperature varied with season and elevation, with greater variation at middle and high elevations than at low elevations. Body temperature and preferred temperature varied with altitude and season but did not differ between sexes. Thermal quality was lowest in the high-altitude population and in the summer season. Thermoregulatory efficiency was highest in the three populations in the autumn. Our results suggest that thermoregulatory strategies vary with elevation and season, allowing individual lizards to confront annual fluctuations in the thermal environment and conflicting with some previous descriptions of Sceloporus lizards as thermally conservative.

Comparative Analysis of Comfort Temperature of School Children and Their Teachers

Thermal comfort in learning environments influences the student’s focus and learning productivity. This study aims to evaluate and compare the adaptive thermal comfort of schoolchildren and their teachers in naturally ventilated primary schools in some selected cities in Imo State Nigeria. To achieve these objectives, the study analyzed the data collected from 330 pupils and 44 teachers in six surveyed classrooms in two types of classroom buildings. The recorded data in the surveyed classrooms consisted of four environmental factors and two personal factors. At the same time, the subjects filled out the questionnaires asking them about thermal sensation and thermal preferences against the classrooms’ thermal requirements. The results of the measurements showed that the indoor mean air temperature, relative humidity, and air velocity were 29.1°C, 71.2%, and 0.19m/s, respectively. The mean thermal sensation votes of the children were +0.16 while that of their teachers was +0.58. The preferred temperatures were 27.4°C and 29.4°C for the schoolchildren and the teachers, respectively. Furthermore, the comfort range of the students was between 25.8°C - 31.6°C, and that of the teachers was between 28.0°C - 29.9°C. Based on the results of this study conducted in primary school buildings located in warm and humid climates, the thermal comfort perception of children and adults differ. This information will serve as a guide to professionals in the built environment, especially architects when designing primary school buildings in the warm and humid climates.

Human thermal physiological response of wearing personal protective equipment: An educational building semi-open space experimental investigation

With the outbreak and spread of the COVID-19 epidemic, HCWs are frequently required to wear personal protective equipment (PPE) for nucleic acid sample collection in semi-open transition spaces. Wearing PPE causes significant psychological and physical stress in HCWs. In this study, operative temperature (Top) and wet-bulb globe temperature (WBGT) were used to assess thermal conditions through field experiments, while multiple physiological parameters were measured in the subjects. The results indicated that the subjects showed statistically significant differences in thermal perception and physiological parameters with and without PPE. Using observed increases in heart rate (HR), auditory canal temperature (Tac), mean skin temperature (MST), and end-tidal CO2 pressure, subjects were shown to have an increased metabolic rate and heat storage while wearing PPE. Additionally, a decrease in oxygen concentration was also observed, and this decrease may be linked to fatigue and cognitive impairment. Moreover, HR, MST, and Tac showed a significant linear relationship, which increased with temperature and operative temperature, and the HR response was stronger with PPE than without PPE. The neutral, preferred, and acceptable temperatures were significantly lower with PPE than without PPE, and the deviations for neutral Top/WBGT were 9.5/7.1 °C and preferred Top/WBGT was 2.2/4.0 °C, respectively. Moreover, the upper limits of acceptable WBGT, 29.4 °C with PPE and 20.4 °C without PPE, differed significantly between the two phases. Furthermore, the recorded physiological parameter responses and thermal perception responses of the subjects while wearing PPE indicated that they were at risk of thermal stress. Overall, these results suggest that people who wear PPE should focus on their health and thermal stress. This study provides a reference for the development of strategies to counteract heat stress and improve thermal comfort.

Thermal comfort chamber study of Nordic elderly people with local cooling devices in warm conditions

In this study, we investigated the thermal response of Nordic elderly people before and after using local cooling devices in warm conditions. A climate chamber was used to simulate warm environments. We studied three types of local cooling devices: a table fan, an evaporative cooling device, and an air-cooled jacket. A total of 26 elderly participants were recruited for this study. During the experiments, votes of thermal and air movement perception were collected. The elderly voted for a neutral temperature of 26 °C, preferred temperature of 26.5 °C, and an acceptable temperature of 28 °C. Local thermal sensation in the torso areas of the elderly affected their overall thermal sensation more than local thermal sensation in the extremities under warm conditions. When the ambient temperature was risen to 1 °C and 4 °C higher than 26 °C, the behavior pattern of using local cooling devices for the elderly was: 1) with the small rise the use rate reached 50% with the lower speed modes mainly chosen; and 2) the higher rise caused more people to choose higher speed modes. Our findings show that the three local cooling devices can increase thermal acceptability under warm conditions. More than 80% of elderly accepted the 28 °C thermal environment, and less than 80% accepted 32 °C. The acceptance rate for air movement after using devices was decreased and less than 80% in most conditions. Moreover, all devices performed better under low-humidity conditions.

Climate drives global functional trait variation in lizards.

A major challenge in ecology and evolution is to disentangle the mechanisms driving broad-scale variation in biological traits such as body size, colour, thermal physiology traits and behaviour. Climate has long been thought to drive trait evolution and abiotic filtering of trait variation in ectotherms because their thermal performance and fitness are closely related to environmental conditions. However, previous studies investigating climatic variables associated with trait variation have lacked a mechanistic description of the underpinning processes. Here, we use a mechanistic model to predict how climate affects thermal performance of ectotherms and thereby the direction and strength of the effect of selection on different functional traits. We show that climate drives macro-evolutionary patterns in body size, cold tolerance and preferred body temperatures among lizards, and that trait variation is more constrained in regions where selection is predicted to be stronger. These findings provide a mechanistic explanation for observations on how climate drives trait variation in ectotherms through its effect on thermal performance. By connecting physical, physiological and macro-evolutionary principles, the model and results provide an integrative, mechanistic framework for predicting organismal responses to present climates and climate change.

The Relative Stability of Planktic Foraminifer Thermal Preferences over the Past 3 Million Years

Stationarity of species’ ecological tolerances is a first-order assumption of paleoenvironmental reconstruction based upon analog methods. To test this and other assumptions used in quantitative analysis of foraminiferal faunas for paleoceanographic reconstruction, we analyzed paired alkenone unsaturation ratio (U37K′) sea surface temperature (SST) estimates and relative abundances of planktic foraminifera within Late Pliocene assemblages. We established Pliocene temperature preferences for nine species in the North Atlantic: Dentoglobigerina altispira, Globorotalia menardii, Globoconella puncticulata, Neogloboquadrina atlantica, Neogloboquadrina incompta, Neogloboquadrina pachyderma, Trilobatus sacculifer, Globigerinita glutinata, and Globigerina bulloides. We compared these to the temperature preferences of the same extant species, and in the three cases where the species are now extinct (Dentoglobigerina altispira, Neogloboquadrina atlantica, and Globoconella puncticulata), comparisons were made to either the descendant species or other modern species commonly used as analogs. In general, the taxa tested show similar temperature responses in both Late Pliocene and present-day (core-top) distributions. The data from these comparisons are mostly encouraging, supporting past paleoceanographic conclusions, and are otherwise valuable for testing previous taxonomic grouping decisions that are often necessary for interpreting the paleoenvironment based upon Pliocene foraminiferal assemblages.

Some like it hotter: Differential thermal preferences among lizard color morphs

Temperature rules the lives of ectotherms. To perform basic biological functions, ectotherms must make behavioral adjustments to keep their body temperatures near a preferred temperature (Tpref). Many color polymorphic lizards are active thermoregulators and exhibit morph differences in traits related to thermoregulation, such as color, body size, and microhabitat use. The Aegean wall lizard, Podarcis erhardii, is a heliothermic lizard with orange, white, and yellow color morphs that differ in size, behavior, and microhabitat use. Here, we tested whether P. erhardii color morphs from the same population from Naxos island, Greece, differ in Tpref. We hypothesized that orange morphs would prefer lower temperatures than white and yellow morphs because orange morphs are often found on cooler substrates and in microhabitats with more vegetation cover. We obtained Tpref for 95 individuals using laboratory thermal gradient experiments of wild-caught lizards and found that orange morphs do, indeed, prefer cooler temperatures. Average orange morph Tpref was 2.85 °C lower than average white and yellow morph Tpref. Our results add support to the idea that P. erhardii color morphs have multivariate alternative phenotypes and present the possibility that thermally heterogeneous environments play a role in the maintenance of color polymorphism in this species.

Zoogeographic Analysis of the Features of Temperature Preferences of Fish of the European Part of Russia

Analyzes of temperature preferences of fish and cyclostomes 54 species, inhabiting fresh water bodies of the European part of Russia are presented. It is shown that the main temperature criteria of the fundamental ecological niche (optimum, limits, and spawning temperatures) cannot be used as a clear sign of the species attribution to a particular faunistic complex. Nevertheless, these criteria are, apparently, a certain reflection of the climatic conditions in time of the species origin and development. Among the studied fish and cyclostomes, two separate groups of “northern” cold-water and “southern” warm-water species are identified. Their presence results from the historical features of the ichthyofauna formation in the region. The outlined in recent decades climatic trend towards an increase in water temperature probably favors the spread of the southern group representatives to the north, which can lead to further restructuring of competitive relations in fish populations and cause changes in the boundaries of their ranges.

Trade-off between thermal preference and sperm maturation in a montane lizard

Temperature is a key abiotic factor that influences performance of several physiological traits in ectotherms. Organisms regulate their body temperature within a range of temperatures to enhance physiological function. The capacity of ectotherms, such as lizards, to maintain their body temperature within their preferred range influences physiological traits such as speed, various reproductive patterns, and critical fitness components, such as growth rates or survival. Here, we evaluate the influence of temperature on locomotor performance, sperm morphology and viability in a high elevation lizard species (Sceloporus aeneus). Whereas maximal values for sprint speed coincides with field active and preferred body temperature, short-term exposure at the same range of temperatures produces abnormalities in sperm morphology, lower sperm concentration and diminishes sperm motility and viability. In conclusion, we confirmed that although locomotor performance is maximized at preferred temperatures, there is a trade-off with male reproductive attributes, which may cause infertility. As a consequence, prolonged exposure to preferred temperatures could threaten the persistence of the species through reduced fertility. Persistence of the species is favored in environments with access to cooler, thermal microhabitats that enhance reproductive parameters.