Differential thermal acclimation of metabolic rate in two populations of the New Zealand common geckoHoplodactylus maculatus (Reptilia: Gekkonidae)
✍ Scribed by Tocher, Mandy D.; Davison, William
- Publisher
- John Wiley and Sons
- Year
- 1996
- Tongue
- English
- Weight
- 617 KB
- Volume
- 275
- Category
- Article
- ISSN
- 0022-104X
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✦ Synopsis
Sta:ndard metabolic rate (SMR) was determined for populations of the New Zealand common gecko (HopZoductyZus macuZatus) from warm (sea level) and cool (alpine) climates following acclimation to 5°C or 25°C. After 5°C acclimation for 1 month and 4 months the relationship between oxyen consumption and ambient temperature (R-T curve) of Craigieburn geckos (cool climate) was elevated with respect to the Banks Peninsula population, giving a higher metabolic rate at any test temperature, but after 25°C acclimation the R-T curve was lowered. The 5°C acclimation produced a two-phase response in Craigieburn geckos: first, after 1 month acclimation, metabolic rate was elevated, and second, after longer-term 5°C acclimation, i.e., 5°C for 4 months, metabolic rate was lowered below initial levels. This greater metabolic plasticity of SMR exhibited by Craigieburn geckos compared with their warm climate counterparts was interpreted as a cool climate metabolic coping strategy.