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Thermal Tolerance in Aquatic Insects

Thermal Tolerance in Aquatic Insects. Alisha A. Shah Fall 2013. What is thermal tolerance?. Ability to withstand a certain range of temperatures Survive, grow, reproduce. B. tricaudatus : http://www.pbase.com/image/111965345. Inside the organism.

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Thermal Tolerance in Aquatic Insects

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  1. Thermal Tolerance in Aquatic Insects Alisha A. Shah Fall 2013

  2. What is thermal tolerance? • Ability to withstand a certain range of temperatures • Survive, grow, reproduce B. tricaudatus: http://www.pbase.com/image/111965345

  3. Inside the organism • Temperature governs metabolic activity (energy) • Enzymes catalyze biochemical reactions best at certain temperatures 15oC

  4. Theoretical thermal tolerance curve TOPT Breadth Metabolic Rate / Respiration Rate Critical thermal max Death Temperature

  5. In an ecological context.. • How do we predict thermal tolerance will vary across a landscape? • In colder environments TOPT and CTMAX should be lower than in warmer environments.

  6. Testing our prediction • Thermal optimum (TOPT) • Unisensemicrorespirometer (very new technology!!) • Test how respiration rate (= metabolic rate) changes with temperature to construct a curve • Compare TOPT for a population from a “colder” environment vs. “warmer” environment Temperature

  7. Testing our prediction • Critical thermal maximum (CTMAX) • Document behavioral change as temperature changes • Loss of locomotor control (but not death!) Temperature

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