Literaturdatenbank
Literaturdatenbank |
|
 |
|
Loehr, V. J. T. (2012). High body temperatures in an arid, winter-rainfall environment: thermal biology of the smallest tortoise. Journal of Arid Environments, 82, 123–129.
Added by: Sarina Wunderlich (30 Jun 2012 22:01:16 UTC) |
| Resource type: Journal Article BibTeX citation key: Loehr2012 View all bibliographic details  |
Categories: General Keywords: Habitat = habitat, Homopus signatus, Schildkröten = turtles + tortoises, Südafrika = Southern Africa Creators: Loehr Collection: Journal of Arid Environments |
Views: 1/498
Views index: 11% Popularity index: 2.75% |
| Abstract |
|
Testudinidae Homopus Herbivorous tortoises in arid, winter-rainfall regions need to forage in seasons that provide relatively little heat for their ectothermic metabolism. To help understand how tortoises exploit resources in winter-rainfall areas, I recorded ambient, soil, and body temperatures for Homopus signatus in four spring seasons, and in one summer, autumn, and winter. The spring thermal environment enabled H. signatus to maintain body temperatures that were high compared to other small tortoise species. Mature females had higher spring body temperatures than males and immature individuals, probably because mature females were developing eggs. In summer, autumn, and winter, body temperatures differed between males and females, relating to sexually different activities and retreat uses. The relatively high body temperatures of H. signatus in winter and spring, along with a non-isometric relationship between body temperature and soil temperature, suggest that tortoises thermoregulated and may need considerable time to gain heat. Additional studies should compare body temperatures of H. signatus to operative temperatures, and determine the vulnerability of the taxon to human interferences that affect behavioural time budgets and body temperatures.
Added by: Sarina Wunderlich |