Literaturdatenbank
Literaturdatenbank |
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Costanzo, J. P., Litzgus, J. D., Iverson, J. B., & Lee, R. E. (2001). Cold-hardiness and evaporative water loss in hatchling turtles. Physiological and Biochemical Zoology, 74(4), 510–519.
Added by: Admin (17 Aug 2008 17:23:45 UTC) |
| Resource type: Journal Article BibTeX citation key: Costanzo2001 View all bibliographic details  |
Categories: General Keywords: Chelydra, Chelydra serpentina, Chelydridae, Chrysemys, Chrysemys picta, Emydidae, Habitat = habitat, Kinosternidae, Kinosternon, Kinosternon flavescens, Nordamerika = North America, Physiologie = physiology, Schildkröten = turtles + tortoises, Sternotherus, Sternotherus carinatus, Sternotherus odoratus, Terrapene, Terrapene ornata, Trachemys, Trachemys ornata, Trachemys scripta, Trachemys terrapen, Zeitigung = incubation Creators: Costanzo, Iverson, Lee, Litzgus Collection: Physiological and Biochemical Zoology |
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| Abstract |
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North American turtles hatch in late summer and spend their first winter either on land or underwater. Adaptations for terrestrial overwintering of hatchlings in northern regions, where winter thermal and hydric regimes are harsh, have not been systematically investigated in many species. We measured intrinsic supercooling capacity, resistance to inoculative freezing, and desiccation resistance in hatchlings of terrestrial and aquatic turtles collected from northern (Terrapene ornata, Chrysemys picta bellii, Kinosternon flavescens, Chelydra serpentina) and southern (Chrysemys picta dorsalis, Trachemys scripta, Sternotherus odoratus, Sternotherus carinatus) locales. Supercooling capacity was estimated from the crystallization temperature of turtles cooled in the absence of external ice nuclei. Mean values ranged from -8.1 degrees to -15.5 degrees C and tended to be lower in terrestrial hibernators. Inoculation resistance was estimated from the crystallization temperature of turtles cooled in a matrix of frozen soil. These values (range of means: -0.8 degrees to -13.6 degrees C) also tended to be lower in the terrestrial hibernators, especially C. picta bellii. Mean rates of evaporative water loss varied markedly among the species (0.9-11.4 mg g(-1) d(-1)) and were lowest in the terrestrial hibernators. Most species tolerated the loss of a modest amount of body water, although half of the sample of S. carinatus died from desiccation. In general, turtles did not regain lost body water from wet soil, and immersion in free water was required for rehydration. Therefore, desiccation resistance may be an important adaptation to terrestrial hibernation. Resistances to inoculative freezing and desiccation were directly correlated, perhaps because they are governed by the same morphological characteristics.
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