Ingested Energy Differs between Populations of the ToadBufo bankorensisfrom Different Altitudes

• Published in: Physiological and biochemical zoology 2008-01, Vol.81 (1), p.54-62
• Main Authors: Wei, Hsin‐Lin, Hou, Ping‐Chun Lucy
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Altitude; Feces; Food intake; Highlands; Least squares; Low temperature; Lowlands; Summer; Toads; Winter
• ISSN: 1522-2152; 1537-5293
• DOI: 10.1086/522903

We measured ingested energy (E i) and apparent digestibility efficiency (ADE) in two populations ofBufo bankorensisfrom different altitudes at three temperatures and during two seasons to test the hypothesis that the optimal temperature range (T opt) forE iand ADE has shifted to the lower range in highland toads and winter toads. TheT optforE iwas 22°C for the lowland and highland toads and did not vary between seasons, thus falsifying the hypothesis. ADE of the toads was 96%–99% at 15°–30°C, and there was no difference between populations or seasons. Furthermore, when fed with fast‐moving prey, the toads from both altitudes had similarly lowE iat 15°C; when fed with slow‐moving prey, the highland toads increasedE iat 15°C, but the lowland toads did not. These results suggest that the toads from different altitudes had different appetites, even though their feeding locomotion was hampered in both populations at low temperatures.