Thermal physiological performance of two freshwater turtles acclimated to different temperatures

• Published in: Journal of comparative physiology. B, Biochemical, systemic, and environmental physiology Biochemical, systemic, and environmental physiology, 2019-02, Vol.189 (1), p.121-130
• Main Authors: Dang, Wei, Hu, Ying-Chao, Geng, Jun, Wang, Jie, Lu, Hong-Liang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acclimation; Acclimatization; Animal Physiology; Animals; Biochemistry; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Fresh Water; High temperature; Human Physiology; Introduced species; Invasive species; Juveniles; Latitude; Life Sciences; Low temperature; Mauremys reevesii; Original Paper; Physiology; Plastic properties; Plasticity; Range extension; Swimming; Swimming - physiology; Temperature; Temperature effects; Temperature tolerance; Thermal stress; Thermotolerance; Trachemys scripta elegans; Turtles; Turtles - physiology; Zoology
• ISSN: 0174-1578; 1432-136X
• DOI: 10.1007/s00360-018-1194-x

The thermal physiological performance of invasive species may play a crucial role in determining their invasion success. In this study, we acclimated two cohorts of hatchlings of freshwater turtles (native Mauremys reevesii and invasive Trachemys scripta elegans ) from low and high-latitude collection sites, respectively, to different thermal conditions (20 and 30 °C) for 4 weeks, and then compared their thermal tolerance and locomotor performance. T. scripta elegans hatchlings could swim faster (but righted themselves more slowly), and tolerate a higher temperature and wider temperature range than M. reevesii hatchlings. Similarly, T. scripta elegans hatchlings had a greater maximal performance ( P max ) value for swimming speed (but a lower P max value for righting time) than M. reevesii hatchlings. Temperature acclimation had a significant impact on the thermal tolerance and locomotor ability of turtles, but the acclimation effect did not differ between the two species. T. scripta elegans hatchlings seemed to have a greater thermal plasticity than M. reevesii hatchlings. High-latitude individuals showed a greater low-temperature tolerance, but lower locomotor ability (longer righting time) than low-latitude ones. However, the thermal plasticity did not differ between latitudinal cohorts. Our results indicated that T. scripta elegans performed better than M. reevesii , which might contribute to its range expansion and invasive success.