Summary
Lacerta viridis maintained under natural photoperiodic conditions show daily and seasonal changes in metabolic rates and body temperature (T b) as well as seasonal differences in sensitivity to temperature change. At all times of the year lizards have a daily fluctuation in oxygen consumption, with higher metabolic rates during the light phase of the day when tested at a constant ambient temperature (T a) of 30°C. Rhythmicity of metabolic rate persists under constant darkness, but there is a decrease in the amplitude of the rhythm.
Oxygen consumption measured at various Tas shows significant seasonal differences at T as above 20°C. Expressed as the Arrhenius activation energy, metabolic sensitivity of Lacerta viridis shows temperature dependence in autumn, which changes to metabolic temperature independence in spring at T as above 20°C. The results indicate a synergic relationship between changing photoperiod and body temperature selection, resulting in seasonal metabolic adjustment and seasonal adaptation.
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Abbreviations
- ANOVA :
-
analysis of variance
- LD :
-
long day (16 h light)
- SD :
-
short day (8 h light)
- T a :
-
ambient temperature
- T b :
-
body temperature
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Rismiller, P.D., Heldmaier, G. Seasonal changes in daily metabolic patterns of Lacerta viridis . J Comp Physiol B 161, 482–488 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00257903
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00257903