10.5061/DRYAD.612JM6401
Vinu Salachan, Paul
0000-0002-8179-5989
Aarhus University
Sørensen, Jesper
Aarhus University
MacLean, Heidi
Aarhus University
What can physiological capacity and behavioral choice tell us about
thermal adaptation?
Dryad
dataset
2019
2020-10-28T00:00:00Z
2020-10-28T00:00:00Z
en
173683 bytes
3
CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) Public Domain Dedication
To date, behavioral responses and their role for thermal adaptation have
been largely overlooked in small ectotherms. Here, we measure reproductive
output using four adult acclimation temperatures in Drosophila
melanogaster and quantify egg-laying at restricted temperatures (thermal
capacity) and across a thermal gradient (thermal preference). We
demonstrate that different conclusions about insect responses to changing
environmental temperatures can be drawn based on whether individuals were
temperature restricted or were allowed a behavioral choice of temperature.
When measuring physiological capacity at forced temperatures, we find an
acclimation response to increasing temperatures. In contrast, when
measuring behavioral choice, we find limited variation in thermal
preference regardless of the acclimation temperature. Even though flies
are physiologically capable of increased performance at higher
temperatures, these benefits may not be realized in heterogeneous
environments. Our data serve as an example as to why it is important to
understand how behavior and physiology contribute to thermal biology and
ultimately the ecology of organisms. To do this, we should consider the
behavioral avenues available to the organism when estimating ecologically
relevant fitness consequences in varying thermal environments