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Thesis
Thermal tolerances and preferences of adolescent Louisiana alligators (Alligator mississippiensis)
University of West Florida,
Master of Science (MS), University of West Florida
2021
Abstract
With global temperatures achieving new extremes each year, it is not immediately clear the effect these temperatures will have on American alligators (Alligator mississippiensis). Thermal tolerances have been estimated on American alligators before, but a full thermal niche has never been determined. An eccritic temperature, thermal preference, has been estimated for alligators, but results have varied. I used standardized thermal methodologies to estimate acclimation ranges, upper and lower acclimation response ratios, thermal niche areas, and the eccritic temperature in adolescent alligators. Alligators had an upper chronic limit of 39.1°C and a lower chronic limit of 16.2°C. Alligators exhibited a larger gained cold tolerance zone in their niche than anticipated at 131.6°C 2 and an intrinsic tolerance and gained heat tolerance zones of 509.7°C 2 and 61.4°C 2 , respectively. Cold acclimation response ratio was roughly twice that of the heat response, with alligators losing or gaining 0.5°C or 0.2°C heat tolerance per every 1°C change in acclimation temperature. Alligators expressed an eccritic temperature of 32°C with little variation between animals. Evidence suggested there is an undescribed physiological process that allows alligators to acclimatize to lower temperatures. Comparing thermal niche and eccritic temperature data to temperature trends in alligator's natural habitat suggested that alligators could be affected by changing temperatures.
Details
- Title
- Thermal tolerances and preferences of adolescent Louisiana alligators (Alligator mississippiensis)
- Resource Type
- Thesis
- Publisher
- University of West Florida,; [Pensacola, Florida] :
- Format
- text;electronic resource;remote;computer;online resource
- Number of pages
- 1 online resource (viii, 35 leaves : charts )
- Identifiers
- 99380090739806600
- Academic Unit
- Biology
- Language
- English
- Awarding Institution
- University of West Florida; Master of Science (MS)
- Theses and Dissertations
- Master of Science (MS), University of West Florida