Tropical Ectotherms in Peril!: Part 3: Range Shifts

An Original picture that diagrams a simplified version of the conundrum faced by ectotherms. Note: Range shifts are often not feasible and finding more microhabitats increases metabolic demand. Left Box-> Left Lizard: It's just too hot up there Fred. Fred: No, I'm not staying here with you. Right Box-->Fred's decision

If air temperatures increase to degrees which remove the availability of microhabitats and the effectiveness of other forms of active thermoregulation very few options are available to enable a species to survive. Loarie et al (10) map the rate of temperature changes across the globe comparing present temperatures to projected 2100's. Loarie et al also show that certain biomes show greater response to temperature increases. This is because geographical features. When a desert undergoes a temperature increase the temperature spreads rapidly through the entire desert while in montane regions this is not as simple. Easily affected biomes thus have greater velocity of climate change.

(10)

Tropical and subtropical broadleaf forests have a high velocity(10) and this is troublesome for the vast number of ectotherms in these biomes. The range of species can shift with these temperatures. When warming occurs in montane regions species can change elevation to stay within thermally favorable temperatures. Other terrestrial species can do the same by increasing their latitude. The ability of an organism to change its range varies from species to species (1).

This produces a predicament for T. torautus and other ectotherms. With narrow thermal tolerances they must keep up with the velocity of temperature change in order to survive. This is not always possible and it varies from species to species. The whole community will not be fast enough to track the velocity and so community disassembly (12) takes place. This can create trophic mismatches and innumerable other complications to species survival.

6 comments:

McKennaNovember 3, 2012 at 4:57 PM
You should talk about species similar to the lizards and how it has affected them and how that model could be applied to T. torautus.
McKennaNovember 3, 2012 at 4:59 PM
Also, if that is your figure at the top of page, you should label it and explain it so your audience can understand.
S. PaineNovember 6, 2012 at 7:37 PM
Again great use of integrating your research into your commentary. I agree with Mckenna, you need to at least caption your figure and state that it is yours, and even more you might want to talk a little bit about your figure to your audience, since not everyone viewing your blog will understand your topics.
AnonymousNovember 8, 2012 at 5:48 PM
Your information is clear, but I think this blog might be more effective if you focus specifically on the T. torautus. The broad explanations are very interesting and easy to follow, but jumping between broad statements and then a few lines about T. torautus makes it a little hard to put the two together.
AnonymousNovember 12, 2012 at 2:41 PM
Good detail on range shifts, but you only mention the T. torautus once at the end in a catch all phrase. You say that impacts vary on species, this provides a nice segue where you can add 1-2 sentences of what might happen to the T. torautus.
GMercierNovember 15, 2012 at 5:11 PM
I think this is your best page but again i would like more about your lizard. You could talk about the particular micro habitats they inhabit and the conditions they need or something else that gives the reader a better picture of your subject and the challenges they face.