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Global analysis of thermal tolerance and latitude in ectotherms
Citation
Sunday, JM and Bates, AE and Dulvy, NK, Global analysis of thermal tolerance and latitude in ectotherms, Proceedings of The Royal Society B, 278, (1713) pp. 1823-1830. ISSN 1471-2954 (2010) [Refereed Article]
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Copyright Statement
Copyright 2010 The Royal Society
DOI: doi:10.1098/rspb.2010.1295
Abstract
A tenet of macroecology is that physiological processes of organisms are linked to large-scale geographical
patterns in environmental conditions. Species at higher latitudes experience greater seasonal temperature
variation and are consequently predicted to withstand greater temperature extremes. We tested for
relationships between breadths of thermal tolerance in ectothermic animals and the latitude of specimen
location using all available data, while accounting for habitat, hemisphere, methodological differences and
taxonomic affinity. We found that thermal tolerance breadths generally increase with latitude, but at a
greater rate in the Northern Hemisphere. In terrestrial ectotherms, upper thermal limits vary little
while lower thermal limits decrease with latitude. By contrast, marine species display a coherent poleward
decrease in both upper and lower thermal limits. Our findings provide comprehensive global support for
hypotheses generated from studies at smaller taxonomic subsets and geographical scales. Our results
further indicate differences between terrestrial and marine ectotherms in how thermal physiology
varies with latitude that may relate to the degree of temperature variability experienced on land and in
the ocean.
Item Details
Item Type: | Refereed Article |
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Keywords: | macroecology; macrophysiology; thermal tolerance breadth; latitude; thermal niche; climate variability hypothesis |
Research Division: | Environmental Sciences |
Research Group: | Climate change impacts and adaptation |
Research Field: | Ecological impacts of climate change and ecological adaptation |
Objective Division: | Environmental Management |
Objective Group: | Marine systems and management |
Objective Field: | Marine biodiversity |
UTAS Author: | Bates, AE (Dr Amanda Bates) |
ID Code: | 76439 |
Year Published: | 2010 |
Web of Science® Times Cited: | 765 |
Deposited By: | Sustainable Marine Research Collaboration |
Deposited On: | 2012-03-06 |
Last Modified: | 2012-07-03 |
Downloads: | 0 |
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