Artículo
Thermal tolerance does not explain the altitudinal segregation of lowland and alpine aquatic insects
Autor/es | Carbonell Hernández, José Antonio
Pallarés Párraga, Susana Velasco J. Millán A. Abellán Ródenas, Pedro |
Departamento | Universidad de Sevilla. Departamento de Zoología |
Fecha de publicación | 2024-04 |
Fecha de depósito | 2024-06-19 |
Publicado en |
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Resumen | Elevation gradients provide powerful study systems for examining the influence of environmental filters in shaping species assemblages. High-mountain habitats host specific high-elevation assemblages, often comprising ... Elevation gradients provide powerful study systems for examining the influence of environmental filters in shaping species assemblages. High-mountain habitats host specific high-elevation assemblages, often comprising specialist species adapted to endure pronounced abiotic stress, while such harsh conditions prevent lowland species from colonizing or establishing. While thermal tolerance may drive the altitudinal segregation of ectotherms, its role in structuring aquatic insect communities remains poorly explored. This study investigates the role of thermal physiology in shaping the current distribution of high-mountain diving beetles from the Sierra Nevada Iberian mountain range and closely related lowland species. Cold tolerance of five species from each altitudinal zone was measured estimating the supercooling point (SCP), lower lethal temperature (LLT) and tolerance to ice enclosure, while heat tolerance was assessed from the heat coma temperature (HCT). Alpine species exhibited wider fundamental thermal niches than lowland species, likely associated with the broader range of climatic conditions in high-mountain areas. Cold tolerance did not seem to prevent lowland species from colonizing higher elevations, as most studied species were moderately freeze-tolerant. Therefore, fundamental thermal niches seem not to fully explain species segregation along elevation gradients, suggesting that other thermal tolerance traits, environmental factors, and biotic interactions may also play important roles. |
Agencias financiadoras | Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (MICIN). España Ministerio de Universidades. España |
Identificador del proyecto | PID 2019-108895 GB-I00
19868 |
Cita | Carbonell Hernández, J.A., Pallarés Párraga, S., Velasco J., , Millán A., y Abellán Ródenas, P. (2024). Thermal tolerance does not explain the altitudinal segregation of lowland and alpine aquatic insects. Journal of Thermal Biology, 121, 103862. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtherbio.2024.103862. |
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Thermal tolerance.pdf | 4.579Mb | [PDF] | Ver/ | Versión publicada |