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A simple and dynamic thermal gradient device for measuring thermal performance in small ectotherms

The body temperature of ectothermic animals is heavily dependent on environmental temperature, impacting fitness. Laboratory exposure to favorable and unfavorable temperatures is used to understand these effects, as well as the physiological, biochemical, and molecular underpinnings of variation in...

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Autores principales: Ritchie, Marshall W., Dawson, Jeff W., MacMillan, Heath A.
Formato: Online Artículo Texto
Lenguaje:English
Publicado: Elsevier 2020
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9387499/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/36003593
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cris.2020.100005
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author Ritchie, Marshall W.
Dawson, Jeff W.
MacMillan, Heath A.
author_facet Ritchie, Marshall W.
Dawson, Jeff W.
MacMillan, Heath A.
author_sort Ritchie, Marshall W.
collection PubMed
description The body temperature of ectothermic animals is heavily dependent on environmental temperature, impacting fitness. Laboratory exposure to favorable and unfavorable temperatures is used to understand these effects, as well as the physiological, biochemical, and molecular underpinnings of variation in thermal performance. Although small ectotherms, like insects, can often be easily reared in large numbers, it can be challenging and expensive to simultaneously create and manipulate several thermal environments in a laboratory setting. Here, we describe the creation and use of a thermal gradient device that can produce a wide range of constant or varying temperatures concurrently. Conservatively, this system as designed can operate between -6 °C and 40 °C. This device is composed of a solid aluminum plate and copper piping, combined with a pair of refrigerated circulators. As a simple proof-of-concept, we completed single experimental runs to produce a low-temperature survival curve for flies (Drosophila melanogaster) and explore the effects of daily thermal cycles of varying amplitude on growth rates of crickets (Gryllodes sigillatus). This approach avoids the use of multiple heating/cooling water or glycol baths or incubators for large-scale assessments of organismal thermal performance. It makes static or dynamic thermal experiments (e.g., creating a thermal performance or survival curves, quantifying responses to fluctuating thermal environments, or monitoring animal behavior across a range of temperatures) easier, faster, and less costly.
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spelling pubmed-93874992022-08-23 A simple and dynamic thermal gradient device for measuring thermal performance in small ectotherms Ritchie, Marshall W. Dawson, Jeff W. MacMillan, Heath A. Curr Res Insect Sci Method Report The body temperature of ectothermic animals is heavily dependent on environmental temperature, impacting fitness. Laboratory exposure to favorable and unfavorable temperatures is used to understand these effects, as well as the physiological, biochemical, and molecular underpinnings of variation in thermal performance. Although small ectotherms, like insects, can often be easily reared in large numbers, it can be challenging and expensive to simultaneously create and manipulate several thermal environments in a laboratory setting. Here, we describe the creation and use of a thermal gradient device that can produce a wide range of constant or varying temperatures concurrently. Conservatively, this system as designed can operate between -6 °C and 40 °C. This device is composed of a solid aluminum plate and copper piping, combined with a pair of refrigerated circulators. As a simple proof-of-concept, we completed single experimental runs to produce a low-temperature survival curve for flies (Drosophila melanogaster) and explore the effects of daily thermal cycles of varying amplitude on growth rates of crickets (Gryllodes sigillatus). This approach avoids the use of multiple heating/cooling water or glycol baths or incubators for large-scale assessments of organismal thermal performance. It makes static or dynamic thermal experiments (e.g., creating a thermal performance or survival curves, quantifying responses to fluctuating thermal environments, or monitoring animal behavior across a range of temperatures) easier, faster, and less costly. Elsevier 2020-12-05 /pmc/articles/PMC9387499/ /pubmed/36003593 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cris.2020.100005 Text en © 2020 The Author(s) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
spellingShingle Method Report
Ritchie, Marshall W.
Dawson, Jeff W.
MacMillan, Heath A.
A simple and dynamic thermal gradient device for measuring thermal performance in small ectotherms
title A simple and dynamic thermal gradient device for measuring thermal performance in small ectotherms
title_full A simple and dynamic thermal gradient device for measuring thermal performance in small ectotherms
title_fullStr A simple and dynamic thermal gradient device for measuring thermal performance in small ectotherms
title_full_unstemmed A simple and dynamic thermal gradient device for measuring thermal performance in small ectotherms
title_short A simple and dynamic thermal gradient device for measuring thermal performance in small ectotherms
title_sort simple and dynamic thermal gradient device for measuring thermal performance in small ectotherms
topic Method Report
url https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9387499/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/36003593
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cris.2020.100005
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