Interactive influence of intrinsic and extrinsic factors on stygofauna metabolic rate.

ABSTRACT: Metabolic rate is a key physiological trait shaping ecological and evolutionary processes, yet research on subterranean organisms remains scarce. With climate change increasingly impacting groundwater ecosystems, understanding how stygofauna respond to abiotic stressors is vital. We investigated the standard metabolic rate (SMR) of Spelaeomysis bottazzii Caroli, 1924, a groundwater crustacean endemic of Apulia (SE Italy), under varying temperature and salinity conditions. Using constant volume respirometry, we measured oxygen consumption in 54 individuals across three temperatures (17, 21, and 25 °C) and salinities (2, 4, and 6). We also assessed the effects of body mass, sex, and potential Consistent Individual Differences (CIDs) on SMR. S. bottazzii exhibited a notably low SMR compared t

SUBMITTER: Boulamail S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12615597 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature