Testing the heat dissipation limitation hypothesis: basal metabolic rates of endotherms decrease with increasing upper and lower critical temperatures.

ABSTRACT: Metabolic critical temperatures define the range of ambient temperatures where endotherms are able to minimize energy allocation to thermogenesis. Examining the relationship between metabolic critical temperatures and basal metabolic rates (BMR) provides a unique opportunity to gain a better understanding of how animals respond to varying ambient climatic conditions, especially in times of ongoing and projected future climate change. We make use of this opportunity by testing the heat dissipation limit (HDL) theory, which hypothesizes that the maximum amount of heat a species can dissipate constrains its energetics. Specifically, we test the theory's implicit prediction that BMR should be lower under higher metabolic critical temperatures. We analysed the relationship of BMR with upper and

SUBMITTER: Khaliq I 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6215442 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature