Curtin University Homepage
  • Library
  • Help
    • Admin

    espace - Curtin’s institutional repository

    JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.
    View Item 
    • espace Home
    • espace
    • Curtin Research Publications
    • View Item
    • espace Home
    • espace
    • Curtin Research Publications
    • View Item

    Metabolic rate, evaporative water loss and field activity in response to temperature in an ichneumonid wasp

    Access Status
    Fulltext not available
    Authors
    Tomlinson, Sean
    Phillips, R.
    Date
    2012
    Type
    Journal Article
    
    Metadata
    Show full item record
    Citation
    Tomlinson, S. and Phillips, R. 2012. Metabolic rate, evaporative water loss and field activity in response to temperature in an ichneumonid wasp. Journal of Zoology. 287 (2): pp. 81-90.
    Source Title
    Journal of Zoology
    DOI
    10.1111/j.1469-7998.2012.00903.x
    ISSN
    0952-8369
    School
    Department of Environment and Agriculture
    URI
    http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/52511
    Collection
    • Curtin Research Publications
    Abstract

    High ambient temperatures can adversely affect insects through high evaporative water loss (EWL) and reduction of metabolic activity through enzyme denaturation. Establishing the relationship between the temperature at which these processes become detrimental and regulatory behaviour is critical in resolving the mechanisms by which insects cope with physiologically stressful environments. Here, we compare levels of metabolic rate and EWL measured by flow-through respirometry with field activity in the ichneumonid wasp Lissopimpla excelsa. Metabolic rate increased to a maximum of 10.8±0.4mLCO 2.g -1.h -1 at 35°C before decreasing to 8.4±0.4mLCO 2.g -1.h -1 at T a = 40°C. EWL showed an exponential pattern of increase, with a significant increase in EWL from T a = 12°C to T a = 35 and 40°C. Male wasps were active in the field from T a = 20.1 to 36.8°C (peak activity T a = 26.5°C and relative humidity = 44.4%), though activity levels were most strongly correlated with time of day. Being active in the mornings may be advantageous in that temperatures are warm enough to maintain activity but avoid excess energy expenditure and EWL. Furthermore, food or calling females may be most abundant during this period. Based on a consensus allometric scaling relationship derived for insect resting metabolic rates, the metabolic rate of L. excelsa at T a = 25°C was higher than predicted, as was EWL. Since the present study is the first describing the metabolic physiology of an ichneumonid wasp, it remains unclear whether this pattern is characteristic of ichneumonids in general of L. excelsa in particular. © 2012 The Zoological Society of London.

    Related items

    Showing items related by title, author, creator and subject.

    • Differences in metabolic rate and evaporative water loss associated with sexual dimorphism in thynnine wasps
      Tomlinson, Sean; Phillips, R. (2015)
      Species with sexual dimorphism provide powerful study systems for understanding adaptation to different lifestyles as it removes the potentially confounding effects of phylogeny. Thynnine wasps have a stark sexual dimorphism ...
    • Metabolic depression: a historical perspective
      Withers, P.; Cooper, Christine (2010)
      An extended period of inactivity and reduced metabolic rate of many animals and plants, as well as unicellular organisms, has long been recognized by natural historians, e.g., Aristotle and Pliny. Biologists have studied ...
    • Does metabolic rate and evaporative water loss reflect differences in migratory strategy in sexually dimorphic hoverflies?
      Tomlinson, Sean; Menz, M. (2015)
      A typical explanation for ecologically stable strategies that apply to only a proportion of a population, is bet hedging, where increased reproductive success offsets reduced reproductive rate. One such is partial migration, ...
    Advanced search

    Browse

    Communities & CollectionsIssue DateAuthorTitleSubjectDocument TypeThis CollectionIssue DateAuthorTitleSubjectDocument Type

    My Account

    Admin

    Statistics

    Most Popular ItemsStatistics by CountryMost Popular Authors

    Follow Curtin

    • 
    • 
    • 
    • 
    • 

    CRICOS Provider Code: 00301JABN: 99 143 842 569TEQSA: PRV12158

    Copyright | Disclaimer | Privacy statement | Accessibility

    Curtin would like to pay respect to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander members of our community by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land on which the Perth campus is located, the Whadjuk people of the Nyungar Nation; and on our Kalgoorlie campus, the Wongutha people of the North-Eastern Goldfields.