Rapid Changes in Climate Don't Slow Some Lizards

 Rapid Changes in Climate Don't Slow Some Lizards

 
Cold tolerance stiffer than a tropical lizard scientists had suspected. A new study reveals that the lizard Anolis cristatellus Puerto Rican Miami have adapted to the cold winter. The results also suggest that the lizard climate change due to temperature variation may be able to afford.
is, "Duke biologist Manuel Leal, co-author of the study, of which 6 American naturalist appears in the December issue.
Scientists have already proposed that the lizard was cold-blooded, the temperature or cold would not be able to afford to adopt.
Humans, however, around 1975 Miami Puerto Rican Native A. cristatellus is introduced. In Miami, Puerto Rico cold of the winter the average temperature is about 10 degrees Celsius. Average summer temperatures are similar.
Leal and his graduate student Alex Gunderson Pinecrest area of ​​Miami and Puerto Rico in the northeastern A. cristatellus occupied. North Carolina lab animals, they brought them back, a lizard cloaca slid a thermometer and a series of cold wind chill temperatures. The scientists then looked after himself well, he flipped on his back was so easy for lizards.
Miami lizard from Puerto Rico myself temperature of 3 degrees Celsius cooler than the lizards were flipped. Flip animals on the low-temperature cold temperatures, which is beneficial when the air temperature reduction potential, Leal said the high tolerances.
,,. " He said.
On this occasion, temperatures at least as important, is not dead lizard. They have lost control of their coordinates.Body temperature too cold for the muscles to work properly, "he said.
Leal explained that 3 degree Celsius difference "This relatively large and when we take into account that it is located about 35 generations, is also impressive." Change most a few hundred thousands or millions of years of evolution on a time scale is. Thirty-five years is a time scale during which there is a human life, then we can observe the progress of change, he said.
Cold tolerance in lizard "for some tropical species provides a glimpse of hope," Leal said, cautioning that the scientists do not know how quickly tolerance to high temperatures - climate change and the The result - can develop.
Gunderson said he and other lizard species studied to test heat tolerance to cold temperatures can adjust the test is working well.