Linked Life Data

18979595

Source:http://linkedlifedata.com/resource/pubmed/id/18979595

Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
3
pubmed:dateCreated
2008-11-3
pubmed:abstractText
Temperature has dramatic evolutionary fitness consequences and is therefore a major factor determining the geographic distribution and abundance of ectotherms. However, the role that age might have on insect thermal tolerance is often overlooked in studies of behaviour, ecology, physiology and evolutionary biology. Here, we review the evidence for ontogenetic and ageing effects on traits of high- and low-temperature tolerance in insects and show that these effects are typically pronounced for most taxa in which data are available. We therefore argue that basal thermal tolerance and acclimation responses (i.e. phenotypic plasticity) are strongly influenced by age and/or ontogeny and may confound studies of temperature responses if unaccounted for. We outline three alternative hypotheses which can be distinguished to propose why development affects thermal tolerance in insects. At present no studies have been undertaken to directly address these options. The implications of these age-related changes in thermal biology are discussed and, most significantly, suggest that the temperature tolerance of insects should be defined within the age-demographics of a particular population or species. Although we conclude that age is a source of variation that should be carefully controlled for in thermal biology, we also suggest that it can be used as a valuable tool for testing evolutionary theories of ageing and the cellular and genetic basis of thermal tolerance.
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Aug
pubmed:issn
1464-7931
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:volume
83
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
339-55
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
2008
pubmed:articleTitle
Insect thermal tolerance: what is the role of ontogeny, ageing and senescence?
pubmed:affiliation
Department of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, University of Durham, Durham City, DH1 3LE, UK.
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article, Review