Meeting Abstract
Circulating glucose provides animals with an important energy substrate, as the metabolism of glucose is a primary mechanism by which ATP is produced. In healthy individuals, increased blood glucose levels are thought to indicate the mobilization of energy stores needed for sustained activity. However, this relationship is rarely tested in wild animals. In this study, we examined the relationship between activity levels and blood glucose in a Puerto Rican lizard, Anolis stratulus. This small-bodied species primarily occurs on large tree trunks or rocks, and is classified in the “trunk-crown” anole ecomorph category. We captured 32 adult male, A. stratulus from their natural habitat, and for each lizard, we conducted a 10 min open field test. These tests were conducted within 30 min of each capture, in a mesh cage located in the same forest patch where the lizards were captured. After each trial, we measured the lizard’s blood glucose, mass, and snout-vent length. Our results indicated that individuals with higher glucose levels moved earlier, and longer distances, within a trial. In addition, we found no relationship between body size and blood glucose, or body size and movement patterns in the trials. In sum, this study provides evidence from a wild population of lizards for the link between blood glucose and activity levels, supporting the generality of this relationship.
