Meeting Abstract

P2.10  Saturday, Jan. 5  The Effects of Elevated Temperature on Locomotory Activity, Plasma Corticosterone, and White Blood Cells in the Semi-Terrestrial Salamander Desmognathus ochrophaeus FONNER, C.W.*; WOODLEY, S.K.; Duquesne University, Pittsburgh; Duquesne University, Pittsburgh fonnerc@duq.edu

Animals are continually challenged by abiotic and biotic factors in their natural environments. One factor of growing concern is global climate change. North temperate habitats of many species of plethodontid salamanders are predicted to experience warming trends. Previous research has shown that acute exposure to elevated temperatures caused metabolic depression in Desmognathus salamanders. However, the behavioral correlates of acute metabolic depression are less clear. We measured the effects of short-term and long-term temperature changes on locomotory activity, a behavior associated with predator avoidance, foraging, and mate searching. The preferred temperature of Desmognathus salamanders is approximately 17°C and salamanders are active in the wild at 17°C and 24°C. D. ochrophaeus salamanders were housed at either 17°C or 24°C for two months, and then locomotory activity was measured at either 17°C or 24°C using a repeated measures cross-over design. We also examined changes in baseline plasma CORT and white blood cell differentials after acclimation to either 17°C or 24°C. Locomotory activity was similar regardless of acclimation temperature or testing temperature. Also, plasma CORT was the same regardless of acclimation temperature, whereas the relative proportions of white blood cells were different depending on acclimation temperature. To conclude, moderate changes in temperature do not appear to have adverse effects on locomotory activity or plasma CORT, although relative proportions of white blood cells were temperature sensitive.