• Skip to main content
  • Skip to after header navigation
  • Skip to site footer
ERN: Emerging Researchers National Conference in STEM

ERN: Emerging Researchers National Conference in STEM

  • About
    • About AAAS
    • About the NSF
    • About the Conference
    • Partners/Supporters
    • Project Team
  • Conference
  • Abstracts
    • Undergraduate Abstract Locator
    • Graduate Abstract Locator
    • Abstract Submission Process
    • Presentation Schedules
    • Abstract Submission Guidelines
    • Presentation Guidelines
  • Travel Awards
  • Resources
    • Award Winners
    • Code of Conduct-AAAS Meetings
    • Code of Conduct-ERN Conference
    • Conference Agenda
    • Conference Materials
    • Conference Program Books
    • ERN Photo Galleries
    • Events | Opportunities
    • Exhibitor Info
    • HBCU-UP/CREST PI/PD Meeting
    • In the News
    • NSF Harassment Policy
    • Plenary Session Videos
    • Professional Development
    • Science Careers Handbook
    • Additional Resources
    • Archives
  • Engage
    • Webinars
    • ERN 10-Year Anniversary Videos
    • Plenary Session Videos
  • Contact Us
  • Login

Rate of Heat Absorption in Sceloporus Slevini, Slevin's Bunchgrass Lizard

Undergraduate #12
Discipline: Biological Sciences
Subcategory: Ecology

Shericia Campbell - Virginia State University
Co-Author(s): Victoria Buskey, Virginia State University, VA



If global warming continues to increase temperatures at current rates it is predicted that approximately 60% of Mexican Sceloporus lizard species will be extinct by 2080. The proximate cause for extinctions is that female lizards are spending more time in the shade to avoid overheating. This results in a decrease in foraging time and ultimately a lack of nutritional resources needed for reproduction resulting in a population declines and ultimately extinction. Because ectotherms absorb their thermal energy from the sun, the amount of surface area can play a critical role in its rate of heat gain. Smaller sized individuals have a greater surface area exposed per unit of body mass compared to larger sized individuals. This should result in a more rapid heat gain in smaller sized individuals and subsequently less foraging time. Larger sized individuals with slower rates of heat gain should have increased foraging time and display a reproductive advantage over smaller sized individuals.

Therefore, we hypothesize that smaller sized (mass) lizards exhibiting increased surface area to volume rations will have higher heating gains compared to larger sized individuals with a smaller surface area to volume ratios. We captured lizards by hand from two different populations. A high elevation site, in the Chiricahua Mountains, Arizona, and a low elevation site, in the Sonoita Plain, Arizona. Lizards were transported to the laboratory. Individual snout-vent length data were measured with digital calipers to the nearest 0.01 mm, mass was measured to nearest 0.01 g using an electronic balance. Individual sex and location were recorded. Body (cloacal) and air temperature were recorded using thermocouple probes by placing individuals in a small cylindrical metabolic chamber. The rate of heat gain (oC body/oC air) was determined using the slope of a regression analysis and plotted against the body mass of each lizard. The rate of heat gain showed a significant negative linear relationship to body mass in all lizards (ANOVA: F21,21=7.44, P=0.013) supporting our hypothesis. Future research involves comparing the metabolic costs of increased heat gain for lizards of different sizes and from different locations, and comparison of foraging time between smaller and larger individuals.

Funder Acknowledgement(s): Funding was provided by a National Science Foundation HBCU-UP grant to C. d'Orgeix

Faculty Advisor: Christian d'Orgeix, cdorgeix@vsu.edu

Role: I participated in all the field work, and data analysis related to this research

Sidebar

Abstract Locators

  • Undergraduate Abstract Locator
  • Graduate Abstract Locator

This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF) under Grant No. DUE-1930047. Any opinions, findings, interpretations, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of its authors and do not represent the views of the AAAS Board of Directors, the Council of AAAS, AAAS’ membership or the National Science Foundation.

AAAS

1200 New York Ave, NW
Washington,DC 20005
202-326-6400
Contact Us
About Us

  • LinkedIn
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

The World’s Largest General Scientific Society

Useful Links

  • Membership
  • Careers at AAAS
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use

Focus Areas

  • Science Education
  • Science Diplomacy
  • Public Engagement
  • Careers in STEM

Focus Areas

  • Shaping Science Policy
  • Advocacy for Evidence
  • R&D Budget Analysis
  • Human Rights, Ethics & Law

© 2023 American Association for the Advancement of Science