Journal of Comparative Physiology B

, Volume 173, Issue 8, pp 643–651 | Cite as

Adaptations to terrestrial overwintering of hatchling northern map turtles, Graptemys geographica

  • P. J. Baker
  • J. P. Costanzo
  • J. B. Iverson
  • R. E. LeeJr
Original Paper
First Online:
Accepted:

Abstract

We conducted a 3-year field and laboratory study of winter biology in hatchlings of the northern map turtle (Graptemys geographica). At our study area in northern Indiana, hatchlings routinely overwintered in their natal nests, emerging after the weather warmed in spring. Winter survival was excellent despite the fact that hatchlings were exposed frequently to subfreezing temperatures (to −5.4 °C). In the laboratory, cold-acclimated hatchlings exhibited low rates of evaporative water loss (mean=2.0 mg g−1 day−1), which would enable them to conserve body water during winter. Laboratory-reared hatchlings were intolerant of freezing at −2.5 °C for 24 h, conditions that are readily survived by freeze-tolerant species of turtles. Winter survival of hatchling G. geographica probably depended on their extensive capacity for supercooling (to −14.8 °C) and their well-developed resistance to inoculative freezing, which may occur when hatchlings contact ice and ice-nucleating agents present in nesting soil. Supercooled hatchlings survived a brief exposure to −8 °C. Others, held at −6 °C for 5 days, maintained ATP concentrations at control levels, although they did accumulate lactate and glucose, probably in response to tissue hypoxia. Therefore, anoxia tolerance, as evidenced by the viability of hatchlings exposed to N2 gas for 8 days, may promote survival during exposure to subfreezing temperatures.

Keywords

Dehydration Freeze tolerance Supercooling Anoxia Inoculative freezing 

Abbreviations

EWL

evaporative water loss

FPeq

equilibrium freezing point

INA

ice-nucleating agents

Tc

temperature of crystallization

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Notes

Acknowledgements

We are grateful to P. Meyer and S. Rock for assistance with the field portion of this study, and to J. Flynn for advice on the experimental design and statistical analyses. We thank two anonymous reviewers for providing constructive comments on the manuscript. This project was conducted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the M.S. degree, Department of Zoology, Miami University, awarded to P. Baker. Experimental procedures were approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee of Miami University (protocol 466). Financial support was provided by the National Science Foundation (IBN 98017087) and the Miami University Summer Research Fund.

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Copyright information

© Springer-Verlag 2003

Authors and Affiliations

  • P. J. Baker
    • 1
  • J. P. Costanzo
    • 1
  • J. B. Iverson
    • 2
  • R. E. LeeJr
    • 1
  1. 1.Department of ZoologyMiami UniversityOxfordUSA
  2. 2.Department of BiologyEarlham CollegeRichmondUSA

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