Summary
In late February, seven box turtles were collected with body temperatures between 7 and 9°C. Ventilation, gas exchange and end-tidal\(P_{O_2 }\) and\(P_{CO_2 }\) were recorded at 5, 10, 15 and 25°C, the animals being at each temperature for 2 to 3 weeks. There was a pronounced diurnal rhythm of breathing frequency at all temperatures. At 5°C the mean 24-h frequency was only 3.7 breaths h−1. At 15°C the frequency was 16 times higher with a 17-fold increase of ventilation. Oxygen uptake only changed from 3.4 to 12.7 ml·kg−1·h−1. Consequently, the ratio (ventilation, ml BTPS/O2 uptake, ml STPD) increased from 12.5 at 5°C to 48 at 15°C, but decreased to 24 at 25°C. The decrease of this ratio during cold exposure contrasts with an increase of the ratio during cooling earlier reported for fresh water turtles,Pseudemys. Cutaneous CO2 elimination was important at low temperature. This caused a decrease of the pulmonary gas exchange ratio so that end-tidal\(P_{CO_2 }\) remained low at 5°C in spite of an end-tidal\(P_{O_2 }\) of only 54 Torr.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bennett, A.F.: Ventilation in two species of lizards during rest and activity. Comp. Biochem. Physiol.46A, 653–671 (1973)
Chaffee, R.R.J., Roberts, J.C.: Temperature acclimation in birds and mammals. Ann. Rev. Physiol.33, 155–202 (1971)
Coulson, R.A., Hernandez, T.: Biochemistry of the Alligator: A study of metabolism in slow motion. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State Univ. Press 1955
Crawford, E.C., Jr., Gatz, R.N., Magnussen, H., Perry, S.F., Piiper, J.: Lung volumes, pulmonary blood flow and carbon monoxide diffusing capacity of turtles. J. Comp. Physiol.107, 169–178 (1976)
Crawford, E.C., Jr., Schultetus, R.R.: Cutaneous gas exchange in the lizardSauromalus obesus. Copeia1970, 179–180 (1970)
Dejours, P.: Principles of comparative respiratory physiology. Amsterdam: North-Holland Publishing Company 1975
Dmi'el, R.: Effect of activity and temperature on metabolism and water loss in snakes. Am. J. Physiol.223, 510–516 (1972)
Frankel, H.M., Steinberg, G., Gordon, J.: Effects of temperature on blood gases, lactate and pyruvate in turtles,Pseudemys scripta elegans, in vivo. Comp. Biochem. Physiol.19, 279–283 (1966)
Gatten, R.E.: Effects of temperature and activity on aerobic and anaerobic metabolism and heart rate in the turtlesPseudemys scripta andTerrapene ornata. Comp. Biochem. Physiol.48A, 619–648 (1974)
Giordano, R.V., Jackson, D.C.: The effect of temperature on ventilation in the green iguana. Comp. Biochem. Physiol.45, 235–238 (1973)
Glass, M.L., Johansen, K.: Control of breathing inAcrochordus javanicus, and aquatic snake. Physiol. Zool.49, 328–340 (1976)
Glass, M.L., Wood, S.C., Johansen, K.: The application of pneumotachography on small unrestrained animals. Comp. Biochem. Physiol.59A, 425–427 (1978)
Glass, M.L., Wood, S.C., Hoyt, R.W., Johansen, K.: Chemical control of breathing in the lizard,Varanus exanthematicus. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. (in press) (1979)
Hazel, J.R., Garlick, W.S., Sellner, P.A.: The effects of assay temperature upon the pH optima of enzymes from poikilotherms: A test of the imidazole alphastat hypothesis. J. Comp. Physiol.123, 97–104 (1978)
Howell, B.J., Rahn, H.: Regulation of acid-base balance in reptiles. In: Biology of the Reptilia, Vol. 5. Physiology A. Gans, C., Dawson, W.R. (eds.), pp. 335–365. London: Academic Press 1976
Jackson, D.C.: The effect of temperature on ventilation in the turtle,Pseudemys scripta elegans. Resp. Physiol.12, 131–140 (1971)
Jackson, D.C., Kagen, R.D.: Effects of temperature transients on gas exchange and acid-base status of turtles. Am. J. Physiol.230, 1389–1393 (1976)
Kinney, J.S., White, F.N.: Oxidative cost of ventilation in a turtle,Pseudemys floridana. Resp. Physiol.31, 327–332 (1977)
Kenney, J.S., Matsuura, D.T., White, F.: Cardiorespiratory effects of temperature in the turtle,Pseudemys floridana. Resp. Physiol.31, 309–325 (1977)
Krogh, A.: On the cutaneous and pulmonary respiration of the frog. Scand. Arch. Physiol.15, 328–419 (1904)
Legler, J.M.: Natural history of the ornate box turtle,Terrapene ornata ornata. Agassiz. Univ. Kan. Publ. Mus. Nat. Hist.11, 527–669 (1960
Millard, R.W., Johansen, K.: Ventricular outflow dynamics in the lizardVaranus niloticus: Responses to hypoxia, hypercarbia and diving. J. Exp. Biol.60, 871–880 (1974)
Mithoefer, J.C.: Breath holding. In: Handbook of physiology, Sect. 3, Vol. II, Respiration. Fenn, W.O., Rahn, H. (eds.), pp. 1011–1025. Washington, D.C.: Am. Physiol. Soc. 1964
Nielsen, B.: The regulation of the respiration in reptiles. I. The effect of temperature and CO2 on the respiration of lizards (Lacerta). J. Exp. Biol.38, 301–314 (1961)
Rahn, H.: Gas transport from the external environment to the cell. In: Ciba Foundation Symposium on the Development of the Lung. deRench, A.V.S., Porter, R. (eds.), pp. 3–23. London: J. A. Churchill Ltd., 1966
Rahn, H., Fenn, W.O.: A graphical analysis of the respiratory gas exchange. Washington, D.C.: Am. Physiol. Soc. 1955
Reeves, R.B.: An imidazol alphastat hypothesis for vertebrate acidbase regulation; tissue carbon dioxide content and body temperature in bullfrogs. Resp. Physiol.14, 219–236 (1972)
Standaert, T., Johansen, K.: Cutaneous gas exchange in snakes. J. Comp. Physiol.89, 313–320 (1974)
Sturbaum, B.A., Riedesel, M.L.: Temperature regulation responses of ornate box turtles,Terrapene ornata, to heat. Comp. Biochem. Physiol.48A, 527–538 (1974)
Wood, S.C., Glass, M.L., Johansen, K.: Effects of temperature on respiration and acid-base balance in a monitor lizard. J. Comp. Physiol.116, 287–296 (1977)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Glass, M.L., Hicks, J.W. & Riedesel, M.L. Respiratory responses to long-term temperature exposure in the box turtle,Terrapene ornata . J Comp Physiol B 131, 353–359 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00688811
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00688811