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BIO3B: Physiology To Behaviour > W11: Invertebrate Physiology (Insects & Thermal Physiology) [Dr. Blair] > Flashcards

W11: Invertebrate Physiology (Insects & Thermal Physiology) [Dr. Blair] Flashcards

1
Q

Insect attributes in terms of body temperature? (2)

A
  • Ectotherms (“cold-blooded”).
  • Poikilotherms.
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2
Q

Poikilotherm?

A

= low physiological control of their heat balance.

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3
Q

Temperature in this context?

A

= dictates insects’ survival, growth, digestion/metabolism, reproduction & distributions.

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4
Q

Thermal basics for insects attributes? (5)

A
  • Tolerance range.
  • Development range.
  • Optimal range (To).
  • Critical thermal minimum (CTmin).
  • Critical thermal maximum (CTmax).
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5
Q

Tolerance range?

A

= temperature range within which an insect is able to survive.

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6
Q

Tolerance range attributes? (2)

A
  • Metabolic activity stops beyond this range.
  • Insect becomes inactive beyond this range.
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7
Q

Development range?

A

= temperature within which an insect’s physiological processes like development & growth can occur.

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8
Q

Beyond the Development range?

A

Metabolic activity stops or slows down, halting development.

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9
Q

Optimal range (To)?

A

= temperature range within which an insect’s physiological functions (metabolism, growth, reproduction and overall performance) are maximised.

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10
Q

Optimal range (To) attributes? (2)

A
  • Within this range, insects experience ideal conditions for survival & reproduction.
  • Outside this range, physiological stress, reduced growth & survival risks can occur.
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11
Q

CTmin?

A

= lowest temperature at which insects can survive before experiencing cold stress.

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12
Q

CTmin attributes? (5)

A
  • Metabolic activity stops.
  • Loss of locomotion.
  • Cold stress (chill coma).
  • Hypothermia.
  • No enzyme activity.
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13
Q

If humans experience “cold stress” at ~20C, how long can insects go (CTmin)?

A

As low as -30C, which is seen in the Antarctic midge (the only insect in Antarctica).

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14
Q

How is it possible for Antarctic midges to survive such low temperatures?

A

It is possible through supercooling.

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15
Q

Supercooling?

A

= a physiological adaptation that allows insects to survive freezing temperatures by using cryoprotectants (“antifreeze”), which prevent the formation of ice crystals within their cells & tissues.

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16
Q

CTmax?

A

= highest temperature at which insects can survive before experiencing heat stress.

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17
Q

CTmax attributes? (5)

A
  • Metabolic activity stops.
  • Loss of locomotion.
  • Heat stress (heat coma).
  • Hyperthermia.
  • Protein denaturation.
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18
Q

Thing to note about mammals & CTmin?

A

Mammals don’t have a CTmin as they are endothermic.

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19
Q

Name the critical thermal limits in insects. (2)

A
  • CTmin.
  • CTmax.
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20
Q

Why do insects have critical thermal limits?

A

It’s because they are ectothermic.

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21
Q

If humans experience “heat stress” at ~40C, how high can insects go (CTmax)?

A

As high as ~55C, as seen in Desert ants

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22
Q

How are Desert ants able to survive under such high temperatures?

A

Heat shock proteins.

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23
Q

Insects & Temperature: What does it encompass? (2)

A
  • Cold stress (CTmin).
  • Heat stress (CTmax).
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24
Q

Insect physiological responses to cold stresses? (2)

A
  • Cold hardening.
  • Supercooling.
25
Q

Cold hardening attributes? (3)

A
  • Releases cold shock proteins (CSPs) as you move into winter.
  • Bind onto protein to stabilise & prevent them from unraveling & breaking.
  • Depends on species & locality.
26
Q

What does cold hardening depend on as a tactic? (2)

A
  • Species.
  • Locality.
27
Q

Is cold hardening enough when an insect is faced with freezing temperatures (<0C)?

A

No.

28
Q

What then if an insect is faced with freezing temperatures?

A

Supercooling.

29
Q

Supercooling attributes? (2)

A
  • Uses cryoprotectants (sugars) that act as “antifreeze”.
  • Prevents ice crystal formation in organs (no cell lysis).
30
Q

Insect physiological responses to heat stress/Heat waves/Summer?

A

Heat shock response.

31
Q

Heat shock response attributes? (3)

A
  • Release heat shock proteins (HSPs) as you move into the summer.
  • Binds onto proteins to stabilise & protect the proteins.
  • Depends on species & locality.
32
Q

What do Heat shock responses depend on? (2)

A
  • Species.
  • Locality.
33
Q

How do we discover the CTmin & CTmax of insects?

A

Through mimicking environmental conditions such as cold stress & heat stress by altering the water temperatures in water baths.

34
Q

CTmin, CTmax & Life stages?

A

Pupae & adult stages are the most resilient as they need to adapt to better reproduce & function through acclimating.

35
Q

Insects, Temperature & Climate Change attributes? (4)

A
  • Temperature increases by 1-1.5C.
  • Temperature increases unevenly globally (more at the equator).
  • Bigger temperature increase as you move away from the Equator.
  • Temperature fluctuations further from the Equator.
36
Q

Temperature implication: What is it most likely to affect? (3)

A
  • Survival.
  • Reproduction.
  • Distributions.
37
Q

Categories/Types of insects? (3)

A
  • Aquatic insects.
  • Terrestrial insects.
  • Fossorial insects.
38
Q

Which category of insects are buffered/protected/unaffected from elevated temperatures? (2)

A
  • Aquatic insects.
  • Fossorial insects.
39
Q

Which category of insects is not buffered from elevated temperatures?

A

Terrestrial insects.

40
Q

Why are terrestrial insects impacted by elevated temperatures?

A

It’s because they are thermally sensistive species.

41
Q

Impact of elevated temperature?

A

Elevated temperatures cause periods of drought, increased development, and increases in insect populations, which may make them problematic, as locust swarms are problematic to agriculture.

42
Q

Eg of pest being problematic?

A

Cotton bollworm.

43
Q

Cotton bollworm?

A

= major generalist plant pest that causes significant damage to cotton & other crops.

44
Q

Why are Cotton bollworms problematic? (3)

A
  • Crop damage.
  • Pesticide resistance.
  • Rapid reproduction & adaptability.
45
Q

Types of insects in terms of their distribution/range? (3)

A
  • Winners.
  • Movers.
  • Losers.
46
Q

Winners attributes? (3)

A
  • Generalists.
  • High thermal range.
  • Range expansion.
47
Q

Egs of Winners? (2)

A
  • Invasive fruit flies.
  • Comma butterflies.
48
Q

Invasive fruit flies? (2)

A
  • Benefit through being tropical species.
  • Loss of agriculture & biodiveristy.
49
Q

Comma butterflies? (2)

A
  • Native to southern Europe.
  • Now throughout Europe due to milder winters.
50
Q

Movers/Shifters attributes? (3)

A
  • Variety of generalists & specialists.
  • Variable thermal range (move with temperature).
  • Range shifts.
51
Q

Eg of Movers?

A

Mosquitoes.

52
Q

Mosquitoes? (2)

A
  • Range increases or decreases depending on temperature.
  • Malaria vector.
53
Q

Losers attributes? (4)

A
  • Specialists.
  • Low thermal range.
  • Range contraction.
  • Indirect effects.
54
Q

Egs of Losers? (2)

A
  • Bumblebees.
  • Alpine insects.
55
Q

Bumblebees? (4)

A
  • Increasing temperatures.
  • Overheating (Heat stress).
  • Heat waves in Europe.
  • Loss of pollination.
56
Q

Alpine insects? (3)

A
  • Susceptible.
  • Solitary bee species.
  • Loss of pollination.
57
Q

What do the varying impacts of changing temperatures depend on? (3)

A
  • Species.
  • Locality.
  • Ecological context.
58
Q

Super summary? (3)

A
  • The basics (poikilothermic, physiology linked to the ambient temperature).
  • Thermal aspects (survival range, CTmin, CTmax, To, cold/heat stress proteins).
  • Climate change (increasing/fluctuating temperatures, survival of groups/reproduction, distributions: winners, movers & losers).

BIO3B: Physiology To Behaviour (36 decks)

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