Ecophysiological strategies of Antarctic intertidal invertebrates faced with freezing stress
Waller, C.L.; Worland, M.R.; Convey, P. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8497-9903; Barnes, D.K.A.
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9076-7867.
2006
Ecophysiological strategies of Antarctic intertidal invertebrates faced with freezing stress.
Polar Biology, 29 (12).
1077-1083.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-006-0152-3
Abstract/Summary
Recent studies have revealed a previously unanticipated level of biodiversity present in the Antarctic littoral. Here, we report research on the ecophysiological strategies adopted by intertidal species that permit them to survive in this environment, presenting cold-tolerance data for the widest range of invertebrates published to date from the Antarctic intertidal zone. We found significant differences in levels of cold tolerance between species within this zone. However, and contrary to expectations, intraspecific comparisons of subtidal and intertidal groups of eight species found significant differences between groups in only three species. One species, the nemertean Antarctonemertes validum, showed evidence of the presence of antifreeze proteins (thermal hysteresis proteins), with 1.4°C of thermal hysteresis measured in its haemolymph. We found a strong inverse relationship across species between mass and supercooling point, and fitted a power law model to describe the data. The scaling exponent (0.3) in this model suggests a relationship between an animal’s supercooling point and its linear dimensions.
Item Type: | Publication - Article |
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Digital Object Identifier (DOI): | https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-006-0152-3 |
Programmes: | BAS Programmes > Global Science in the Antarctic Context (2005-2009) > Biodiversity, Functions, Limits and Adaptation from Molecules to Ecosystems |
ISSN: | 0722-4060 |
Additional Information. Not used in RCUK Gateway to Research.: | Full text not available from this repository |
Additional Keywords: | Cold tolerance |
NORA Subject Terms: | Zoology |
Date made live: | 05 Oct 2007 12:33 +0 (UTC) |
URI: | https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/1043 |
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