Thermal acclimation across the active season of wild, free-living eastern red-backed salamanders

Abstract

Rising global temperatures due to climate change pose a threat to a wide variety of organisms, but ectotherms such as amphibians may be particularly vulnerable. This group possesses a range of temperatures that they can withstand and remain behaviorally and reproductively active. With this study, we investigated whether the eastern red-backed salamander, Plethodon cinereus, becomes acclimated to changing temperatures throughout its active seasons. The critical thermal maximum, CTmax, and critical thermal minimum, CTmin, of the eastern red-backed salamander were determined under field conditions over several months in the spring and fall to determine any changes over this time period. Results of the study show that there was a significant effect of day of the year on the critical thermal maximum of the salamanders but not on the critical thermal minimum. It was also found that snout-vent length, SVL, had a significant effect on the critical thermal minimum but not on the critical thermal maximum of individuals.