spacer gif spacer gif spacer gif spacer gif spacer gif
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


spacer gif
     Home     Help     Feedback     Subscriptions     Archive     Search     Table of Contents    

This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Stinner, J. N.
Right arrow Articles by Wardle, R. L.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Stinner, J. N.
Right arrow Articles by Wardle, R. L.

Journal of Experimental Biology, Vol 137, Issue 1 529-548, Copyright © 1988 by Company of Biologists

JOURNAL ARTICLES

Effect of temperature upon carbon dioxide stores in the snake Coluber constrictor and the turtle Chrysemys scripta

JN Stinner and RL Wardle
University of Akron, Department of Biology, Ohio 44325.

The effect of temperature upon respiratory exchange ratio (R) was measured in snakes (Coluber constrictor) and turtles (Chrysemys scripta). Increasing body temperature produced a transient elevation of R, and lowering body temperature transiently depressed R. These thermal effects resulted from an 'excess' and a 'deficit' CO2 elimination, respectively. Steady-state blood CO2 content (CCO2) in C. constrictor decreased linearly with rising temperature. Plasma bicarbonate concentration, calculated from in vivo arterial PCO2 and pH, followed the same pattern. Also, time courses of blood CCO2 were consistent with the metabolic studies. Less than half of the change in blood CCO2 could be explained by shifts of the in vitro CO2 dissociation curve; the remainder was contributed by other tissues. Blood lactate levels changed little with temperature. Based upon the blood studies, the predicted quantity of CO2 eliminated from the extracellular space when temperature increases is about 29% of the excess CO2 eliminated from the snakes. Thus, CCO2 in other tissues also decreases with rising temperature. It is concluded that reptiles function as open systems with respect to CCO2, which does not agree with alphastat control. Systemic arterial PO2 and PCO2 increased with rising body temperature in C. constrictor. The mechanisms producing these increases are discussed.


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 J. Exp. Biol.Home page
R. F. Burton
Temperature and acid--base balance in ectothermic vertebrates: the imidazole alphastat hypotheses and beyond
J. Exp. Biol., December 1, 2002; 205(23): 3587 - 3600.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


© The Company of Biologists Ltd 1988