First published online December 14, 2006
Journal of Experimental Biology 210, 97-106 (2007)
Published by The Company of Biologists 2007
doi: 10.1242/jeb.02615
Phenotypic flexibility in the basal metabolic rate of laughing doves: responses to short-term thermal acclimation
Andrew E. McKechnie1,2,*,
Kinesh Chetty2 and
Barry G. Lovegrove3
1 DST/NRF Centre of Excellence at the Percy FitzPatrick Institute,
University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X01, Scottsville, 3209, South
Africa
2 School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the
Witwatersrand, Private Bag 3, Wits, 2050, South Africa, University of
KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X01, Scottsville, 3209, South Africa
3 School of Biological and Conservation Sciences, University of
KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X01, Scottsville, 3209, South Africa

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Fig. 1. Summary of experimental design used to acclimate laughing doves
Streptopelia senegalensis to various acclimation air temperatures
(Tacc).
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Fig. 2. Basal metabolic rate in laughing doves Streptopelia senegalensis
was not related to body mass during initial, acclimation I or acclimation II
measurements. A linear regression model yielded a significant fit in only one
case [initial measurements, acclimation air temperature
(Tacc)=10°C; BMR=0.0099Mb-0.1348;
r2=0.515]. Note that, for each Tacc,
data for initial (A) and acclimation I measurements (B) were obtained from the
same individuals, but from different individuals during acclimation II
measurements (C).
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Fig. 3. Basal metabolic rate (BMR) in laughing doves Streptopelia
senegalensis decreased following initial measurements. Following
acclimation I and II, BMR varied with acclimation air temperature
(Tacc). In each case, BMR was negatively related to
Tacc. Significant differences are denoted by different
lower-case letters: values that are not significantly different from each
other share a letter. N=10 individuals for each datum point. Note
that, for each Tacc, data for initial and acclimation I
measurements were obtained from the same individuals, but acclimation II
measurements represent different individuals.
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Fig. 4. Following acclimation I (A; BMR=0.714-0.005Tacc,
r2=0.325, F1,28=13.527,
P=0.001) and acclimation II (B;
BMR=0.698-0.004Tacc, r2=0.247,
F1,28=9.208, P=0.005), basal metabolic rate (BMR)
in laughing doves Streptopelia senegalensis was linearly related to
acclimation air temperature (Tacc).
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© The Company of Biologists Ltd 2007