Dissertation Research: Testing the Co-Adaptation Hypothesis:The Thermotregulatory Behavior and Thermal Physiology of theRibber Boa, a Nocturnal Snake

进化生物学的一个主要目标是开发可用于解决特定问题的概念。进化生物学中的一个重要概念是，生物体的特征相互匹配(即共同适应)。例如，受细菌感染的爬行动物的体温调节行为与其免疫系统最好发挥作用的温度相匹配。这项研究的目的是确定共同适应的概念在多大程度上可以应用于爬行动物的热生物学。由于爬行动物的大部分体热来自环境，因此描述它们的温度关系对于了解它们的生态至关重要。我们将讨论夜间活动中体温异常低的蛇之间的关系。我们将通过外科手术在蛇体内植入温度敏感的无线电发射器，以确定它们在野外的体温。在实验室，我们将研究体温变化对蛇的生理(如消化率、新陈代谢、爬行速度)的影响。通过对体温及其对生理的影响的统计比较，我们将确定橡胶蟒蛇的共同适应程度。我们的分析方法也将为未来的共同适应研究提供一个框架。

A major goal of evolutionary biology is to develop concepts that can be used to address specific questions. An important concept in evolutionary biology is that the characteristics of organisms are well matched (i.e., co-adapted) to each other. For example, the thermoregulatory behavior of reptiles with bacterial infections matches the temperature at which their immune systems function best. The purpose of this study is to determine to what extent the concept of co-adaptation can be applied to the thermal biology of reptiles. Because reptiles obtain most of their body heat from the environment, describing their temperature relationships is critical to understanding their ecology. We will address the relationship between the nocturnal snakes that exhibit unusually low body temperature during activity. We will surgically implant temperature-sensitive radiotransmitters in snakes to determine their body temperatures in the field. In the laboratory, we will study the effects of variation in body temperature on snake physiology (e.g., digestive rate, metabolism, crawling speed). Through statistical comparisons of body temperatures and their effects on physiology, we will determine the extent of co- adaptation in rubber boas. Our analytical methods also will provide a framework for future studies of co-adaptation.