Chapter 3 Physical conditions and the availability of resources 83

33 Figure 3.12
32 P. vulgaris
P. pugio
Standard metabolic expenditure (estimated
31 through minimum oxygen consumption) in
Standard metabolic expenditure (J day–1)

30 two species of shrimp, Palaemonetes pugio

Overall mean,
29 P. vulgaris (24.85) and P. vulgaris, at a range of salinities.
28 There was significant mortality of both
27 species over the experimental period at
26
0.5 ppt (parts per thousand), especially
P. vulgaris (75% compared to 25%).
25
24
23
22
21
20
19 Overall mean,
AFTER ROWE, 2002

18 P. pugio (22.91)
17
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 10 15 20 25 30 35
Salinity (ppt)

Variability of conditions can set biological challenges as great as extremes. temperatures that vary seasonally
Seasonal cycles, for example, can expose an animal to summer heat close to its pose special problems
thermal maximum, and winter chill close to its thermal minimum. Responses
to these changing conditions include the laying down of different coats in the
fall (thick and underlain by a thick fat layer) and in the spring (a thinner coat
and loss of the dense fat layer) (Figure 3.13). Some animals also take advantage
of each other’s body heat as a means to cope with cold weather by huddling
together. Hibernation – relaxing temperature control – allows some verte-
brates to survive periods of winter cold and food shortage (see Figure 3.11) by
avoiding the difficulties of finding sufficient fuel over these periods. Migration
is another avoidance strategy: the Arctic tern, to take an extreme example,
travels from the Arctic to the Antarctic and back each year, experiencing only
the polar summers.

1.5 Figure 3.13

Seasonal changes in the thickness of the insulating fur coats of
Wolverine some Arctic and northern temperate mammals.
Wolf
Insulation (°C cal m–2 h–1)

1.0
Polar bear

Polar bear
0.5 Wolverine
Wolf Winter
Summer
Red squirrel

0
0 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0 5.0 6.0
Thickness of fur (mm)