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Anoxia tolerance and freeze tolerance in hatchling turtles

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Abstract

Freezing survival in hatchling turtles may be limited by ischemic anoxia in frozen tissues and the associated accumulation of lactate and reactive oxygen species (ROS). To determine whether mechanisms for coping with anoxia are also important in freeze tolerance, we examined the association between capacities for freezing survival and anoxia tolerance in hatchlings of seven species of turtles. Tolerance to freezing (−2.5°C) was high in Emydoidea blandingii, Chrysemys picta, Terrapene ornata, and Malaclemys terrapin and low in Graptemys geographica, Chelydra serpentina, and Trachemys scripta. Hatchlings survived in a N2 atmosphere at 4°C for periods ranging from 17 d (M. terrapin) to 50 d (G. geographica), but survival time was not associated with freeze tolerance. Lactate accumulated during both stresses, but plasma levels in frozen/thawed turtles were well below those found in anoxia-exposed animals. Activity of the antioxidant enzyme catalase in liver increased markedly with anoxia exposure in most species, but increased with freezing/thawing only in species with low freeze tolerance. Our results suggest that whereas oxygen deprivation occurs during somatic freezing, freeze tolerance is not limited by anoxia tolerance in hatchling turtles.

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Acknowledgements

Collecting permits were obtained from the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, Indiana Department of Natural Resources, and New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife. Animal care and experimental procedures were approved by the Animal Care and Use Committee of Miami University in accordance with guidelines established by the U.S. Public Health Service. We thank P. Myer and the Connealy and Davis families for granting us permission to collect turtles on their lands. We also thank P. Baker for providing some of the hatchlings, and M. Elnitsky and L. Hayes for commenting on earlier drafts of the manuscript. This work was funded by grants from the NSF (IBN 98017087 and IBN 0416750) to JPC and by the Miami University Summer Workshop to SAD.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Zoology, Miami University, Oxford, OH, 45056, U.S.A

    S. A. Dinkelacker, J. P. Costanzo & R. E. Lee Jr

  2. Department of Biology, University of Central Arkansas, Conway, AR, 72035, USA

    S. A. Dinkelacker

Authors
  1. S. A. Dinkelacker
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  2. J. P. Costanzo
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  3. R. E. Lee Jr
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Correspondence to S. A. Dinkelacker.

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Communicated by G. Heldmaier

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Dinkelacker, S.A., Costanzo, J.P. & Lee, R.E. Anoxia tolerance and freeze tolerance in hatchling turtles. J Comp Physiol B 175, 209–217 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00360-005-0478-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00360-005-0478-0

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