BIOL 121 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Ectotherm, Thermoregulation, Habitat Destruction

• School: UBC
• Department: Biology
• Course: BIOL 121
• Professor: Lynn Norman

Document Summary

Example of when conditions exceed limits of tolerance. How individuals interact w/ each other and physical environment. What morphological / physiological / behavioural adaptations do individuals have to allow them to meet challenges posed by environment. Garter snakes : lynn"s research & explanation of patterns. Identified 3 behavioural patterns 1 behavioural ecology ) Hypotheses: hibernate communally in large numbers. Thermoregulation / warmth in winter: more long distances to summer foraging areas i> 18km. Energetically costly and increased risk of predation. Mating strategy ceasier to find mates in spring : high den site fidelity 1 > 97% ) 97% of snakes return to same den site each year. Den site availability 1 few denning sites) snakes are ectotherms: body temp must be > 10 c to digest food. Air temp < 10 c for 7 months / year. Frost- line reaches depths greater than one meter below ground.