Effects of thermal acclimation on metabolic and feeding rates

• Main Author: O'Gorman, Eoin
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: University of Essex 2021
• Subjects: Q Science (General); Iceland
• Online Access: https://researchdata.essex.ac.uk/137/; https://researchdata.essex.ac.uk/137/1/Thermal_acclimation_data_and_R_code.zip

This is a dataset of metabolic rates and functional responses, measured in laboratory experiments for a widespread predator-prey pair of freshwater invertebrates, sampled from across a natural stream temperature gradient in Iceland (4–18 °C). We found that acclimation to higher temperatures either had neutral effects or reduced the thermal sensitivity of both metabolic and feeding rates for the predator, increasing its energetic efficiency. These findings indicate that phenotypic plasticity can act as a buffer against the impacts of environmental warming. As a consequence, predator-prey interactions between ectotherms may be less sensitive to future warming than previously expected.