title: Metabolic responses to chronic hypoxic incubation in embryonic American alligators (Alligator mississippiensis).
abstract: Chronic hypoxic incubation is a common tool used to study developmental changes in reduced O2conditions, and it has been useful for identifying phenotypically plastic periods during ontogeny in laboratory settings. Reptilian embryos can be subjected to natural hypoxia due to nesting strategy, and recent studies have been important in establishing the phenotypic responses of several species to low developmental oxygen. In particular, the cardiovascular responses of American alligators (Alligator mississippiensis) to low developmental oxygen have been detailed, including a substantial cardiac enlargement that may support a higher mass specific metabolic rate. However, embryo mass-specific metabolic demands of hypoxic incubated alligator embryos have not been measured. In this study, alligator eggs were incubated in 10% O2(H) or 21% O2(N) environments for the entire course of embryonic development. Acute metabolic measures in 21% and 10% O2were taken for both H and N groups. We hypothesized that acute 10% O2exposure has no impact on metabolic rate of embryonic alligators, and that metabolic rate is unaffected by chronic hypoxic incubation when studied in embryos measured at 21% O2. Our findings suggest phenotypic changes resulting from hypoxic incubation early in incubation, in particular relative cardiac enlargement, enable embryonic alligators to sustain metabolic rate during acute hypoxic exposure.
authors: Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Texas, Denton, TX, USA. Electronic address: dane.crossley@unt.edu.
authors: Dane A
authors: DA
authors: Crossley
authors: Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Texas, Denton, TX, USA.
authors: Rick
authors: R
authors: Ling
authors: Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Texas, Denton, TX, USA.
authors: Derek
authors: D
authors: Nelson
authors: Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Texas, Denton, TX, USA.
authors: Taylor
authors: T
authors: Gillium
authors: Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Texas, Denton, TX, USA.
authors: Justin
authors: J
authors: Conner
authors: Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Texas, Denton, TX, USA.
authors: James
authors: J
authors: Hapgood
authors: Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge, Grand Chenier, LA, USA.
authors: Ruth M
authors: RM
authors: Elsey
authors: Department of Biological Sciences, California State University San Marcos, San Marcos, CA, USA.
authors: John
authors: J
authors: Eme
mesh_terms: D000489:Alligators and Crocodiles / Q000196:embryology*; D000818:Animals; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000378:metabolism*; D014481:United States
keywords: Embryo; Hypoxia; Metabolic rate; Oxygen consumption; Reptile; Respirometry