Physiological Ecology of Desert Tortoises in Southern Nevada
Nagy KA and Medica PA. 1986. Physiological Ecology of Desert Tortoises in Southern Nevada. Herpetologica. 42(1):73-92
Seasonal changes in water balance, energetics, food consumption, daily behavior, diet, osmoregulation and body mass were measured using doubly labeled water, radiotelemeters, and field behavior observations of tortoises (Gopherus agassizii) during 1976 through 1977 in Rock Valley, Nevada. Tortoises apparently relinquish maintenance of internal homeostasis on a daily basis during most of the year, while tolerating large imbalances in their water, energy and salt budgets. This ability enables them to exploit resources that are only available periodically, while balancing their water and salt budgets on an annual basis and showing an energetic profit.
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Nagy, Kenneth; Medica, Philip
- Units
- DEVA , JOTR , MOJA
- Keywords
- Absence (Biodiversity), Abundance (Biodiversity), Behavior, Diet, Distribution (Biodiversity), estivation, field metabolic rate, Gopherus agassizii, nitrogen assimilation, Observations, osmoregulation, Presence (Biodiversity), Taxa Links To References, Water Balance