Water availability and temperature induce changes in oxidative status during pregnancy in a viviparous lizard

Reproduction involves considerable reorganization in an organism’s physiology that incurs potential toxicity for cells (e.g., oxidative stress) and decrease in fitness. This framework has been the cornerstone of the so-called ‘oxidative cost of reproduction’, a theory that remains controversial and relatively overlooked in non-model ectotherms.
Here, we used two complementary approaches in natural and controlled conditions to test whether altered access to climate conditions (water and temperature resources) alters oxidative status and mediates reproductive trade-offs in viviparous populations of the common lizard (Zootoca vivipara).
First, we examined whether access to free standing water and differences in ambient temperature across 12 natural populations could be related with variation in oxidative status, reproductive effort and reproductive success. Second, we determined whether an experimental restriction to water triggers higher oxidative cost of reproduction and correlate...