Data from: Thermal sensitivity of a Neotropical amphibian (Engystomops pustulosus) and its vulnerability to climate change

A species’ thermal sensitivity and its exposure to climate variation are
key components in the prediction of its vulnerability to climate change.
We tested the thermal sensitivity of a tropical amphibian that lives in a
mild constant climate in which the thermal tolerance range is expected to
closely match the experienced environmental temperature. The air
temperature that this species is exposed to varies between 21.9 and 31.6°C
with an annual mean of 27.2°C. We estimated the microhabitat water
temperature variation under vegetation shade, which buffers the
temperature by 1.8°C in relation to that of the air, and with open canopy,
where the water was 1.9°C warmer than the air temperature. With broods of
tadpoles split into five treatments (15°C, 21°C, 28°C, 31°C, and 33°C), we
estimated the critical thermal maximum (CTMax) and critical thermal
minimum (CTMin) after at least 7 days of acclimation. Both CTMax (42.3°C)
and CTMin (11.8°C) were more extreme than the temperature range estimated
for the field. We estimated the optimum temperature (To = 28.8°C) and the
thermal performance breadth (range: 23.3–34.1°C) based on growth rate
(g/day). The animals were able to acclimate more extensively to cold than
to warm temperatures. These performance curve traits closely matched the
air temperature. The estimated vulnerability varied according to the
microhabitat prediction model used. The combination of tadpole data on
thermal sensitivity and macro- and microhabitat variation provides a
necessary framework to understand the effects of climate change on
tropical amphibians.