Data from: A metabolic syndrome in terrestrial ectotherms with different elevational and distribution patterns

The metabolic performance of ectotherms is expected to be driven by the environment in which they live. Ecologically similar species with contrasting elevation distributions occurring in sympatry at mid-elevations, provide good models for studying how physiological responses to temperature vary as a function of adaptation to different elevations.. Under sympatry, at middle elevations, where divergent species ranges overlap, sympatric populations are expected to have similar thermal responses, suggesting similar local acclimation or adaptation, while observed differences would suggest adaptation to each species’ core range. We analysed the metabolic traits of sympatric species pairs from three ectotherm groups: reptiles (Reptilia: Lacertidae), amphibians (Amphibia: Salamandridae) and beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae), living at different elevations, in order to test how adaptation to different elevations affects metabolic responses to temperature. We experimentally tested the thermal response of respiration rate (RR) and estimated potential metabolic activity (PMA) at three temperature regimes surrounding the groups’ optimal activity body temperatures. RR was relatively similar among groups and showed a positive response to increasing temperature, which was more pronounced in the high-elevation species of reptiles and beetles. Relative to RR, PMA displayed a stronger and more consistent positive response to increased temperature in all three groups. For all three groups, the average biochemical capacity for metabolism (PMA) was higher in the range-restricted, high-elevation species, and this difference increased at higher temperatures in a consistent manner. These results, indicating consistent pattern in three independently evolved animal groups, suggest a ubiquitous adaptive syndrome and represent a novel understanding of the mechanisms shaping spatial biodiversity patterns. Our results also highlight the importance of geographic patterns for the mechanistic understanding of adaptations in physiological traits, including species’ potential to respond/adapt to global climate changes.

变温动物（ectotherm）的代谢表现被认为由其栖息环境所调控。生态位相似但海拔分布格局迥异的物种，若在中海拔区域呈现同域分布（sympatry），则为探究温度生理响应如何随不同海拔适应发生变化提供了理想研究模型。在同域分布的中海拔区域，即分歧物种的分布范围发生重叠之处，同域种群本应表现出相似的热响应，暗示其经历了相似的局部驯化（acclimation）或适应；若观测到响应差异，则表明物种各自适配其核心分布范围。本研究针对三类分布于不同海拔的变温动物类群的同域物种对展开代谢性状分析，分别为爬行纲（Reptilia）蜥蜴科（Lacertidae）、两栖纲（Amphibia）蝾螈科（Salamandridae）以及鞘翅目（Coleoptera）步甲科（Carabidae），旨在验证不同海拔的适应如何影响物种对温度的代谢响应。我们围绕三类类群的最优活动体温设置了三种温度梯度，实验测定了呼吸速率（RR）的热响应，并估算了潜在代谢活性（PMA）。结果显示，呼吸速率在各类群间相对相近，且随温度升高呈正向响应，这一趋势在爬行类和鞘翅类的高海拔物种中更为显著。相较于呼吸速率，潜在代谢活性在三类类群中均表现出更强且更一致的温度正向响应。在所有三个类群中，狭域分布的高海拔物种的平均代谢生化能力更高，且这一差异随温度升高以一致的模式不断扩大。上述结果在三个独立演化的动物类群中呈现出统一的模式，表明存在一种广泛存在的适应综合征，同时为理解塑造空间生物多样性格局的机制提供了全新认知。本研究同时强调了地理格局对于从机制层面理解生理性状适应的重要性，其中包括物种应对全球气候变化的响应与适应潜力。