Temperature Tolerance and Thermal Environment of European Seed Bugs
2020
Käfer, Helmut | Kovac, Helmut | Simov, Nikolay | Battisti, Andrea | Erregger, Bettina | Schmidt, Arne K. D. | Stabentheiner, Anton
Heteroptera, or true bugs populate many climate zones, coping with different environmental conditions. The aim of this study was the evaluation of their thermal limits and derived traits, as well as climatological parameters which might influence their distribution. We assessed the thermal limits (critical thermal maxima, CTₘₐₓ, and minima, CTₘᵢₙ) of eight seed bug species (Lygaeidae, Pyrrhocoridae) distributed over four Köppen–Geiger climate classification types (KCC), approximately 6° of latitude, and four European countries (Austria, Italy, Croatia, Bulgaria). In test tubes, a temperature ramp was driven down to -5 °C for CTₘᵢₙ and up to 50 °C for CTₘₐₓ (0.25 °C/min) until the bugs’ voluntary, coordinated movement stopped. In contrast to CTₘᵢₙ, CTₘₐₓ depended significantly on KCC, species, and body mass. CTₘₐₓ showed high correlation with bioclimatic parameters such as annual mean temperature and mean maximum temperature of warmest month (BIO5), as well as three parameters representing temperature variability. CTₘᵢₙ correlated with mean annual temperature, mean minimum temperature of coldest month (BIO6), and two parameters representing variability. Although the derived trait cold tolerance (TC = BIO6 - CTₘᵢₙ) depended on several bioclimatic variables, heat tolerance (TH = CTₘₐₓ - BIO5) showed no correlation. Seed bugs seem to have potential for further range shifts in the face of global warming.
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