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  • Title: Effects of temperature transients on gas exchange and acid-base status of turtles.
    Author: Jackson DC, Kagen RD.
    Journal: Am J Physiol; 1976 May; 230(5):1389-93. PubMed ID: 5899.
    Abstract:
    Pulmonary ventilation (VE), O2 consumption (VO2), and CO2 production (VCO2) were measured continuously on each of 10 turtles, Pseudemys scripta elegans, at 20 degrees C, during and for 1 h after heating to 30 degrees C and during and for 1 h after cooling to 20 degrees C. In seven of the animals, arterial blood was sampled at the three temperature plateaus. Ventilatory ratios (VE/VO2 and VE/VCO2) and metabolic rate adjusted promptly to temperature change, stabilizing at values similar to those observed previously in turtles following 1 day or more at each temperature. Likewise, mean blood pH and PCO2 values conformed both in absolute values and in temperature-dependence to data previously obtained from animals exposed to the various temperatures for longer time periods or from turtle blood thermally equilibrated in vitro. Total plasma [CO2] did not change significantly, suggesting that steady-state CO2 exchange prevailed throughout the experiment. In accordance with this, R(VCO2/VO2) did not change significantly during the 20-30 degrees C transition; however, R rose during the 30-20 degrees C transition, suggesting possible hyperventilation at this stage. We conclude that the respiratory control of blood acid-base status adjusts rapidly to temperature change in the turtle and its adjustment minimizes disturbance to CO2 balance.
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