The potential effects of climate change-associated temperature increases on the metabolic rate of a small Afrotropical bird

Abstract

Studies have only recently begun to underline the importance of including data on species’ physiological flexibility when modelling their vulnerability to extinction from climate change. We investigated the effects of a 4°C increase in ambient temperature (Ta), similar to that predicted for southern Africa by the year 2080, on certain physiological variables of a 10-12g passerine bird endemic to southern Africa, the Cape white-eye Zosterops virens. There was no significant difference in resting metabolism, body mass and intraperitoneal body temperature between birds housed indoors at 4°C above outside ambient temperature and those housed indoors at outside ambient temperature. We conclude that Cape white-eyes’ physiological flexibility will aid them in coping with the 4°C increase predicted for their range by 2080.