Thermal ecology

Thermal ecology studies how temperature affects organisms’ physiology, behavior, distribution, and interactions with other organisms and their environments.

Thermal physiology: The study of how temperature affects the functions and performance of organisms. Physiological processes set the temperatures at which organisms can function.
Biogeography: The study of the geographic distribution of organisms and biological communities. Temperature helps set the geographic limits and patterns of species distributions.
Microclimate: The climate of a small, localized area that can differ from regional conditions. Organisms experience local temperatures that may diverge sharply from weather-station readings.
Ectothermy: A thermal strategy in which body temperature depends largely on external heat exchange. It contrasts with internally generated body heat as a basis for temperature regulation.
Climate velocity: The speed and direction a species must move to encounter a climate it is adapted to. It connects changing thermal conditions to the movement required to track suitable climates.
Thermoregulation: The control of body temperature through physiological, behavioral, or structural means. It describes how organisms maintain or adjust body temperature as conditions change.
Climate change and biodiversity: The effects of changing climate on species, ecosystems, and biological diversity. Thermal limits and behavior shape organisms’ responses to warming.
Thermal tolerance: The range of temperatures an organism can endure without losing viability or function. Tolerance limits constrain the temperatures in which organisms can survive.
Endothermy: A thermal strategy in which metabolic heat contributes substantially to body temperature. It shows how organisms can buffer body temperature from ambient conditions.
Thermal safety margin: The difference between an organism’s critical thermal limit and the temperatures it typically experiences. It estimates how much warming an organism can withstand before approaching its limits.

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