Pinnipeds (true seals, sea lions and walruses) inhabit two thermally different environments, air and water, so need to make continuous adjustments to maintain a balanced body temperature. The thermal isolation properties of thick blubber keep warmth within the body’s core, ideal for mammals while in the water; however, when on land, this thick blubber makes it difficult to lose heat. Some pinnipeds use thermal windows, discrete patches where temperature changes on their body surface, as a mechanism to dissipate excessive heat. We identify the factors that correlate with the appearance of thermal windows and changes in body surface temperature on southern elephant seals, Mirounga leonina, while they are hauled out ashore. Infrared thermography was used to measure surface temperature of the seals. Temperature was lower on the torso than the flippers and head, suggesting that not all body sites have the same role in thermal balance. Air temperature was the main driver of variation in the surface temperature of the seals’ flippers and head; seals cool their superficial tissues when the air temperature is below ~ 2°C. This minimizes heat loss by reducing the thermal gradient between their skin and the ambient air. Wind speed was the main predictor of whether thermal windows appear on a seals’ body surface. When wind speed was minimal, thermal windows occurred more often, which may be associated with either hair and skin drying, or producing thermal conditions for hair and skin regrowth. The type of aggregation (huddled or alone) influenced the surface temperature of the fore flippers; however, we did not find statistical influence of the seal’s sex, state of moult, or the substrate on which they were hauled out (kelp or sand). Understanding how animals maintain their thermal balance is important if we are to predict how they will respond to future climate change.

中文翻译：

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影响被拉出的南部象海豹的热窗外观和表面温度分布的条件

nip（真海豹，海狮和海象）栖息在空气和水两个热不同的环境中，因此需要进行连续调节以保持平衡的体温。厚稠的润滑脂的隔热性能可保持体内核心的热量，非常适合在水中的哺乳动物；但是，在陆地上时，这种稠密的润滑脂很难散热。一些夹住的人使用散热窗，身体表面温度变化的不连续贴片作为散发过多热量的机制。我们确定与南部象海豹，Mirounga leonina的热窗的外观和体表温度变化相关的因素，而他们被拖上岸。红外热成像法用于测量密封件的表面温度。躯干上的温度低于鳍状​​肢和头部的温度，这表明并非所有身体部位在热平衡中都具有相同的作用。空气温度是密封件的鳍状肢和头部表面温度变化的主要驱动因素。当气温低于2°C时，海豹会冷却其表层组织。通过减少皮肤和周围空气之间的热梯度，将热量损失降至最低。风速是热窗是否出现在密封件主体表面的主要预测指标。当风速最小时，热窗会更频繁地发生，这可能与头发和皮肤干燥有关，或者为头发和皮肤的再生产生热条件。聚集的类型（拥挤或单独聚集）影响前鳍的表面温度。但是，我们没有发现海豹的性别，蜕皮状态或拖出海豹的基质（海藻或沙子）的统计影响。如果我们要预测动物如何应对未来的气候变化，那么了解动物如何保持其热平衡就很重要。