All terrestrial ectotherms are constrained to some degree by their thermal environment and the extent to which they can behaviorally buffer variable thermal conditions. New biophysical modeling methods (NicheMapR) allow the calculation of the body temperature of thermoregulating animals anywhere in the world from first principles, but require detailed observational data for parameterization and testing. Here we describe the thermoregulatory biology of marching bands of the desert locust, Schistocerca gregaria, in the Sahara Desert of Mauritania where extreme heat and strong diurnal fluctuations are a major constraint on activity and physiological processes. Using a thermal infrared camera in the field, we showed that gregarious nymphs altered the microhabitats they used, as well as postural thermoregulatory behaviors, to maintain relatively high body temperature (nearly 40°C). Field and laboratory experiments demonstrated that the preferred body temperature accelerated digestive rates. Migratory bands frequently left foraging sites with full guts before consuming all vegetation and moved to another habitat before emptying their foregut. Thus, the repertoire for behavioral thermoregulation in the desert locust strongly facilitates foraging and digestion rates, which may accelerate developmental rates and increase survival. We used our data to successfully parameterize a general biophysical model of thermoregulatory behavior that could capture hourly body temperature and activity at our remote site using globally available environmental forcing data. This modeling approach provides a stronger basis for forecasting thermal constraints on locust outbreaks under current and future climates.

中文翻译：

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世界上最具破坏性的蝗虫 Schistocerca gregaria 的热约束一般模型

所有陆地外温动物都在一定程度上受到它们的热环境以及它们在行为上可以缓冲可变热条件的程度的限制。新的生物物理建模方法 (NicheMapR) 允许根据第一原理计算世界任何地方的体温调节动物的体温，但需要详细的观察数据进行参数化和测试。在这里，我们描述了沙漠蝗虫Schistocerca gregaria行军乐队的体温调节生物学，在毛里塔尼亚的撒哈拉沙漠中，极端高温和强烈的昼夜波动是活动和生理过程的主要制约因素。我们在现场使用热红外相机，发现群居若虫改变了它们使用的微栖息地以及姿势体温调节行为，以保持相对较高的体温（接近 40°C）。现场和实验室实验表明，首选体温会加速消化率。迁徙带经常在吃掉所有植被之前带着完整的内脏离开觅食地点，并在排空前肠之前转移到另一个栖息地。因此，沙漠蝗虫的行为体温调节功能极大地促进了觅食和消化速度，这可能会加快发育速度并提高存活率。我们使用我们的数据成功地参数化了体温调节行为的一般生物物理模型，该模型可以使用全球可用的环境强迫数据捕获我们远程站点的每小时体温和活动。这种建模方法为预测当前和未来气候下蝗虫爆发的热约束提供了更强有力的基础。