Background: Temperature has a fundamental effect on organisms because it alters the speed of biochemical reactions and thus metabolism. This influence scales up to have ecosystem wide effects as the life history strategies of individual species differ in response to temperature. With the prospect of increasing global temperatures ecosystem functions could be interrupted. In order to predict the consequences of changing environmental conditions it is important to first establish how fitness related traits are affected by changing thermal conditions. Aims: The aim of this thesis was to develop a detailed understanding of the thermal niche of an invasive, tropical freshwater fish species. Methods: Using ecologically realistic conditions this thesis investigates the effect of environmental variation within and between generations on behavioural, growth, physiological, and reproductive characteristics of the Trinidadian guppy (Poecilia reticulata). Results: The results provide an insight into the fundamental thermal niche of a widely used model fish species as well as detailed measures of how thermal change alters phenotypic characteristics. Guppies are demonstrated to have a broad thermal tolerance and be phenotypically responsive to changing environmental conditions. The results also suggest that environmental characteristics of the guppy's habitat make an important contribution to the differences observed between populations of guppies in Trinidad. Conclusions: Water temperature in the guppy's natural environment varies widely over a daily cycle and I suggest that this is partly responsible for the guppy becoming phenotypically plastic and thermally tolerant. Furthermore, phenotypic flexibility is an important characteristic that will enable guppies to withstand some climate warming and continue to expand their invasive range poleward. Using experimental conditions which resemble those in the natural environment is important for developing accurate model parameters. These are necessary for predicting the ecosystem effects of environmental variation and for adaptive mitigation or pre-emptive management of range extensions by invasive species.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-06-02T19:32:06Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 DissMGV.pdf: 1081292 bytes, checksum: 700b8d44e1688d266b85b0a69648d0f3 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2003-03-13 / Financiadora de Estudos e Projetos / The majority of information related to reproductive strategy of Erythrinidae species has its origin from observations on natural environment. In this context, several tactics are not effectively evaluated and precious collection of information relevant to commercial fishing culture or even to effort of fauna reconstitution are simply lost. Studies on induced reproduction of Hoplerythrinus unitaeniatus Hoplias malabaricus and Hoplias lacerdae were performed at the Fish culture and Hydrobiology Station of the CODEVASF-Três Marias-MG, from September to December of the years 2000 and 2001 with the objective of search its reproductive characteristics. The Hoplerythrinus unitaeniatus presented to be the most fecund of the three studied species with smaller eggs and larvae sizes, followed by the Hoplias malabaricus presenting intermediate values between Hoplerythrinus unitaeniatus and Hoplias lacerdae, the least fecund one but with bigger eggs and larvae than the other two species. The larvae of the two species of Hoplias did not presented the vertical movement on the water column observed on Hoplerythrinus unitaeniatus. This behavior is considered of extreme importance to the larvae dispersion in different environment. The Erythrinidae eggs are in general big with yellow color and opaque, presenting good adhesive property and light hydration. Comparing this group with others Characiformes from São Francisco river basin it was observed that these three species present as major peculiarities, the low fecundity and enhanced parental care, evidenced by the eggs and larvae characteristics, representing a high unit value of reproductive investment, placing the Erythrinidae here studied next to the strategic group of k-selected equilibrium proposed by Winemiller in 1989 and in the nest spawner guild proposed by BALON in 1985. At the present work we found out the importance of knowing a few breeding tactics/strategies that results in benefits that certainly yield specialization on handling reproductors, eggs and larvae. / A maioria das informações sobre as estratégias reprodutivas das espécies de Erythrinidae estudadas têm origem a partir de observações em ambiente natural e, dentro deste contexto, várias táticas não foram efetivamente avaliadas podendo constituir informações importantes para o aproveitamento de representantes do grupo na piscicultura comercial ou mesmo em esforços de reconstituição ictiofaunística. No presente trabalho, estudos de reprodução induzida de Hoplerythrinus unitaeniatus, Hoplias malabaricus e Hoplias lacerdae foram realizados na Estação de Hidrobiologia e Piscicultura da CODEVASF-Três Marias-MG, de setembro a dezembro de 2000 e de 2001, para avaliação de suas características reprodutivas. O jejú, Hoplerythrinus unitaeniatus, foi caracterizada como a de maior fecundidade entre as três espécies, porém com ovos e larvas de menores dimensões comparativamente à traíra Hoplias malabaricus, que por sua vez, apresentou valores intermediários entre Hoplerythrinus unitaeniatus e o trairão Hoplias lacerdae considerada a de menor fecundidade entre as três espécies, porém com ovos e larvas de maiores dimensões. As larvas das duas espécies de Hoplias não apresentaram movimento vertical na coluna d água, como o observado para Hoplerythrinus unitaeniatus. Este comportamento é considerado de extrema importância para a dispersão das larvas em diferentes ambientes. Os ovos destes eritrinídeos apresentaram-se, de maneira geral, grandes e opacos, adesivos, de coloração amarela e relativamente pouco hidratáveis. Comparando-se o grupo das traíras com outros Characiformes da bacia do São Francisco para quais já foram realizados estudos de indução reprodutiva, observou-se que este grupo apresenta como peculiaridades principais a relativa baixa fecundidade, o período de embriogênese longo e o cuidado parental acentuado, confirmado pelas características de ovos e larvas que representam um alto valor unitário de investimento reprodutivo, colocando os eritrinídeos aqui estudados próximos ao grupo dos estrategistas de equilíbrio kselecionados, de acordo com a proposta de Winemiller em 1989 e na guilda dos guardadores, segundo a proposta de Balon em 1985. No presente trabalho verificou-se que a importância do conhecimento de algumas táticas/estratégias reprodutivas reside na contribuição que elas seguramente propiciarão ao aprimoramento do manejo tanto dos reprodutores, quanto dos ovos e das larvas.