Temperature Variance in Thailand: the Relationship with Free-ranging Small Subtropical Mammals with Ambient Temperature

Abstract

In the face of a rapidly changing climate, the ability to make informed decisions about how certain groups (plants vs. animals) or certain communities (tropical low elevation vs. tropical high elevation) might respond is a pressing problem for organismal biologists (Janzen 1967). This study results from a Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) that took place in northeastern Thailand in the summer of 2018. The goal of the study was to compare data from Thailand's subtropical regions, where there is a minimal variation of temperature, to regions with temperate conditions. By doing this, we hope to understand small mammal populations’ physiological response to fluctuating temperatures. Data was collected at the Maha Sarakham University forest in Koeng, Muang Mahasarakham, Maha Sarakham. Methods included identifying trapping locations and food preference, performing respirometry tests on small mammals captured, measuring site temperatures, and then releasing mammals at the captured site. With the use of iButtons and secondary temperature recordings, we were able to show a variance in the temperature of the small mammal's environment. However, due to a low sample count of small mammals we were are unable to determine the populations’ physiological response to fluctuating temperatures.