While much of our respirometry work focuses on measuring the energy costs of living in contaminated environments, we also seek to understand basic natural history questions with conservation implications. In fact, understanding the basic physiology of an animal as it responds to natural variation in its operative environment is critical for addressing more applied topics (e.g., to provide a baseline against which responses to xenobiotics can be gauged).

We have recently investigated the effects of body mass and temperature on SMR in the Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake (Crotalus adamanteus) with Mike Dorcas and the Spotted Turtle (Clemmys guttata) with Jacqueline Litzgus. The goal of this work is to integrate controlled, laboratory measurements of respiration with field data collected (by M. Dorcas and J. Litzgus) over many years using temperature-sensitive radiotelemetry and temperature data loggers. Both C. adamanteus and C. guttata are species of concern, yet very little is known about the energy requirements of these animals. Developing a comprehensive knowledge of the natural history of such animals is a first essential step in designing effective conservation strategies. Based on our respirometry work, we are currently developing energy expenditure models to help predict how resource acquisition and utilization for various sized individuals may be influenced by microhabitat selection and body temperature variation over the range experienced by wild C. adamanteus and C. guttata. Such energy budgets can be used to determine the importance of microhabitat availability (as it relates to temperature and energy conservation) and for understanding annual energy demands as they relate to energy allocation to growth and reproduction, all of which have population-level implications.