Developmental environments do not affect thermal physiology in reptiles: An experimental test and meta-analysis

On a global scale, organisms face significant challenges due to climate change and anthropogenic disturbance. In many ectotherms, developmental and physiological processes are sensitive to changes in temperature and resources. Developmental plasticity in thermal physiology may provide adaptive advantages to environmental extremes if early environmental conditions are predictable of late-life environments. Here, we conducted a laboratory experiment to test how developmental temperature and maternal resource investment influence thermal physiology (critical thermal maximum: CTmax & thermal preference: Tpref) in a common skink (Lampropholis delicata). We then compared our experimental findings more broadly across reptiles using meta-analysis. In both our experimental study and meta-analysis, we did not find evidence that developmental environments influence thermal physiology. Furthermore, the effects of developmental environments on thermal physiology did not vary by age, taxon, or climate zone (temperate/tropical) in reptiles. Overall, the magnitude of developmental plasticity on thermal physiology appears to be limited across reptile taxa. Our results suggest that behavioural or evolutionary processes, as opposed to developmental plasticity, may be more critical in mitigating the impacts of changing thermal conditions in reptiles in the future.