Impact of developmental temperatures on thermal plasticity and repeatability of metabolic rate

Abstract Phenotypic plasticity is an important mechanism that allows populations to adjust changing environments. Early life experiences can have lasting impacts on how individuals respond environmental variation later in (i.e., individual reaction norms), altering the capacity for selection. Here, we incubated lizard embryos ( Lampropholis delicata ) at two fluctuating developmental temperatures (cold = 23 ºC + / − 3 ºC, hot 29 n cold 26, 25) understand it affected metabolic temperature life. We repeatedly measured norms across six 10 times over ~ 3.5 months (n obs 3,818) estimate repeatability of average rate (intercept) and thermal (slope). The intercept slope population-level norm was not by temperature. Repeatability was, average, 10% lower lizards but stable all temperatures. overall moderately repeatable R 0.44, 95% CI 0.035 – 0.93) suggesting changed consistently with short-term changes temperature, although credible intervals were quite broad. Importantly, did depend early Identifying factors affecting among-individual will be increasingly more terrestrial ectotherms living climate. Our work implies robust has evolve, despite there being less consistent under