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Relationships Between Saturation Deficit and The Survival and Distribution of Terrestrial Isopods
Author(s) -
White Joseph J.,
Zar Jerrold H.
Publication year - 1968
Publication title -
ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.144
H-Index - 294
eISSN - 1939-9170
pISSN - 0012-9658
DOI - 10.2307/1934124
Subject(s) - saturation (graph theory) , relative humidity , humidity , ecology , biology , environmental science , botany , mathematics , thermodynamics , physics , combinatorics
Equations are presented (1) to determine the specific gravity of a glycerol—water solution necessary to maintain a desired relative humidity in a small experimental chamber and (2) to predict the relative humidity which would be maintained by a given glycerol—water solution. The woodlouse, Tracheoniscus rathkei Brandt can survive its normal life span only if exposed to saturation deficits very near zero. In this species, as well as in 8 previously reported species, survival time is inversely related to saturation deficit rather than simply to the relative humidity. When equations for this relationship are compared for the various species, it is observed that those species whose survival times are decreased most by increases in saturation deficit are those which are normally found in wetter habitats.