Crossing thermal boundaries: Quantifying the impact of sublethal heat stress on growth in black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens)
Data files
Apr 16, 2025 version files 62.29 KB
Abstract
By integrating the biological principles underlying both the thermal performance curve (TPC) and the thermal death time (TDT) model, we develop a quantitative model to investigate sublethal heat stress in ectothermic organisms. Heat injury is induced in the stressful temperature range (as described by the TDT model) and is subsequently monitored at a fixed point within a permissive temperature range, corresponding to the TPC optimum (TPCopt), with assessments based on impaired growth and increased mortality.
Dataset DOI: 10.5061/dryad.3r2280gth
Description of the data and file structure
The dataset includes raw data, excluding outliers that were removed according to criteria described in the manuscript. The data were collected at the Department of Zoophysiology at Aarhus University and are based on growth rates and mortality.
Controlled doses of heat injury, calculated as a fraction of the LT50, were applied to Black Soldier Fly larvae in temperature-regulated water baths. The larvae were then transferred to a temperature-controlled heating cabinet for growth monitoring. The data includes 1) A thermal performance curve (derived from temperature measurements and specific growth rates over a 24-hour period), 2) Lt50 values (later used to develop a TDT model to determine precise heat injury doses), 3) An investigation of heat injury additivity, and 4) Acute and persistent effects of sublethal heat stress - evaluated at 1 day, 7 days (under production conditions), and 12 days post-injury - as well as mortality rates during larval development.
Files and variables
File: Data_availability_Crossing_Thermal_Boundaries_Quantifying_the_Impact_of_Sublethal_Heat_Stress_on_Growth_in_Black_Soldier_Fly_(Hermetia_illucens).xlsx
Below is a review of the four tabs in the attached Excel sheet.
TPC:
- The temperature is measured in Celsius.
- The specific growth rate (SGR) is calculated based on the larvae’s initial weight, final weight, and the duration of the experiment (1 day).
SGR = (ln(final weight) - ln(initial weight)) / duration
Lt_50:
- Temperature in Celsius
- Time in minutes (the duration of sublethal heat stress)
- Mortality of 5 larvae
Additivity:
- Temperature in Celsius (the stressful temperature used to inflict sublethal damage)
- Injury (%), corresponding to the fraction of Lt50 (100% damage) the larvae were subjected to
- SGR: see above
Sublethal heat stress:
- Injury (%), corresponding to the fraction of Lt50 (100% damage) the larvae were subjected to.
- Weight in mg
- Mortality (%) is the number of dead individuals out of the total population in each group
The data are presented as raw data in Excel (xlsx). The data is organized across four tabs to provide an overview of the different experiments.