Abstract: To examine the effects of temperature and individual density on resting metabolism rate of male Fejervarya multistriata, with open circuit instrument of animal respiration, we measured oxygen consumption of male F. multistriata under different ambient temperatures (15, 25 and 35 ℃) and individual densities (from 1 to 10) and calculated the resting metabolic rate. The results showed that body temperature significantly increased with increasing ambient temperature (F_2,27=16.958, P<0.01) and individual density (F_2,27=4.871, P=0.028). Under ambient temperature of 15 ℃ and 25 ℃, there were significant negative correlations between resting metabolic rate and individual density, with regression equations (15 ℃: RMR₁₅=-0.0078N+0.4001, R²=0.843, P<0.001) and (25 ℃: RMR₂₅=-0.0048N+0.9851, R²=0.941, P<0.001) respectively. However, under 35 ℃, there was a significant positive correlation between resting metabolic rate and individual density. The regression equation was (RMR₃₅=0.0551N+1.35, R²=0.855, P<0.001). Our results indicate that the males of F. multistriata can reduce energy metabolism through living in groups under low temperature. However, living in groups will increase energy metabolism of F. multistriata under high temperature, which is not conducive to the growth of F. multistriata.

Key words: drought stress, exogenous plant hormones, endogenous hormone, sweet potato, yield