抄録
The effects of cooling rates on freezing and survival numbers of the tardigrade Ramazzottius varieornatus have been examined. R. varieornatus has been cooled to subzero temperatures ranging from -2 to -20℃ at different cooling rates of 0.2, 1, or 5℃/min. The number of tardigrades frozen increases as the cooling rate increases. Survival rates are maximized at an intermediate cooling rate (1℃/min), implying that there is an optimal cooling rate for R. varieornatus to survive exposure to subzero temperatures. The freezing tolerance of R. varieornatus may be derived from the ability to survive dehydration since it is thought that common physiological mechanisms are involved in both freezing tolerance and desiccation tolerance.
