551
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Kongsurakan P, Chaiyarat R, Nakbun S, Thongthip N, Anuracpreeda P. Monitoring body condition score of reintroduced banteng ( Bos javanicus D'Alton, 1923) into Salakphra Wildlife Sanctuary, Thailand. PeerJ 2020; 8:e9041. [PMID: 32351790 PMCID: PMC7183756 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.9041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2019] [Accepted: 04/01/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Banteng (Bos javanicus d’Alton 1823) are an endangered species, highly sensitive to habitat structure and quality. In many areas, banteng were extinct and needed to be reintroduced to restore their population. Thus, understanding the responses of body condition of reintroduced banteng to their habitat was important for ensuring the sustainability of a reintroduction program. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the body condition of banteng after reintroduction into the Salakphra Wildlife Sanctuary in Thailand based on photographs from camera-traps carried out between July 2016 and November 2018. Methods Seven banteng were bred at the Khao Nampu Nature and Wildlife Education Center and systematically reintroduced into the Salakphra Wildlife Sanctuary in December 2015 (four) and July 2016 (three). The seven reintroduced adults and two newborns (from the 2015 group) were captured via camera traps in 2018. The body condition scoring (BCS) obtained from these photographs was used to identify the individual performance of all seven adults after their reintroduction. Results The BCS scores in reintroduced adult banteng, both males and females, (between 5 and 7 years old) increased significantly over time after reintroduction into a natural habitat (p < 0.05), although the BCS scores in females were not significantly different between the second and third years (p > 0.05). Conclusions The results from the present study suggest that camera traps are a practical tool to assess the BCS of reintroduced banteng, and can be used to monitor their condition post-release. These techniques may be appropriate for translocation programs elsewhere.
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Affiliation(s)
- Praeploy Kongsurakan
- Wildlife and Plants Research Center, Faculty of Environment and Resource Studies, Mahidol University, Phuttamonthon, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand
| | - Rattanawat Chaiyarat
- Wildlife and Plants Research Center, Faculty of Environment and Resource Studies, Mahidol University, Phuttamonthon, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand
| | - Seree Nakbun
- Khao Nampu Nature and Wildlife Education Center, Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, Kanchanaburi, Thailand
| | - Nikorn Thongthip
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kasetsart University, Kamphaeng Saen Campus, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand.,Center for Agricultural Biotechnology, Kasetsart University, Kamphaeng Saen Campus, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand.,Center of Excellence on Agricultural Biotechnology, Science and Technology Postgraduate Education and Research Department Commission on Higher Education, Ministry of Education (AG-BIO/PERDO-CHE), Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Panat Anuracpreeda
- Institute of Molecular Biosciences, Mahidol University, Phuttamonthon, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand
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552
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McLennan EA, Grueber CE, Wise P, Belov K, Hogg CJ. Mixing genetically differentiated populations successfully boosts diversity of an endangered carnivore. Anim Conserv 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/acv.12589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- E. A. McLennan
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences University of Sydney Sydney NSW Australia
| | - C. E. Grueber
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences University of Sydney Sydney NSW Australia
- San Diego Zoo Global San Diego CA USA
| | - P. Wise
- Save the Tasmanian Devil Program, DPIPWE Hobart Tas Australia
| | - K. Belov
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences University of Sydney Sydney NSW Australia
| | - C. J. Hogg
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences University of Sydney Sydney NSW Australia
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553
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Castañeda-Rico S, León-Paniagua L, Edwards CW, Maldonado JE. Ancient DNA From Museum Specimens and Next Generation Sequencing Help Resolve the Controversial Evolutionary History of the Critically Endangered Puebla Deer Mouse. Front Ecol Evol 2020. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2020.00094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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554
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Léon-Tapia MÁ, Fernández JA, Rico Y, Cervantes FA, Espinosa de los Monteros A. A new mouse of the Peromyscus maniculatus species complex (Cricetidae) from the highlands of central Mexico. J Mammal 2020. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyaa027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
The Peromyscus maniculatus species complex is one of the most widespread group of small mammals in North America. However, the taxonomy and phylogenetic relationships among its constituent taxa remain unclear. As part of a revision of Peromyscus specimens from the highlands of the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt in central Mexico, we identified five individuals collected in 1968 that differed externally from other Peromyscus specimens, although morphologically similar to P. labecula and P. melanotis, both latter in the P. maniculatus species complex. Based on cranial measurements and mitochondrial DNA sequences, we aimed to more accurately determine the phylogenetic relationships and the taxonomic status of these individuals. Molecular phylogenetic analyses showed that the specimens formed a monophyletic clade sister to the P. maniculatus species complex. Pairwise genetic distances between those specimens and other species within the P. maniculatus species complex were greater than 7.91%. In addition, morphological analyses clearly distinguished the test specimens from P. melanotis and P. labecula. Based on the results of our molecular and morphological analyses, we conclude that these specimens represent an undescribed species of the P. maniculatus species complex, which we describe herein.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Ángel Léon-Tapia
- Laboratorio de Sistemática Filogenética, Biología Evolutiva, Instituto de Ecología A.C., El Haya, Xalapa, Veracruz, México
| | - Jesús A Fernández
- Departamento de Recursos Naturales, Facultad de Zootecnia y Ecología, Universidad Autónoma de Chihuahua, Chihuahua, México
| | - Yessica Rico
- Red de Diversidad Biológica del Occidente Mexicano, Instituto de Ecología, Pátzcuaro, Michoacán, México
- CONACYT, Avenida Insurgentes Sur 1582, Ciudad de México, México
| | - F A Cervantes
- Colección Nacional de Mamíferos, Departamento de Zoología, Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, México
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555
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Food preference and nutrient composition in captive bonobos (Pan paniscus). Primates 2020; 61:661-671. [PMID: 32246408 DOI: 10.1007/s10329-020-00813-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2020] [Accepted: 03/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Food preference has been studied in a range of Hominoidea in the wild and in captivity, allowing for interspecific comparisons. Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) and gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) prefer low-fibre, high-sugar foods, suggesting that frugivory and their dietary overlap are a result of their shared preference for the same nutrients. Comparable tests of the nutritional preference of bonobos do not exist. In this study we examined food preferences of five captive bonobos for 23 familiar and ten novel food items. We performed paired-choice food tests, resulting in a clear rank order in food preference, with minor individual differences. Fruits were more preferred than vegetables. We correlated nutritional composition of the food items with the bonobos' preference. We found that preferences for familiar food items were positively correlated with total energy and carbohydrate content and negatively correlated with water and micronutrient (sodium, calcium, phosphorus, iron, zinc, manganese, selenium) content. Food preference for the novel food items also showed a significant positive correlation with total energy and carbohydrate content. Our study supports the idea that food preference among bonobos follows the pattern of the other great apes and that the shared frugivorous diets may be the result of a common preference for the same nutrients. In the wild, these preferences may be less clear due to the interference of preferred nutrients with secondary compounds. Combining food preference data and nutritional information can help in providing a healthy diet with a balanced nutrient composition in captivity. Individual food preferences can help in optimizing food choice for positive reinforcement training and food-related tasks in future research.
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556
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Kleindorfer S, Dudaniec RY. Hybridization fluctuates with rainfall in Darwin’s tree finches. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2020. [DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blaa029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Hybridization in natural populations may be an adaptive response to shifting climatic regimes, but understanding this can be limited by the timing of sampling effort and confident identification of hybrids. On the Galapagos Islands, Darwin’s finches regularly hybridize; the islands also show extreme annual variation in rainfall, but the effect of annual rainfall on the frequency of finch hybridization is little known. Across a 20-year period on Floreana Island, we compare patterns of hybridization in sympatric Darwin’s tree finches (N = 425; Camaryhnchus spp.) and test for an effect of annual rainfall on (1) the frequency of hybrids (C. pauper × C. parvulus) and (2) the percentage of male hybrid birds produced per year (hybrid recruitment). Annual rainfall correlated with recruitment positively for hybrids, negatively for C. parvulus and not at all for C. pauper. Furthermore, the percentage of hybrids (range: 12–56%) and C. parvulus did not change with sampling year, but the critically endangered C. pauper declined. Our findings indicate that hybrid recruitment is recurring and variable according to annual rainfall in Camarhynchus Darwin’s finches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonia Kleindorfer
- Flinders University, College of Science and Engineering, Bedford Park, Adelaide, Australia
- Konrad Lorenz Research Center for Behaviour and Cognition and Department of Behavioural and Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Rachael Y Dudaniec
- Macquarie University, Department of Biological Sciences, North Ryde, Sydney, Australia
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557
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Fuller NW, McGuire LP, Pannkuk EL, Blute T, Haase CG, Mayberry HW, Risch TS, Willis CKR. Disease recovery in bats affected by white-nose syndrome. J Exp Biol 2020; 223:jeb211912. [PMID: 32054681 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.211912] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2019] [Accepted: 02/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Processes associated with recovery of survivors are understudied components of wildlife infectious diseases. White-nose syndrome (WNS) in bats provides an opportunity to study recovery of disease survivors, understand implications of recovery for individual energetics, and assess the role of survivors in pathogen transmission. We documented temporal patterns of recovery from WNS in little brown bats (Myotis lucifugus) following hibernation to test the hypotheses that: (1) recovery of wing structure from WNS matches a rapid time scale (i.e. approximately 30 days) suggested by data from free-ranging bats; (2) torpor expression plays a role in recovery; (3) wing physiological function returns to normal alongside structural recovery; and (4) pathogen loads decline quickly during recovery. We collected naturally infected bats at the end of hibernation, brought them into captivity, and quantified recovery over 40 days by monitoring body mass, wing damage, thermoregulation, histopathology of wing biopsies, skin surface lipids and fungal load. Most metrics returned to normal within 30 days, although wing damage was still detectable at the end of the study. Torpor expression declined overall throughout the study, but bats expressed relatively shallow torpor bouts - with a plateau in minimum skin temperature - during intensive healing between approximately days 8 and 15. Pathogen loads were nearly undetectable after the first week of the study, but some bats were still detectably infected at day 40. Our results suggest that healing bats face a severe energetic imbalance during early recovery from direct costs of healing and reduced foraging efficiency. Management of WNS should not rely solely on actions during winter, but should also aim to support energy balance of recovering bats during spring and summer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan W Fuller
- Department of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University, 2901 Main Street, Lubbock, TX 79409, USA
| | - Liam P McGuire
- Department of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University, 2901 Main Street, Lubbock, TX 79409, USA
| | - Evan L Pannkuk
- Department of Oncology, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University Medical Center, 3970 Reservoir Road NW, Washington, DC 20057, USA
| | - Todd Blute
- Department of Biology, Boston University, 5 Cummington Mall, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Catherine G Haase
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA
| | - Heather W Mayberry
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, 3359 Mississauga Road, Mississauga, ON, Canada L5L 1C6
| | - Thomas S Risch
- Arkansas Biosciences Institute, Arkansas State University, P.O. Box 847, Jonesboro, AR 72467, USA
| | - Craig K R Willis
- Department of Biology and Centre for Forest Inter-Disciplinary Research (C-FIR), University of Winnipeg, 515 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg, MB, Canada R3B 2E9
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558
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Stoyanov S. Cranial variability and differentiation among golden jackals ( Canis aureus) in Europe, Asia Minor and Africa. Zookeys 2020; 917:141-164. [PMID: 32206023 PMCID: PMC7076067 DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.917.39449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2019] [Accepted: 01/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Golden jackal (Canisaureus) expansion in the last decades has triggered research interest in Europe. However, jackal phylogeny and taxonomy are still controversial. Morphometric studies in Europe found differences between Dalmatian and the other European jackals. Recent genetic studies revealed that African and Eurasian golden jackals are distinct species. Moreover, large Canisaureuslupaster may be a cryptic subspecies of the African golden jackal. Although genetic studies suggest changes in Canisaureus taxonomy, morphological and morphometric studies are still needed. The present study proposes the first comprehensive analysis on a wide scale of golden jackal skull morphometry. Extensive morphometric data of jackal skulls from Europe (including a very large Bulgarian sample), Asia Minor, and North Africa were analysed, by applying recently developed statistical tools, to address the following questions: (i) is there geographic variation in skull size and shape among populations from Europe, Anatolia and the Caucasus?, (ii) is the jackal population from the Dalmatian coast different?, and (iii) is there a clear distinction between the Eurasian golden jackal (Canisaureus) and the African wolf (Canislupaster sensu lato), and among populations of African wolves as well? Principal component analysis and linear discriminant analysis were applied on the standardized and log-transformed ratios of the original measurements to clearly separate specimens by shape and size. The results suggest that jackals from Europe, Anatolia and the Caucasus belong to one subspecies: Canisaureusmoreotica (I. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1835), despite the differences in shape of Dalmatian specimens. The present study confirmed morphometrically that all jackals included so far in the taxon Canisaureus sensu lato may represent three taxa and supports the hypothesis that at least two different taxa (species?) of Canis occur in North Africa, indicating the need for further genetic, morphological, behavioural and ecological research to resolve the taxonomic uncertainty. The results are consistent with recent genetic and morphological studies and give further insights on golden jackal taxonomy. Understanding the species phylogeny and taxonomy is crucial for the conservation and management of the expanding golden jackal population in Europe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stoyan Stoyanov
- Wildlife Management Department, University of Forestry, Sofia, Bulgaria, 10 St. Kliment Ohridski Blvd., 1797, Sofia, Bulgaria University of Forestry Sofia Bulgaria
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559
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Stevens L, Rooke S, Falzon LC, Machuka EM, Momanyi K, Murungi MK, Njoroge SM, Odinga CO, Ogendo A, Ogola J, Fèvre EM, Blaxter M. The Genome of Caenorhabditis bovis. Curr Biol 2020; 30:1023-1031.e4. [PMID: 32109387 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2020.01.074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2019] [Revised: 12/10/2019] [Accepted: 01/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
The free-living nematode Caenorhabditis elegans is a key laboratory model for metazoan biology. C. elegans has also become a model for parasitic nematodes despite being only distantly related to most parasitic species. All of the ∼65 Caenorhabditis species currently in culture are free-living, with most having been isolated from decaying plant or fungal matter. Caenorhabditis bovis is a particularly unusual species that has been isolated several times from the inflamed ears of Zebu cattle in Eastern Africa, where it is associated with the disease bovine parasitic otitis. C. bovis is therefore of particular interest to researchers interested in the evolution of nematode parasitism. However, as C. bovis is not in laboratory culture, it remains little studied. Here, by sampling livestock markets and slaughterhouses in Western Kenya, we successfully reisolated C. bovis from the ear of adult female Zebu. We sequenced the genome of C. bovis using the Oxford Nanopore MinION platform in a nearby field laboratory and used the data to generate a chromosome-scale draft genome sequence. We exploited this draft genome sequence to reconstruct the phylogenetic relationships of C. bovis to other Caenorhabditis species and reveal the changes in genome size and content that have occurred during its evolution. We also identified expansions in several gene families that have been implicated in parasitism in other nematode species. The high-quality draft genome and our analyses thereof represent a significant advancement in our understanding of this unusual Caenorhabditis species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lewis Stevens
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology, Ashworth Laboratories, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3JT, UK.
| | - Stefan Rooke
- Usher Institute, College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3JT, UK
| | - Laura C Falzon
- Institute of Infection and Global Health, University of Liverpool, 8 West Derby Street, Liverpool L69 7BE, UK; International Livestock Research Institute, Old Naivasha Road, PO Box 30709 00100, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Eunice M Machuka
- Biosciences, Eastern and Central Africa, International Livestock Research Institute (BecA-ILRI) Hub, Old Naivasha Road, PO Box 30709 00100, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Kelvin Momanyi
- International Livestock Research Institute, Old Naivasha Road, PO Box 30709 00100, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Maurice K Murungi
- International Livestock Research Institute, Old Naivasha Road, PO Box 30709 00100, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Samuel M Njoroge
- International Livestock Research Institute, Old Naivasha Road, PO Box 30709 00100, Nairobi, Kenya; Centre for Microbiology Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, KNH Grounds, PO Box 54840 00200, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Christian O Odinga
- International Livestock Research Institute, Old Naivasha Road, PO Box 30709 00100, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Allan Ogendo
- Veterinary Department, Busia County Government, PO Box Private Bag 50400, Busia, Kenya
| | - Joseph Ogola
- Veterinary Department, Bungoma County Government, PO Box 2489 50200, Bungoma, Kenya
| | - Eric M Fèvre
- Institute of Infection and Global Health, University of Liverpool, 8 West Derby Street, Liverpool L69 7BE, UK; International Livestock Research Institute, Old Naivasha Road, PO Box 30709 00100, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Mark Blaxter
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology, Ashworth Laboratories, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3JT, UK
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560
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Sacco AJ, Mayhew JA, Watsa M, Erkenswick G, Binder AK. Detection of neopterin in the urine of captive and wild platyrrhines. BMC ZOOL 2020. [DOI: 10.1186/s40850-020-00051-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Background
Non-invasive biomarkers can facilitate health assessments in wild primate populations by reducing the need for direct access to animals. Neopterin is a biomarker that is a product of the cell-mediated immune response, with high levels being indicative of poor survival expectations in some cases. The measurement of urinary neopterin concentration (UNC) has been validated as a method for monitoring cell-mediated immune system activation in multiple catarrhine species, but to date there is no study testing its utility in the urine of platyrrhine species. In this study, we collected urine samples across three platyrrhine families including small captive populations of Leontopithecus rosalia and Pithecia pithecia, and larger wild populations of Leontocebus weddelli, Saguinus imperator, Alouatta seniculus, and Plecturocebus toppini, to evaluate a commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the measurement of urinary neopterin in platyrrhines.
Results
Our results revealed measured UNC fell within the sensitivity range of the assay in all urine samples collected from captive and wild platyrrhine study species via commercial ELISA, and results from several dilutions met expectations. We found significant differences in the mean UNC across all study species. Most notably, we observed higher UNC in the wild population of L. weddelli which is known to have two filarial nematode infections compared to S. imperator, which only have one.
Conclusion
Our study confirms that neopterin is measurable via commercial ELISA in urine collected from captive and wild individuals of six genera of platyrrhines across three different families. These findings promote the future utility of UNC as a promising biomarker for field primatologists conducting research in Latin America to non-invasively evaluate cell-mediated immune system activation from urine.
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561
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Machado FA, Teta P. Morphometric analysis of skull shape reveals unprecedented diversity of African Canidae. J Mammal 2020. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyz214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
We conducted a geometric morphometric analysis to investigate the morphological variation of the golden wolf, Canis lupaster, and to clarify the morphological and taxonomic affinities of different taxa of the genera Canis and Lupulella. We suggest that the variation observed within the complex of Canis lupaster may be incompatible with what would be expected for a single species. We hypothesize that the nominal form C. l. soudanicus is a synonym of Lupulella adusta rather than being part of the golden wolf complex. The subspecies C. l. bea has a generalized jackal morphology (i.e., clusters together with L. mesomelas and C. aureus) and C. l. lupaster occupies an intermediate morphospace position, between jackal-like forms and wolf-like forms. These results contrast with previously published molecular analysis in which mitochondrial data failed to identify differences among golden wolf populations, and nuclear evidence points to the existence of groups that are incompatible with those recovered by morphological analysis. Regarding other jackals, our results depict the absence of morphological overlap between L. m. mesomelas and L. m. schmidti and no differences between putative subspecies of L. adusta. We call attention to the need for more integrative approaches to solve the taxonomic questions in various African Canidae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabio Andrade Machado
- Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts, 100 William T. Morrissey Blvd, Boston, USA
- División Mastozoología, Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales “Bernardino Rivadavia”-CONICET. Av. Ángel Gallardo 470 (C1405DJR), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Pablo Teta
- División Mastozoología, Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales “Bernardino Rivadavia”-CONICET. Av. Ángel Gallardo 470 (C1405DJR), Buenos Aires, Argentina
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562
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Della Togna G, Howell LG, Clulow J, Langhorne CJ, Marcec-Greaves R, Calatayud NE. Evaluating amphibian biobanking and reproduction for captive breeding programs according to the Amphibian Conservation Action Plan objectives. Theriogenology 2020; 150:412-431. [PMID: 32127175 DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2020.02.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2020] [Accepted: 02/16/2020] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
The Amphibian Conservation Action Plan (ACAP), published in 2007, is a formal document of international significance that proposed eleven relevant actions for global amphibian conservation. Action seven of the ACAP document addresses the use of amphibian captive programs as a conservation tool. Appendix material under this action explores the potential use of Genome Resource Banking (biobanking) as an urgently needed tool for these captive programs. ACAP proposed twelve objectives for Genome Resource Banking which exhibit little emphasis on reproduction as a vital underlying science for amphibian Captive Breeding Programs (CBP's). Here we have reassessed the original twelve ACAP objectives for amphibian reproduction and biobanking for CBP's as a contribution to future ACAP review processes. We have reviewed recent advances since the original objectives, as well as highlighted weaknesses and strengths for each of these objectives. We make various scientific, policy and economic recommendations based on the current reality and recent advances in relevant science in order to inform future ACAP towards new global objectives. The number of amphibian CBP'S has escalated in recent years and reproductive success is not always easily accomplished. Increases in applied and fundamental research on the natural history and reproductive biology of these species, followed by the appropriate development and application of artificial reproductive technologies (ART's) and the incorporation of genome resource banks (GRB's), may turn CBP's into a more powerful tool for amphibian conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gina Della Togna
- Universidad Interamericana de Panama, Dirección de Investigación, Campus Central, Avenida Ricardo J. Alfaro, Panama; Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama Amphibian Rescue and Conservation Project, Panama.
| | - Lachlan G Howell
- University of Newcastle, Conservation Biology Research Group, University Drive, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia
| | - John Clulow
- University of Newcastle, Conservation Biology Research Group, University Drive, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia
| | | | - Ruth Marcec-Greaves
- National Amphibian Conservation Center, Detroit Zoological Society, Royal Oak, MI, 48067, USA
| | - Natalie E Calatayud
- San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research, San Pasqual Valley Road, Escondido, CA, 92027, USA; Taronga Institute of Science and Learning, Taronga Conservation Society Australia, Taronga Western Plains Zoo, Dubbo, NSW, 2830, Australia
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563
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Common LK, O'Connor JA, Dudaniec RY, Peters KJ, Kleindorfer S. Evidence for rapid downward fecundity selection in an ectoparasite (Philornis downsi) with earlier host mortality in Darwin's finches. J Evol Biol 2020; 33:524-533. [PMID: 31961983 PMCID: PMC7217188 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.13588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2019] [Revised: 01/09/2020] [Accepted: 01/15/2020] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Fecundity selection is a critical component of fitness and a major driver of adaptive evolution. Trade‐offs between parasite mortality and host resources are likely to impose a selection pressure on parasite fecundity, but this is little studied in natural systems. The ‘fecundity advantage hypothesis’ predicts female‐biased sexual size dimorphism whereby larger females produce more offspring. Parasitic insects are useful for exploring the interplay between host resource availability and parasite fecundity, because female body size is a reliable proxy for fecundity in insects. Here we explore temporal changes in body size in the myiasis‐causing parasite Philornis downsi (Diptera: Muscidae) on the Galápagos Islands under conditions of earlier in‐nest host mortality. We aim to investigate the effects of decreasing host resources on parasite body size and fecundity. Across a 12‐year period, we observed a mean of c. 17% P. downsi mortality in host nests with 55 ± 6.2% host mortality and a trend of c. 66% higher host mortality throughout the study period. Using specimens from 116 Darwin's finch nests (Passeriformes: Thraupidae) and 114 traps, we found that over time, P. downsi pupae mass decreased by c. 32%, and male (c. 6%) and female adult size (c. 11%) decreased. Notably, females had c. 26% smaller abdomens in later years, and female abdomen size was correlated with number of eggs. Our findings imply natural selection for faster P. downsi pupation and consequently smaller body size and lower parasite fecundity in this newly evolving host–parasite system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren K Common
- College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Jody A O'Connor
- College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia.,Department for Environment and Water, Government of South Australia, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Rachael Y Dudaniec
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Katharina J Peters
- College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Sonia Kleindorfer
- College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia.,Konrad Lorenz Research Center for Behaviour and Cognition and Department of Behavioural and Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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564
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Higham JP, Stahl-Hennig C, Heistermann M. Urinary suPAR: a non-invasive biomarker of infection and tissue inflammation for use in studies of large free-ranging mammals. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2020; 7:191825. [PMID: 32257339 PMCID: PMC7062102 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.191825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2019] [Accepted: 01/17/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Studies of large free-ranging mammals incorporating physiological measurements typically require the collection of urine or faecal samples, due to ethical and practical concerns over trapping or darting animals. However, there is a dearth of validated biomarkers of immune activation and inflammation that can be measured non-invasively. We here evaluate the utility of urinary measurements of the soluble form of the urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR), for use as a health marker in studies of wild large mammals. We investigate how urinary suPAR concentrations change in response to viral infection and surgical trauma (inflammation), comparing it to the measurement of a marker of cellular immune activation, urinary neopterin (uNEO), in captive rhesus macaques. We then test the field utility of urinary suPAR, assessing the effects of soil and faecal contamination, sunlight, storage at different temperatures, freeze-thaw cycles, and lyophilization. We find that suPAR concentrations rise markedly in response to both infection and surgery-associated inflammation, unlike uNEO concentrations, which only rise in response to the former. Our field validation demonstrates that urinary suPAR is reasonably robust to many of the issues associated with field collection, sample processing, and storage, as long as samples can be stored in a freezer. Urinary suPAR is thus a promising biomarker applicable for monitoring various aspects of health in wild primates and potentially also other large mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- James P. Higham
- Department of Anthropology, New York University, 25 Waverly Place, New York, NY 10003, USA
| | - Christiane Stahl-Hennig
- Unit of Infection Models, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Kellnerweg 4, Göttingen 37077, Germany
| | - Michael Heistermann
- Endocrinology Laboratory, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Kellnerweg 4, Göttingen 37077, Germany
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565
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Pjeta R, Lindner H, Kremser L, Salvenmoser W, Sobral D, Ladurner P, Santos R. Integrative Transcriptome and Proteome Analysis of the Tube Foot and Adhesive Secretions of the Sea Urchin Paracentrotus lividus. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21030946. [PMID: 32023883 PMCID: PMC7037938 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21030946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2019] [Revised: 01/26/2020] [Accepted: 01/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Echinoderms, such as the rock-boring sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus, attach temporarily to surfaces during locomotion using their tube feet. They can attach firmly to any substrate and release from it within seconds through the secretion of unknown molecules. The composition of the adhesive, as well as the releasing secretion, remains largely unknown. This study re-analyzed a differential proteome dataset from Lebesgue et al. by mapping mass spectrometry-derived peptides to a P. lividusde novo transcriptome generated in this study. This resulted in a drastic increase in mapped proteins in comparison to the previous publication. The data were subsequently combined with a differential RNAseq approach to identify potential adhesion candidate genes. A gene expression analysis of 59 transcripts using whole mount in situ hybridization led to the identification of 16 transcripts potentially involved in bioadhesion. In the future these data could be useful for the production of synthetic reversible adhesives for industrial and medical purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Pjeta
- Institute of Zoology and Center of Molecular Biosciences Innsbruck, University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria; (R.P.); (W.S.)
| | - Herbert Lindner
- Division of Clinical Biochemistry, Biocenter, Innsbruck Medical University, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria; (H.L.); (L.K.)
| | - Leopold Kremser
- Division of Clinical Biochemistry, Biocenter, Innsbruck Medical University, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria; (H.L.); (L.K.)
| | - Willi Salvenmoser
- Institute of Zoology and Center of Molecular Biosciences Innsbruck, University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria; (R.P.); (W.S.)
| | - Daniel Sobral
- Departamento Ciências da Vida, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia–Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Campus de Caparica, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal;
| | - Peter Ladurner
- Institute of Zoology and Center of Molecular Biosciences Innsbruck, University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria; (R.P.); (W.S.)
- Correspondence: (P.L.); (R.S.)
| | - Romana Santos
- Centro de Ciências do Mar e do Ambiente, Departamento de Biologia Animal, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal
- Correspondence: (P.L.); (R.S.)
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566
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Koyama LAJ, Aranda-Díaz A, Su YH, Balachandra S, Martin JL, Ludington WB, Huang KC, O'Brien LE. Bellymount enables longitudinal, intravital imaging of abdominal organs and the gut microbiota in adult Drosophila. PLoS Biol 2020; 18:e3000567. [PMID: 31986129 PMCID: PMC7004386 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3000567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2019] [Revised: 02/06/2020] [Accepted: 01/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Cell- and tissue-level processes often occur across days or weeks, but few imaging methods can capture such long timescales. Here, we describe Bellymount, a simple, noninvasive method for longitudinal imaging of the Drosophila abdomen at subcellular resolution. Bellymounted animals remain live and intact, so the same individual can be imaged serially to yield vivid time series of multiday processes. This feature opens the door to longitudinal studies of Drosophila internal organs in their native context. Exploiting Bellymount's capabilities, we track intestinal stem cell lineages and gut microbial colonization in single animals, revealing spatiotemporal dynamics undetectable by previously available methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leslie Ann Jaramillo Koyama
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, United States of America.,Department of Developmental Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, United States of America
| | - Andrés Aranda-Díaz
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States of America
| | - Yu-Han Su
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, United States of America
| | - Shruthi Balachandra
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, United States of America
| | - Judy Lisette Martin
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, United States of America
| | - William B Ludington
- Department of Embryology, Carnegie Institution of Washington, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Kerwyn Casey Huang
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States of America.,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, United States of America.,Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Lucy Erin O'Brien
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, United States of America
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567
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Hodin J, Ferner MC, Gaylord B. Choosing the right home: settlement responses by larvae of six sea urchin species align with hydrodynamic traits of their contrasting adult habitats. Zool J Linn Soc 2020. [DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlz149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Ocean organisms as diverse as seaweeds and sea cucumbers exhibit life cycles in which dispersal occurs primarily via microscopic larvae or spores, with adults exhibiting limited or even no dispersal. In benthic animals, the larval stage concludes with irreversible settlement into the benthos. The decision of where and when to settle is thus one of substantial import. Prior work has shown that settlement in two shoreline echinoids (a sea urchin and a sand dollar) is unexpectedly sensitive to an environmental feature (intense fluid turbulence) that can be considered as a signal to larvae of their arrival in the neighbourhood of the hydrodynamically energetic habitats in which these taxa live as adults. Here, we used a comparative approach to explore the evolution of turbulence responsiveness in late-stage echinoid larvae. We examined three pairs of closely related sea urchins that differ in the energetic exposure of their adult habitats and found that larval responsiveness to turbulence was more pronounced in urchins that settle in more hydrodynamically exposed locations. These results raise the possibility that evolutionary differences in larval responsiveness to environmental indicators of appropriate adult habitat might reinforce or even provide a mechanism for vicariance in the ocean.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason Hodin
- Friday Harbor Laboratories, University of Washington, Friday Harbor, WA, USA
| | - Matthew C Ferner
- Estuary & Ocean Science Center, San Francisco State University, Tiburon, CA, USA
| | - Brian Gaylord
- Bodega Marine Laboratory, University of California at Davis, Bodega Bay, CA, USA
- Department of Evolution and Ecology, University of California at Davis, Davis, CA, USA
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568
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McNew SM, Goodman GB, Yépez R J, Clayton DH. Parasitism by an invasive nest fly reduces future reproduction in Galápagos mockingbirds. Oecologia 2020; 192:363-374. [PMID: 31897722 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-019-04582-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2019] [Accepted: 12/13/2019] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Organisms allocate limited resources to competing activities such as reproduction, growth, and defense against parasites and predators. The introduction of a novel parasite may create new life history trade-offs. As hosts increase their investment in self-maintenance or defense, the cost of parasitism may carry over to other aspects of host biology. Here, in an experimental field study, we document delayed effects of an introduced nest parasite, Philornis downsi, on reproduction of Galápagos mockingbirds (Mimus parvulus). Parasitism of first nests reduced both the number and size of chicks that parents hatched when they re-nested several weeks later. The delayed effect of P. downsi on future reproduction may have been mediated by behavioral shifts by the parents to avoid or resist parasitism. Our results demonstrate that effects of parasitism can persist even after immediate exposure ends. We draw attention to the potential implications that introduced parasites have for host reproductive strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina M McNew
- Department of Biology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112-0840, USA.
- Fuller Evolutionary Biology Program, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, 14850, USA.
| | - Graham B Goodman
- Department of Biology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112-0840, USA
- Department of Biology, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, Geneva, NY, 14456, USA
| | - Janai Yépez R
- Charles Darwin Research Station, Santa Cruz Island, Galápagos, Ecuador
| | - Dale H Clayton
- Department of Biology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112-0840, USA
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569
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Silla AJ, Roberts JD, Byrne PG. The effect of injection and topical application of hCG and GnRH agonist to induce sperm-release in the roseate frog, Geocrinia rosea. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2020; 8:coaa104. [PMID: 33304589 PMCID: PMC7720084 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coaa104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2020] [Revised: 10/08/2020] [Accepted: 10/27/2020] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Reproductive technologies may assist amphibian conservation breeding programs (CBPs) to achieve propagation targets and genetic management goals. However, a trial-and-error approach to protocol refinement has led to few amphibian CBPs routinely employing reproductive technologies with predictable outcomes. Additionally, while injections can be safely administered to amphibians, perceived animal welfare risks, such as injury and disease transmission, warrant the development of alternative hormone administration protocols. The present study investigated the spermiation response of roseate frogs, Geocrinia rosea, administered various doses of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) and gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRH-a) via subcutaneous injection. This study also quantified the spermiation response of frogs administered both hormones via topical application. Total sperm, sperm concentration and sperm viability were assessed over a 12-h period post hormone administration. Males released sperm in response to the injection of hCG (88-100% response; 5, 10 or 20 IU), but all samples collected from males administered hCG topically (100, 100 + DMSO or 200 IU hCG) were aspermic. In contrast, males consistently released sperm in response to both the injection (100% response; 1, 5 or 10 μg), or topical application (80-100% response; 50, 50 + DMSO or 100 μg) of GnRH-a. Overall, the administration of GnRH-a was more effective at inducing spermiation than hCG. Mean total sperm and sperm concentration were highest in response to the optimal topically applied dose of 100 μg GnRH-a (mean total sperm = 2.44 × 103, sperm concentration = 1.48 × 105 sperm/ml). We provide novel evidence that topical application provides a viable alternative to injection for the administration of GnRH-a to induce spermiation in amphibians.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aimee J Silla
- School of Earth, Atmospheric and Life Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Northfields Ave, NSW 2522, Australia
- School of Biological Sciences and Centre for Evolutionary Biology, University of Western Australia, Stirling Highway, Nedlands, WA 6009, Australia
- Corresponding author: School of Earth, Atmospheric and Life Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Northfields Ave, NSW 2522, Australia.
| | - J Dale Roberts
- School of Biological Sciences and Centre for Evolutionary Biology, University of Western Australia, Stirling Highway, Nedlands, WA 6009, Australia
| | - Phillip G Byrne
- School of Earth, Atmospheric and Life Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Northfields Ave, NSW 2522, Australia
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570
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Ashman KR, Whisson DA. Developing guidelines for the use of traps to capture koalas. AUSTRALIAN MAMMALOGY 2020. [DOI: 10.1071/am20018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Capture of wildlife is essential both for research and management, and minimising the amount of stress an animal experiences during capture is important. We examined the behavioural response of koalas to cage traps to improve protocols for trapping koalas. We used heat- and motion-sensing cameras to record the behaviour of koalas in traps, and the duration spent in traps. Behavioural responses were scored on a scale of 0 (no apparent response) to 3 (heightened response) from videos. We successfully trapped a koala in 19 of 21 attempts. For 12 occasions when traps were monitored with cameras, koalas spent 6.3–181.2min in traps and 8 of 12 koalas displayed heightened behavioural responses (score of ≥2). The frequency of response scores did not vary between males and females and was not influenced by trapped duration. We found that traps were effective for capturing koalas; however, to minimise overt behavioural responses by trapped koalas, trap-check intervals need to be as short as possible. We recommend the use of trap-trigger devices to alert personnel when a koala is trapped. The addition of such devices in trapping practices may reduce potential for adverse behavioural responses and improve the cost-efficacy of trapping.
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571
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Neural activation in response to conspecific songs in zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata) embryos and nestlings. Neuroreport 2019; 30:217-221. [PMID: 30601425 DOI: 10.1097/wnr.0000000000001187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Classic studies on the effects of auditory stimulation in embryonic birds have largely been limited to precocial taxa. In altricial taxa, physiological responses of embryos and, subsequently, the behavioral responses of nestlings have begun to receive increasing attention, yet it remains unclear whether and to what specificity neural responses are generated in ovo. Using in-situ hybridization for an immediate early gene, ZENK, we detected significant neural activation in both the embryos and nestlings of an altricial songbird, the zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata) when exposed to conspecific song playbacks relative to silence. In turn, embryonic ZENK responses to heterospecific songs were intermediate in strength. These results are consistent with physiological evidence for conspecific song selectivity in embryos of other altricial songbird taxa.
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572
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Godfrey RK, Gronenberg W. Linking Colony Size with Foraging Behavior and Brain Investment in Odorous Ants (Formicidae: Dolichoderinae). BRAIN, BEHAVIOR AND EVOLUTION 2019; 95:15-24. [PMID: 31865324 DOI: 10.1159/000504643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2019] [Accepted: 11/07/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Superorganisms represent a unique level of biological organization in which the phenotype of the reproductive unit, the colony, results from traits expressed at the level of individual workers. Because body size scaling has important consequences for cell diversity and system complexity in solitary organisms, colony size is a trait of particular interest in superorganism evolution. In some instances, division of labor and worker polymorphism scale with colony size, but in general little is known about how colony size drives differences in individual-level behavior or neural traits. Ants represent the greatest diversity of superorganisms and provide a manner of natural experiment to test trends in trait evolution across multiple instances of colony size expansion. In this study, we control for environmental differences and worker size polymorphism to test if colony size correlates with measures of foraging behavior and brain size in dolichoderine ants. We present data from 3 species ranked by colony size. Our results suggest colony size correlates with measures of exploratory behavior and brain investment, with small-colony ants showing higher exploratory drive and faster exploration rate than the larger colony species, and greater relative investment in the primary olfactory brain region, the antennal lobe, than the larger colony species.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Keating Godfrey
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA, .,Graduate Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA,
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573
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Loo WT, Dudaniec RY, Kleindorfer S, Cavanaugh CM. An inter-island comparison of Darwin's finches reveals the impact of habitat, host phylogeny, and island on the gut microbiome. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0226432. [PMID: 31834908 PMCID: PMC6910665 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0226432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2019] [Accepted: 11/26/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Darwin's finch species in the Galapagos Archipelago are an iconic adaptive radiation that offer a natural experiment to test for the various factors that influence gut microbiome composition. The island of Floreana has the longest history of human settlement within the archipelago and offers an opportunity to compare island and habitat effects on Darwin's finch microbiomes. In this study, we compare gut microbiomes in Darwin's finch species on Floreana Island to test for effects of host phylogeny, habitat (lowlands, highlands), and island (Floreana, Santa Cruz). We used 16S rRNA Illumina sequencing of fecal samples to assess the gut microbiome composition of Darwin's finches, complemented by analyses of stable isotope values and foraging data to provide ecological context to the patterns observed. Overall bacterial composition of the gut microbiome demonstrated co-phylogeny with Floreana hosts, recapitulated the effect of habitat and diet, and showed differences across islands. The finch phylogeny uniquely explained more variation in the microbiome than did foraging data. Finally, there were interaction effects for island × habitat, whereby the same Darwin's finch species sampled on two islands differed in microbiome for highland samples (highland finches also had different diets across islands) but not lowland samples (lowland finches across islands had comparable diet). Together, these results corroborate the influence of phylogeny, age, diet, and sampling location on microbiome composition and emphasize the necessity for comprehensive sampling given the multiple factors that influence the gut microbiome in Darwin's finches, and by extension, in animals broadly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wesley T. Loo
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Rachael Y. Dudaniec
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Sonia Kleindorfer
- College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
- Konrad Lorenz Research Center for Behaviour and Cognition and Department of Behavioural Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- * E-mail: (SK); (CC)
| | - Colleen M. Cavanaugh
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
- * E-mail: (SK); (CC)
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574
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Garrigues JM, Tsu BV, Daugherty MD, Pasquinelli AE. Diversification of the Caenorhabditis heat shock response by Helitron transposable elements. eLife 2019; 8:51139. [PMID: 31825311 PMCID: PMC6927752 DOI: 10.7554/elife.51139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2019] [Accepted: 12/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Heat Shock Factor 1 (HSF-1) is a key regulator of the heat shock response (HSR). Upon heat shock, HSF-1 binds well-conserved motifs, called Heat Shock Elements (HSEs), and drives expression of genes important for cellular protection during this stress. Remarkably, we found that substantial numbers of HSEs in multiple Caenorhabditis species reside within Helitrons, a type of DNA transposon. Consistent with Helitron-embedded HSEs being functional, upon heat shock they display increased HSF-1 and RNA polymerase II occupancy and up-regulation of nearby genes in C. elegans. Interestingly, we found that different genes appear to be incorporated into the HSR by species-specific Helitron insertions in C. elegans and C. briggsae and by strain-specific insertions among different wild isolates of C. elegans. Our studies uncover previously unidentified targets of HSF-1 and show that Helitron insertions are responsible for rewiring and diversifying the Caenorhabditis HSR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob M Garrigues
- Division of Biology, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, United States
| | - Brian V Tsu
- Division of Biology, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, United States
| | - Matthew D Daugherty
- Division of Biology, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, United States
| | - Amy E Pasquinelli
- Division of Biology, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, United States
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575
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Host phylogeny, diet, and habitat differentiate the gut microbiomes of Darwin's finches on Santa Cruz Island. Sci Rep 2019; 9:18781. [PMID: 31827126 PMCID: PMC6906294 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-54869-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2019] [Accepted: 11/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Darwin's finches are an iconic example of an adaptive radiation with well-characterized evolutionary history, dietary preferences, and biogeography, offering an unparalleled opportunity to disentangle effects of evolutionary history on host microbiome from other factors like diet and habitat. Here, we characterize the gut microbiome in Darwin's finches, comparing nine species that occupy diverse ecological niches on Santa Cruz island. The finch phylogeny showed moderate congruence with the microbiome, which was comprised mostly of the bacterial phyla Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, and Proteobacteria. Diet, as measured with stable isotope values and foraging observations, also correlated with microbiome differentiation. Additionally, each gut microbial community could easily be classified by the habitat of origin independent of host species. Altogether, these findings are consistent with a model of microbiome assembly in which environmental filtering via diet and habitat are primary determinants of the bacterial taxa present with lesser influence from the evolutionary history between finch species.
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576
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Schoborg TA, Smith SL, Smith LN, Morris HD, Rusan NM. Micro-computed tomography as a platform for exploring Drosophila development. Development 2019; 146:dev.176685. [PMID: 31722883 DOI: 10.1242/dev.176685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2019] [Accepted: 11/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Understanding how events at the molecular and cellular scales contribute to tissue form and function is key to uncovering the mechanisms driving animal development, physiology and disease. Elucidating these mechanisms has been enhanced through the study of model organisms and the use of sophisticated genetic, biochemical and imaging tools. Here, we present an accessible method for non-invasive imaging of Drosophila melanogaster at high resolution using micro-computed tomography (µ-CT). We show how rapid processing of intact animals, at any developmental stage, provides precise quantitative assessment of tissue size and morphology, and permits analysis of inter-organ relationships. We then use µ-CT imaging to study growth defects in the Drosophila brain through the characterization of a bnormal spindle (asp) and WD repeat domain 62 (W dr62), orthologs of the two most commonly mutated genes in human microcephaly patients. Our work demonstrates the power of combining µ-CT with traditional genetic, cellular and developmental biology tools available in model organisms to address novel biological mechanisms that control animal development and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Todd A Schoborg
- Cell Biology and Physiology Center, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Samantha L Smith
- Cell Biology and Physiology Center, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Lauren N Smith
- Cell Biology and Physiology Center, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - H Douglas Morris
- Mouse Imaging Facility, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Nasser M Rusan
- Cell Biology and Physiology Center, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
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577
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Umbers KDL, Riley JL, Kelly MBJ, Taylor‐Dalton G, Lawrence JP, Byrne PG. Educating the enemy: Harnessing learned avoidance behavior in wild predators to increase survival of reintroduced southern corroboree frogs. CONSERVATION SCIENCE AND PRACTICE 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/csp2.139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Kate D. L. Umbers
- School of Science and HealthWestern Sydney University Richmond New South Wales Australia
- Hawkesbury Institute for the EnvironmentWestern Sydney University Richmond New South Wales Australia
| | - Julia L. Riley
- Department of Botany & ZoologyStellenbosch University Stellenbosch South Africa
| | - Michael B. J. Kelly
- School of Science and HealthWestern Sydney University Richmond New South Wales Australia
- Hawkesbury Institute for the EnvironmentWestern Sydney University Richmond New South Wales Australia
| | - Griffin Taylor‐Dalton
- School of Science and HealthWestern Sydney University Richmond New South Wales Australia
| | | | - Phillip G. Byrne
- School of BiologyUniversity of Wollongong Wollongong New South Wales Australia
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578
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Caste-specific morphological modularity in the ant tribe Camponotini (Hymenoptera, Formicidae). BMC ZOOL 2019. [DOI: 10.1186/s40850-019-0048-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Background
The morphological structures of organisms form tightly integrated but mutually independent character complexes (modules) linked through common development and function. Even though their abundance, diversity, and complex caste systems make camponotine ants ideal subjects to research developmental modularity and phenotypic integration, no studies investigating these phenomena have been conducted in this taxonomic group. This study attempts to identify and visualize integrated character complexes in 14 taxa from the genera Camponotus and Colobopsis using statistical analyses of morphometry.
Results
The identified modules differ between castes: Minor workers have small heads and long extremities, while major workers have enlarged heads modified for defence, and short, thick appendages; extremities (legs and antennae) are strongly correlated in both worker castes. Gynes show weaker integration of extremities, but a strong correlation of mesosoma and eyes, and highly variable median ocellus size. Gynes infested by mermithid nematodes exhibit reduction of gyne-specific characters and altered patterns of phenotypic integration.
Conclusion
The integrated character complexes described herein can largely be interpreted as functional, caste-specific modules related to behavioural ecology and task allocation within ant colonies. This modular nature of the body plan is hypothesized to facilitate the evolution of novel phenotypes and thus contributes to the tremendous evolutionary success of ants. The study of these modules can help to further elucidate the evolution and ontogeny of castes in camponotine ants, as well as the effects of parasite infestation on the phenotype.
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579
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Crombie TA, Zdraljevic S, Cook DE, Tanny RE, Brady SC, Wang Y, Evans KS, Hahnel S, Lee D, Rodriguez BC, Zhang G, van der Zwagg J, Kiontke K, Andersen EC. Deep sampling of Hawaiian Caenorhabditis elegans reveals high genetic diversity and admixture with global populations. eLife 2019; 8:50465. [PMID: 31793880 PMCID: PMC6927746 DOI: 10.7554/elife.50465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2019] [Accepted: 12/02/2019] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Hawaiian isolates of the nematode species Caenorhabditis elegans have long been known to harbor genetic diversity greater than the rest of the worldwide population, but this observation was supported by only a small number of wild strains. To better characterize the niche and genetic diversity of Hawaiian C. elegans and other Caenorhabditis species, we sampled different substrates and niches across the Hawaiian islands. We identified hundreds of new Caenorhabditis strains from known species and a new species, Caenorhabditis oiwi. Hawaiian C. elegans are found in cooler climates at high elevations but are not associated with any specific substrate, as compared to other Caenorhabditis species. Surprisingly, admixture analysis revealed evidence of shared ancestry between some Hawaiian and non-Hawaiian C. elegans strains. We suggest that the deep diversity we observed in Hawaii might represent patterns of ancestral genetic diversity in the C. elegans species before human influence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tim A Crombie
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, United States
| | - Stefan Zdraljevic
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, United States.,Interdisciplinary Biological Sciences Program, Northwestern University, Evanston, United States
| | - Daniel E Cook
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, United States.,Interdisciplinary Biological Sciences Program, Northwestern University, Evanston, United States
| | - Robyn E Tanny
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, United States
| | - Shannon C Brady
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, United States.,Interdisciplinary Biological Sciences Program, Northwestern University, Evanston, United States
| | - Ye Wang
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, United States
| | - Kathryn S Evans
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, United States.,Interdisciplinary Biological Sciences Program, Northwestern University, Evanston, United States
| | - Steffen Hahnel
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, United States
| | - Daehan Lee
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, United States
| | - Briana C Rodriguez
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, United States
| | - Gaotian Zhang
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, United States
| | - Joost van der Zwagg
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, United States
| | - Karin Kiontke
- Department of Biology, New York University, New York, United States
| | - Erik C Andersen
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, United States
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580
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Behavioral Responses of the Invasive Fly Philornis downsi to Stimuli from Bacteria and Yeast in the Laboratory and the Field in the Galapagos Islands. INSECTS 2019; 10:insects10120431. [PMID: 31795249 PMCID: PMC6956314 DOI: 10.3390/insects10120431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2019] [Revised: 11/24/2019] [Accepted: 11/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Philornis downsi Dodge and Aitken (Diptera: Muscidae) is an avian parasitic fly that has invaded the Galapagos archipelago and exerts an onerous burden on populations of endemic land birds. As part of an ongoing effort to develop tools for the integrated management of this fly, our objective was to determine its long- and short-range responses to bacterial and fungal cues associated with adult P. downsi. We hypothesized that the bacterial and fungal communities would elicit attraction at distance through volatiles, and appetitive responses upon contact. Accordingly, we amplified bacteria from guts of adult field-caught flies and from bird feces, and yeasts from fermenting papaya juice (a known attractant of P. downsi), on selective growth media, and assayed the response of flies to these microbes or their exudates. In the field, we baited traps with bacteria or yeast and monitored adult fly attraction. In the laboratory, we used the proboscis extension response (PER) to determine the sensitivity of males and females to tarsal contact with bacteria or yeast. Long range trapping efforts yielded two female flies over 112 trap-nights (attracted by bacteria from bird feces and from the gut of adult flies). In the laboratory, tarsal contact with stimuli from gut bacteria elicited significantly more responses than did yeast stimuli. We discuss the significance of these findings in context with other studies in the field and identify targets for future work.
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581
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Gardner PC, Ridge S, Ee Wern JG, Goossens B. The influence of logging upon the foraging behaviour and diet of the endangered Bornean banteng. MAMMALIA 2019. [DOI: 10.1515/mammalia-2018-0075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Logging causes soil compaction and alters the vegetation structure and plant diversity, and ungulates must adapt to modified conditions if they are to survive. We investigated the impact of logging upon the foraging ecology of the Bornean banteng using camera traps and botanical surveys. General linear models were used to explore the effects of site characteristics and plant diversity upon foraging duration, and plant specimens were identified to confirm dietary preferences. Foraging events were recorded over 40,168 nights in five forests. Foraging duration significantly decreased in open areas depauperate in species richness (F=7.82, p=<0.01); however, it increased with elevation (F=3.46, p=0.05). Their diet comprised eight invasive species (Mikania cordata and Chromolaena odorata, Cyperus difformis, Fimbristylis littoralis and Scleria sp., Desmodium triflorum, Eleusine indica and Selaginella sp.), which are characteristic of disturbed forest and fast to establish. Logging creates ideal conditions for these plants, which are preferentially selected by bantengs. Whilst logging may increase forage, the disturbances logging causes to the bantengs and the ensuing poaching may counteract any positive benefits. Developing forest management strategies that incorporate conservation of the bantengs may in turn encourage more favourable conditions for emergent timber species and also conserve this endangered wild cattle species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Penny C. Gardner
- Danau Girang Field Centre c/o Sabah Wildlife Department , Wisma Muis , 88100 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah , Malaysia
- Organisms and Environment Division , School of Biosciences, Cardiff University , Sir Martin Evans Building, Museum Avenue , Cardiff CF10 3AX , UK
| | - Stephanie Ridge
- Danau Girang Field Centre c/o Sabah Wildlife Department , Wisma Muis , 88100 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah , Malaysia
- Organisms and Environment Division , School of Biosciences, Cardiff University , Sir Martin Evans Building, Museum Avenue , Cardiff CF10 3AX , UK
| | - Jocelyn Goon Ee Wern
- Danau Girang Field Centre c/o Sabah Wildlife Department , Wisma Muis , 88100 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah , Malaysia
| | - Benoit Goossens
- Danau Girang Field Centre c/o Sabah Wildlife Department , Wisma Muis , 88100 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah , Malaysia
- Organisms and Environment Division , School of Biosciences, Cardiff University , Sir Martin Evans Building, Museum Avenue , Cardiff CF10 3AX , UK
- Sabah Wildlife Department , Wisma Muis , 88100 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah , Malaysia
- Sustainable Places Research Institute, Cardiff University , 33 Park Place , Cardiff CF10 3BA , UK
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582
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Campbell DLM, Dickson EJ, Lee C. Application of open field, tonic immobility, and attention bias tests to hens with different ranging patterns. PeerJ 2019; 7:e8122. [PMID: 31788364 PMCID: PMC6882422 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.8122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2019] [Accepted: 10/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Assessment of negative affective states is a key component of animal welfare research. In laying hens, excessive fearfulness results in reduced production and increased sensitivity to stress. Fearfulness can be defined as a response to a known threat, but anxiety is a response to an unknown threat and may have similar negative consequences. The open field test and tonic immobility test are commonly applied to measure fearfulness in laying hens. An attention bias test that measured individual hen’s responses to playback of a conspecific alarm call in the presence of food was recently pharmacologically validated using an anxiogenic drug but was confounded by the hen’s typical motionless response in a novel environment. The current study used 56-week old free-range layers to further assess the validity of an attention bias test to differentiate ranging treatment groups in comparison with the open field and tonic immobility tests. The selected hens varied in their range use patterns as tracked by radio-frequency identification technology. ‘Indoor’ hens did not access the range and ‘outdoor’ hens ranged daily; previous research has confirmed higher fearfulness in hens that remain indoors. The tonic immobility test did not differentiate ranging groups (P = 0.34), but indoor birds were slower to first step (P = 0.03) and stepped less (P = 0.02) in the open field test. The attention bias test occurred in an isolated wooden box using a conspecific alarm call playback (a threat) and mixed grain (a positive stimulus). The behavioural response of latency to resume eating following playback of the alarm call was measured to differentiate the anxiety states of the indoor and outdoor ranging birds. Before the attention bias test could occur, birds had to be habituated to the test box across three separate 5-minute sessions to increase the willingness to feed within the novel test environment. All birds ate faster across time (P < 0.001) but the indoor birds were slower to eat than the outdoor birds (P < 0.001). In this study, the latency to resume eating following an alarm call was determined to be a poor measure for highly anxious birds as they failed to eat at all. Forty-six percent of indoor hens were excluded for not eating across the 5-minute test. Of the birds that did eat, only 7% of indoor hens ate following playback of the alarm call, compared with 36% of outdoor hens. This repetition of an attention bias test for laying hens highlights the challenges in assessing hens with extreme fearful/anxious responses and that information may be missed when non-performing hens are excluded from behavioural tests. We suggest that latency to eat in a novel arena without any alarm call playback is an informative measure of anxious state that can be applied to all hens but consideration must be made of potential differences in food motivation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dana L M Campbell
- Agriculture and Food, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Armidale, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Emily J Dickson
- Agriculture and Food, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Armidale, New South Wales, Australia.,School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Caroline Lee
- Agriculture and Food, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Armidale, New South Wales, Australia
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583
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Ursino CA, De Mársico MC, Reboreda JC. Brood parasitic nestlings benefit from unusual host defenses against botfly larvae (Philornis spp.). Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-019-2751-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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584
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Arias M, Elias M, Andraud C, Berthier S, Gomez D. Transparency improves concealment in cryptically coloured moths. J Evol Biol 2019; 33:247-252. [PMID: 31643116 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.13560] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2019] [Revised: 10/04/2019] [Accepted: 10/15/2019] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Predation is a ubiquitous and strong selective pressure on living organisms. Transparency is a predation defence widespread in water but rare on land. Some Lepidoptera display transparent patches combined with already cryptic opaque patches. A recent study showed that transparency reduced detectability of aposematic prey with conspicuous patches. However, whether transparency has any effect at reducing detectability of already cryptic prey is still unknown. We conducted field predation experiments with free avian predators where we monitored and compared survival of a fully opaque grey artificial form (cryptic), a form including transparent windows and a wingless artificial butterfly body. Survival of the transparent forms was similar to that of wingless bodies and higher than that of fully opaque forms, suggesting a reduction of detectability conferred by transparency. This is the first evidence that transparency decreases detectability in cryptic terrestrial prey. Future studies should explore the organization of transparent and opaque patches in animals and their interplay on survival, as well as the costs and other potential benefits associated with transparency on land.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mónica Arias
- EPHE, IRD, CEFE, Univ. Montpellier, Univ. Paul Valéry Montpellier 3, Montpellier, France.,ISYEB, CNRS, MNHN, EPHE, Sorbonne Univ., Univ. Antilles, Paris, France
| | - Marianne Elias
- ISYEB, CNRS, MNHN, EPHE, Sorbonne Univ., Univ. Antilles, Paris, France
| | | | | | - Doris Gomez
- EPHE, IRD, CEFE, Univ. Montpellier, Univ. Paul Valéry Montpellier 3, Montpellier, France.,INSP, CNRS, Sorbonne Univ, Paris, France
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585
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Camera traps provide a robust alternative to direct observations for constructing social networks of wild chimpanzees. Anim Behav 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2019.08.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
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586
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Tonra CM, Wright JR, Matthews SN. Remote estimation of overwintering home ranges in an elusive, migratory nocturnal bird. Ecol Evol 2019; 9:12586-12599. [PMID: 31788199 PMCID: PMC6875585 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.5723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2019] [Revised: 09/06/2019] [Accepted: 09/13/2019] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Due to a long running research bias toward the breeding season, there are major gaps in knowledge on the basic nonbreeding ecology of many species, preventing a full-annual cycle focus in ecology and conservation. Exacerbating this problem is the fact that many species are extremely difficult to detect outside of breeding. Here, we demonstrate a partial solution to this problem by using archival GPS tags to examine the overwintering ecology of a migratory nocturnal bird, the eastern whip-poor-will (Antrostomus vociferous). We deployed tags on 21 individuals and were able to recover 11 (52%) one year later. Tags collected high precision (approx. 10 m) points throughout the nonbreeding period. With continuous time movement models, we used these data to estimate overwintering home ranges. All individuals exhibited at least one bounded home range during this phase of the annual cycle, three of eleven had two wintering locations, and home range area ranged from 0.50 to 10.85 ha. All overwintering home ranges contained closed-canopy forest land cover (42%-100%), and no other land cover type represented >40% of any home range. We found some evidence, with caveats, that total edge within the landscape surrounding the home range was negatively related to home range area. The prevalence of contiguous closed-canopy forest cover in overwintering home ranges contrasts with apparent breeding habitat preferences, which includes clear-cuts and other, more open, habitats. This study is the first to reveal key aspects of overwintering space use in this species by using archival GPS to overcome both logistical and methodological limitations. Expanded use of such technology is critical to gathering basic ecological and distributional data, necessary for achieving a more complete understanding of full-annual cycles of animal populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher M. Tonra
- School of Environment and Natural ResourcesThe Ohio State UniversityColumbusOHUSA
| | - James R. Wright
- School of Environment and Natural ResourcesThe Ohio State UniversityColumbusOHUSA
| | - Stephen N. Matthews
- School of Environment and Natural ResourcesThe Ohio State UniversityColumbusOHUSA
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587
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Turbill C, Welbergen JA. Anticipating white-nose syndrome in the Southern Hemisphere: Widespread conditions favourable to Pseudogymnoascus destructans
pose a serious risk to Australia's bat fauna. AUSTRAL ECOL 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/aec.12832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Christopher Turbill
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment; Western Sydney University; Hawkesbury Campus Richmond New South Wales 2753 Australia
| | - Justin A. Welbergen
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment; Western Sydney University; Hawkesbury Campus Richmond New South Wales 2753 Australia
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588
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Pjeta R, Wunderer J, Bertemes P, Hofer T, Salvenmoser W, Lengerer B, Coassin S, Erhart G, Beisel C, Sobral D, Kremser L, Lindner H, Curini-Galletti M, Stelzer CP, Hess MW, Ladurner P. Temporary adhesion of the proseriate flatworm Minona ileanae. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2019; 374:20190194. [PMID: 31495318 PMCID: PMC6745481 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2019.0194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/28/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Flatworms can very rapidly attach to and detach from many substrates. In the presented work, we analysed the adhesive system of the marine proseriate flatworm Minona ileanae. We used light-, scanning- and transmission electron microscopy to analyse the morphology of the adhesive organs, which are located at the ventral side of the tail-plate. We performed transcriptome sequencing and differential RNA-seq for the identification of tail-specific transcripts. Using in situ hybridization expression screening, we identified nine transcripts that were expressed in the cells of the adhesive organs. Knock-down of five of these transcripts by RNA interference led to a reduction of the animal's attachment capacity. Adhesive proteins in footprints were confirmed using mass spectrometry and antibody staining. Additionally, lectin labelling of footprints revealed the presence of several sugar moieties. Furthermore, we determined a genome size of about 560 Mb for M. ileanae. We demonstrated the potential of Oxford Nanopore sequencing of genomic DNA as a cost-effective tool for identifying the number of repeats within an adhesive protein and for combining transcripts that were fragments of larger genes. A better understanding of the molecules involved in flatworm bioadhesion can pave the way towards developing innovative glues with reversible adhesive properties. This article is part of the theme issue 'Transdisciplinary approaches to the study of adhesion and adhesives in biological systems'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Pjeta
- Institute of Zoology and Center of Molecular Biosciences Innsbruck, University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Julia Wunderer
- Institute of Zoology and Center of Molecular Biosciences Innsbruck, University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Philip Bertemes
- Institute of Zoology and Center of Molecular Biosciences Innsbruck, University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Teresa Hofer
- Institute of Zoology and Center of Molecular Biosciences Innsbruck, University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Willi Salvenmoser
- Institute of Zoology and Center of Molecular Biosciences Innsbruck, University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Birgit Lengerer
- Biology of Marine Organisms and Biomimetics, Research Institute for Biosciences, University of Mons, 7000 Mons, Belgium
| | - Stefan Coassin
- Division of Genetic Epidemiology, Department of Medical Genetics, Molecular and Clinical Pharmacology, Medical University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Gertraud Erhart
- Division of Genetic Epidemiology, Department of Medical Genetics, Molecular and Clinical Pharmacology, Medical University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Christian Beisel
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zürich, Basel, Switzerland
| | | | - Leopold Kremser
- Division of Clinical Biochemistry, Biocenter, Medical University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Herbert Lindner
- Division of Clinical Biochemistry, Biocenter, Medical University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | | | - Claus-Peter Stelzer
- Research Institute for Limnology, University of Innsbruck, 5310 Mondsee, Austria
| | - Michael W. Hess
- Division of Histology and Embryology, Medical University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Peter Ladurner
- Institute of Zoology and Center of Molecular Biosciences Innsbruck, University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
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589
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Brandies P, Peel E, Hogg CJ, Belov K. The Value of Reference Genomes in the Conservation of Threatened Species. Genes (Basel) 2019; 10:E846. [PMID: 31717707 PMCID: PMC6895880 DOI: 10.3390/genes10110846] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2019] [Revised: 10/18/2019] [Accepted: 10/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Conservation initiatives are now more crucial than ever-over a million plant and animal species are at risk of extinction over the coming decades. The genetic management of threatened species held in insurance programs is recommended; however, few are taking advantage of the full range of genomic technologies available today. Less than 1% of the 13505 species currently listed as threated by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) have a published genome. While there has been much discussion in the literature about the importance of genomics for conservation, there are limited examples of how having a reference genome has changed conservation management practice. The Tasmanian devil (Sarcophilus harrisii), is an endangered Australian marsupial, threatened by an infectious clonal cancer devil facial tumor disease (DFTD). Populations have declined by 80% since the disease was first recorded in 1996. A reference genome for this species was published in 2012 and has been crucial for understanding DFTD and the management of the species in the wild. Here we use the Tasmanian devil as an example of how a reference genome has influenced management actions in the conservation of a species.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Katherine Belov
- School of Life & Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney 2006, Australia; (P.B.); (E.P.); (C.J.H.)
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590
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Causton CE, Moon RD, Cimadom A, Boulton RA, Cedeño D, Lincango MP, Tebbich S, Ulloa A. Population dynamics of an invasive bird parasite, Philornis downsi (Diptera: Muscidae), in the Galapagos Islands. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0224125. [PMID: 31626686 PMCID: PMC6874344 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0224125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2018] [Accepted: 10/06/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The invasive parasitic fly, Philornis downsi (Muscidae), is one of the greatest threats to the avifauna of the Galapagos Islands. The larvae of this fly feed on the blood and tissues of developing nestlings of at least 18 endemic and native birds. The aim of the current study was to investigate biotic and abiotic factors that may influence the population dynamics of this invasive parasite. To study the influence of vegetation zone and related climatic factors on fly numbers, a bi-weekly monitoring program using papaya-baited traps was carried out at a dry, lowland site and at a humid, highland site on Santa Cruz Island between 2012-2014. Female flies, a large proportion of which were inseminated and gravid, were collected throughout the year at both sites, indicating females were active during and between the bird breeding seasons. This is the first evidence that female flies are able to persist even when hosts are scarce. On the other hand, catch rates of male flies declined between bird breeding seasons. Overall, catch rates of P. downsi were higher in the drier, lowland habitat, which may be a consequence of host or resource availability. Time was a stronger predictor of adult fly numbers than climate, further suggesting that P. downsi does not appear to be limited by its environment, but rather by host availability. Seasonal catch rates suggested that populations in both habitats were continuous and multivoltine. Numbers of adult female flies appeared to be regulated chiefly by simple direct density dependence, and may be governed by availability of bird nests with nestlings. Nevertheless, confounding factors such as the existence of reservoir hosts that perpetuate fly populations and changes in behavior of P. downsi may increase the vulnerability of bird hosts that are already IUCN red-listed or in decline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte E. Causton
- Charles Darwin Research Station, Charles Darwin Foundation, Puerto Ayora,
Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador
| | - Roger D. Moon
- Department of Entomology, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, United
States of America
| | - Arno Cimadom
- Department of Behavioural Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna,
Austria
| | - Rebecca A. Boulton
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter,
Cornwall, United Kingdom
| | - Daniel Cedeño
- Charles Darwin Research Station, Charles Darwin Foundation, Puerto Ayora,
Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador
| | - María Piedad Lincango
- Charles Darwin Research Station, Charles Darwin Foundation, Puerto Ayora,
Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador
- Facultad De Ciencias Agrícolas, Universidad Central Del Ecuador, Quito,
Pichincha, Ecuador
| | - Sabine Tebbich
- Department of Behavioural Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna,
Austria
| | - Angel Ulloa
- Charles Darwin Research Station, Charles Darwin Foundation, Puerto Ayora,
Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador
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591
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Anderson NK, Gutierrez SO, Bernal XE. From forest to city: urbanization modulates relative abundance of anti-predator coloration. JOURNAL OF URBAN ECOLOGY 2019. [DOI: 10.1093/jue/juz016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Increased urbanization has resulted in community changes including alteration of predator communities. Little is known, however, about how such changes affect morphological anti-predator traits. Given the importance of coloration in predator avoidance, this trait in particular is expected to be susceptible to novel selective environments in urban areas. Here, we investigate the coloration pattern of a Neotropical anuran species, the túngara frog (Engystomops pustulosus), along an urbanization gradient. Túngara frogs have two distinct color patterns (unstriped and striped) which we found to occur at different frequencies along an urbanization gradient. Striped individuals increased in frequency with urbanization. To assess the strength of selection imposed by predators on the two color morphs, we deployed clay models of túngara frogs in forest and semi-urban populations. In addition, we examined microhabitat selection by individuals of the different morphs. We found higher predation rates associated with urbanization than forested areas. In particular, frogs from forested habitats had lower number of attacks by avian predators. Contrary to our predictions, however, predation rates were similar for both color morphs independent of urbanization. Also, coloration of the frogs did not affect their microhabitat preference. Overall, túngara frogs are more likely to have a striped coloration pattern in semi-urban areas where predation by birds is higher than in the forest. Our findings suggest that factors other than predation pressure shape the coloration pattern of urban frogs and emphasize the complex nature of effects that anthropogenic changes in habitat and predator communities may have on prey morphology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nigel K Anderson
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907-2054, USA
| | - Stephanie O Gutierrez
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907-2054, USA
| | - Ximena E Bernal
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907-2054, USA
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Apartado 0843-03092, Balboa, Ancón, Panamá, República de Panamá
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592
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Complete mitochondrial genomes from transcriptomes: assessing pros and cons of data mining for assembling new mitogenomes. Sci Rep 2019; 9:14806. [PMID: 31616005 PMCID: PMC6794255 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-51313-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2019] [Accepted: 09/25/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Thousands of eukaryotes transcriptomes have been generated, mainly to investigate nuclear genes expression, and the amount of available data is constantly increasing. A neglected but promising use of this large amount of data is to assemble organelle genomes. To assess the reliability of this approach, we attempted to reconstruct complete mitochondrial genomes from RNA-Seq experiments of Reticulitermes termite species, for which transcriptomes and conspecific mitogenomes are available. We successfully assembled complete molecules, although a few gaps corresponding to tRNAs had to be filled manually. We also reconstructed, for the first time, the mitogenome of Reticulitermes banyulensis. The accuracy and completeness of mitogenomes reconstruction appeared independent from transcriptome size, read length and sequencing design (single/paired end), and using reference genomes from congeneric or intra-familial taxa did not significantly affect the assembly. Transcriptome-derived mitogenomes were found highly similar to the conspecific ones obtained from genome sequencing (nucleotide divergence ranging from 0% to 3.5%) and yielded a congruent phylogenetic tree. Reads from contaminants and nuclear transcripts, although slowing down the process, did not result in chimeric sequence reconstruction. We suggest that the described approach has the potential to increase the number of available mitogenomes by exploiting the rapidly increasing number of transcriptomes.
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593
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Do conservation strategies that increase tiger populations have consequences for other wild carnivores like leopards? Sci Rep 2019; 9:14673. [PMID: 31604995 PMCID: PMC6789119 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-51213-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2019] [Accepted: 09/26/2019] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Most large carnivore populations are declining across their global range except in some well managed protected areas (PA's). Investments for conserving charismatic apex carnivores are often justified due to their umbrella effect on biodiversity. We evaluate population trends of two large sympatric carnivores, the tiger and leopard through spatially-explicit-capture-recapture models from camera trap data in Kanha PA, India, from 2011 to 2016. Our results show that the overall density (100 km-2) of tigers ranged between 4.82 ± 0.33 to 5.21 ± 0.55SE and of leopards between 6.63 ± 0.71 to 8.64 ± 0.75SE, with no detectable trends at the PA scale. When evaluated at the catchment scale, Banjar catchment that had higher prey density and higher conservation investments, recorded significant growth of both carnivores. While Halon catchment, that had lower prey and conservation investments, populations of both carnivores remained stable. Sex ratio of both carnivores was female biased. As is typical with large carnivores, movement parameter sigma (an index for range size), was larger for males than for females. However, sigma was surprisingly similar for the same genders in both carnivores. At home-range scale, leopards achieved high densities and positive growth rates in areas that had low, medium or declining tiger density. Our results suggest that umbrella-species conservation value of tigers is likely to be compromised at very high densities and therefore should not be artificially inflated through targeted management.
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594
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Lee SM, Murray CM, Lonsdorf EV, Fruth B, Stanton MA, Nichols J, Hohmann G. Wild bonobo and chimpanzee females exhibit broadly similar patterns of behavioral maturation but some evidence for divergence. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2019; 171:100-109. [DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.23935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2019] [Revised: 08/21/2019] [Accepted: 09/13/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Sean M. Lee
- Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, Department of AnthropologyGeorge Washington University Washington District of Columbia
| | - Carson M. Murray
- Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, Department of AnthropologyGeorge Washington University Washington District of Columbia
| | | | - Barbara Fruth
- Faculty of Science, School of Natural Sciences and PsychologyLiverpool John Moores University Liverpool United Kingdom
- Centre for Research and ConservationRoyal Zoological Society of Antwerp Antwerp Belgium
| | - Margaret A. Stanton
- Department of PsychologyFranklin and Marshall College Lancaster Pennsylvania
| | - Jennifer Nichols
- Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, Department of AnthropologyGeorge Washington University Washington District of Columbia
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595
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Using natural marks in a spatially explicit capture-recapture framework to estimate preliminary population density of cryptic endangered wild cattle in Borneo. Glob Ecol Conserv 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2019.e00748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
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596
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Lukhtanov VA. Species Delimitation and Analysis of Cryptic Species Diversity in the XXI Century. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2019. [DOI: 10.1134/s0013873819040055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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597
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Lawrence JP, Rojas B, Fouquet A, Mappes J, Blanchette A, Saporito RA, Bosque RJ, Courtois EA, Noonan BP. Weak warning signals can persist in the absence of gene flow. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2019; 116:19037-19045. [PMID: 31481623 PMCID: PMC6754554 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1901872116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Aposematic organisms couple conspicuous warning signals with a secondary defense to deter predators from attacking. Novel signals of aposematic prey are expected to be selected against due to positive frequency-dependent selection. How, then, can novel phenotypes persist after they arise, and why do so many aposematic species exhibit intrapopulation signal variability? Using a polytypic poison frog (Dendrobates tinctorius), we explored the forces of selection on variable aposematic signals using 2 phenotypically distinct (white, yellow) populations. Contrary to expectations, local phenotype was not always better protected compared to novel phenotypes in either population; in the white population, the novel phenotype evoked greater avoidance in natural predators. Despite having a lower quantity of alkaloids, the skin extracts from yellow frogs provoked higher aversive reactions by birds than white frogs in the laboratory, although both populations differed from controls. Similarly, predators learned to avoid the yellow signal faster than the white signal, and generalized their learned avoidance of yellow but not white. We propose that signals that are easily learned and broadly generalized can protect rare, novel signals, and weak warning signals (i.e., signals with poor efficacy and/or poor defense) can persist when gene flow among populations, as in this case, is limited. This provides a mechanism for the persistence of intrapopulation aposematic variation, a likely precursor to polytypism and driver of speciation.
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Affiliation(s)
- J P Lawrence
- Department of Biology, University of Mississippi, University, MS 38677;
| | - Bibiana Rojas
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyväskylä, 40014 Jyväskylä, Finland;
| | - Antoine Fouquet
- Laboratoire Evolution et Diversité Biologique, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UMR5174, 31062 Toulouse cedex 9, France
| | - Johanna Mappes
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyväskylä, 40014 Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Annelise Blanchette
- Department of Biology, John Carroll University, University Heights, OH 44118
| | - Ralph A Saporito
- Department of Biology, John Carroll University, University Heights, OH 44118
| | | | - Elodie A Courtois
- Laboratoire Ecologie, Evolution, Interactions des Systèmes Amazoniens, Centre de Recherche de Montabo, Universite de Guyane, BP 70620, 97334 Cayenne cedex, France
| | - Brice P Noonan
- Department of Biology, University of Mississippi, University, MS 38677
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598
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Lilley TM, Prokkola JM, Blomberg AS, Paterson S, Johnson JS, Turner GG, Bartonička T, Bachorec E, Reeder DM, Field KA. Resistance is futile: RNA-sequencing reveals differing responses to bat fungal pathogen in Nearctic Myotis lucifugus and Palearctic Myotis myotis. Oecologia 2019; 191:295-309. [PMID: 31506746 PMCID: PMC6763535 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-019-04499-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2019] [Accepted: 08/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Abstract Resistance and tolerance allow organisms to cope with potentially life-threatening pathogens. Recently introduced pathogens initially induce resistance responses, but natural selection favors the development of tolerance, allowing for a commensal relationship to evolve. Mycosis by Pseudogymnoascus destructans, causing white-nose syndrome (WNS) in Nearctic hibernating bats, has resulted in population declines since 2006. The pathogen, which spread from Europe, has infected species of Palearctic Myotis for a longer period. We compared ecologically relevant responses to the fungal infection in the susceptible Nearctic M. lucifugus and less susceptible Palearctic M. myotis, to uncover factors contributing to survival differences in the two species. Samples were collected from euthermic bats during arousal from hibernation, a naturally occurring phenomenon, during which transcriptional responses are activated. We compared the whole-transcriptome responses in wild bats infected with P. destructans hibernating in their natural habitat. Our results show dramatically different local transcriptional responses to the pathogen between uninfected and infected samples from the two species. Whereas we found 1526 significantly upregulated or downregulated transcripts in infected M. lucifugus, only one transcript was downregulated in M. myotis. The upregulated response pathways in M. lucifugus include immune cell activation and migration, and inflammatory pathways, indicative of an unsuccessful attempt to resist the infection. In contrast, M. myotis appears to tolerate P. destructans infection by not activating a transcriptional response. These host-microbe interactions determine pathology, contributing to WNS susceptibility, or commensalism, promoting tolerance to fungal colonization during hibernation that favors survival. Graphic abstract ![]()
Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1007/s00442-019-04499-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas M Lilley
- Finnish Museum of Natural History, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
- Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK.
| | - Jenni M Prokkola
- Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | | | - Steve Paterson
- Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Joseph S Johnson
- Department of Biological Sciences, Ohio University, Athens, OH, USA
| | | | - Tomáš Bartonička
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Erik Bachorec
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
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599
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Xu W, Long L, Zhao Y, Stevens L, Felipe I, Munoz J, Ellis RE, McGrath PT. Evolution of Yin and Yang isoforms of a chromatin remodeling subunit precedes the creation of two genes. eLife 2019; 8:e48119. [PMID: 31498079 PMCID: PMC6752949 DOI: 10.7554/elife.48119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2019] [Accepted: 09/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Genes can encode multiple isoforms, broadening their functions and providing a molecular substrate to evolve phenotypic diversity. Evolution of isoform function is a potential route to adapt to new environments. Here we show that de novo, beneficial alleles in the nurf-1 gene became fixed in two laboratory lineages of C. elegans after isolation from the wild in 1951, before methods of cryopreservation were developed. nurf-1 encodes an ortholog of BPTF, a large (>300 kD) multidomain subunit of the NURF chromatin remodeling complex. Using CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing and transgenic rescue, we demonstrate that in C. elegans, nurf-1 has split into two, largely non-overlapping isoforms (NURF-1.D and NURF-1.B, which we call Yin and Yang, respectively) that share only two of 26 exons. Both isoforms are essential for normal gametogenesis but have opposite effects on male/female gamete differentiation. Reproduction in hermaphrodites, which involves production of both sperm and oocytes, requires a balance of these opposing Yin and Yang isoforms. Transgenic rescue and genetic position of the fixed mutations suggest that different isoforms are modified in each laboratory strain. In a related clade of Caenorhabditis nematodes, the shared exons have duplicated, resulting in the split of the Yin and Yang isoforms into separate genes, each containing approximately 200 amino acids of duplicated sequence that has undergone accelerated protein evolution following the duplication. Associated with this duplication event is the loss of two additional nurf-1 transcripts, including the long-form transcript and a newly identified, highly expressed transcript encoded by the duplicated exons. We propose these lost transcripts are non-functional side products necessary to transcribe the Yin and Yang transcripts in the same cells. Our work demonstrates how gene sharing, through the production of multiple isoforms, can precede the creation of new, independent genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen Xu
- School of Biological SciencesGeorgia Institute of TechnologyAtlantaUnited States
| | - Lijiang Long
- School of Biological SciencesGeorgia Institute of TechnologyAtlantaUnited States
- Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Quantitative BiosciencesGeorgia Institute of TechnologyAtlantaUnited States
| | - Yuehui Zhao
- School of Biological SciencesGeorgia Institute of TechnologyAtlantaUnited States
| | - Lewis Stevens
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology, Ashworth Laboratories, School of Biological SciencesUniversity of EdinburghEdinburghUnited Kingdom
| | - Irene Felipe
- Epithelial Carcinogenesis GroupSpanish National Cancer Research Center-CNIOMadridSpain
| | - Javier Munoz
- Proteomics Unit-ProteoRed-ISCIIISpanish National Cancer Research Center-CNIOMadridSpain
| | - Ronald E Ellis
- Department of Molecular BiologyRowan University School of Osteopathic MedicineStratfordUnited States
| | - Patrick T McGrath
- School of Biological SciencesGeorgia Institute of TechnologyAtlantaUnited States
- Parker H. Petit Institute of Bioengineering and BioscienceGeorgia Institute of TechnologyAtlantaUnited States
- School of PhysicsGeorgia Institute of TechnologyAtlantaUnited States
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600
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Gutema TM, Atickem A, Tsegaye D, Bekele A, Sillero-Zubiri C, Marino J, Kasso M, Venkataraman VV, Fashing PJ, Stenseth NC. Foraging ecology of African wolves ( Canis lupaster) and its implications for the conservation of Ethiopian wolves ( Canis simensis). ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2019; 6:190772. [PMID: 31598305 PMCID: PMC6774988 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.190772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2019] [Accepted: 08/09/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
African wolves (AWs) are sympatric with endangered Ethiopian wolves (EWs) in parts of their range. Scat analyses have suggested a dietary overlap between AWs and EWs, raising the potential for exploitative competition, and a possible conservation threat to EWs. However, in contrast to that of the well-studied EW, the foraging ecology of AWs remains poorly characterized. Accordingly, we studied the foraging ecology of radio-collared AWs (n = 11 individuals) at two localities with varying levels of anthropogenic disturbance in the Ethiopian Highlands, the Guassa-Menz Community Conservation Area (GMCCA) and Borena-Saynt National Park (BSNP), accumulating 845 h of focal observation across 2952 feeding events. We also monitored rodent abundance and rodent trapping activity by local farmers who experience conflict with AWs. The AW diet consisted largely of rodents (22.0%), insects (24.8%), and goats and sheep (24.3%). Of the total rodents captured by farmers using local traps during peak barley production (July to November) in GMCCA, averaging 24.7 ± 8.5 rodents/hectare/day, 81% (N = 3009) were scavenged by AWs. Further, of all the rodents consumed by AWs, most (74%) were carcasses. These results reveal complex interactions between AWs and local farmers, and highlight the scavenging niche occupied by AWs in anthropogenically altered landscapes in contrast to the active hunting exhibited by EWs in more intact habitats. While AWs cause economic damage to local farmers through livestock predation, they appear to play an important role in scavenging pest rodents among farmlands, a pattern of behaviour which likely mitigates direct and indirect competition with EWs. We suggest two routes to promote the coexistence of AWs and EWs in the Ethiopian highlands: local education efforts highlighting the complex role AWs play in highland ecosystems to reduce their persecution, and enforced protection of intact habitats to preserve habitat preferred by EWs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tariku Mekonnen Gutema
- Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis (CEES), Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, PO Box 1066, Blindern, 0316 Oslo, Norway
- Department of Natural Resources Management, Jimma University, PO Box 307, Ethiopia
| | - Anagaw Atickem
- Cognitive Ethology Laboratory, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Kellnerweg 4, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
- Department of Zoological Sciences, Addis Ababa University, PO Box 1176, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Diress Tsegaye
- Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, PO Box 1066, Blindern, 0316 Oslo, Norway
| | - Afework Bekele
- Department of Zoological Sciences, Addis Ababa University, PO Box 1176, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Claudio Sillero-Zubiri
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Zoology Department, University of Oxford, Tubney House, Tubney OX13 5QL, UK
- IUCN SSC Canid Specialist Group, Oxford, UK
| | - Jorgelina Marino
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Zoology Department, University of Oxford, Tubney House, Tubney OX13 5QL, UK
- IUCN SSC Canid Specialist Group, Oxford, UK
| | - Mohammed Kasso
- Department of Zoological Sciences, Addis Ababa University, PO Box 1176, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | | | - Peter J. Fashing
- Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis (CEES), Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, PO Box 1066, Blindern, 0316 Oslo, Norway
- Department of Anthropology and Environmental Studies Program, California State University Fullerton, 800 North State College Boulevard, Fullerton, CA 92834, USA
| | - Nils C. Stenseth
- Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis (CEES), Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, PO Box 1066, Blindern, 0316 Oslo, Norway
- Department of Zoological Sciences, Addis Ababa University, PO Box 1176, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
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