Adaptation of Drosophila to temperature extremes: bringing together quantitative and molecular approaches

Physiological variation and phenotypic plasticity: a response to`Plasticity in arthropod cryotypes' by Hawes and Bale

In a recent publication, Hawes and Bale provide an extended discussion of phenotypic plasticity in the context of low temperature responses of animals. They argue that phenotypic plasticity may be partitioned phylogenetically at several levels and go on to explore these levels, and cold hardiness strategies that they term cryotypes, which in their view constitute cryotypic plasticity. Here we argue that this attempt to partition plasticity is misleading, that the term `genotypic plasticity' is potentially highly confusing and a misnomer for physiological variance, and that the term`superplasticity' should not be used. We also show that a definition of strategies as cryotypes is not useful and that the hypothesis about the relationship between evolutionary derivation and extent of plasticity in freeze-avoiding vs freeze-tolerant species is not supported by current evidence.

Extreme temperatures increase the deleterious consequences of inbreeding under laboratory and semi-natural conditions

The majority of experimental studies of the effects of population bottlenecks on fitness are performed under laboratory conditions, which do not account for the environmental complexity that populations face in nature. In this study, we test inbreeding depression in multiple replicates of inbred when compared with non-inbred lines of Drosophila melanogaster under different temperature conditions. Egg-to-adult viability, developmental time and sex ratio of emerging adults are studied under low, intermediate and high temperatures under laboratory as well as semi-natural conditions. The results show inbreeding depression for egg-to-adult viability. The level of inbreeding depression is highly dependent on test temperature and is observed only at low and high temperatures. Inbreeding did not affect the developmental time or the sex ratio of emerging adults. However, temperature affected the sex ratio with more females relative to males emerging at low temperatures, suggesting that selection against males in pre-adult life stages is stronger at low temperatures. The coefficient of variation (CV) of egg-to-adult viability within and among lines is higher for inbred flies and generally increases at stressful temperatures. Our results contribute to knowledge on the environmental dependency of inbreeding under different environmental conditions and emphasize that climate change may impact negatively on fitness through synergistic interactions with the genotype.

A heat shock cognate 70 gene in the endoparasitoid, Pteromalus puparum, and its expression in relation to thermal stress

The Pphsc70 (heat shock cognate 70) gene was isolated from the endoparasitoid Pteromalus puparum and then characterized. The full-length cDNA was 2204 base pair (bp) and contained a single 1968 bp ORF that encoded a polypeptide of 656 amino acids with a predicted molecular mass of 71.28 kDa. Phylogenetic analysis based on Hsc70 amino acid sequences from fifteen insect species agreed with the present phylogeny. In addition, genomic DNA confirmed the presence of three introns located at the coding region as well as the 5'UTR. A significant elevation of Pphsc70 expression was observed following heat treatment, however, continued exposure to heat shock or recovery caused the expression of induced mRNA to gradually decline to levels that were significantly lower than those of control pupae (P < 0.05). In addition, a significant increase was observed in the emergence rate of pupae that were preheated at 40 degrees C and then exposed to 50 degrees C for 1 h when compared with the pupae that were not preheated, but instead directly exposed to 50 degrees C. Taken together, these results revealed that exposure to gradually increasing temperatures can enhance an insects thermo-tolerance.

Synchronization of host-parasite cycles by means of diapause: host influence and parasite response to involuntary host shifting

Many parasites require synchronization of their infective phases with the appearance of susceptible host individuals and, for many species, diapause is one of the mechanisms contributing to such coincidence. A variety of ecological factors, like changes in host temperature produced by involuntary host shifting (substitution of the usual host by an infrequent one), can modify host-parasite synchronization of diapausing ectoparasites of endothermic species. To understand the influence of host shifting on the mechanisms of parasite synchronization, we conducted experiments using the system formed by the ectoparasitic flyCarnus hemapterusand its avian hosts. We simulated the occurrence of the usual host and natural cases of host shifting by exposing overwintering carnid pupae from Bee-eater nests (Merops apiaster) to the earlier incubation periods of twoCarnushost species that frequently reoccupy Bee-eater nests. Pupae exposed to host shifting treatments advanced the mean date of emergence and produced an earlier and faster rate of emergence in comparison with pupae exposed both to the control (absence of any host) and Bee-eater treatments. The effect was more evident for the treatment resembling the host with the most dissimilar phenology to the one of the usual host. Our results show that host temperature is an environmental cue used by this nest-dwelling haematophagous ectoparasite and reveal thatCarnus hemapterushas some potential to react to involuntary host shifting by means of plasticity in the termination of diapause.

Beneficial acclimation and the Bogert effect

Few studies have examined the extent to which phenotypic plasticity in a given trait might be influenced by behavioural responses to an environmental cue. Regulatory behaviour might eliminate environmental variation such that little selection for physiological change would take place. Here, to test this Bogert effect on acclimation, we use two life-stages of a kelp fly that inhabit the same habitat, but differ profoundly in their behaviour. We predicted that when denied opportunities for behavioural regulation, mobile, though brachypterous adults would show a performance advantage in most thermal environments following acclimation to their preferred temperature(s). By contrast, in the less mobile larvae, that have a broader thermal preference, beneficial acclimation would be more evident. Ordered factor anova with orthogonal polynomial contrasts revealed that adults recovered faster from chill coma following any one of six short-term temperature treatments if they had been acclimated at low temperature, whilst larvae showed beneficial acclimation.

Differential gene expression in whitefly (Bemisia tabaci) B-biotype females and males under heat-shock condition

Bemisia tabaci (Insecta, Hemiptera, Aleyrodidae) females are more heat resistant than males, which has important ecological significance in adaptation and expansion of B. tabaci populations. Differentially expressed genes between 25 degrees C and 44 degrees C were identified by Suppression Subtractive Hybridization (SSH) in B. tabaci sexes. 50 and 83 differentially expressed Expression Sequence Tags (ESTs) were obtained from female and male libraries, respectively. The ESTs have four functional categories. The frequency of heat stress-related ESTs, metabolism-related ESTs and new ESTs was higher in males than females. However, the percentage of ESTs with unclassified functions was higher in females than males. Furthermore, three differentially expressed genes were further examined by real-time PCR. The results suggested that difference of heat-resistance under heat-shock condition was associated with differentially expressed genes in B. tabaci sexes, which might enable us to better understand the mechanism behind this ecologically important trait.

Latitudinal and cold-tolerance variation associate with DNA repeat-number variation in the hsr-omega RNA gene of Drosophila melanogaster

An 8-bp deletion in the hsr-omega heat-stress gene of Drosophila melanogaster has previously been associated with latitude, and with heat tolerance that decreases with latitude. Here we report a second polymorphic site, at the 3'-end of hsr-omega, at which multiple alleles segregate in natural populations for copy number of a approximately 280 bp tandem repeat. On each of 3 consecutive years (2000, 2001 and 2002) among populations sampled along the Australian eastern coast, repeat number was negatively associated with latitude. Neither altitudinal association was detected in 2002 when five high-altitude sites were included, nor was a robust association detected with local temperature or rainfall measures. Although in a large number of family lines, derived from a population located centrally in the latitudinal transect, no association between hsr-omega repeat number and heat tolerance occurred, a negative association of repeat number with cold tolerance was detected. As cold tolerance also exhibits latitudinal clines we examined a set of cold-tolerant populations derived by selection and found both reduced repeat number and low constitutive levels of the omega-n repeat-bearing transcript. In a sample from the central population, linkage disequilibrium was measured between repeat number and linked markers that also cline latitudinally. However, such disequilibrium could not account for the cline in repeat number or tolerance associations. Finally, during adult recovery from cold exposure a large increase occurred in tissue levels of the omega-c transcript. Together these data suggest that a latitudinal cline in hsr-omega repeat number influences cold-tolerance variation in this species.

[Male sterility at high and low temperatures in Drosophila]

It is well known that in Mammals, spermatogenesis requires a temperature lower than that of the body. In Ectotherms, for example in Insects, male sterility/ fertility according to environmental conditions also remains a neglected field. In Drosophila melanogaster, a complete male sterility after development at 30 degrees C was described in 1971. A similar phenomenon, observed at low temperature, was described two years later. Recent comparative investigations have shown that what was found in D. melanogaster was also valid in other species. In each case, it is possible to define a range of temperatures compatible with a complete development. According to the investigated species, however, this range is very variable, for example 6-26 degrees C or 16-32 degrees C. In each case, the occurrence of sterile males is observed before the lethality threshold is reached. Such a phenomenon is probably important for understanding the geographic distributions of species. The cosmopolitan D. melanogaster lives under very different climates and exhibits corresponding adaptations. In countries with a very hot summer, such as India or the African Sahel, male sterility appears only at 31 degrees C. Crosses between a temperate population from France and a heat-resistant Indian population revealed that a large part of the genetic difference was carried by the Y chromosome. Such a result is surprising since the Y chromosome harbors only a very small number of genes. In conclusion, drosophilid species, during their evolution, were able to adapt to very different climates and the thermal sterility thresholds have changed, following these adaptations. But we still lack an evolutionary hypothesis for explaining why sterile males are, in all cases, produced at extreme, low or high temperatures.

Acclimation effects on critical and lethal thermal limits of workers of the Argentine ant, Linepithema humile

For the Argentine ant Linepithema humile, bioclimatic models often predict narrower optimal temperature ranges than those suggested by behavioural and physiological studies. Although water balance characteristics of workers of this species have been thoroughly studied, gaps exist in current understanding of its thermal limits. We investigated critical thermal minima and maxima and upper and lower lethal limits following acclimation to four temperatures (15, 20, 25, 30 degrees C; 12L:12D photoperiod) in adult workers of the Argentine ant, L. humile, collected from Stellenbosch, South Africa. At an ecologically relevant rate of temperature change of 0.05 degrees Cmin(-1), CTMax varied between 38 and 40 degrees C, and CTMin varied between 0 and 0.8 degrees C. In both cases the response to acclimation was weak. A significant time by exposure temperature interaction was found for upper and lower lethal limits, with a more pronounced effect of acclimation at longer exposure durations. Upper lethal limits varied between 37 and 44 degrees C, whilst lower lethal limits varied between -4 and -10.5 degrees C, with an acclimation effect more pronounced for upper than lower lethal limits. A thermal envelope for workers of the Argentine ant is provided, demonstrating that upper thermal limits do likely contribute to distributional limits, but that lower lethal limits and limits to activity likely do not, or at least for workers who are not exposed simultaneously to the demands of load carriage and successful foraging behaviour.

The effect of thermal history on the susceptibility of reef-building corals to thermal stress

The mutualistic relationship between corals and their unicellular dinoflagellate symbionts (Symbiodinium sp.) is a fundamental component within the ecology of coral reefs. Thermal stress causes the breakdown of the relationship between corals and their symbionts (bleaching). As with other organisms, this symbiosis may acclimate to changes in the environment, thereby potentially modifying the environmental threshold at which they bleach. While a few studies have examined the acclimation capacity of reef-building corals, our understanding of the underlying mechanism is still in its infancy. The present study focused on the role of recent thermal history in influencing the response of both corals and symbionts to thermal stress, using the reef-building coral Acropora aspera. The symbionts of corals that were exposed to 31°C for 48 h (pre-stress treatment) 1 or 2 weeks prior to a 6-day simulated bleaching event (when corals were exposed to 34°C) were found to have more effective photoprotective mechanisms. These mechanisms included changes in non-photochemical quenching and xanthophyll cycling. These differences in photoprotection were correlated with decreased loss of symbionts, with those corals that were not prestressed performing significantly worse, losing over 40% of their symbionts and having a greater reduction in photosynthetic efficiency. These results are important in that they show that thermal history, in addition to light history, can influence the response of reef-building corals to thermal stress and therefore have implications for the modeling of bleaching events. However, whether acclimation is capable of modifying the thermal threshold of corals sufficiently to cope as sea temperatures increase in response to global warming has not been fully explored. Clearly increases in sea temperatures that extend beyond 1–2°C will exhaust the extent to which acclimation can modify the thermal threshold of corals.

Critical thermal limits depend on methodological context

A full-factorial study of the effects of rates of temperature change and start temperatures was undertaken for both upper and lower critical thermal limits (CTLs) using the tsetse fly, Glossina pallidipes. Results show that rates of temperature change and start temperatures have highly significant effects on CTLs, although the duration of the experiment also has a major effect. Contrary to a widely held expectation, slower rates of temperature change (i.e. longer experimental duration) resulted in poorer thermal tolerance at both high and low temperatures. Thus, across treatments, a negative relationship existed between duration and upper CTL while a positive relationship existed between duration and lower CTL. Most importantly, for predicting tsetse distribution, G. pallidipes suffer loss of function at less severe temperatures under the most ecologically relevant experimental conditions for upper (0.06 degrees C min(-1); 35 degrees C start temperature) and lower CTL (0.06 degrees C min(-1); 24 degrees C start temperature). This suggests that the functional thermal range of G. pallidipes in the wild may be much narrower than previously suspected, approximately 20-40 degrees C, and highlights their sensitivity to even moderate temperature variation. These effects are explained by limited plasticity of CTLs in this species over short time scales. The results of the present study have broad implications for understanding temperature tolerance in these and other terrestrial arthropods.

Effects of acclimation temperature on thermal tolerance and membrane phospholipid composition in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster

Adaptative responses of ectothermic organisms to thermal variation typically involve the reorganization of membrane glycerophospholipids (GPLs) to maintain membrane function. We investigated how acclimation at 15, 20 and 25 degrees C during preimaginal development influences the thermal tolerance and the composition of membrane GPLs in adult Drosophila melanogaster. Long-term cold survival was significantly improved by low acclimation temperature. After 60 h at 0 degrees C, more than 80% of the 15 degrees C-acclimated flies survived while none of the 25 degrees C-acclimated flies survived. Cold shock tolerance (1h at subzero temperatures) was also slightly better in the cold acclimated flies. LT50 shifted down by ca 1.5 degrees C in 15 degrees C-acclimated flies in comparison to those acclimated at 25 degrees C. In contrast, heat tolerance was not influenced by acclimation temperature. Low temperature acclimation was associated with the increase in proportion of ethanolamine (from 52.7% to 58.5% in 25 degrees C-acclimated versus 15 degrees C-acclimated flies, respectively) at the expense of choline in GPLs. Relatively small, but statistically significant changes in lipid molecular composition were observed with decreasing acclimation temperature. In particular, the proportions of glycerophosphoethanolamines with linoleic acid (18:2) at the sn-2 position increased. No overall change in the degree of fatty acid unsaturation was observed. Thus, cold tolerance but not heat tolerance was influenced by preimaginal acclimation temperature and correlated with the changes in GPL composition in membranes of adult D. melanogaster.

Rapid thermal adaptation during field temperature variations in Drosophila melanogaster

Under natural conditions, the fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster) is constantly exposed to variations in temperature and light. Laboratory investigations have demonstrated that D. melanogaster and other insects adapt quickly to temperature variations, but only few studies have investigated this ability under natural temperature variations. Here we placed laboratory raised female D. melanogaster in field cages and exposed them to natural variations in light and temperature over a 2 day period (temperature range: 12-25 degrees C). During this period we sampled flies every 6h and measured their ability to survive heat and cold shock. There was a significant positive correlation between field temperature and heat shock survival and a significant negative correlation between field temperature and cold shock survival indicating that D. melanogaster are constantly adapting to their surrounding environment. The results also suggest that heat and cold resistance are obtained at a cost as these two traits were negatively correlated.

Brief carbon dioxide exposure blocks heat hardening but not cold acclimation in Drosophila melanogaster

Carbon dioxide is a commonly used anaesthetic in Drosophila research. While any detrimental effects of CO2 exposure on behaviour or traits are largely unknown, a recent study observed significant effects of CO2 exposure on rapid cold hardening and chill-coma recovery in Drosophila melanogaster. In this study we investigated the effect of a brief CO2 exposure on heat hardening and cold acclimation in D. melanogaster, measuring heat knockdown and chill-coma recovery times of flies exposed to CO2 for 1 min after hardening or acclimation. CO2 anaesthesia had a significant negative effect on heat hardening, with heat knockdown rates in hardened flies completely reduced to those of controls after CO2 exposure. Chill-coma recovery rates also significantly increased in acclimated flies that were exposed to CO2, although not to the same extent seen in the heat populations. CO2 exposure had no impact on heat knockdown rates of control flies, while there was a significant negative effect of the anaesthetic on chill-coma recovery rates of control flies. In light of these results, we suggest that CO2 should not be used after hardening in heat resistance assays due to the complete reversal of the heat hardening process upon exposure to CO2.

Slow and stepped re-warming after acute low temperature exposure do not improve survival of Drosophila melanogaster larvae

We tested that hypothesis that slow re-warming rates would improve the ability of Drosophila melanogaster Meigen larvae to survive acute low temperature exposure. Four larval stages (1(st), 2(nd), 3(rd) instars and wandering stage 3(rd) instars) of four wild-type strains were exposed to -7 degrees C for periods of time expected to result in 90 % mortality. Larvae were then either directly transferred to their rearing temperature (21 degrees C), or returned to this temperature in a stepwise fashion (pausing at 0 and 15 degrees C) or by slow warming at 1 or 0.1 degrees C/min. We observed a reduced rapid cold-hardening effect and no general increase in survival of acute chilling in larvae re-warmed in a stepwise or slow fashion, and hypothesise that slow re-warming may result in accumulation of further chill injuries.

Spatial and temporal variability across life's hierarchies in the terrestrial Antarctic

Antarctica and its surrounding islands lie at one extreme of global variation in diversity. Typically, these regions are characterized as being species poor and having simple food webs. Here, we show that terrestrial systems in the region are nonetheless characterized by substantial spatial and temporal variations at virtually all of the levels of the genealogical and ecological hierarchies which have been thoroughly investigated. Spatial variation at the individual and population levels has been documented in a variety of genetic studies, and in mosses it appears that UV-B radiation might be responsible for within-clump mutagenesis. At the species level, modern molecular methods have revealed considerable endemism of the Antarctic biota, questioning ideas that small organisms are likely to be ubiquitous and the taxa to which they belong species poor. At the biogeographic level, much of the relatively small ice-free area of Antarctica remains unsurveyed making analyses difficult. Nonetheless, it is clear that a major biogeographic discontinuity separates the Antarctic Peninsula and continental Antarctica, here named the 'Gressitt Line'. Across the Southern Ocean islands, patterns are clearer, and energy availability is an important correlate of indigenous and exotic species richness, while human visitor numbers explain much of the variation in the latter too. Temporal variation at the individual level has much to do with phenotypic plasticity, and considerable life-history and physiological plasticity seems to be a characteristic of Antarctic terrestrial species. Environmental unpredictability is an important driver of this trait and has significantly influenced life histories across the region and probably throughout much of the temperate Southern Hemisphere. Rapid climate change-related alterations in the range and abundance of several Antarctic and sub-Antarctic populations have taken place over the past several decades. In many sub-Antarctic locations, these have been exacerbated by direct and indirect effects of invasive alien species. Interactions between climate change and invasion seem set to become one of the most significant conservation problems in the Antarctic. We conclude that despite the substantial body of work on the terrestrial biodiversity of the Antarctic, investigations of interactions between hierarchical levels remain scarce. Moreover, little of the available information is being integrated into terrestrial conservation planning, which lags far behind in this region by comparison with most others.

Costs and benefits of cold acclimation in field-released Drosophila

One way animals can counter the effects of climatic extremes is via physiological acclimation, but acclimating to one extreme might decrease performance under different conditions. Here, we use field releases of Drosophila melanogaster on two continents across a range of temperatures to test for costs and benefits of developmental or adult cold acclimation. Both types of cold acclimation had enormous benefits at low temperatures in the field; in the coldest releases only cold-acclimated flies were able to find a resource. However, this advantage came at a huge cost; flies that had not been cold-acclimated were up to 36 times more likely to find food than the cold-acclimated flies when temperatures were warm. Such costs and strong benefits were not evident in laboratory tests where we found no reduction in heat survival of the cold-acclimated flies. Field release studies, therefore, reveal costs of cold acclimation that standard laboratory assays do not detect. Thus, although physiological acclimation may dramatically improve fitness over a narrow set of thermal conditions, it may have the opposite effect once conditions extend outside this range, an increasingly likely scenario as temperature variability increases under global climate change.

Impact of mild temperature hardening on thermotolerance, fecundity, and Hsp gene expression in Liriomyza huidobrensis

The pea leafminer, Liriomyza huidobrensis, is one of the most important economic insect pests around the world. Its population fluctuates greatly with seasonal change in China, and temperature was thought to be one of the important reasons. In attempt to further explore the impact of disadvantageous temperature on L. huidobrensis, 1-day-old adults were shocked at various temperatures (10, 25, 32, and 35 degrees C, respectively) for 4h, and the effects on thermotolerance, feeding, and fecundity were studied. Meanwhile the expression of five heat shock genes (hsp90, 70, 60, 40, and 20) was examined by real-time quantitative PCR. Our results showed that both 32 and 35 degrees C hardenings remarkably increased adult heat resistance, whereas cold tolerance was not improved accordingly. No cross resistance in response to cold and heat stresses was observed. Both adult feeding and fecundity were dramatically reduced, but no effect was observed on egg hatching, larval survival, pupal eclosion, or sex ratio. The results indicate that the deleterious effect on fecundity is the result of direct cessation of oviposition during the period of stress. Simultaneously, the mRNA levels of hsp70 and hsp20 significantly increased upon thermal hardening. Taken together, our results suggest that mild heat hardening improves thermotolerance of L. huidobrensis at the cost of impairment on fecundity, and the induced expression of hsp70 and hsp20 may play an important role in balancing the functional tradeoff.

Critical thermal maxima in knockdown-selected Drosophila: are thermal endpoints correlated?

To explore the correlation of traits linked to thermotolerance, we compared three thermal endpoints (knockdown temperature and two critical thermal maxima) among replicate populations of Drosophila melanogaster selected for high, or low, knockdown temperature. The high knockdown flies maintain normal posture and locomotor ability within a knockdown column at temperatures >or=40 degrees C, whereas the low knockdown flies fall out of the column at much cooler temperatures (approximately 35 degrees C, on average). The critical thermal maximum (CT(max)) for respiratory control in the selected knockdown populations was determined by analyzing CO(2) output of individuals during exposure to a temperature ramp (from 30 degrees C to >45 degrees C) and was indicated by an abrupt alteration in the pattern of CO(2) release. The CT(max) for locomotor function was determined by monitoring activity (concurrent with CO(2) analysis) during the temperature ramp and was marked by the abrupt cessation of activity. We hypothesized that selection for high knockdown temperature may cause an upward shift in CT(max), whereas selection for low knockdown may lower CT(max). Correlations among the three thermal endpoints varied between the high and low knockdown flies. Finally, we compared metabolic profiles, as well as Q(10) values, among the high and low knockdown males and females during the temperature ramp.

Sperm production and mating potential of males after a cold shock on pupae of the parasitoid wasp Dinarmus basalis (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae)

For ectothermic species, temperature is a key environmental factor influencing several aspects of their physiology and ecology, acting particularly on reproduction. To measure the consequences of a severe thermal stress during development on male reproduction, a cold shock (1h at -18 degrees C) was tested on Dinarmus basalis pupae. D. basalis (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) is a parasitoid wasp in which sperm management in both male and female is of prime importance. After a cold shock, developmental success was reduced, with a quarter of cold-shocked males not emerging correctly. The stress effects were estimated at the level of sperm stock in seminal vesicles of males at different ages and on the ability of 2-day-old males to access females in single and multiple mating and in male-male competition. Cold-shocked males had a reduced sperm stock compared to control males and this difference persisted with age. The rate of sperm production was similar in both groups. The consequences of a cold shock on male reproductive ability were perceptible in multiple mating and male-male competition but not in single mating. Cold-shocked males were at a disadvantage, inseminating fewer females and copulating less frequently. Finally, male pupae of D. basalis were able to withstand severe temperature stresses and their reproductive functions were partially preserved.

Candidate genes and thermal phenotypes: identifying ecologically important genetic variation for thermotolerance in the Australian Drosophila melanogaster cline

Clinal variation in traits often reflects climatic adaptation; in Drosophila melanogaster clinal variation provides an opportunity to link variation in chromosomal inversions, microsatellite loci and various candidate genes to adaptive variation in traits. We undertook association studies with crosses from a single population of D. melanogaster from eastern Australia to investigate the association between genetic markers and traits showing clinal variation. By genotyping parents and phenotyping offspring, we minimized genotyping costs but had the power to detect association between markers and quantitative traits. Consistent with prior studies, we found strong associations between the clinal chromosomal inversion In(3R)Payne and markers within it, as well as among these markers. We also found an association between In(3L)Payne and one marker located within this inversion. Of the five predicted associations between markers and traits, four were detected (increased heat, decreased cold resistance and body size with the heat shock gene hsr-omega S, increased cold resistance with the inversion In(3L)Payne), while one was not detected (heat resistance and the heat shock gene hsp68). In a set of eight exploratory tests, we detected one positive association (between hsp23a and heat resistance) but no associations of heat resistance with alleles at the hsp26, hsp83, Desat 2, alpha-Gpdh, hsp70 loci, while cold resistance was not associated with Frost and Dca loci. These results confirm interactions between hsr-omega and thermal resistance, as well as between In(3L)Payne and cold resistance, but do not provide evidence for associations between thermal responses and alleles at other clinically varying marker genes.

Life history consequences of temperature transients in Drosophila melanogaster

The physiological and life history consequences of chronic temperatures are well studied in ectotherms. However, little is known about the consequences of short-term exposure to unusually high or low temperatures, as would occur during a weather front. What are the immediate life-history effects of such thermal transients? Can ectotherms recover quickly or do they suffer carry-over effects that persist after weather returns to normal? We measured the impact of thermal transients on egg and progeny production of Drosophila melanogaster Meigen from Washington State. We reared flies at 25°C and then transferred 3- to 5-day old adults to one of three transient treatments (1 or 3 days at 18°C, 1 day at 29°C) before returning them to 25°C. We monitored daily egg production and egg-to-adult viability before (as a control), during, and after the transient as well as fecundity and viability of flies held at constant 18°, 25° and 29°C. This population appears particularly heat tolerant as neither constant nor transient exposure to 29°C (usually a stressful temperature for this species) affected female fecundity or the viability of her progeny. However, a 1- or 3-day exposure to 18°C reduced female fecundity by 75–90% relative to controls, and eggs laid during the 3-day exposure had greatly reduced viability. When returned to 25°C after transient exposure to 18°C, females immediately matched the fecundity and viability of females maintained constantly at 25°C. Therefore, these flies do not suffer negative carry-over effects from these moderate thermal transients. Surprisingly, fitness (intrinsic rate of population growth) was not depressed by transient temperature exposure. However, the severity and especially the timing of the transient will probably determine the likelihood of carry-over effects as well as its effect on fitness.

Plasticity in arthropod cryotypes

Low-temperature acclimation and acclimatization produce phenotypic changes in arthropods at multiple levels of biological organization from the molecular to the behavioural. The role and function of plasticity – where a constitutive, reversible change occurs in the phenotype in response to low temperature – may be partitioned hierarchically at evolutionary scales according to cryoprotective strategy, at macrophysiological scales according to climatic variability, and at meso- and micro-scales according to ecological niche and exposure. In correspondence with these scales (which are interdependent rather than mutually exclusive), a hierarchical typology of interaction between thermal history and organism is proposed, descending,respectively, from what we define as `cryotype' (class of cryoprotective strategy) to genotype and, ultimately, phenotype. Alternative (and sometimes complementary) strategies to plasticity include specialization,generalization, bet-hedging, cross-resistance and convergence. The transition of cryotypes from basal to derived states is a continuum of trait optimization, involving the fixation of plasticity and/or its alternatives.

Cloning and interspecific altered expression of heat shock protein genes in two leafminer species in response to thermal stress

Studies have demonstrated differences in temperature tolerance between two Liriomyza species, L. huidobrensis and L. sativae. To investigate whether the heat shock proteins (Hsps) in the two species have different expression profiles during temperature stress, we cloned hsp90, 70, 60, 40 and 20, and analysed their expression profiles across temperature gradients by real-time quantitative PCR and Western blotting. The results revealed that the number of TATA-box-like elements and A/T-rich insertion/deletions within the 5' UTRs of the hsps are different in the two species. The temperatures for onset (T(on)) or maximal (T(max)) induction of hsp expression in L. huidobrensis were generally 2.5-10 degrees C lower than those in L. sativae, and the T(on) were highly consistent with the temperature limits of the northern boundary of the range of these two leafminer species. These studies confirmed, in terms of gene expression levels, that L. huidobrensis is more cold tolerant than L. sativae, which is more heat tolerant, and suggest that the T(on) (or T(max)) of hsps can represent the differences in temperature tolerance of these two leafminer species, and may be used to determine their natural geographical distribution limits.

Gene transcription during exposure to, and recovery from, cold and desiccation stress in Drosophila melanogaster

We exposed adult male Drosophila melanogaster to cold, desiccation or starvation, and examined expression of several genes during exposure and recovery. Frost was expressed during recovery from cold, and was up-regulated during desiccation. Desiccation and starvation (but not cold) elicited increased expression of the senescence-related gene smp-30. Desat2 decreased during recovery from desiccation, but not in response to starvation or cold. Hsp70 expression increased after 1 h of recovery from cold exposure, but was unchanged in response to desiccation or starvation stress, and Hsp23 levels did not respond to any of the stressors. We conclude that D. melanogaster's responses to cold and desiccation are quite different and that care must be taken to separate exposure and recovery when studying responses to environmental stress.

Phosphoglucose isomerase genotype affects running speed and heat shock protein expression after exposure to extreme temperatures in a montane willow beetle

Eastern Sierra Nevada populations of the willow beetle Chrysomela aeneicollis commonly experience stressfully high and low environmental temperatures that may influence survival and reproduction. Allele frequencies at the enzyme locus phosphoglucose isomerase (PGI) vary across a climatic latitudinal gradient in these populations, with PGI allele 1 being most common in cooler regions and PGI allele 4 in warmer ones. PGI genotypes differ in heat and cold tolerance and in expression of a 70 kDa heat shock protein. Here we examine genetic, behavioral and environmental factors affecting a performance character, running speed, for willow beetles, and assess effects of consecutive cold and heat exposure on running speed and expression of Hsp70 in the laboratory. In nature, running speed depends on air temperature and is higher for males than females. Mating beetles ran faster than single beetles, and differences among PGI genotypes in male running speed depended on the presence of females. In the laboratory, exposure to cold reduced subsequent running speed, but the amount of this reduction depended on PGI genotype and previous thermal history. Effects of exposure to heat also depended on life history stage and PGI genotype. Adults possessing allele 1 ran fastest after a single exposure to stressful temperature, whereas those possessing allele 4 ran faster after repeated exposure. Larvae possessing allele 4 ran fastest after a single stressful exposure, but running speed generally declined after a second exposure to stressful temperature. The ranking of PGI genotypes after the second exposure depended on whether a larva had been exposed to cold or heat. Effects of temperature on Hsp70 expression also varied among PGI genotypes and depended on type of exposure, especially for adults (single heat exposure, two cold exposures: PGI 1-1>1-4>4-4; other multiple extreme exposures: 4-4>1-4>1-1). There was no consistent association between alleles at other polymorphic enzyme loci and running speed or Hsp70 expression. These data suggest that variation at PGI is associated with considerable plasticity in running speed. Differences in Hsp70 expression among PGI genotypes suggest that the heat-shock response may buffer differences in thermal tolerance and performance among genotypes and help maintain the PGI polymorphism in a thermally variable environment.

Gene expression profile analysis of Drosophila melanogaster selected for resistance to environmental stressors

Here, we report a detailed analysis of changes in gene expression in Drosophila melanogaster selected for ecologically relevant environmental stress resistance traits. We analysed females from seven replicated selection regimes and one control regime using whole genome gene expression arrays. When compared with gene expression profiles of control lines, we were able to detect consistent selection responses at the transcript level in each specific selection regime and also found a group of differentially expressed genes that were changed among all selected lines. Replicated selection lines showed similar changes in gene expression (compared with controls) and thus showed that 10 generations of artificial selection give a clear signal with respect to the resulting gene expression profile. The changes in gene expression in lines selected for increased longevity, desiccation and starvation resistance, respectively, showed high similarities. Cold resistance-selected lines showed little differentiation from controls. Different methods of heat selection (heat survival, heat knock down and constant 30 degrees C) showed little similarity verifying that different mechanisms are involved in high temperature adaptation. For most individual selection regimes, and in the comparison of all selected lines and controls, the gene expression changes were exclusively in one direction, although the different selection regimes varied in the direction of response. The responses to selection restricted to individual selection regimes can be interpreted as stress specific, whereas the response shared among all selected lines can be considered as a general stress response. Here, we identified genes belonging to both types of responses to selection for stress resistance.

Variation in scorpion metabolic rate and rate?temperature relationships: implications for the fundamental equation of the metabolic theory of ecology

The fundamental equation of the metabolic theory of ecology (MTE) indicates that most of the variation in metabolic rate are a consequence of variation in organismal size and environmental temperature. Although evolution is thought to minimize energy costs of nutrient transport, its effects on metabolic rate via adaptation, acclimatization or acclimation are considered small, and restricted mostly to variation in the scaling constant, b(0). This contrasts strongly with many conclusions of evolutionary physiology and life-history theory, making closer examination of the fundamental equation an important task for evolutionary biologists. Here we do so using scorpions as model organisms. First, we investigate the implications for the fundamental equation of metabolic rate variation and its temperature dependence in the scorpion Uroplectes carinatus following laboratory acclimation. During 22 days of acclimation at 25 degrees C metabolic rates declined significantly (from 127.4 to 78.2 microW; P = 0.0001) whereas mean body mass remained constant (367.9-369.1 mg; P = 0.999). In field-fresh scorpions, metabolic rate-temperature (MRT) relationships varied substantially within and among individuals, and therefore had low repeatability values (tau = 0.02) and no significant among-individual variation (P = 0.181). However, acclimation resulted in a decline in within-individual variation of MRT slopes which subsequently revealed significant differences among individuals (P = 0.0031) and resulted in a fourfold increase in repeatability values (tau = 0.08). These results highlight the fact that MRT relationships can show substantial, directional variation within individuals over time. Using a randomization model we demonstrate that the reduction in metabolic rate with acclimation while body mass remains constant causes a decline both in the value of the mass-scaling exponent and the coefficient of determination. Furthermore, interspecific comparisons of activation energy, E, demonstrated significant variation in scorpions (0.09-1.14 eV), with a mean value of 0.77 eV, significantly higher than the 0.6-0.7 eV predicted by the fundamental equation. Our results add to a growing body of work questioning both the theoretical basis and empirical support for the MTE, and suggest that alternative models of metabolic rate variation incorporating explicit consideration of life history evolution deserve further scrutiny.

Developmental plasticity and acclimation both contribute to adaptive responses to alternating seasons of plenty and of stress in Bicyclus butterflies

Plasticity is a crucial component of the life cycle of invertebrates that live as active adults throughout wet and dry seasons in the tropics. Such plasticity is seen in the numerous species of Bicyclus butterflies in Africa which exhibit seasonal polyphenism with sequential generations of adults with one or other of two alternative phenotypes. These differ not only in wing pattern but in many other traits. This divergence across a broad complex of traits is associated with survival and reproduction either in a wet season that is favourable in terms of resources, or mainly in a dry season that is more stressful. This phenomenon has led us to examine the bases of the developmental plasticity in a model species, B.anynana, and also the evolution of key adult life history traits, including starvation resistance and longevity. We now understand something about the processes that generate variation in the phenotype,and also about the ecological context of responses to environmental stress. The responses clearly involve a mix of developmental plasticity as cued by different environments in pre-adult development,and the acclimation of life history traits in adults to their prevailing environment.

Studying stress responses in the post-genomic era: its ecological and evolutionary role

Most investigations on the effects of and responses to stress exposures have been performed on a limited number of model organisms in the laboratory. Here much progress has been made in terms of identifying and describing beneficial and detrimental effects of stress, responses to stress and the mechanisms behind stress tolerance. However, to gain further understanding of which genes are involved in stress resistance and how the responses are regulated from an ecological and evolutionary perspective there is a need to combine studies on multiple levels of biological organization from DNA to phenotypes. Furthermore,we emphasize the importance of studying ecologically relevant traits and natural or semi-natural conditions to verify whether the results obtained are representative of the ecological and evolutionary processes in the field. Here,we will review what we currently know about thermal adaptation and the role of different stress responses to thermal challenges in insects, particularly Drosophila.Furthermore,we address some key questions that require future attention.

Knockdown resistance to heat stress and slow recovery from chill coma are genetically associated in a quantitative trait locus region of chromosome 2 inDrosophila melanogaster

In insects, two ecologically relevant traits of thermal adaptation are knockdown resistance to high temperature (KRHT) and chill-coma recovery (CCR). Chromosome 2 of Drosophila melanogaster was tested for quantitative trait loci (QTL) affecting both CCR and KRHT in backcrosses between homosequential lines that are fixed for the standard (noninverted) sequence of this autosome. These lines were obtained by artificial selection on KRHT and subsequent inbreeding from a stock that was derived from a single wild population. Heat-induced expression of the 70KD heat-shock protein (Hsp70) was also examined for variation between the lines. Composite interval mapping was performed for each trait on each reciprocal backcross, identifying one QTL region in the middle of chromosome 2 for both KRHT and CCR. The largest estimates of additive effects were found in pericentromeric regions of chromosome 2, accounting for 10-14% (CCR) and 10-17% (KRHT) of the phenotypic variance in BC populations. No QTL was found in the region of the heat-shock factor (hsf) gene. However, the two parental lines have diverged in the heat-induced Hsp70 expression. Distribution of KRHT QTL on chromosome 2 was similar between this study based on crosses between lines selected from a single wild population and previous work based on crosses between selection lines from different continents. Colocalized QTL showed a trade-off association between CCR and KRHT, which should be the result of either multiple, tightly linked trait-specific genes or a single gene with pleiotropic effects on the traits. We discuss candidate loci contained within the QTL regions.

Can artificially selected phenotypes influence a component of field fitness? Thermal selection and fly performance under thermal extremes

Artificially selected lines are widely used to investigate the genetic basis of quantitative traits and make inferences about evolutionary trajectories. Yet, the relevance of selected traits to field fitness is rarely tested. Here, we assess the relevance of thermal stress resistance artificially selected in the laboratory to one component of field fitness by investigating the likelihood of adult Drosophila melanogaster reaching food bait under different temperatures. Lines resistant to heat reached the bait more often than controls under hot and cold conditions, but less often at intermediate temperatures, suggesting a fitness cost of increased heat resistance but not at temperature extremes. Cold-resistant lines were more common at baits than controls under cold as well as hot field conditions, and there was no cost at intermediate temperatures. One of the replicate heat-resistant lines was caught less often than the others under hot conditions. Direct and correlated patterns of responses in laboratory tests did not fully predict the low performance of the heat selected lines at intermediate temperatures, nor the high performance of the cold selected lines under hot conditions. Therefore, lines selected artificially not only behaved partly as expected based on laboratory assays but also evolved patterns only evident in the field releases.

Lack of genetic structure among ecologically adapted populations of an Australian rainforestDrosophilaspecies as indicated by microsatellite markers and mitochondrial DNA sequences

Although fragmented rainforest environments represent hotspots for invertebrate biodiversity, few genetic studies have been conducted on rainforest invertebrates. Thus, it is not known if invertebrate species in rainforests are highly genetically fragmented, with the potential for populations to show divergent selection responses, or if there are low levels of gene flow sufficient to maintain genetic homogeneity among fragmented populations. Here we use microsatellite markers and DNA sequences from the mitochondrial ND5 locus to investigate genetic differences among Drosophila birchii populations from tropical rainforests in Queensland, Australia. As found in a previous study, mitochondrial DNA diversity was low with no evidence for population differentiation among rainforest fragments. The pattern of mitochondrial haplotype variation was consistent with D. birchii having undergone substantial past population growth. Levels of nuclear genetic variation were high in all populations while F(ST) values were very low, even for flies from geographically isolated areas of rainforest. No significant differentiation was observed between populations on either side of the Burdekin Gap (a long-term dry corridor), although there was evidence for higher gene diversity in low-latitude populations. Spatial autocorrelation coefficients were low and did not differ significantly from random, except for one locus which revealed a clinal-like pattern. Comparisons of microsatellite differentiation contrasted with previously established clinal patterns in quantitative traits in D. birchii, and indicate that the patterns in quantitative traits are likely to be due to selection. These results suggest moderate gene flow in D. birchii over large distances. Limited population structure in this species appears to be due to recent range expansions or cycles of local extinctions followed by recolonizations/expansions. Nevertheless, patterns of local adaptation have developed in D. birchii that may result in populations showing different selection responses when faced with environmental change.

An explicit test of the phospholipid saturation hypothesis of acquired cold tolerance in Caenorhabditis elegans

Protection of poikilothermic animals from seasonal cold is widely regarded as being causally linked to changes in the unsaturation of membrane phospholipids, yet in animals this proposition remains formally untested. We have now achieved this by the genetic manipulation of lipid biosynthesis of Caenorhabditis elegans independent of temperature. Worms transferred from 25 degrees C to 10 degrees C develop over several days a much-increased tolerance of lethal cold (0 degrees C) and also an increased phospholipid unsaturation, as in higher animal models. Of the three C. elegans Delta9-desaturases, transcript levels of fat-7 only were up-regulated by cold transfer. RNAi suppression of fat-7 caused the induction of fat-5 desaturase, so to control desaturase expression we combined RNAi of fat-7 with a fat-5 knockout. These fat-5/fat-7 manipulated worms displayed the expected negative linear relationship between lipid saturation and cold tolerance at 0 degrees C, an outcome confirmed by dietary rescue. However, this change in lipid saturation explains just 16% of the observed difference between cold tolerance of animals held at 25 degrees C and 10 degrees C. Thus, although the manipulated lipid saturation affects the tolerable thermal window, and altered Delta9-desaturase expression accounts for cold-induced lipid adjustments, the effect is relatively small and none of the lipid manipulations were sufficient to convert worms between fully cold-sensitive and fully cold-tolerant states. Critically, transfer of 10 degrees C-acclimated worms back to 25 degrees C led to them restoring the usual cold-sensitive phenotype within 24 h despite retaining a lipid profile characteristic of 10 degrees C worms. Other nonlipid mechanisms of acquired cold protection clearly dominate inducible cold tolerance.

Phototransduction genes are up-regulated in a global gene expression study of Drosophila melanogaster selected for heat resistance

The genetic architecture underlying heat resistance remains partly unclear despite the well-documented involvement of heat shock proteins (Hsps). It was previously shown that factors besides Hsps are likely to play an important role for heat resistance. In this study, gene expression arrays were used to make replicate measurements of gene expression before and up to 64 hours after a mild heat stress treatment, in flies selected for heat resistance and unselected control flies, to identify genes differentially expressed in heat resistance-selected flies. We found 108 genes up-regulated and 10 down-regulated using the Affymetrix gene expression platform. Among the up-regulated genes, a substantial number are involved in the phototransduction process. Another group of genes up-regulated in selected flies is characterized by also responding to heat shock treatment several hours after peak induction of known Hsps revert to nonstress levels. These findings suggest phototransduction genes to be critically involved in heat resistance, and support a role for components of the phototransduction process in stress-sensing mechanisms. In addition, the results suggest yet-uncharacterized genes responding to heat stress several hours after treatment to be involved in heat stress resistance. These findings mark an important increase in the understanding of heat resistance.

Thermal evolution of gene expression profiles in Drosophila subobscura

Background

Despite its pervasiveness, the genetic basis of adaptation resulting in variation directly or indirectly related to temperature (climatic) gradients is poorly understood. By using 3-fold replicated laboratory thermal stocks covering much of the physiologically tolerable temperature range for the temperate (i.e., cold tolerant) species Drosophila subobscura we have assessed whole-genome transcriptional responses after three years of thermal adaptation, when the populations had already diverged for inversion frequencies, pre-adult life history components, and morphological traits. Total mRNA from each population was compared to a reference pool mRNA in a standard, highly replicated two-colour competitive hybridization experiment using cDNA microarrays.

Results

A total of 306 (6.6%) cDNA clones were identified as 'differentially expressed' (following a false discovery rate correction) after contrasting the two furthest apart thermal selection regimes (i.e., 13°C vs . 22°C), also including four previously reported candidate genes for thermotolerance in Drosophila (Hsp26, Hsp68, Fst, and Treh). On the other hand, correlated patterns of gene expression were similar in cold- and warm-adapted populations. Analysis of functional categories defined by the Gene Ontology project point to an overrepresentation of genes involved in carbohydrate metabolism, nucleic acids metabolism and regulation of transcription among other categories. Although the location of differently expressed genes was approximately at random with respect to chromosomes, a physical mapping of 88 probes to the polytene chromosomes of D. subobscura has shown that a larger than expected number mapped inside inverted chromosomal segments.

Conclusion

Our data suggest that a sizeable number of genes appear to be involved in thermal adaptation in Drosophila, with a substantial fraction implicated in metabolism. This apparently illustrates the formidable challenge to understanding the adaptive evolution of complex trait variation. Furthermore, some clustering of genes within inverted chromosomal sections was detected. Disentangling the effects of inversions will be obviously required in any future approach if we want to identify the relevant candidate genes.

Urban physiology: city ants possess high heat tolerance

Urbanization has caused regional increases in temperature that exceed those measured on a global scale, leading to urban heat islands as much as 12 degrees C hotter than their surroundings. Optimality models predict ectotherms in urban areas should tolerate heat better and cold worse than ectotherms in rural areas. We tested these predications by measuring heat and cold tolerances of leaf-cutter ants from South America's largest city (São Paulo, Brazil). Specifically, we compared thermal tolerances of ants from inside and outside of the city. Knock-down resistance and chill-coma recovery were used as indicators of heat and cold tolerances, respectively. Ants from within the city took 20% longer to lose mobility at 42 degrees C than ants from outside the city. Interestingly, greater heat tolerance came at no obvious expense of cold tolerance; hence, our observations only partially support current theory. Our results indicate that thermal tolerances of some organisms can respond to rapid changes in climate. Predictive models should account for acclimatory and evolutionary responses during climate change.

Hormetic effects of repeated exposures to cold at young age on longevity, aging and resistance to heat or cold shocks in Drosophila melanogaster

Exposing young flies to hypergravity has hormetic effects on aging, longevity and resistance to heat stress. The present experiments tested whether cold shocks at young age could also have hormetic effects. Flies were cold-shocked at 0 degrees C daily for 60 min during two periods of 5 days separated by 2 days, starting at 5 days of age. This cold stress increased longevity, resistance to a lethal heat stress or to cold up to 6 weeks of age, resistance to a non-lethal heat stress at middle age, and delayed behavioral aging. Cold and hypergravity exposure at young age have thus similar effects, excepting on resistance to cold stress, which is not increased after exposure to hypergravity. Mild heat stress has also been shown to slightly increase longevity and resistance to a lethal heat stress, but not to delay behavioral aging. Since there are thus at least two mild stresses with large hormetic effects at old age in flies, i.e. cold and hypergravity, hormetic effects in flies are not stress-specific. Therefore, it could be hypothetized that hormetic effects of mild stress on aging and longevity are a general phenomenon and that they could also be observed in other species such as rodents.

The influence of developmental stage on cold shock resistance and ability to cold-harden in Drosophila melanogaster

Thermal sensitivity and ability to rapidly cold- and heat-harden may change during ontogeny. This study reports how inherent cold tolerance and ability to rapidly cold-harden change across eight developmental stages in both genders of Drosophila melanogaster using a similar experimental approach for all stages. Inherent cold tolerance was estimated as LT50 by assaying cold shock survival over a wide range of temperatures (-16 to 5 degrees C). Rapid cold-hardening (RCH) was applied by cooling from 25 to 0 degrees C at -0.25 degrees C min(-1) followed by 1 h at 0 degrees C. Individuals were cold shocked either directly or after RCH to estimate the effect of RCH. We found large variation in cold tolerance among developmental stages and minor differences between genders. Eggs were most tolerant followed by adults, pupae and larvae. In the light of this and other studies it is suggested that there is a general pattern of stage specific thermal stress resistance in Drosophila. The capacity to rapidly cold-harden was found in both sexes of larval, pupal and adult stages, though some developmental stages showed negative or neutral effects of RCH which was probably due to the cost associated with the hardening treatment in these cold susceptible stages. The early presence of RCH indicates that the mechanisms behind hardening are not stage specific and that RCH may be an ecologically important trait in early stages of ontogeny.

Acclimation effects on thermal tolerances of springtails from sub-Antarctic Marion Island: indigenous and invasive species

Collembola are abundant and functionally significant arthropods in sub-Antarctic terrestrial ecosystems, and their importance has increased as a consequence of the many invasive alien species that have been introduced to the region. It has also been predicted that current and future climate change will favour alien over indigenous species as a consequence of more favourable responses to warming in the former. It is therefore surprising that little is known about the environmental physiology of sub-Antarctic springtails and that few studies have explicitly tested the hypothesis that invasive species will outperform indigenous ones under warmer conditions. Here we present thermal tolerance data on three invasive (Pogonognathellus flavescens, Isotomurus cf. palustris, Ceratophysella denticulata) and two indigenous (Cryptopygus antarcticus, Tullbergia bisetosa) species of springtails from Marion Island, explicitly testing the idea that consistent differences exist between the indigenous and invasive species both in their absolute limits and the ways in which they respond to acclimation (at temperatures from 0 to 20 degrees C). Phenotypic plasticity is the first in a series of ways in which organisms might respond to altered environments. Using a poorly explored, but highly appropriate technique, we demonstrate that in these species the crystallization temperature (Tc) is equal to the lower lethal temperature. We also show that cooling rate (1 degree C min(-1); 0.1 degrees C min(-1); 0.5 degrees C h(-1) from 5 to -1 degrees C followed by 0.1 degrees C min(-1)) has little effect on Tc. The indigenous species typically have low Tcs (c. -20 to -13 degrees C depending on the acclimation temperature), whilst those of the invasive species tend to be higher (c. -12 to -6 degrees C) at the lower acclimation temperatures. However, Ceratophysella denticulata is an exception with a low Tc (c. -20 to -18 degrees C), and in P. flavescens acclimation to 20 degrees C results in a pronounced decline in Tc. In general, the invasive and alien species do not differ substantially in acclimation effects on Tc (with the exception of the strong response in P. flavescens). Upper lethal temperatures (ULT50) are typically higher in the invasive (33-37 degrees C) than in the indigenous (30-33 degrees C) species and the response to acclimation differs among the two groups. The indigenous species show either a weak response to acclimation or ULT50 declines with increasing acclimation temperature, whereas in the invasive species ULT50 increases with acclimation temperature. These findings support the hypothesis that many invasive species will be favoured by climate change (warming and drying) at Marion Island. Moreover, manipulative field experiments have shown abundance changes in the indigenous and invasive springtail species in the direction predicted by the physiological data.