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Plasman M, Gonzalez-Voyer A, Bautista A, Díaz DE LA Vega-Pérez AH. Flexibility in thermal requirements: a comparative analysis of the wide-spread lizard genus Sceloporus. Integr Zool 2024. [PMID: 38880782 DOI: 10.1111/1749-4877.12860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2024]
Abstract
Adaptation or acclimation of thermal requirements to environmental conditions can reduce thermoregulation costs and increase fitness, especially in ectotherms, which rely heavily on environmental temperatures for thermoregulation. Insight into how thermal niches have shaped thermal requirements across evolutionary history may help predict the survival of species during climate change. The lizard genus Sceloporus has a widespread distribution and inhabits an ample variety of habitats. We evaluated the effects of geographical gradients (i.e. elevation and latitude) and local environmental temperatures on thermal requirements (i.e. preferred body temperature, active body temperature in the field, and critical thermal limits) of Sceloporus species using published and field-collected data and performing phylogenetic comparative analyses. To contrast macro- and micro-evolutional patterns, we also performed intra-specific analyses when sufficient reports existed for a species. We found that preferred body temperature increased with elevation, whereas body temperature in the field decreased with elevation and increased with local environmental temperatures. Critical thermal limits were not related to the geographic gradient or environmental temperatures. The apparent lack of relation of thermal requirements to geographic gradient may increase vulnerability to extinction due to climate change. However, local and temporal variations in thermal landscape determine thermoregulation opportunities and may not be well represented by geographic gradient and mean environmental temperatures. Results showed that Sceloporus lizards are excellent thermoregulators, have wide thermal tolerance ranges, and the preferred temperature was labile. Our results suggest that Sceloporus lizards can adjust to different thermal landscapes, highlighting opportunities for continuous survival in changing thermal environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa Plasman
- Centro Tlaxcala de Biología de la Conducta, Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala, Tlaxcala, Mexico
| | - Alejandro Gonzalez-Voyer
- Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva, Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Amando Bautista
- Centro Tlaxcala de Biología de la Conducta, Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala, Tlaxcala, Mexico
| | - Aníbal H Díaz DE LA Vega-Pérez
- Consejo Nacional de Humanidades, Ciencias, y Tecnologías-Centro Tlaxcala de Biología de la Conducta, Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala, Tlaxcala, Mexico
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202
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Grilo F, McPhearson T, Nunes A, Aleixo C, Santos-Reis M, Branquinho C. Where the not-so-wild things are in cities? The influence of social-ecological factors in urban trees at multiple scales. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 929:172552. [PMID: 38643878 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.172552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2023] [Revised: 03/30/2024] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 04/23/2024]
Abstract
Green infrastructure plays an essential role in cities due to the ecosystem services it provides. However, these elements are shaped by social and ecological factors that influence their distribution and diversity, affecting ecological functions and human well-being. Here, we analyzed neighborhood tree distribution - trees in pocket parks, squares and along streets - in Lisbon (Portugal) and modelled tree abundance and taxonomic and functional diversity, at the parish and local scales, considering a comprehensive list of social and ecological factors. For the functional analyses, we included functional traits linked to dispersal, resilience to important perturbations in coastal Mediterranean cities, and ecosystem services delivery. Our results show not only that trees are unevenly distributed across the city, but that there is a strong influence of social factors on all biological indices considered. At the parish and local scales, abundance and diversity responded to different factors, with abundance being linked to both social and ecological variables. Although the influence of social factors on urban trees can be expected, by modelling their influence we can quantify how much humans modify urban landscapes at a structural and functional level. These associations can underlie potential biodiversity filters and should be analyzed over time to inform decisions that support long-term ecological resilience, maximize trait functional expression, and increase equity in ecosystem services delivery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filipa Grilo
- cE3c - Center for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes & CHANGE - Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Timon McPhearson
- Urban Systems Lab, The New School, New York, NY, USA; Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, Millbrook, NY, USA; Stockholm Resilience Centre, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden; Beijer Institute of Ecological Economics, Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Alice Nunes
- cE3c - Center for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes & CHANGE - Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Cristiana Aleixo
- cE3c - Center for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes & CHANGE - Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Margarida Santos-Reis
- cE3c - Center for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes & CHANGE - Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Cristina Branquinho
- cE3c - Center for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes & CHANGE - Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal.
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203
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Yanagihara M, Hiki K, Iwasaki Y. Which distribution to choose for deriving a species sensitivity distribution? Implications from analysis of acute and chronic ecotoxicity data. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2024; 278:116379. [PMID: 38714082 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2024.116379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2023] [Revised: 04/16/2024] [Accepted: 04/21/2024] [Indexed: 05/09/2024]
Abstract
Species sensitivity distributions (SSDs) estimated by fitting a statistical distribution to ecotoxicity data are indispensable tools used to derive the hazardous concentration for 5 % of species (HC5) and thereby a predicted no-effect concentration in environmental risk assessment. Whereas various statistical distributions are available for SSD estimation, the fundamental question of which statistical distribution should be used has received limited systematic analysis. We aimed to address this knowledge gap by applying four frequently used statistical distributions (log-normal, log-logistic, Burr type III, and Weibull distributions) to acute and chronic SSD estimation using aquatic toxicity data for 191 and 31 chemicals, respectively. Based on the differences in the corrected Akaike's information criterion (AICc) as well as visual inspection of the fitting of the lower tails of SSD curves, the log-normal SSD was generally better or equally good for the majority of chemicals examined. Together with the fact that the ratios of HC5 values of other alternative SSDs to those of log-normal SSDs generally fell within the range 0.1-10, our findings indicate that the log-normal distribution can be a reasonable first candidate for SSD derivation, which does not contest the existing widespread use of log-normal SSDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miina Yanagihara
- KWR Water Research Institute, Groningenhaven 7, Nieuwegein 3433 PE, the Netherlands; Center for Marine Environmental Studies, Ehime University Bunkyo-cho 3, Matsuyama, Ehime 790-8577, Japan.
| | - Kyoshiro Hiki
- Health and Environmental Risk Division, National Institute for Environmental Studies, 16-2 Onogawa, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8506, Japan.
| | - Yuichi Iwasaki
- Research Institute of Science for Safety and Sustainability, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), 16-1 Onogawa, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8569, Japan.
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204
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Wang X, Guo Y, Wang Q, Pan J, Quan X, Gu J, Wang C. New Intrinsic Ecological Mechanisms of Leaf Nutrient Resorption in Temperate Deciduous Trees. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 13:1659. [PMID: 38931090 PMCID: PMC11207997 DOI: 10.3390/plants13121659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2024] [Revised: 06/06/2024] [Accepted: 06/11/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
Leaf nutrient resorption is a critical process in plant nutrient conservation during leaf senescence. However, the ecological mechanisms underlying the large variability in nitrogen (NRE) and phosphorous (PRE) resorption efficiencies among trees remain poorly understood. We conducted a comprehensive study on NRE and PRE variability using 61 tree individuals of 10 temperate broad-leaved tree species. Three potentially interrelated intrinsic ecological mechanisms (i.e., leaf senescence phenology, leaf pigments, and energy residual) were verified. We found that a delayed leaf senescence date, increased degradation of chlorophylls and carotenoids, biosynthesis of anthocyanins, and reduced nonstructural carbohydrates were all positively correlated with NRE and PRE at the individual tree level. The intrinsic factors affecting resorption efficiency were ranked in decreasing order of importance: leaf pigments > energy residual > senescence phenology. These factors explained more variability in NRE than in PRE. Our findings highlight the significance of these three ecological mechanisms in leaf nutrient resorption and have important implications for understanding how nutrient resorption responds to climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xingchang Wang
- Center for Ecological Research, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China; (X.W.); (Y.G.); (J.P.); (X.Q.)
- Key Laboratory of Sustainable Forest Ecosystem Management, Ministry of Education, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China;
| | - Yanmin Guo
- Center for Ecological Research, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China; (X.W.); (Y.G.); (J.P.); (X.Q.)
- Key Laboratory of Sustainable Forest Ecosystem Management, Ministry of Education, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China;
| | - Qi Wang
- National-Regional Joint Engineering Research Center for Soil Pollution Control and Remediation in South China, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Integrated Agro-Environmental Pollution Control and Management, Institute of Eco-Environmental and Soil Sciences, Guangdong Academy of Science, Guangzhou 510650, China
| | - Jun Pan
- Center for Ecological Research, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China; (X.W.); (Y.G.); (J.P.); (X.Q.)
- Key Laboratory of Sustainable Forest Ecosystem Management, Ministry of Education, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China;
| | - Xiankui Quan
- Center for Ecological Research, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China; (X.W.); (Y.G.); (J.P.); (X.Q.)
- Key Laboratory of Sustainable Forest Ecosystem Management, Ministry of Education, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China;
| | - Jiacun Gu
- Key Laboratory of Sustainable Forest Ecosystem Management, Ministry of Education, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China;
| | - Chuankuan Wang
- Center for Ecological Research, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China; (X.W.); (Y.G.); (J.P.); (X.Q.)
- Key Laboratory of Sustainable Forest Ecosystem Management, Ministry of Education, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China;
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205
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McNeil DJ, Goslee SC, Kammerer M, Lower SE, Tooker JF, Grozinger CM. Illuminating patterns of firefly abundance using citizen science data and machine learning models. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 929:172329. [PMID: 38608892 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.172329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2023] [Revised: 04/06/2024] [Accepted: 04/06/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024]
Abstract
As insect populations decline in many regions, conservation biologists are increasingly tasked with identifying factors that threaten insect species and developing effective strategies for their conservation. One insect group of global conservation concern are fireflies (Coleoptera: Lampyridae). Although quantitative data on firefly populations are lacking for most species, anecdotal reports suggest that some firefly populations have declined in recent decades. Researchers have hypothesized that North American firefly populations are most threatened by habitat loss, pesticide use, and light pollution, but the importance of these factors in shaping firefly populations has not been rigorously examined at broad spatial scales. Using data from >24,000 surveys (spanning 2008-16) from the citizen science program Firefly Watch, we trained machine learning models to evaluate the relative importance of a variety of factors on bioluminescent firefly populations: pesticides, artificial lights at night, land cover, soil/topography, short-term weather, and long-term climate. Our analyses revealed that firefly abundance was driven by complex interactions among soil conditions (e.g., percent sand composition), climate/weather (e.g., growing degree days), and land cover characteristics (e.g., percent agriculture and impervious cover). Given the significant impact that climactic and weather conditions have on firefly abundance, there is a strong likelihood that firefly populations will be influenced by climate change, with some regions becoming higher quality and supporting larger firefly populations, and others potentially losing populations altogether. Collectively, our results support hypotheses related to factors threatening firefly populations, especially habitat loss, and suggest that climate change may pose a greater threat than appreciated in previous assessments. Thus, future conservation of North American firefly populations will depend upon 1) consistent and continued monitoring of populations via programs like Firefly Watch, 2) efforts to mitigate the impacts of climate change, and 3) insect-friendly conservation practices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darin J McNeil
- Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506, USA.
| | - Sarah C Goslee
- United States Department of Agriculture - Agricultural Research Service, Pasture Systems and Watershed Management Research Unit, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Melanie Kammerer
- United States Department of Agriculture - Agricultural Research Service, Pasture Systems and Watershed Management Research Unit, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Sarah E Lower
- Department of Biology, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA 17837, USA
| | - John F Tooker
- Department of Entomology, Insect Biodiversity Center, Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Christina M Grozinger
- Department of Entomology, Insect Biodiversity Center, Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
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206
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McEnany J, Good BH. Predicting the First Steps of Evolution in Randomly Assembled Communities. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.12.15.571925. [PMID: 38168431 PMCID: PMC10760118 DOI: 10.1101/2023.12.15.571925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Microbial communities can self-assemble into highly diverse states with predictable statistical properties. However, these initial states can be disrupted by rapid evolution of the resident strains. When a new mutation arises, it competes for resources with its parent strain and with the other species in the community. This interplay between ecology and evolution is difficult to capture with existing community assembly theory. Here, we introduce a mathematical framework for predicting the first steps of evolution in large randomly assembled communities that compete for substitutable resources. We show how the fitness effects of new mutations and the probability that they coexist with their parent depends on the size of the community, the saturation of its niches, and the metabolic overlap between its members. We find that successful mutations are often able to coexist with their parent strains, even in saturated communities with low niche availability. At the same time, these invading mutants often cause extinctions of metabolically distant species. Our results suggest that even small amounts of evolution can produce distinct genetic signatures in natural microbial communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- John McEnany
- Biophysics Program, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Benjamin H. Good
- Department of Applied Physics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub – San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
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207
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Gurney KEB, Classen HL, Clark RG. Testing for effects of growth rate on isotope trophic discrimination factors and evaluating the performance of Bayesian stable isotope mixing models experimentally: A moment of truth? PLoS One 2024; 19:e0304495. [PMID: 38875228 PMCID: PMC11178173 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0304495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 06/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Discerning assimilated diets of wild animals using stable isotopes is well established where potential dietary items in food webs are isotopically distinct. With the advent of mixing models, and Bayesian extensions of such models (Bayesian Stable Isotope Mixing Models, BSIMMs), statistical techniques available for these efforts have been rapidly increasing. The accuracy with which BSIMMs quantify diet, however, depends on several factors including uncertainty in tissue discrimination factors (TDFs; Δ) and identification of appropriate error structures. Whereas performance of BSIMMs has mostly been evaluated with simulations, here we test the efficacy of BSIMMs by raising domestic broiler chicks (Gallus gallus domesticus) on four isotopically distinct diets under controlled environmental conditions, ideal for evaluating factors that affect TDFs and testing how BSIMMs allocate individual birds to diets that vary in isotopic similarity. For both liver and feather tissues, δ13C and δ 15N values differed among dietary groups. Δ13C of liver, but not feather, was negatively related to the rate at which individuals gained body mass. For Δ15N, we identified effects of dietary group, sex, and tissue type, as well as an interaction between sex and tissue type, with females having higher liver Δ15N relative to males. For both tissues, BSIMMs allocated most chicks to correct dietary groups, especially for models using combined TDFs rather than diet-specific TDFs, and those applying a multiplicative error structure. These findings provide new information on how biological processes affect TDFs and confirm that adequately accounting for variability in consumer isotopes is necessary to optimize performance of BSIMMs. Moreover, results demonstrate experimentally that these models reliably characterize consumed diets when appropriately parameterized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kirsty E B Gurney
- Science and Technology Branch, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
| | - Henry L Classen
- College of Agriculture and Bioresources, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
| | - Robert G Clark
- Science and Technology Branch, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
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208
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Bernauer OM, Jain A, de Bivort B, Holbrook NM, Myers SS, Ziska LH, Crall JD. Elevated atmospheric CO 2 has small, species-specific effects on pollen chemistry and plant growth across flowering plant species. Sci Rep 2024; 14:13760. [PMID: 38877021 PMCID: PMC11178917 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-63967-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2024] [Accepted: 06/04/2024] [Indexed: 06/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide (eCO2) can affect plant growth and physiology, which can, in turn, impact herbivorous insects, including by altering pollen or plant tissue nutrition. Previous research suggests that eCO2 can reduce pollen nutrition in some species, but it is unknown whether this effect is consistent across flowering plant species. We experimentally quantified the effects of eCO2 across multiple flowering plant species on plant growth in 9 species and pollen chemistry (%N an estimate for protein content and nutrition in 12 species; secondary chemistry in 5 species) in greenhouses. For pollen nutrition, only buckwheat significantly responded to eCO2, with %N increasing in eCO2; CO2 treatment did not affect pollen amino acid composition but altered secondary metabolites in buckwheat and sunflower. Plant growth under eCO2 exhibited two trends across species: plant height was taller in 44% of species and flower number was affected for 63% of species (3 species with fewer and 2 species with more flowers). The remaining growth metrics (leaf number, above-ground biomass, flower size, and flowering initiation) showed divergent, species-specific responses, if any. Our results indicate that future eCO2 is unlikely to uniformly change pollen chemistry or plant growth across flowering species but may have the potential to alter ecological interactions, or have particularly important effects on specialized pollinators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivia M Bernauer
- Department of Entomology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1630 Linden Drive, Madison, WI, 53706, USA.
| | - Anupreksha Jain
- Department of Entomology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1630 Linden Drive, Madison, WI, 53706, USA
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, 52 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
| | - Benjamin de Bivort
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, 52 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
| | - N Michele Holbrook
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, 52 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
| | - Samuel S Myers
- Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, 615 N Wolfe St, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Lewis H Ziska
- Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, 722 W. 168Th Street, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - James D Crall
- Department of Entomology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1630 Linden Drive, Madison, WI, 53706, USA
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, 52 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
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209
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Ziadeh CP, Ziadeh SB, Aflague BH, Townley MA, Ayres MP, Contosta AR, Garnas JR. Distinct communities under the snow: describing characteristics of subnivium arthropod communities. ENVIRONMENTAL ENTOMOLOGY 2024; 53:383-397. [PMID: 38572766 DOI: 10.1093/ee/nvae017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2023] [Revised: 01/02/2024] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024]
Abstract
Arthropods are active during the winter in temperate regions. Many use the seasonal snowpack as a buffer against harsh ambient conditions and are active in a refugium known as the subnivium. While the use of the subnivium by arthropods is well established, far less is known about subnivium community composition, abundance, biomass, and diversity and how these characteristics compare with the community in the summer. Understanding subnivium communities is especially important given the observed and anticipated changes in snowpack depth and duration due to the changing climate. We compared subnivium arthropod communities with those active during the summer using pitfall trapping in northern New Hampshire. We found that compositions of ground-active arthropod communities in the subnivium differed from those in the summer. The subnivium arthropod community featured moderate levels of richness and other measures of diversity that tended to be lower than the summer community. More strikingly, the subnivium community was much lower in overall abundance and biomass. Interestingly, some arthropods were dominant in the subnivium but either rare or absent in summer collections. These putative "subnivium specialists" included the spider Cicurina brevis (Emerton 1890) (Araneae: Hahniidae) and 3 rove beetles (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae): Arpedium cribratum Fauvel, 1878, Lesteva pallipes LeConte, 1863, and Porrhodites inflatus (Hatch, 1957). This study provides a detailed account of the subnivium arthropod community, establishes baseline information on arthropod communities in temperate forests of northeastern North America, and explores the idea of subnivium specialist taxa that are highly active in winter and might be especially vulnerable to climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher P Ziadeh
- College of Life Sciences and Agriculture, University of New Hampshire, James Hall, 56 College Road, Durham, NH 03824, USA
| | - Shayleigh B Ziadeh
- College of Life Sciences and Agriculture, University of New Hampshire, James Hall, 56 College Road, Durham, NH 03824, USA
| | - Breanne H Aflague
- College of Life Sciences and Agriculture, University of New Hampshire, James Hall, 56 College Road, Durham, NH 03824, USA
| | - Mark A Townley
- University Instrumentation Center, University of New Hampshire, Parsons Hall, 23 Academic Way, Durham, NH 03824, USA
| | - Matthew P Ayres
- Department of Biological Sciences, Life Sciences Center, Dartmouth College, 15 Dewey Field Road, Hanover, NH 03755, USA
| | - Alexandra R Contosta
- Earth Systems Research Center, University of New Hampshire, Morse Hall, 8 College Road, Durham, NH 03824, USA
| | - Jeff R Garnas
- College of Life Sciences and Agriculture, University of New Hampshire, James Hall, 56 College Road, Durham, NH 03824, USA
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210
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Bollen M, Casaer J, Neyens T, Beenaerts N. When and where? Day-night alterations in wild boar space use captured by a generalized additive mixed model. PeerJ 2024; 12:e17390. [PMID: 38881858 PMCID: PMC11179635 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.17390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 06/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Wild boar (Sus scrofa), an abundant species across Europe, is often subjected to management in agro-ecosystems in order to control population size, or to scare them away from agricultural fields to safeguard crop yields. Wild boar management can benefit from a better understanding on changes in its space use across the diel cycle (i.e., diel space use) in relation to variable hunting pressures or other factors. Here, we estimate wild boar diel space use in an agro-ecosystem in central Belgium during four consecutive "growing seasons" (i.e., April-September). To achieve this, we fit generalized additive mixed models (GAMMs) to camera trap data of wild boar aggregated over 1-h periods. Our results reveal that wild boar are predominantly nocturnal in all of the hunting management zones in Meerdaal, with activity peaks around sunrise and sunset. Hunting events in our study area tend to take place around sunrise and sunset, while non-lethal human activities occur during sunlight hours. Our GAMM reveals that wild boar use different areas throughout the diel cycle. During the day, wild boar utilized areas in the centre of the forest, possibly to avoid human activities during daytime. During the night, they foraged near (or in) agricultural fields. A post hoc comparison of space use maps of wild boar in Meerdaal revealed that their diurnal and nocturnal space use were uncorrelated. We did not find sufficient evidence to prove that wild boar spatiotemporally avoid hunters. Finally, our work reveals the potential of GAMMs to model variation in space across 24-h periods from camera trap data, an application that will be useful to address a range of ecological questions. However, to test the robustness of this approach we advise that it should be compared against telemetry-based methods to derive diel space use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martijn Bollen
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Hasselt, Flanders, Belgium
- Research Institute for Nature and Forest (INBO), Brussels, Brussels, Belgium
- Data Science Institute, Hasselt University, Hasselt, Flanders, Belgium
| | - Jim Casaer
- Research Institute for Nature and Forest (INBO), Brussels, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Thomas Neyens
- Data Science Institute, Hasselt University, Hasselt, Flanders, Belgium
- Leuven Biostatistics and statistical Bioinformatics Centre, University of Leuven, Leuven, Flanders, Belgium
| | - Natalie Beenaerts
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Hasselt, Flanders, Belgium
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211
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Bolker BM. Multimodel Approaches Are Not the Best Way to Understand Multifactorial Systems. ENTROPY (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 26:506. [PMID: 38920515 PMCID: PMC11202409 DOI: 10.3390/e26060506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2024] [Revised: 05/25/2024] [Accepted: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024]
Abstract
Information-theoretic (IT) and multi-model averaging (MMA) statistical approaches are widely used but suboptimal tools for pursuing a multifactorial approach (also known as the method of multiple working hypotheses) in ecology. (1) Conceptually, IT encourages ecologists to perform tests on sets of artificially simplified models. (2) MMA improves on IT model selection by implementing a simple form of shrinkage estimation (a way to make accurate predictions from a model with many parameters relative to the amount of data, by "shrinking" parameter estimates toward zero). However, other shrinkage estimators such as penalized regression or Bayesian hierarchical models with regularizing priors are more computationally efficient and better supported theoretically. (3) In general, the procedures for extracting confidence intervals from MMA are overconfident, providing overly narrow intervals. If researchers want to use limited data sets to accurately estimate the strength of multiple competing ecological processes along with reliable confidence intervals, the current best approach is to use full (maximal) statistical models (possibly with Bayesian priors) after making principled, a priori decisions about model complexity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin M Bolker
- Departments of Mathematics & Statistics and Biology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S4K1, Canada
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Rothschild D, Susanto TT, Sui X, Spence JP, Rangan R, Genuth NR, Sinnott-Armstrong N, Wang X, Pritchard JK, Barna M. Diversity of ribosomes at the level of rRNA variation associated with human health and disease. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.01.30.526360. [PMID: 36778251 PMCID: PMC9915487 DOI: 10.1101/2023.01.30.526360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/18/2023]
Abstract
Ribosomal DNA and RNA (rDNA and rRNA) sequences are usually discarded from sequencing analyses. But with hundreds of copies of rDNA genes it is unknown whether they possess sequence variations that form different types of ribosomes that affect human physiology and disease. Here, we developed an algorithm for variant-calling between paralog genes (termed RGA) and compared rDNA variations found in short- and long-read sequencing data from the 1,000 Genomes Project (1KGP) and Genome In A Bottle (GIAB). We additionally developed a novel protocol for long-read sequencing full-length rRNA (RIBO-RT) from actively translating ribosomes. Our analyses identified hundreds of rDNA variants, most of which, surprisingly, are short insertion-deletions (indels) and dozens of highly abundant rRNA variants that are incorporated into translationally active ribosomes. To visualize variant ribosomes at the single cell level, we developed an in-situ rRNA sequencing method (SWITCH-seq) which revealed that variants are co-expressed within individual cells. Strikingly, by analyzing rDNA, we found that variants assemble into distinct ribosome subtypes. We discovered that these subtypes acquire different rRNA structures by successfully employing dimethyl sulfate (DMS) probing of full length rRNA. With this atlas we investigated rRNA variation changes across human tissues and cancer types. This revealed tissue-specific rRNA subtype expression in endoderm/ectoderm-derived tissues. In cancer, low abundant rRNA variants can become highly expressed, which suggests the presence of cancer-specific ribosomes. Together, this study identifies and comprehensively characterizes the diversity of ribosomes at the level of rRNA variants which is dominated by indel variants, their chromosomal location and unique structure as well as the association of ribosome variation with tissue-specific biology and cancer.
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213
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Anfodillo T, Olson ME. Stretched sapwood, ultra-widening permeability and ditching da Vinci: revising models of plant form and function. ANNALS OF BOTANY 2024; 134:19-42. [PMID: 38634673 PMCID: PMC11161570 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcae054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2024] [Accepted: 04/14/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The mechanisms leading to dieback and death of trees under drought remain unclear. To gain an understanding of these mechanisms, addressing major empirical gaps regarding tree structure-function relations remains essential. SCOPE We give reasons to think that a central factor shaping plant form and function is selection simultaneously favouring constant leaf-specific conductance with height growth and isometric (1:1) scaling between leaf area and the volume of metabolically active sink tissues ('sapwood'). Sapwood volume-leaf area isometry implies that per-leaf area sapwood volumes become transversely narrower with height growth; we call this 'stretching'. Stretching means that selection must favour increases in permeability above and beyond that afforded by tip-to-base conduit widening ("ultra-widening permeability"), via fewer and wider vessels or tracheids with larger pits or larger margo openings. Leaf area-metabolically active sink tissue isometry would mean that it is unlikely that larger trees die during drought because of carbon starvation due to greater sink-source relationships as compared to shorter plants. Instead, an increase in permeability is most plausibly associated with greater risk of embolism, and this seems a more probable explanation of the preferential vulnerability of larger trees to climate change-induced drought. Other implications of selection favouring constant per-leaf area sapwood construction and maintenance costs are departure from the da Vinci rule expectation of similar sapwood areas across branching orders, and that extensive conduit furcation in the stem seems unlikely. CONCLUSIONS Because all these considerations impact the likelihood of vulnerability to hydraulic failure versus carbon starvation, both implicated as key suspects in forest mortality, we suggest that these predictions represent essential priorities for empirical testing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tommaso Anfodillo
- Department Territorio e Sistemi Agro-Forestali, University of Padova, Legnaro (PD) 35020, Italy
| | - Mark E Olson
- Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Tercer Circuito sn de Ciudad Universitaria, Ciudad de México 04510, Mexico
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214
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Plavcová L, Jandová V, Altman J, Liancourt P, Korznikov K, Doležal J. Variations in wood anatomy in Afrotropical trees with a particular emphasis on radial and axial parenchyma. ANNALS OF BOTANY 2024; 134:151-162. [PMID: 38525918 PMCID: PMC11161563 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcae049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/26/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Understanding anatomical variations across plant phylogenies and environmental gradients is vital for comprehending plant evolution and adaptation. Previous studies on tropical woody plants have paid limited attention to quantitative differences in major xylem tissues, which serve specific roles in mechanical support (fibres), carbohydrate storage and radial conduction (radial parenchyma, rays), wood capacitance (axial parenchyma) and water transport (vessels). To address this gap, we investigate xylem fractions in 173 tropical tree species spanning 134 genera and 53 families along a 2200-m elevational gradient on Mount Cameroon, West Africa. METHODS We determined how elevation, stem height and wood density affect interspecific differences in vessel, fibre, and specific axial (AP) and radial (RP) parenchyma fractions. We focus on quantifying distinct subcategories of homogeneous or heterogeneous rays and apotracheal, paratracheal and banded axial parenchyma. KEY RESULTS Elevation-related cooling correlated with reduced AP fractions and vessel diameters, while fibre fractions increased. Lower elevations exhibited elevated AP fractions due to abundant paratracheal and wide-banded parenchyma in tall trees from coastal and lowland forests. Vasicentric and aliform AP were predominantly associated with greater tree height and wider vessels, which might help cope with high evaporative demands via elastic wood capacitance. In contrast, montane trees featured a higher fibre proportion, scarce axial parenchyma, smaller vessel diameters and higher vessel densities. The lack of AP in montane trees was often compensated for by extended uniseriate ray sections with upright or squared ray cells or the presence of living fibres. CONCLUSIONS Elevation gradient influenced specific xylem fractions, with lower elevations showing elevated AP due to abundant paratracheal and wide-banded parenchyma, securing greater vessel-to-parenchyma connectivity and lower embolism risk. Montane trees featured a higher fibre proportion and smaller vessel diameters, which may aid survival under greater environmental seasonality and fire risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lenka Plavcová
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Hradec Králové, Rokitanského 62, Hradec Králové 500 03, Czech Republic
| | - Veronika Jandová
- Institute of Botany, The Czech Academy of Sciences, Dukelská 135, 37901, Třeboň, Czech Republic
- Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 1760, 37005, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Altman
- Institute of Botany, The Czech Academy of Sciences, Dukelská 135, 37901, Třeboň, Czech Republic
| | - Pierre Liancourt
- Botany Department, State Museum of Natural History Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Kirill Korznikov
- Institute of Botany, The Czech Academy of Sciences, Dukelská 135, 37901, Třeboň, Czech Republic
| | - Jiří Doležal
- Institute of Botany, The Czech Academy of Sciences, Dukelská 135, 37901, Třeboň, Czech Republic
- Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 1760, 37005, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
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215
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Manu R, Veldkamp E, Eryenyu D, Corre MD, van Straaten O. Nitrogen and potassium limit fine root growth in a humid Afrotropical forest. Sci Rep 2024; 14:13154. [PMID: 38849444 PMCID: PMC11161472 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-63684-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2024] [Accepted: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Nutrient limitations play a key regulatory role in plant growth, thereby affecting ecosystem productivity and carbon uptake. Experimental observations identifying the most limiting nutrients are lacking, particularly in Afrotropical forests. We conducted an ecosystem-scale, full factorial nitrogen (N)-phosphorus (P)-potassium (K) addition experiment consisting 32 40 × 40 m plots (eight treatments × four replicates) in Uganda to investigate which (if any) nutrient limits fine root growth. After two years of observations, added N rapidly decreased fine root biomass by up to 36% in the first and second years of the experiment. Added K decreased fine root biomass by 27% and fine root production by 30% in the second year. These rapid reductions in fine root growth highlight a scaled-back carbon investment in the costly maintenance of large fine root network as N and K limitations become alleviated. No fine root growth response to P addition was observed. Fine root turnover rate was not significantly affected by nutrient additions but tended to be higher in N added than non-N added treatments. These results suggest that N and K availability may restrict the ecosystem's capacity for CO2 assimilation, with implications for ecosystem productivity and resilience to climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raphael Manu
- Department of Soil Science of Tropical and Subtropical Ecosystems, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany.
| | - Edzo Veldkamp
- Department of Soil Science of Tropical and Subtropical Ecosystems, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - David Eryenyu
- Budongo Conservation Field Station, Masindi, Uganda
- Department of Green Chemistry and Technology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (Edinburgh Zoo), Edinburgh, Scotland
| | - Marife D Corre
- Department of Soil Science of Tropical and Subtropical Ecosystems, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
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216
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Zhou J, Luo W, Song S, Wang Z, Zhu X, Gao S, He W, Xu J. The Impact of High-Temperature Stress on the Growth and Development of Tuta absoluta (Meyrick). INSECTS 2024; 15:423. [PMID: 38921138 PMCID: PMC11203633 DOI: 10.3390/insects15060423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2024] [Revised: 05/31/2024] [Accepted: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024]
Abstract
Insect life processes and reproductive behaviors are significantly affected by extremely high temperatures. This study focused on Tuta absoluta, which poses a severe threat to tomato cultivars. The effects of intense heat stress on the growth, development, oviposition, and longevity of T. absoluta were investigated. This investigation encompassed various developmental stages, including eggs, pupae, and adults. This study revealed that egg hatching and pupa emergence rates were significantly reduced at a temperature of 44 °C maintained for 6 h. The longevity of adults that emerged after the egg and pupal stages were exposed to 44 °C for 6 h was significantly reduced compared to the control. Notably, there was no significant variation in adult fecundity after egg-stage exposure to high temperatures. However, all treatments exhibited significantly reduced fecundity compared to the control after exposure to high temperatures during the pupal stage. Adult survival rates after exposure to 40 °C and 44 °C for 3 h were 74.29% and 22.40%, respectively, dramatically less than that of the control, which was 100%. However, no significant differences were noted in terms of longevity and egg production. These results offer a better understanding of the complex interactions between extreme temperatures and the life history traits of T. absoluta, thereby offering valuable insights for implementing management strategies to alleviate its impact on tomato crops in response to climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junhui Zhou
- Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on Crops in Northwestern Oasis, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Plant Protection, Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Agricultural Biosafety, Urumqi 830091, China; (J.Z.); (W.L.); (S.S.); (X.Z.); (S.G.)
| | - Wenfang Luo
- Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on Crops in Northwestern Oasis, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Plant Protection, Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Agricultural Biosafety, Urumqi 830091, China; (J.Z.); (W.L.); (S.S.); (X.Z.); (S.G.)
| | - Suqin Song
- Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on Crops in Northwestern Oasis, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Plant Protection, Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Agricultural Biosafety, Urumqi 830091, China; (J.Z.); (W.L.); (S.S.); (X.Z.); (S.G.)
| | - Zhuhong Wang
- College of Plant Protection, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China;
| | - Xiafen Zhu
- Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on Crops in Northwestern Oasis, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Plant Protection, Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Agricultural Biosafety, Urumqi 830091, China; (J.Z.); (W.L.); (S.S.); (X.Z.); (S.G.)
| | - Shuaijun Gao
- Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on Crops in Northwestern Oasis, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Plant Protection, Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Agricultural Biosafety, Urumqi 830091, China; (J.Z.); (W.L.); (S.S.); (X.Z.); (S.G.)
| | - Wei He
- Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on Crops in Northwestern Oasis, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Plant Protection, Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Agricultural Biosafety, Urumqi 830091, China; (J.Z.); (W.L.); (S.S.); (X.Z.); (S.G.)
| | - Jianjun Xu
- Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on Crops in Northwestern Oasis, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Plant Protection, Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Agricultural Biosafety, Urumqi 830091, China; (J.Z.); (W.L.); (S.S.); (X.Z.); (S.G.)
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217
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Van Nuland ME, Qin C, Pellitier PT, Zhu K, Peay KG. Climate mismatches with ectomycorrhizal fungi contribute to migration lag in North American tree range shifts. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2308811121. [PMID: 38805274 PMCID: PMC11161776 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2308811121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 05/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Climate change will likely shift plant and microbial distributions, creating geographic mismatches between plant hosts and essential microbial symbionts (e.g., ectomycorrhizal fungi, EMF). The loss of historical interactions, or the gain of novel associations, can have important consequences for biodiversity, ecosystem processes, and plant migration potential, yet few analyses exist that measure where mycorrhizal symbioses could be lost or gained across landscapes. Here, we examine climate change impacts on tree-EMF codistributions at the continent scale. We built species distribution models for 400 EMF species and 50 tree species, integrating fungal sequencing data from North American forest ecosystems with tree species occurrence records and long-term forest inventory data. Our results show the following: 1) tree and EMF climate suitability to shift toward higher latitudes; 2) climate shifts increase the size of shared tree-EMF habitat overall, but 35% of tree-EMF pairs are at risk of declining habitat overlap; 3) climate mismatches between trees and EMF are projected to be greater at northern vs. southern boundaries; and 4) tree migration lag is correlated with lower richness of climatically suitable EMF partners. This work represents a concentrated effort to quantify the spatial extent and location of tree-EMF climate envelope mismatches. Our findings also support a biotic mechanism partially explaining the failure of northward tree species migrations with climate change: reduced diversity of co-occurring and climate-compatible EMF symbionts at higher latitudes. We highlight the conservation implications for identifying areas where tree and EMF responses to climate change may be highly divergent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael E. Van Nuland
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA94305
- Society for the Protection of Underground Networks, Dover, DE19901
| | - Clara Qin
- Society for the Protection of Underground Networks, Dover, DE19901
- Department of Environmental Studies, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA95064
| | | | - Kai Zhu
- Department of Environmental Studies, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA95064
- Institute for Global Change Biology, School for Environment and Sustainability, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI48109
| | - Kabir G. Peay
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA94305
- Department of Earth System Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA94305
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218
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Webster SC, Hinton JW, Chamberlain MJ, Murphy JJ, Beasley JC. Land cover and space use influence coyote carnivory: evidence from stable-isotope analysis. PeerJ 2024; 12:e17457. [PMID: 38854793 PMCID: PMC11160434 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.17457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2024] [Indexed: 06/11/2024] Open
Abstract
For many species, the relationship between space use and diet composition is complex, with individuals adopting varying space use strategies such as territoriality to facilitate resource acquisition. Coyotes (Canis latrans) exhibit two disparate types of space use; defending mutually exclusive territories (residents) or moving nomadically across landscapes (transients). Resident coyotes have increased access to familiar food resources, thus improved foraging opportunities to compensate for the energetic costs of defending territories. Conversely, transients do not defend territories and are able to redirect energetic costs of territorial defense towards extensive movements in search of mates and breeding opportunities. These differences in space use attributed to different behavioral strategies likely influence foraging and ultimately diet composition, but these relationships have not been well studied. We investigated diet composition of resident and transient coyotes in the southeastern United States by pairing individual space use patterns with analysis of stable carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) isotope values to assess diet. During 2016-2017, we monitored 41 coyotes (26 residents, 15 transients) with GPS radio-collars along the Savannah River area in the southeastern United States. We observed a canopy effect on δ13C values and little anthropogenic food in coyote diets, suggesting 13C enrichment is likely more influenced by reduced canopy cover than consumption of human foods. We also observed other land cover effects, such as agricultural cover and road density, on δ15N values as well as reduced space used by coyotes, suggesting that cover types and localized, resident-like space use can influence the degree of carnivory in coyotes. Finally, diets and niche space did not differ between resident and transient coyotes despite differences observed in the proportional contribution of potential food sources to their diets. Although our stable isotope mixing models detected differences between the diets of resident and transient coyotes, both relied mostly on mammalian prey (52.8%, SD = 15.9 for residents, 42.0%, SD = 15.6 for transients). Resident coyotes consumed more game birds (21.3%, SD = 11.6 vs 13.7%, SD = 8.8) and less fruit (10.5%, SD = 6.9 vs 21.3%, SD = 10.7) and insects (7.2%, SD = 4.7 vs 14.3%, SD = 8.5) than did transients. Our findings indicate that coyote populations fall on a feeding continuum of omnivory to carnivory in which variability in feeding strategies is influenced by land cover characteristics and space use behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah C. Webster
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, Aiken, South Carolina, United States
| | | | - Michael J. Chamberlain
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States
| | | | - James C. Beasley
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, Aiken, South Carolina, United States
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219
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Moore CD, Farman DI, Särkinen T, Stevenson PC, Vallejo-Marín M. Floral scent changes in response to pollen removal are rare in buzz-pollinated Solanum. PLANTA 2024; 260:15. [PMID: 38829528 PMCID: PMC11147924 DOI: 10.1007/s00425-024-04403-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2023] [Accepted: 03/30/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024]
Abstract
MAIN CONCLUSION One of seven Solanum taxa studied displayed associations between pollen presence and floral scent composition and volume, suggesting buzz-pollinated plants rarely use scent as an honest cue for foraging pollinators. Floral scent influences the recruitment, learning, and behaviour of floral visitors. Variation in floral scent can provide information on the amount of reward available or whether a flower has been visited recently and may be particularly important in species with visually concealed rewards. In many buzz-pollinated flowers, tubular anthers opening via small apical pores (poricidal anthers) visually conceal pollen and appear similar regardless of pollen quantity within the anther. We investigated whether pollen removal changes floral scent composition and emission rate in seven taxa of buzz-pollinated Solanum (Solanaceae). We found that pollen removal reduced both the overall emission of floral scent and the emission of specific compounds (linalool and farnesol) in S. lumholtzianum. Our findings suggest that in six out of seven buzz-pollinated taxa studied here, floral scent could not be used as a signal by visitors as it does not contain information on pollen availability.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Douglas Moore
- Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling, FK9 4LA, UK.
| | - Dudley I Farman
- Natural Resources Institute, University of Greenwich, Kent, ME4 4TB, UK
| | - Tiina Särkinen
- Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, 20A Inverleith Row, Edinburgh, EH3 5LR, UK
| | - Philip C Stevenson
- Natural Resources Institute, University of Greenwich, Kent, ME4 4TB, UK
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Green, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, TW9 3AE, UK
| | - Mario Vallejo-Marín
- Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling, FK9 4LA, UK
- Department of Ecology and Genetics, Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University, 752 36, Uppsala, Sweden
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220
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Zhan L, He J, Meng S, Guo Z, Chen Y, Storey KB, Zhang J, Yu D. Mitochondrial Protein-Coding Gene Expression in the Lizard Sphenomorphus incognitus (Squamata:Scincidae) Responding to Different Temperature Stresses. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:1671. [PMID: 38891717 PMCID: PMC11170996 DOI: 10.3390/ani14111671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2024] [Revised: 05/25/2024] [Accepted: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
In the context of global warming, the frequency of severe weather occurrences, such as unexpected cold spells and heat waves, will grow, as well as the intensity of these natural disasters. Lizards, as a large group of reptiles, are ectothermic. Their body temperatures are predominantly regulated by their environment and temperature variations directly impact their behavior and physiological activities. Frequent cold periods and heat waves can affect their biochemistry and physiology, and often their ability to maintain their body temperature. Mitochondria, as the center of energy metabolism, are crucial for maintaining body temperature, regulating metabolic rate, and preventing cellular oxidative damage. Here, we used RT-qPCR technology to investigate the expression patterns and their differences for the 13 mitochondrial PCGs in Sphenomorphus incognitus (Squamata:Scincidae), also known as the brown forest skink, under extreme temperature stress at 4 °C, 8 °C, 34 °C, and 38 °C for 24 h, compared to the control group at 25 °C. In southern China, for lizards, 4 °C is close to lethal, and 8 °C induces hibernation, while 34/38 °C is considered hot and environmentally realistic. Results showed that at a low temperature of 4 °C for 24 h, transcript levels of ATP8, ND1, ND4, COI, and ND4L significantly decreased, to values of 0.52 ± 0.08, 0.65 ± 0.04, 0.68 ± 0.10, 0.28 ± 0.02, and 0.35 ± 0.02, respectively, compared with controls. By contrast, transcript levels of COIII exhibited a significant increase, with a mean value of 1.86 ± 0.21. However, exposure to 8 °C for 24 h did not lead to an increase in transcript levels. Indeed, transcript levels of ATP6, ATP8, ND1, ND3, and ND4 were significantly downregulated, to 0.48 ± 0.11, 0.68 ± 0.07, 0.41 ± 0.08, 0.54 ± 0.10, and 0.52 ± 0.07, respectively, as compared with controls. Exposure to a hot environment of 34 °C for 24 h led to an increase in transcript levels of COI, COII, COIII, ND3, ND5, CYTB, and ATP6, with values that were 3.3 ± 0.24, 2.0 ± 0.2, 2.70 ± 1.06, 1.57 ± 0,08, 1.47 ± 0.13, 1.39 ± 0.56, and 1.86 ± 0.12, respectively, over controls. By contrast, ND4L exhibited a significant decrease (to 0.31 ± 0.01) compared with controls. When exposed to 38 °C, the transcript levels of the 13 PCGs significantly increased, ranging from a 2.04 ± 0.23 increase in ND1 to a 6.30 ± 0.96 rise in ND6. Under two different levels of cold and heat stress, the expression patterns of mitochondrial genes in S. incognitus vary, possibly associated with different strategies employed by this species in response to low and high temperatures, allowing for rapid compensatory adjustments in mitochondrial electron transport chain proteins in response to temperature changes. Furthermore, this underscores once again the significant role of mitochondrial function in determining thermal plasticity in reptiles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lemei Zhan
- College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, China; (L.Z.)
| | - Jingyi He
- College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, China; (L.Z.)
| | - Siqi Meng
- College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, China; (L.Z.)
| | - Zhiqiang Guo
- College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, China; (L.Z.)
| | - Yuxin Chen
- College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, China; (L.Z.)
| | - Kenneth B. Storey
- Department of Biology, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON K1S5B6, Canada;
| | - Jiayong Zhang
- College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, China; (L.Z.)
| | - Danna Yu
- College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, China; (L.Z.)
- Key Lab of Wildlife Biotechnology, Conservation and Utilization of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, China
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221
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Hu XG, Chen J, Chen Q, Yang Y, Lin Y, Jin Z, Sha L, Lin E, Yousry EK, Huang H. The Spatial Shifts and Vulnerability Assessment of Ecological Niches under Climate Change Scenarios for Betula luminifera, a Fast-Growing Precious Tree in China. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 13:1542. [PMID: 38891349 PMCID: PMC11174992 DOI: 10.3390/plants13111542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2024] [Revised: 05/23/2024] [Accepted: 05/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
The spatial shifts and vulnerability assessments of ecological niches for trees will offer fresh perspectives for sustainable development and preservation of forests, particularly within the framework of rapid climate change. Betula luminifera is a fast-growing native timber plantation species in China, but the natural resources have been severely damaged. Here, a comprehensive habitat suitability model (including ten niche-based GIS modeling algorithms) was developed that integrates three types of environmental factors, namely, climatic, soil, and ultraviolet variables, to assess the species contemporary and future distribution of suitable habitats across China. Our results suggest that the habitats of B. luminifera generally occur in subtropical areas (about 1.52 × 106 km2). However, the growth of B. luminifera is profoundly shaped by the nuances of its local environment, the most reasonable niche spaces are only 1.15 × 106 km2 when limiting ecological factors (soil and ultraviolet) are considered, generally considered as the core production region. Furthermore, it is anticipated that species-suitable habitats will decrease by 10 and 8% with climate change in the 2050s and 2070s, respectively. Our study provided a clear understanding of species-suitable habitat distribution and identified the reasons why other niche spaces are unsuitable in the future, which can warn against artificial cultivation and conservation planning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xian-Ge Hu
- The State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, Institute of Biotechnology, College of Forestry and Biotechnology, Zhejiang International Science and Technology Cooperation Base for Plant Germplasm Resources Conservation and Utilization, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 311300, China; (X.-G.H.); (J.C.); (Q.C.); (Y.Y.); (Y.L.); (Z.J.); (L.S.); (E.L.)
| | - Jiahui Chen
- The State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, Institute of Biotechnology, College of Forestry and Biotechnology, Zhejiang International Science and Technology Cooperation Base for Plant Germplasm Resources Conservation and Utilization, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 311300, China; (X.-G.H.); (J.C.); (Q.C.); (Y.Y.); (Y.L.); (Z.J.); (L.S.); (E.L.)
| | - Qiaoyun Chen
- The State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, Institute of Biotechnology, College of Forestry and Biotechnology, Zhejiang International Science and Technology Cooperation Base for Plant Germplasm Resources Conservation and Utilization, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 311300, China; (X.-G.H.); (J.C.); (Q.C.); (Y.Y.); (Y.L.); (Z.J.); (L.S.); (E.L.)
| | - Ying Yang
- The State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, Institute of Biotechnology, College of Forestry and Biotechnology, Zhejiang International Science and Technology Cooperation Base for Plant Germplasm Resources Conservation and Utilization, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 311300, China; (X.-G.H.); (J.C.); (Q.C.); (Y.Y.); (Y.L.); (Z.J.); (L.S.); (E.L.)
| | - Yiheng Lin
- The State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, Institute of Biotechnology, College of Forestry and Biotechnology, Zhejiang International Science and Technology Cooperation Base for Plant Germplasm Resources Conservation and Utilization, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 311300, China; (X.-G.H.); (J.C.); (Q.C.); (Y.Y.); (Y.L.); (Z.J.); (L.S.); (E.L.)
| | - Zilun Jin
- The State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, Institute of Biotechnology, College of Forestry and Biotechnology, Zhejiang International Science and Technology Cooperation Base for Plant Germplasm Resources Conservation and Utilization, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 311300, China; (X.-G.H.); (J.C.); (Q.C.); (Y.Y.); (Y.L.); (Z.J.); (L.S.); (E.L.)
| | - Luqiong Sha
- The State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, Institute of Biotechnology, College of Forestry and Biotechnology, Zhejiang International Science and Technology Cooperation Base for Plant Germplasm Resources Conservation and Utilization, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 311300, China; (X.-G.H.); (J.C.); (Q.C.); (Y.Y.); (Y.L.); (Z.J.); (L.S.); (E.L.)
| | - Erpei Lin
- The State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, Institute of Biotechnology, College of Forestry and Biotechnology, Zhejiang International Science and Technology Cooperation Base for Plant Germplasm Resources Conservation and Utilization, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 311300, China; (X.-G.H.); (J.C.); (Q.C.); (Y.Y.); (Y.L.); (Z.J.); (L.S.); (E.L.)
| | - El-Kassaby Yousry
- Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences, Faculty of Forestry, The University of British Columbia, 2424 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada;
| | - Huahong Huang
- The State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, Institute of Biotechnology, College of Forestry and Biotechnology, Zhejiang International Science and Technology Cooperation Base for Plant Germplasm Resources Conservation and Utilization, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 311300, China; (X.-G.H.); (J.C.); (Q.C.); (Y.Y.); (Y.L.); (Z.J.); (L.S.); (E.L.)
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Enss J, Nachev M, Jochmann MA, Schmidt TC, Feld CK. Stable isotopes ( 15N) facilitate non-invasive labelling of large quantities of macroinvertebrates across different species and feeding types. Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e11539. [PMID: 38895578 PMCID: PMC11183906 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.11539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2024] [Accepted: 05/25/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
While macroinvertebrate dispersal operates at the individual level, predictions of their dispersal capabilities often rely on indirect proxies rather than direct measurements. To gain insight into the dispersal of individual specimens, it is crucial to mark (label) and capture individuals. Isotopic enrichment with 15N is a non-invasive method with the potential of labelling large quantities of macroinvertebrates. While the analysis of 15N is widely utilised in food web studies, knowledge on the specific utility of isotopic enrichment with 15N for mass labelling of macroinvertebrate individuals across different taxa and feeding types is limited. Previous studies have focused on single species and feeding types, leaving gaps in our understanding of the broader applicability of this method. Therefore, this study aimed to test and compare isotopic mass enrichment across several macroinvertebrate taxa and feeding types. We released 15NH4Cl at five stream reaches in North-Rhine Westphalia, Germany, and successfully enriched 12 distinct macroinvertebrate taxa (Crustacea and Insecta). Significant enrichment was achieved in active and passive filter feeders, grazers, shredders and predators, and predominantly showed positive correlations with the enrichment of the taxa's main food sources phytobenthos and particulate organic matter. Enrichment levels rose rapidly and peaked at distances between 50 m and 300 m downstream of the isotopic inlet; significant enrichment occurred up to 2000 m downstream of the isotopic inlet in all feeding types. Macroinvertebrate density estimates on the stream bottom averaged to a total of approximately 3.4 million labelled individuals of the 12 investigated taxa, thus showing the high potential of isotopic (15N) enrichment as a non-invasive method applicable for mass labelling across different macroinvertebrate feeding types. Hence, isotopic enrichment can greatly assist the analysis of macroinvertebrate dispersal through mark-and-recapture experiments, as it allows to measure the movement at the level of individual specimens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julian Enss
- Aquatic Ecology, Faculty of BiologyUniversity of Duisburg‐EssenEssenGermany
- Centre for Water and Environmental ResearchUniversity of Duisburg‐EssenEssenGermany
| | - Milen Nachev
- Aquatic Ecology, Faculty of BiologyUniversity of Duisburg‐EssenEssenGermany
- Centre for Water and Environmental ResearchUniversity of Duisburg‐EssenEssenGermany
| | - Maik A. Jochmann
- Centre for Water and Environmental ResearchUniversity of Duisburg‐EssenEssenGermany
- Instrumental Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of ChemistryUniversity of Duisburg‐EssenEssenGermany
| | - Torsten C. Schmidt
- Centre for Water and Environmental ResearchUniversity of Duisburg‐EssenEssenGermany
- Instrumental Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of ChemistryUniversity of Duisburg‐EssenEssenGermany
| | - Christian K. Feld
- Aquatic Ecology, Faculty of BiologyUniversity of Duisburg‐EssenEssenGermany
- Centre for Water and Environmental ResearchUniversity of Duisburg‐EssenEssenGermany
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223
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Dolai A, Soltani S, Smarr B, Das A. Divergent Circadian Foraging Strategies in Response to Diurnal Predation Versus Persistent Rain in Asian Weaver Ant, Oecophylla smaragdina, Suggest Possible Energetic Trade-offs. J Biol Rhythms 2024; 39:295-307. [PMID: 38459718 PMCID: PMC11139593 DOI: 10.1177/07487304241233778] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/10/2024]
Abstract
The study of chronobiology of foraging behavior in social insects offers valuable models for the investigation of circadian rhythms. We scored hourly nest entries and exits of Oecophylla smaragdina (Asian weaver ant) workers in 9 active non-polydomous nests on days with and without rain and with and without a primarily diurnal predator present. After determining that Oecophylla display a high nest fidelity, we focused exclusively on analyzing nest entry counts: we found a significant decrease in overall entry counts of individual ants on rainy days compared with non-rainy days (p < 0.0001). They usually maintain a typical diurnal pattern of foraging activity; however, that regularity was often distorted during rainy periods but appeared to quickly revert to typical patterns following rain. This lack of compensatory foraging activity following a period of rain supports the hypothesis that these ants have enough food reserves to withstand a pure masking-induced suppression of foraging activity. Predation through bird anting, too, decreased foraging activity but appeared to cause a reversal in foraging activity timing from diurnal to nocturnal foraging. Daily periodicity of foraging was significantly disrupted in most nests during rain; however, daily foraging periodicity was disrupted in only one nest due to presence of predators. Thus, rain and predation both exert significant impacts on the overall foraging activity of Asian weaver ants, but while persistent pressure from rain seemed to primarily cause masking (diminution) of circadian foraging activity, predation restricted to the daytime resulted in phase-inversion to nocturnal foraging activity, with little diminution. This is consistent with different energetic strategies being used in response to different pressures by this species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Avishek Dolai
- Department of Zoology, University of Calcutta, 35 Ballygunge Circular Road, Ballygunge, Kolkata, 700019, West Bengal, India
| | - Severine Soltani
- Bioinformatics and Systems Biology Graduate Program, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
- Shu Chien-Gene Lay Department of Bioengineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Benjamin Smarr
- Shu Chien-Gene Lay Department of Bioengineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
- Halıcıoğlu Data Science Institute, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Amlan Das
- Department of Zoology, University of Calcutta, 35 Ballygunge Circular Road, Ballygunge, Kolkata, 700019, West Bengal, India
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224
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Webb AE, Palacio-Castro AM, Cooke K, Eaton KR, Chomitz B, Soderberg N, Chakraborty M, Zagon Z, Boyd A, Kiel PM, DeMerlis A, Perry CT, Enochs IC. Rubble persistence under ocean acidification threatened by accelerated bioerosion and lower-density coral skeletons. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2024; 30:e17371. [PMID: 38863267 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.17371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2024] [Revised: 04/30/2024] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 06/13/2024]
Abstract
As the balance between erosional and constructive processes on coral reefs tilts in favor of framework loss under human-induced local and global change, many reef habitats worldwide degrade and flatten. The resultant generation of coral rubble and the beds they form can have lasting effects on reef communities and structural complexity, threatening the continuity of reef ecological functions and the services they provide. To comprehensively capture changing framework processes and predict their evolution in the context of climate change, heavily colonized rubble fragments were exposed to ocean acidification (OA) conditions for 55 days. Controlled diurnal pH oscillations were incorporated in the treatments to account for the known impact of diel carbonate chemistry fluctuations on calcification and dissolution response to OA. Scenarios included contemporary pH (8.05 ± 0.025 diel fluctuation), elevated OA (7.90 ± 0.025), and high OA (7.70 ± 0.025). We used a multifaceted approach, combining chemical flux analyses, mass alteration measurements, and computed tomography scanning images to measure total and chemical bioerosion, as well as chemically driven secondary calcification. Rates of net carbonate loss measured in the contemporary conditions (1.36 kg m-2 year-1) were high compared to literature and increased in OA scenarios (elevated: 1.84 kg m-2 year-1 and high: 1.59 kg m-2 year-1). The acceleration of these rates was driven by enhanced chemical dissolution and reduced secondary calcification. Further analysis revealed that the extent of these changes was contingent on the density of the coral skeleton, in which the micro- and macroborer communities reside. Findings indicated that increased mechanical bioerosion rates occurred in rubble with lower skeletal density, which is of note considering that corals form lower-density skeletons under OA. These direct and indirect effects of OA on chemical and mechanical framework-altering processes will influence the permanence of this crucial habitat, carrying implications for biodiversity and reef ecosystem function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice E Webb
- Geography, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
- Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory, Ocean Chemistry and Ecosystem Division, NOAA, Miami, Florida, USA
- Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies, University of Miami, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Ana M Palacio-Castro
- Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory, Ocean Chemistry and Ecosystem Division, NOAA, Miami, Florida, USA
- Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies, University of Miami, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Kenzie Cooke
- Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory, Ocean Chemistry and Ecosystem Division, NOAA, Miami, Florida, USA
- Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies, University of Miami, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Katherine R Eaton
- Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies, University of Miami, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Benjamin Chomitz
- Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory, Ocean Chemistry and Ecosystem Division, NOAA, Miami, Florida, USA
- Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies, University of Miami, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Nash Soderberg
- Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory, Ocean Chemistry and Ecosystem Division, NOAA, Miami, Florida, USA
- Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies, University of Miami, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Morgan Chakraborty
- Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies, University of Miami, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Zachary Zagon
- Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory, Ocean Chemistry and Ecosystem Division, NOAA, Miami, Florida, USA
- Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies, University of Miami, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Albert Boyd
- Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory, Ocean Chemistry and Ecosystem Division, NOAA, Miami, Florida, USA
- Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies, University of Miami, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Patrick M Kiel
- Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory, Ocean Chemistry and Ecosystem Division, NOAA, Miami, Florida, USA
- Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies, University of Miami, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Allyson DeMerlis
- Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory, Ocean Chemistry and Ecosystem Division, NOAA, Miami, Florida, USA
- Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies, University of Miami, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Chris T Perry
- Geography, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Ian C Enochs
- Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory, Ocean Chemistry and Ecosystem Division, NOAA, Miami, Florida, USA
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225
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Abraham JO, Lin B, Miller AE, Henry LP, Demmel MY, Warungu R, Mwangi M, Lobura PM, Pallares LF, Ayroles JF, Pringle RM, Rubenstein DI. Determinants of microbiome composition: Insights from free-ranging hybrid zebras (Equus quagga × grevyi). Mol Ecol 2024; 33:e17370. [PMID: 38682799 DOI: 10.1111/mec.17370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2023] [Revised: 04/12/2024] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024]
Abstract
The composition of mammalian gut microbiomes is highly conserved within species, yet the mechanisms by which microbiome composition is transmitted and maintained within lineages of wild animals remain unclear. Mutually compatible hypotheses exist, including that microbiome fidelity results from inherited dietary habits, shared environmental exposure, morphophysiological filtering and/or maternal effects. Interspecific hybrids are a promising system in which to interrogate the determinants of microbiome composition because hybrids can decouple traits and processes that are otherwise co-inherited in their parent species. We used a population of free-living hybrid zebras (Equus quagga × grevyi) in Kenya to evaluate the roles of these four mechanisms in regulating microbiome composition. We analysed faecal DNA for both the trnL-P6 and the 16S rRNA V4 region to characterize the diets and microbiomes of the hybrid zebra and of their parent species, plains zebra (E. quagga) and Grevy's zebra (E. grevyi). We found that both diet and microbiome composition clustered by species, and that hybrid diets and microbiomes were largely nested within those of the maternal species, plains zebra. Hybrid microbiomes were less variable than those of either parent species where they co-occurred. Diet and microbiome composition were strongly correlated, although the strength of this correlation varied between species. These patterns are most consistent with the maternal-effects hypothesis, somewhat consistent with the diet hypothesis, and largely inconsistent with the environmental-sourcing and morphophysiological-filtering hypotheses. Maternal transmittance likely operates in conjunction with inherited feeding habits to conserve microbiome composition within species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joel O Abraham
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
| | - Bing Lin
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
- School of Public and International Affairs, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
| | - Audrey E Miller
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
| | - Lucas P Henry
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
- Department of Biology, New York University, New York City, New York, USA
| | - Margaret Y Demmel
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
- Section of Ecology, Behavior and Evolution, University of California San Diego, San Diego, California, USA
| | | | | | | | - Luisa F Pallares
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
- Friedrich Miescher Laboratory, Max Planck Society, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Julien F Ayroles
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
| | - Robert M Pringle
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
| | - Daniel I Rubenstein
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
- Mpala Research Conservancy, Laikipia County, Kenya
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226
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Yang S, Sun J, Wang C, Li S, Li Z, Luo W, Wei G, Chen W. Residue quality drives SOC sequestration by altering microbial taxonomic composition and ecophysiological function in desert ecosystem. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 250:118518. [PMID: 38382662 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.118518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2023] [Revised: 02/14/2024] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024]
Abstract
Plant residues are important sources of soil organic carbon in terrestrial ecosystems. The degradation of plant residue by microbes can influence the soil carbon cycle and sequestration. However, little is known about the microbial composition and function, as well as the accumulation of soil organic carbon (SOC) in response to the inputs of different quality plant residues in the desert environment. The present study evaluated the effects of plant residue addition from Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica (Pi), Artemisia desertorum (Ar) and Amorpha fruticosa (Am) on desert soil microbial community composition and function in a field experiment in the Mu Us Desert. The results showed that the addition of the three plant residues with different C/N ratios induced significant variation in soil microbial communities. The Am treatment (low C/N ratio) improved microbial diversity compared with the Ar and Pi treatments (medium and high C/N ratios). The variations in the taxonomic and functional compositions of the dominant phyla Actinobacteria and Proteobacteria were higher than those of the other phyla among the different treatments. Moreover, the network links between Proteobacteria and other phyla and the CAZyme genes abundances from Proteobacteria increased with increasing residue C/N, whereas those decreased for Actinobacteria. The SOC content of the Am, Ar and Pi treatments increased by 45.73%, 66.54% and 107.99%, respectively, as compared to the original soil. The net SOC accumulation was positively correlated with Proteobacteria abundance and negatively correlated with Actinobacteria abundance. These findings showed that changing the initial quality of plant residue from low C/N to high C/N can result in shifts in taxonomic and functional composition from Actinobacteria to Proteobacteria, which favors SOC accumulation. This study elucidates the ecophysiological roles of Actinobacteria and Proteobacteria in the desert carbon cycle, expands our understanding of the potential microbial-mediated mechanisms by which plant residue inputs affect SOC sequestration in desert soils, and provides valuable guidance for species selection in desert vegetation reconstruction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shanshan Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid Areas, Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Agricultural and Environmental Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Shaanxi, China
| | - Jieyu Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid Areas, Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Agricultural and Environmental Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Shaanxi, China
| | - Chang Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid Areas, Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Agricultural and Environmental Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Shaanxi, China
| | - Shuyue Li
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid Areas, Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Agricultural and Environmental Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Shaanxi, China
| | - Zubing Li
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid Areas, Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Agricultural and Environmental Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Shaanxi, China
| | - Wen Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid Areas, Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Agricultural and Environmental Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Shaanxi, China
| | - Gehong Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid Areas, Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Agricultural and Environmental Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Shaanxi, China
| | - Weimin Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid Areas, Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Agricultural and Environmental Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Shaanxi, China.
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227
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Bald L, Gottwald J, Hillen J, Adorf F, Zeuss D. The devil is in the detail: Environmental variables frequently used for habitat suitability modeling lack information for forest-dwelling bats in Germany. Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e11571. [PMID: 38932971 PMCID: PMC11199919 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.11571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2024] [Revised: 05/24/2024] [Accepted: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
In response to the pressing challenges of the ongoing biodiversity crisis, the protection of endangered species and their habitats, as well as the monitoring of invasive species are crucial. Habitat suitability modeling (HSM) is often treated as the silver bullet to address these challenges, commonly relying on generic variables sourced from widely available datasets. However, for species with high habitat requirements, or for modeling the suitability of habitats within the geographic range of a species, variables at a coarse level of detail may fall short. Consequently, there is potential value in considering the incorporation of more targeted data, which may extend beyond readily available land cover and climate datasets. In this study, we investigate the impact of incorporating targeted land cover variables (specifically tree species composition) and vertical structure information (derived from LiDAR data) on HSM outcomes for three forest specialist bat species (Barbastella barbastellus, Myotis bechsteinii, and Plecotus auritus) in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, compared to commonly utilized environmental variables, such as generic land-cover classifications (e.g., Corine Land Cover) and climate variables (e.g., Bioclim). The integration of targeted variables enhanced the performance of habitat suitability models for all three bat species. Furthermore, our results showed a high difference in the distribution maps that resulted from using different levels of detail in environmental variables. This underscores the importance of making the effort to generate the appropriate variables, rather than simply relying on commonly used ones, and the necessity of exercising caution when using habitat models as a tool to inform conservation strategies and spatial planning efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Bald
- Department of Geography, Environmental InformaticsPhilipps‐University MarburgMarburgGermany
| | | | - Jessica Hillen
- Büro für Faunistik und LandschaftsökologieRümmelsheimGermany
| | - Frank Adorf
- Büro für Faunistik und LandschaftsökologieRümmelsheimGermany
| | - Dirk Zeuss
- Department of Geography, Environmental InformaticsPhilipps‐University MarburgMarburgGermany
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228
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Capinha C, Ceia-Hasse A, de-Miguel S, Vila-Viçosa C, Porto M, Jarić I, Tiago P, Fernández N, Valdez J, McCallum I, Pereira HM. Using citizen science data for predicting the timing of ecological phenomena across regions. Bioscience 2024; 74:383-392. [PMID: 39055369 PMCID: PMC11266983 DOI: 10.1093/biosci/biae041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2023] [Revised: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024] Open
Abstract
The scarcity of long-term observational data has limited the use of statistical or machine-learning techniques for predicting intraannual ecological variation. However, time-stamped citizen-science observation records, supported by media data such as photographs, are increasingly available. In the present article, we present a novel framework based on the concept of relative phenological niche, using machine-learning algorithms to model observation records as a temporal sample of environmental conditions in which the represented ecological phenomenon occurs. Our approach accurately predicts the temporal dynamics of ecological events across large geographical scales and is robust to temporal bias in recording effort. These results highlight the vast potential of citizen-science observation data to predict ecological phenomena across space, including in near real time. The framework is also easily applicable for ecologists and practitioners already using machine-learning and statistics-based predictive approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- César Capinha
- Centre of Geographical Studies, Institute of Geography and Spatial Planning of the University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
- Associate Laboratory TerraLisbon, Portugal
| | - Ana Ceia-Hasse
- BIOPOLIS, CIBIO, InBIO Associate Laboratory, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- University of Lisbon, LisbonPortugal
| | - Sergio de-Miguel
- Department of Agricultural and Forest Sciences and Engineering, University of Lleida, Lleida, Spain
- Forest Science and Technology Centre of Catalonia, Solsona, Spain
| | - Carlos Vila-Viçosa
- BIOPOLIS, CIBIO, InBIO Associate Laboratory
- Museu de História Natural e da Ciência, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Miguel Porto
- BIOPOLIS, CIBIO, InBIO Associate Laboratory, , University of Porto, Porto
- University of Lisbon, Lisbon
- Mértola Biological Station, Mértola, Portugal
| | - Ivan Jarić
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, AgroParisTech, Ecologie Systématique EvolutionParis, France
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Hydrobiology, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Patricia Tiago
- Centre for Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Changes & CHANGE--Global Change and Sustainability Institute, at Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Néstor Fernández
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- Institute of Biology from the Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany
| | - Jose Valdez
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- Institute of Biology from the Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany
| | - Ian McCallum
- International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, Laxenburg, Austria
| | - Henrique Miguel Pereira
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- Institute of Biology from the Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany
- BIOPOLIS and CIBIO, Porto, Portugal
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229
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von Schmalensee L, Ittonen M, Brødsgaard Shoshan A, Roberts KT, Siemers I, Süess P, Wiklund C, Gotthard K. Methodological artefacts cause counter-intuitive evolutionary conclusions in a simulation study. Ecol Lett 2024; 27:e14439. [PMID: 38863401 DOI: 10.1111/ele.14439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2023] [Revised: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/13/2024]
Abstract
In their simulation study, Garcia-Costoya et al. (2023) conclude that evolutionary constraints might aid populations facing climate change. However, we are concerned that this conclusion is largely a consequence of the simulated temperature variation being too small, and, most importantly, that uneven limitations to standing variation disadvantage unconstrained populations.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mats Ittonen
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | - Kevin T Roberts
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | - Philip Süess
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | - Karl Gotthard
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
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230
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Lampo A, Palazzi MJ, Borge-Holthoefer J, Solé-Ribalta A. Structural dynamics of plant-pollinator mutualistic networks. PNAS NEXUS 2024; 3:pgae209. [PMID: 38881844 PMCID: PMC11177885 DOI: 10.1093/pnasnexus/pgae209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 06/18/2024]
Abstract
The discourse surrounding the structural organization of mutualistic interactions mostly revolves around modularity and nestedness. The former is known to enhance the stability of communities, while the latter is related to their feasibility, albeit compromising the stability. However, it has recently been shown that the joint emergence of these structures poses challenges that can eventually lead to limitations in the dynamic properties of mutualistic communities. We hypothesize that considering compound arrangements-modules with internal nested organization-can offer valuable insights in this debate. We analyze the temporal structural dynamics of 20 plant-pollinator interaction networks and observe large structural variability throughout the year. Compound structures are particularly prevalent during the peak of the pollination season, often coexisting with nested and modular arrangements in varying degrees. Motivated by these empirical findings, we synthetically investigate the dynamics of the structural patterns across two control parameters-community size and connectance levels-mimicking the progression of the pollination season. Our analysis reveals contrasting impacts on the stability and feasibility of these mutualistic communities. We characterize the consistent relationship between network structure and stability, which follows a monotonic pattern. But, in terms of feasibility, we observe nonlinear relationships. Compound structures exhibit a favorable balance between stability and feasibility, particularly in mid-sized ecological communities, suggesting they may effectively navigate the simultaneous requirements of stability and feasibility. These findings may indicate that the assembly process of mutualistic communities is driven by a delicate balance among multiple properties, rather than the dominance of a single one.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aniello Lampo
- Grupo Interdisciplinar de Sistemas Complejos (GISC), Departamento de Matemáticas, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, Av. Universidad, 30 (edificio Sabatini), 28911 Leganés (Madrid), Spain
| | - María J Palazzi
- Internet Interdisciplinary Institute (IN3), Universitat Oberta de Catalunya, Rambla del Poblenou, 154 08018, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Javier Borge-Holthoefer
- Internet Interdisciplinary Institute (IN3), Universitat Oberta de Catalunya, Rambla del Poblenou, 154 08018, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Albert Solé-Ribalta
- Internet Interdisciplinary Institute (IN3), Universitat Oberta de Catalunya, Rambla del Poblenou, 154 08018, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
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231
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Lin YV, Château PA, Nozawa Y, Wei CL, Wunderlich RF, Denis V. Drivers of coastal benthic communities in a complex environmental setting. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2024; 203:116462. [PMID: 38749153 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2024.116462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2024] [Revised: 05/02/2024] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 06/06/2024]
Abstract
Analyzing the environmental factors affecting benthic communities in coastal areas is crucial for uncovering key factors that require conservation action. Here, we collected benthic and environmental (physical-chemical-historical and land-based) data for 433 transects in Taiwan. Using a k-means approach, five communities dominated by crustose coralline algae, turfs, stony corals, digitate, or bushy octocorals were first delineated. Conditional random forest models then identified physical, chemical, and land-based factors (e.g., light intensity, nitrite, and population density) relevant to community delineation and occurrence. Historical factors, including typhoons and temperature anomalies, had only little effect. The prevalent turf community correlated positively with chemical and land-based drivers, which suggests that anthropogenic impacts are causing a benthic homogenization. This mechanism may mask the effects of climate disturbances and regional differentiation of benthic assemblages. Consequently, management of nutrient enrichment and terrestrial runoff is urgently needed to improve community resilience in Taiwan amidst increasing challenges of climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuting Vicky Lin
- Institute of Oceanography, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan
| | - Pierre-Alexandre Château
- Department of Marine Environment and Engineering, National Sun Yat-Sen University, Kaohsiung 80420, Taiwan
| | - Yoko Nozawa
- Tropical Biosphere Research Center, University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa 905-0227, Japan; Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan; Department of Marine Science, Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Science, Universitas Diponegoro, Semarang 50275, Indonesia
| | - Chih-Lin Wei
- Institute of Oceanography, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan
| | - Rainer Ferdinand Wunderlich
- Department of Bioenvironmental Systems Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan; INRAE, UR EABX, 33612 Cestas, France
| | - Vianney Denis
- Institute of Oceanography, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan.
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232
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Magrach A, Montoya D. Stability in plant-pollinator communities across organizational levels: present, gaps, and future. AOB PLANTS 2024; 16:plae026. [PMID: 38840783 PMCID: PMC11151922 DOI: 10.1093/aobpla/plae026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Accepted: 05/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024]
Abstract
Abstract. The study of ecological stability continues to fill the pages of scientific journals almost seven decades after the first ecologists initiated this line of research. The many advances in this field have focused on understanding the stability of populations, communities or functions within single guilds or trophic levels, with less research conducted across multiple trophic levels and considering the different interactions that relate species to each other. Here, we review the recent literature on the multiple dimensions of ecological stability specifically within plant-pollinator communities. We then focus on one of stability´s dimensions, temporal invariability, and adapt an existing partitioning framework that bridges invariability and synchrony measures across spatial scales and organizational levels to accommodate interactions between plants and their pollinators. Finally, we use this framework to analyse temporal invariability in plant reproductive success, partitioning it on invariability and synchrony components across plant and pollinator populations and communities, as well as their interactions, using a well-resolved dataset that encompasses data for two years. Our review of the literature points to several significant gaps in our current knowledge, with simulation studies clearly overrepresented in the literature as opposed to experimental or empirical approaches. Our quantitative approach to partitioning invariability shows similar patterns of decreasing temporal invariability across increasing organizational levels driven by asynchronous dynamics amongst populations and communities, which overall stabilize ecosystem functioning (plant reproductive success). This study represents a first step towards a better comprehension of temporal invariability in ecosystem functions defined by interactions between species and provides a blueprint for the type of spatially replicated multi-year data that needs to be collected in the future to further our understanding of ecological stability within multi-trophic communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ainhoa Magrach
- Basque Centre for Climate Change (BC3), 48940 Leioa, Spain
- Ikerbasque, Basque Foundation for Science, 48011 Bilbao, Spain
| | - Daniel Montoya
- Basque Centre for Climate Change (BC3), 48940 Leioa, Spain
- Ikerbasque, Basque Foundation for Science, 48011 Bilbao, Spain
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233
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Dorian NN. Voltinism of a solitary bee was influenced by temperature but not provision size. Oecologia 2024; 205:245-256. [PMID: 38850313 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-024-05580-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 06/10/2024]
Abstract
Changes in the timing and duration of life cycles are distinctive fingerprints of environmental change. Yet, the biotic and abiotic cues underpinning phenology and voltinism, i.e., number of generations per year, are poorly understood. Here, I experimentally test how temperature and provision size influence voltinism and survival to emergence in a solitary bee Colletes validus, and how temperature influences voltinism in the brood parasite Tricrania sanguinipennis. Within the same population, univoltine individuals emerge after 1 year (1-year form), whereas semivoltine individuals enter prolonged dormancy and emerge after 2 years (2-year form). I reared field-collected bees under 2 × 2 factorial experiments with cool (18.5 °C ± 0.5 °C) vs. warm (24 °C ± 0.5 °C) temperature treatments (bees and beetles) and no supplement vs. supplemental food treatments (+ 20% ± 5% pollen provision by mass); beetles were reared under temperature treatments only. Cool temperatures consistently increased the proportion of 2-year bees regardless of provision size, a finding that was consistent with three years of field observations. There was a demographic cost to prolonged dormancy in that both 1- and 2-year bees survived to emergence as adults, but survival of 2-year bees was approximately 50% lower than 1-year bees. Two-year beetles were produced under cooler temperatures, but unlike bees, beetles had nearly perfect survival to emergence in all treatments. This experiment advances our mechanistic understanding of the environmental drivers of voltinism in diverse insect taxa and underscores the importance of considering cryptic life stages when interpreting responses to environmental change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas N Dorian
- Department of Biology, Tufts University, 200 College Avenue, Medford, MA, USA.
- Negaunee Institute for Plant Conservation Science and Action, Chicago Botanic Garden, 1000 Lake Cook Road, Glencoe, IL, 60022, USA.
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234
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Jing M, Yang W, Rao L, Chen J, Ding X, Zhou Y, Zhang Q, Lu K, Zhu J. Mechanisms of microbial coexistence in a patchy ecosystem: Differences in ecological niche overlap and species fitness between rhythmic and non-rhythmic species. WATER RESEARCH 2024; 256:121626. [PMID: 38642534 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2024.121626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2023] [Revised: 03/28/2024] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/22/2024]
Abstract
Resource patchiness caused by external events breaks the continuity and homogeneity of resource distribution in the original ecosystem. For local organisms, this leads to drastic changes in the availability of resources, breaks down the co-existence of species, and reshuffles the local ecosystem. West Lake is a freshwater lake with resource patchiness caused by multiple exogenous disturbances that has strong environmental heterogeneity that prevents clear observation of seasonal changes in the microbial communities. Despite this, the emergence of rhythmic species in response to irregular changes in the environment has been helpful for observing microbial communities dynamics in patchy ecosystems. We investigated the ecological mechanisms of seasonal changes in microbial communities in West Lake by screening rhythmic species based on the ecological niche and modern coexistence theories. The results showed that rhythmic species were the dominant factors in microbial community changes and the effects of most environmental factors on the microbial community were indirectly realised through the rhythmic species. Random forest analyses showed that seasonal changes in the microbial community were similarly predicted by the rhythmic species. In addition, we incorporated species interactions and community phylogenetic patterns into stepwise multiple regression analyses, the results of which indicate that ecological niches and species fitness may drive the coexistence of these subcommunities. Thus, this study extends our understanding of seasonal changes in microbial communities and provides new ways for observing seasonal changes in microbial communities, especially in ecosystems with resource patches. Our study also show that combining community phylogenies with co-occurrence networks based on ecological niches and modern coexistence theory can further help us understand the ecological mechanisms of interspecies coexistence.
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Affiliation(s)
- MingFei Jing
- School of Marine Science, Ningbo University, No.169 Qixingnan Road, Beilun District, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315800, China
| | - Wen Yang
- School of Marine Science, Ningbo University, No.169 Qixingnan Road, Beilun District, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315800, China
| | - Lihua Rao
- Division of Hangzhou West Lake Aquatic Area Management, Hangzhou 310002, China
| | - Jun Chen
- Division of Hangzhou West Lake Aquatic Area Management, Hangzhou 310002, China
| | - Xiuying Ding
- Division of Hangzhou West Lake Aquatic Area Management, Hangzhou 310002, China
| | - Yinying Zhou
- Division of Hangzhou West Lake Aquatic Area Management, Hangzhou 310002, China
| | - Quanxiang Zhang
- School of Marine Science, Ningbo University, No.169 Qixingnan Road, Beilun District, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315800, China
| | - Kaihong Lu
- School of Marine Science, Ningbo University, No.169 Qixingnan Road, Beilun District, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315800, China
| | - Jinyong Zhu
- School of Marine Science, Ningbo University, No.169 Qixingnan Road, Beilun District, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315800, China.
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235
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Lindenmayer D, Zylstra P. Identifying and managing disturbance-stimulated flammability in woody ecosystems. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2024; 99:699-714. [PMID: 38105616 DOI: 10.1111/brv.13041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Revised: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
Many forest types globally have been subject to an increase in the frequency of, and area burnt by, high-severity wildfire. Here we explore the role that previous disturbance has played in increasing the extent and severity of subsequent forest fires. We summarise evidence documenting and explaining the mechanisms underpinning a pulse of flammability that may follow disturbances such as fire, logging, clearing or windthrow (a process we term disturbance-stimulated flammability). Disturbance sometimes initiates a short initial period of low flammability, but then drives an extended period of increased flammability as vegetation regrows. Our analysis initially focuses on well-documented cases in Australia, but we also discuss where these pattens may apply elsewhere, including in the Northern Hemisphere. We outline the mechanisms by which disturbance drives flammability through disrupting the ecological controls that limit it in undisturbed forests. We then develop and test a conceptual model to aid prediction of woody vegetation communities where such patterns of disturbance-stimulated flammability may occur. We discuss the interaction of ecological controls with climate change, which is driving larger and more severe fires. We also explore the current state of knowledge around the point where disturbed, fire-prone stands are sufficiently widespread in landscapes that they may promote spatial contagion of high-severity wildfire that overwhelms any reduction in fire spread offered by less-flammable stands. We discuss how land managers might deal with the major challenges that changes in landscape cover and altered fire regimes may have created. This is especially pertinent in landscapes now dominated by extensive areas of young forest regenerating after logging, regrowing following broadscale fire including prescribed burning, or regenerating following agricultural land abandonment. Where disturbance is found to stimulate flammability, then key management actions should consider the long-term benefits of: (i) limiting disturbance-based management like logging or burning that creates young forests and triggers understorey development; (ii) protecting young forests from disturbances and assisting them to transition to an older, less-flammable state; and (iii) reinforcing the fire-inhibitory properties of older, less-flammable stands through methods for rapid fire detection and suppression.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Lindenmayer
- Fenner School of Environment and Society, Building 141, Linnaeus Way, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, 2601, Australia
| | - Phil Zylstra
- School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Kent Street, Bentley, Western Australia, 6102, Australia
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236
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Gibbs TL, Gellner G, Levin SA, McCann KS, Hastings A, Levine JM. When can higher-order interactions produce stable coexistence? Ecol Lett 2024; 27:e14458. [PMID: 38877741 DOI: 10.1111/ele.14458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2023] [Revised: 05/23/2024] [Accepted: 05/24/2024] [Indexed: 06/16/2024]
Abstract
Most ecological models are based on the assumption that species interact in pairs. Diverse communities, however, can have higher-order interactions, in which two or more species jointly impact the growth of a third species. A pitfall of the common pairwise approach is that it misses the higher-order interactions potentially responsible for maintaining natural diversity. Here, we explore the stability properties of systems where higher-order interactions guarantee that a specified set of abundances is a feasible equilibrium of the dynamics. Even these higher-order interactions which lead to equilibria do not necessarily produce stable coexistence. Instead, these systems are more likely to be stable when the pairwise interactions are weak or facilitative. Correlations between the pairwise and higher-order interactions, however, do permit robust coexistence even in diverse systems. Our work not only reveals the challenges in generating stable coexistence through higher-order interactions but also uncovers interaction patterns that can enable diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Theo L Gibbs
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
| | - Gabriel Gellner
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - Simon A Levin
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
| | - Kevin S McCann
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - Alan Hastings
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of California at Davis, Davis, California, USA
- Santa Fe Institute, Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA
| | - Jonathan M Levine
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
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237
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Chagnon-Lafortune A, Duchesne É, Legagneux P, McKinnon L, Reneerkens J, Casajus N, Abraham KF, Bolduc É, Brown GS, Brown SC, Gates HR, Gilg O, Giroux MA, Gurney K, Kendall S, Kwon E, Lanctot RB, Lank DB, Lecomte N, Leung M, Liebezeit JR, Morrison RIG, Nol E, Payer DC, Reid D, Ruthrauff D, Saalfeld ST, Sandercock BK, Smith PA, Schmidt NM, Tulp I, Ward DH, Høye TT, Berteaux D, Bêty J. A circumpolar study unveils a positive non-linear effect of temperature on arctic arthropod availability that may reduce the risk of warming-induced trophic mismatch for breeding shorebirds. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2024; 30:e17356. [PMID: 38853470 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.17356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2023] [Revised: 03/18/2024] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 06/11/2024]
Abstract
Seasonally abundant arthropods are a crucial food source for many migratory birds that breed in the Arctic. In cold environments, the growth and emergence of arthropods are particularly tied to temperature. Thus, the phenology of arthropods is anticipated to undergo a rapid change in response to a warming climate, potentially leading to a trophic mismatch between migratory insectivorous birds and their prey. Using data from 19 sites spanning a wide temperature gradient from the Subarctic to the High Arctic, we investigated the effects of temperature on the phenology and biomass of arthropods available to shorebirds during their short breeding season at high latitudes. We hypothesized that prolonged exposure to warmer summer temperatures would generate earlier peaks in arthropod biomass, as well as higher peak and seasonal biomass. Across the temperature gradient encompassed by our study sites (>10°C in average summer temperatures), we found a 3-day shift in average peak date for every increment of 80 cumulative thawing degree-days. Interestingly, we found a linear relationship between temperature and arthropod biomass only below temperature thresholds. Higher temperatures were associated with higher peak and seasonal biomass below 106 and 177 cumulative thawing degree-days, respectively, between June 5 and July 15. Beyond these thresholds, no relationship was observed between temperature and arthropod biomass. Our results suggest that prolonged exposure to elevated temperatures can positively influence prey availability for some arctic birds. This positive effect could, in part, stem from changes in arthropod assemblages and may reduce the risk of trophic mismatch.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aurélie Chagnon-Lafortune
- Chaire de Recherche du Canada en Biodiversité Nordique, Département de Biologie, and Centre d'études Nordiques, Université du Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski, Québec, Canada
| | - Éliane Duchesne
- Chaire de Recherche du Canada en Biodiversité Nordique, Département de Biologie, and Centre d'études Nordiques, Université du Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski, Québec, Canada
| | - Pierre Legagneux
- Département de Biologie, Chaire de Recherche Sentinelle Nord Sur l'impact des Migrations Animales Sur les Écosystèmes Nordiques et Centre d'études Nordiques, Université Laval, Québec City, Québec, Canada
- CNRS- Centre d'Études Biologiques de Chizé - UMR 7372, Beauvoir-sur-Niort, France
| | - Laura McKinnon
- Department of Multidisciplinary Studies and Graduate Program in Biology, York University, Glendon Campus, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jeroen Reneerkens
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES), University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Nicolas Casajus
- Chaire de Recherche du Canada en Biodiversité Nordique, Département de Biologie, and Centre d'études Nordiques, Université du Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski, Québec, Canada
| | - Kenneth F Abraham
- Wildlife Research and Monitoring Section, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, Trent University, Peterborough, Ontario, Canada
| | - Élise Bolduc
- Chaire de Recherche du Canada en Biodiversité Nordique, Département de Biologie, and Centre d'études Nordiques, Université du Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski, Québec, Canada
| | - Glen S Brown
- Wildlife Research and Monitoring Section, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, Trent University, Peterborough, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - H River Gates
- Manomet, Shorebird Recovery Program, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA
- Migratory Bird Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Anchorage, Alaska, USA
| | - Olivier Gilg
- Laboratoire Chrono-Environnement, UMR 6249 CNRS-UFC, Université de Franche-Comté, Besançon, France
- Groupe de Recherche en Écologie Arctique, Francheville, France
| | - Marie-Andrée Giroux
- K.-C.-Irving Research Chair in Environmental Sciences and Sustainable Development, Université de Moncton, Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada
| | - Kirsty Gurney
- Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, Alaska, USA
| | - Steve Kendall
- Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Fairbanks, Alaska, USA
| | - Eunbi Kwon
- Department of Behavioural Ecology & Evolutionary Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Seewiesen, Germany
| | - Richard B Lanctot
- Migratory Bird Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Anchorage, Alaska, USA
| | - David B Lank
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Nicolas Lecomte
- Canada Research Chair in Polar and Boreal Ecology, Centre d'études Nordiques, Université de Moncton, Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada
| | - Maria Leung
- Wild Tracks Ecological Consulting, Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada
| | | | - R I Guy Morrison
- National Wildlife Research Centre, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Erica Nol
- Department of Biology, Trent University, Peterborough, Ontario, Canada
| | - David C Payer
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Fairbanks, Alaska, USA
| | - Donald Reid
- Wildlife Conservation Society Canada, Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada
| | - Daniel Ruthrauff
- Alaska Science Center, US Geological Survey, Anchorage, Alaska, USA
| | - Sarah T Saalfeld
- Migratory Bird Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Anchorage, Alaska, USA
| | - Brett K Sandercock
- Department of Terrestrial Ecology, Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Paul A Smith
- Wildlife Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Niels Martin Schmidt
- Department of Ecoscience and Arctic Research Centre, Aarhus University, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Ingrid Tulp
- Wageningen Marine Research, Wageningen University & Research, IJmuiden, The Netherlands
| | - David H Ward
- Alaska Science Center, US Geological Survey, Anchorage, Alaska, USA
| | - Toke T Høye
- Department of Ecoscience and Arctic Research Centre, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Dominique Berteaux
- Chaire de Recherche du Canada en Biodiversité Nordique, Département de Biologie, and Centre d'études Nordiques, Université du Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski, Québec, Canada
| | - Joël Bêty
- Chaire de Recherche du Canada en Biodiversité Nordique, Département de Biologie, and Centre d'études Nordiques, Université du Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski, Québec, Canada
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238
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Khattak WA, Sun J, Hameed R, Zaman F, Abbas A, Khan KA, Elboughdiri N, Akbar R, He F, Ullah MW, Al-Andal A, Du D. Unveiling the resistance of native weed communities: insights for managing invasive weed species in disturbed environments. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2024; 99:753-777. [PMID: 38174626 DOI: 10.1111/brv.13043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2023] [Revised: 12/10/2023] [Accepted: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Weed communities influence the dynamics of ecosystems, particularly in disturbed environments where anthropogenic activities often result in higher pollution. Understanding the dynamics existing between native weed communities and invasive species in disturbed environments is crucial for effective management and normal ecosystem functioning. Recognising the potential resistance of native weed communities to invasion in disturbed environments can help identify suitable native plants for restoration operations. This review aims to investigate the adaptations exhibited by native and non-native weeds that may affect invasions within disturbed environments. Factors such as ecological characteristics, altered soil conditions, and adaptations of native weed communities that potentially confer a competitive advantage relative to non-native or invasive weeds in disturbed environments are analysed. Moreover, the roles of biotic interactions such as competition, mutualistic relationships, and allelopathy in shaping the invasion resistance of native weed communities are described. Emphasis is given to the consideration of the resistance of native weeds as a key factor in invasion dynamics that provides insights for conservation and restoration efforts in disturbed environments. Additionally, this review underscores the need for further research to unravel the underlying mechanisms and to devise targeted management strategies. These strategies aim to promote the resistance of native weed communities and mitigate the negative effects of invasive weed species in disturbed environments. By delving deeper into these insights, we can gain an understanding of the ecological dynamics within disturbed ecosystems and develop valuable insights for the management of invasive species, and to restore long-term ecosystem sustainability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wajid Ali Khattak
- School of Emergency Management, Jiangsu University, No. 301, Xuefu Road, PO Box 212013, Zhenjiang City, Jiangsu Province, China
- School of the Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, No. 301, Xuefu Road, PO Box 212013, Zhenjiang City, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Jianfan Sun
- School of Emergency Management, Jiangsu University, No. 301, Xuefu Road, PO Box 212013, Zhenjiang City, Jiangsu Province, China
- School of the Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, No. 301, Xuefu Road, PO Box 212013, Zhenjiang City, Jiangsu Province, China
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Technology and Material of Water Treatment, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, PO Box 215009, Suzhou City, Jiangsu Province, P.R. China
| | - Rashida Hameed
- School of the Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, No. 301, Xuefu Road, PO Box 212013, Zhenjiang City, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Fawad Zaman
- Key Laboratory of National Forestry and Grassland Administration on Forest Ecosystem Protection and Restoration of Poyang Lake Watershed, Jiangxi Agricultural University, PO Box 330045, Nanchang City, Jiangxi Province, P.R. China
- Jiangxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Silviculture, College of Forestry, Jiangxi Agricultural University, PO Box 330045, Nanchang City, Jiangxi Province, P.R. China
| | - Adeel Abbas
- School of the Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, No. 301, Xuefu Road, PO Box 212013, Zhenjiang City, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Khalid Ali Khan
- Applied College, Center of Bee Research and its Products, Unit of Bee Research and Honey Production, and Research Center for Advanced Materials Science (RCAMS), King Khalid University, PO Box 9004, Abha, 61413, Saudi Arabia
| | - Noureddine Elboughdiri
- Chemical Engineering Department, College of Engineering, University of Ha'il, PO Box 2440, Ha'il, 81441, Saudi Arabia
- Chemical Engineering Process Department, National School of Engineers Gabes, University of Gabes, 6029, Gabes, Tunisia
| | - Rasheed Akbar
- School of the Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, No. 301, Xuefu Road, PO Box 212013, Zhenjiang City, Jiangsu Province, China
- Department of Entomology, The University of Haripur, PO Box 22620, Haripur, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
| | - Feng He
- School of the Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, No. 301, Xuefu Road, PO Box 212013, Zhenjiang City, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Muhammad Wajid Ullah
- Biofuels Institute, School of The Environmental and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, No. 301, Xuefu Road, PO Box 212013, Zhenjiang City, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Abeer Al-Andal
- Department of Biology, College of Science, King Khalid University, PO Box 960, Abha, 61413, Saudi Arabia
| | - Daolin Du
- School of the Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, No. 301, Xuefu Road, PO Box 212013, Zhenjiang City, Jiangsu Province, China
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McIntosh AR, Greig HS, Warburton HJ, Tonkin JD, Febria CM. Ecosystem-size relationships of river populations and communities. Trends Ecol Evol 2024; 39:571-584. [PMID: 38388323 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2024.01.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2023] [Revised: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024]
Abstract
Knowledge of ecosystem-size influences on river populations and communities is integral to the balancing of human and environmental needs for water. The multiple dimensions of dendritic river networks complicate understanding of ecosystem-size influences, but could be resolved by the development of scaling relationships. We highlight the importance of physical constraints limiting predator body sizes, movements, and population sizes in small rivers, and where river contraction limits space or creates stressful conditions affecting community stability and food webs. Investigations of the scaling and contingency of these processes will be insightful because of the underlying generality and scale independence of such relationships. Doing so will also pinpoint damaging water-management practices and identify which aspects of river size can be most usefully manipulated in river restoration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angus R McIntosh
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Private Bag 4800, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand.
| | - Hamish S Greig
- School of Biology and Ecology, University of Maine, Orono, ME, USA; Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory, Gothic, CO, USA
| | - Helen J Warburton
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand; New Zealand's Biological Heritage National Science Challenge, Lincoln, New Zealand
| | - Jonathan D Tonkin
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand; Te Pūnaha Matatini Centre of Research Excellence, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand; Bioprotection Aotearoa Centre of Research Excellence, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand
| | - Catherine M Febria
- Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research, University of Windsor, Windsor, ON, Canada; Department of Integrative Biology, University of Windsor, Windsor, ON, Canada
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240
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Gilbert NA, Amaral BR, Smith OM, Williams PJ, Ceyzyk S, Ayebare S, Davis KL, Leuenberger W, Doser JW, Zipkin EF. A century of statistical Ecology. Ecology 2024; 105:e4283. [PMID: 38738264 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.4283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2023] [Revised: 12/26/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 05/14/2024]
Abstract
As data and computing power have surged in recent decades, statistical modeling has become an important tool for understanding ecological patterns and processes. Statistical modeling in ecology faces two major challenges. First, ecological data may not conform to traditional methods, and second, professional ecologists often do not receive extensive statistical training. In response to these challenges, the journal Ecology has published many innovative statistical ecology papers that introduced novel modeling methods and provided accessible guides to statistical best practices. In this paper, we reflect on Ecology's history and its role in the emergence of the subdiscipline of statistical ecology, which we define as the study of ecological systems using mathematical equations, probability, and empirical data. We showcase 36 influential statistical ecology papers that have been published in Ecology over the last century and, in so doing, comment on the evolution of the field. As data and computing power continue to increase, we anticipate continued growth in statistical ecology to tackle complex analyses and an expanding role for Ecology to publish innovative and influential papers, advancing the discipline and guiding practicing ecologists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neil A Gilbert
- Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
- Department of Integrative Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - Bruna R Amaral
- Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
- Department of Integrative Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - Olivia M Smith
- Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
- Department of Integrative Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
- Center for Global Change and Earth Observations, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - Peter J Williams
- Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
- Department of Integrative Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - Sydney Ceyzyk
- Department of Integrative Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - Samuel Ayebare
- Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
- Department of Integrative Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - Kayla L Davis
- Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
- Department of Integrative Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - Wendy Leuenberger
- Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
- Department of Integrative Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - Jeffrey W Doser
- Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
- Department of Integrative Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - Elise F Zipkin
- Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
- Department of Integrative Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
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241
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Coulon N, Pilet S, Lizé A, Lacoue-Labarthe T, Sturbois A, Toussaint A, Feunteun E, Carpentier A. Shark critical life stage vulnerability to monthly temperature variations under climate change. MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 198:106531. [PMID: 38696933 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2024.106531] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2024] [Revised: 04/22/2024] [Accepted: 04/28/2024] [Indexed: 05/04/2024]
Abstract
In a 10-month experimental study, we assessed the combined impact of warming and acidification on critical life stages of small-spotted catshark (Scyliorhinus canicula). Using recently developed frameworks, we disentangled individual and group responses to two climate scenarios projected for 2100 (SSP2-4.5: Middle of the road and SSP5-8.5: Fossil-fueled Development). Seasonal temperature fluctuations revealed the acute vulnerability of embryos to summer temperatures, with hatching success ranging from 82% for the control and SSP2-4.5 treatments to only 11% for the SSP5-8.5 treatment. The death of embryos was preceded by distinct individual growth trajectories between the treatments, and also revealed inter-individual variations within treatments. Embryos with the lowest hatching success had lower yolk consumption rates, and growth rates associated with a lower energy assimilation, and almost all of them failed to transition to internal gills. Within 6 months after hatching, no additional mortality was observed due to cooler temperatures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noémie Coulon
- Laboratoire de Biologie des Organismes et Ecosystèmes Aquatiques (BOREA) MNHN, CNRS, IRD, SU, UCN, UA, Station Marine de Dinard, Dinard, France.
| | - Stanislas Pilet
- Laboratoire de Biologie des Organismes et Ecosystèmes Aquatiques (BOREA) MNHN, CNRS, IRD, SU, UCN, UA, Station Marine de Dinard, Dinard, France
| | - Anne Lizé
- Laboratoire de Biologie des Organismes et Ecosystèmes Aquatiques (BOREA) MNHN, CNRS, IRD, SU, UCN, UA, Station Marine de Dinard, Dinard, France; School of Life Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Thomas Lacoue-Labarthe
- Littoral, Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), UMR 7266, CNRS-Université de La Rochelle, La Rochelle, France
| | - Anthony Sturbois
- VivArmor Nature, Réserve Naturelle Nationale de la Baie de Saint-Brieuc, Laboratoire des Sciences de l'environnement Marin (LEMAR), UMR 6539, France
| | - Aurèle Toussaint
- Centre de Recherche sur la Biodiversité et l'Environnement (CRBE), UMR5300 - UPS-CNRS-IRD-INP, Université Paul-Sabatier - Toulouse 3, Toulouse, France
| | - Eric Feunteun
- Laboratoire de Biologie des Organismes et Ecosystèmes Aquatiques (BOREA) MNHN, CNRS, IRD, SU, UCN, UA, Station Marine de Dinard, Dinard, France; Centre de GéoEcologie Littorale (CGEL, EPHE-PSL), Dinard, France
| | - Alexandre Carpentier
- Université de Rennes, Laboratoire de Biologie des Organismes et Ecosystèmes Aquatiques (BOREA) MNHN, CNRS, IRD, SU, UCN, UA, Campus de Beaulieu, Rennes, France
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242
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Durante E, Grammer G, Martino J, Klaebe R, Chung MT, Payne J, Doubleday Z. Developing isotopic proxies to reconstruct the metabolic rates and thermal histories of octopus. MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 198:106543. [PMID: 38728797 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2024.106543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2023] [Revised: 04/30/2024] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024]
Abstract
Understanding an animal's metabolic rate and thermal history is pivotal for ecological research. Recent studies have proposed the use of stable carbon and oxygen isotopes (δ13C and δ18O) in biogenic carbonates as proxies of metabolic rate and experienced temperature, respectively, to overcome the challenges of directly measuring these data in the field. Our study represents the first experimental investigation to develop δ13C and δ18O proxies in octopus. Octopus berrima hatchlings were raised in captivity, at varying water temperatures, for up to 110 days. O. berrima statoliths were then subsequently analysed for δ13C and δ18O values. The proportion of metabolically derived carbon, or respired carbon (Cresp), increased as the octopus grew (slope = 0.076, R2 = 0.72), suggesting an influence of somatic growth rate and body mass on δ13C values. Additionally, we identified an inverse correlation between δ18O values and environmental temperature (slope = -0.163, R2 = 0.91), which was subsequently used to develop a thermal reconstruction model. Our experiment aids in interpreting stable isotopic values in statoliths and their application as temperature and metabolic proxies in wild-caught octopus. Such proxies will increase our monitoring capabilities of these ecologically and commercially significant cephalopods and contribute to their conservation and effective management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erica Durante
- Future Industries Institute, University of South Australia, South Australia, Australia.
| | - Gretchen Grammer
- South Australian Research and Development Institute Aquatic Sciences, South Australia, Australia
| | - Jasmin Martino
- Future Industries Institute, University of South Australia, South Australia, Australia
| | - Robert Klaebe
- Department of Earth Sciences, School of Physics, Chemistry and Earth Sciences, University of Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Ming-Tsung Chung
- Institute of Oceanography, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Justin Payne
- STEM, University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Zoë Doubleday
- Future Industries Institute, University of South Australia, South Australia, Australia
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243
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Kriengwatana BP, Marshall CJ, Stevenson T, Monaghan P. Early life conditions reduce similarity between reproductive partners in HPA axis response to stress. Horm Behav 2024; 162:105508. [PMID: 38513527 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2024.105508] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2023] [Revised: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024]
Abstract
Social environments modulate endocrine function, yet it is unclear whether individuals can become like their social partners in how they physiologically respond to stressors. This social transmission of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis reactivity could have long-term consequences for health and lifespan of individuals if their social partners react to stressors with an exaggerated HPA axis response. We tested whether glucocorticoid levels in response to stress of breeding partners changes after breeding depending on whether partners had similar or dissimilar postnatal conditions. We manipulated postnatal conditions by mimicking early life stress in zebra finch chicks (Taeniopygia guttata) via postnatal corticosterone exposure. When they reached adulthood, we created breeding pairs where the female and male had experienced either the same or different early life hormonal treatment (corticosterone or control). Before and after breeding, we obtained blood samples within 3 min and after 10 min or 30 min of restraint stress (baseline, cort10, cort30). We found that corticosterone levels of individuals in response to restraint were affected by their own and their partner's early life conditions, but did not change after breeding. However, across all pairs, partners became more similar in cort30 levels after breeding, although differences between partners in cort10 remained greater in pairs with a corticosterone-treated female. Thus, we show that HPA axis response to stressors in adulthood can be modulated by reproductive partners and that similarity between partners is reduced when females are postnatally exposed to elevated glucocorticoids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Buddhamas P Kriengwatana
- Institute for Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.
| | - Christopher J Marshall
- Institute for Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.
| | - Tyler Stevenson
- Institute for Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.
| | - Pat Monaghan
- Institute for Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.
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244
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Acosta-Angulo B, Lara-Ramos J, Niño-Vargas A, Diaz-Angulo J, Benavides-Guerrero J, Bhattacharya A, Cloutier S, Machuca-Martínez F. Unveiling the potential of machine learning in cost-effective degradation of pharmaceutically active compounds: A stirred photo-reactor study. CHEMOSPHERE 2024; 358:142222. [PMID: 38714249 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.142222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2023] [Revised: 03/30/2024] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/09/2024]
Abstract
In this study, neural networks and support vector regression (SVR) were employed to predict the degradation over three pharmaceutically active compounds (PhACs): Ibuprofen (IBP), diclofenac (DCF), and caffeine (CAF) within a stirred reactor featuring a flotation cell with two non-concentric ultraviolet lamps. A total of 438 datapoints were collected from published works and distributed into 70% training and 30% test datasets while cross-validation was utilized to assess the training reliability. The models incorporated 15 input variables concerning reaction kinetics, molecular properties, hydrodynamic information, presence of radiation, and catalytic properties. It was observed that the Support Vector Regression (SVR) presented a poor performance as the ε hyperparameter ignored large error over low concentration levels. Meanwhile, the Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) model was able to provide rough estimations on the expected degradation of the pollutants without requiring information regarding reaction rate constants. The multi-objective optimization analysis suggested a leading role due to ozone kinetic for a rapid degradation of the contaminants and most of the results required intensification with hydrogen peroxide and Fenton process. Although both models were affected by accuracy limitations, this work provided a lightweight model to evaluate different Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOPs) by providing general information regarding the process operational conditions as well as know molecular and catalytic properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- B Acosta-Angulo
- Escuela de Ingeniería Química, Universidad Del Valle, Santiago de, Cali, 760026, Valle Del Cauca, Colombia
| | - J Lara-Ramos
- Escuela de Ingeniería Química, Universidad Del Valle, Santiago de, Cali, 760026, Valle Del Cauca, Colombia
| | - A Niño-Vargas
- Escuela de Ingeniería Química, Universidad Del Valle, Santiago de, Cali, 760026, Valle Del Cauca, Colombia
| | - J Diaz-Angulo
- Research and Technological Development in Water Treatment, Processes Modelling and Disposal of Residues - GITAM, Cauca, Colombia
| | - J Benavides-Guerrero
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Ecole de Technologia Superieure, 1100 Notre-Dame West, Montreal, H3C 1K3, Quebec, Canada
| | - A Bhattacharya
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Ecole de Technologia Superieure, 1100 Notre-Dame West, Montreal, H3C 1K3, Quebec, Canada
| | - S Cloutier
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Ecole de Technologia Superieure, 1100 Notre-Dame West, Montreal, H3C 1K3, Quebec, Canada
| | - F Machuca-Martínez
- Escuela de Ingeniería Química, Universidad Del Valle, Santiago de, Cali, 760026, Valle Del Cauca, Colombia.
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245
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Jacob S, Dupont L, Haegeman B, Thierry M, Campana JLM, Legrand D, Cote J, Raffard A. Phenotypic plasticity and the effects of thermal fluctuations on specialists and generalists. Proc Biol Sci 2024; 291:20240256. [PMID: 38889786 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2024.0256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Classical theories predict that relatively constant environments should generally favour specialists, while fluctuating environments should be selected for generalists. However, theoretical and empirical results have pointed out that generalist organisms might, on the contrary, perform poorly under fluctuations. In particular, if generalism is underlaid by phenotypic plasticity, performance of generalists should be modulated by the temporal characteristics of environmental fluctuations. Here, we used experiments in microcosms of Tetrahymena thermophila ciliates and a mathematical model to test whether the period or autocorrelation of thermal fluctuations mediate links between the level of generalism and the performance of organisms under fluctuations. In the experiment, thermal fluctuations consistently impeded performance compared with constant conditions. However, the intensity of this effect depended on the level of generalism: while the more specialist strains performed better under fast or negatively autocorrelated fluctuations, plastic generalists performed better under slow or positively autocorrelated fluctuations. Our model suggests that these effects of fluctuations on organisms' performance may result from a time delay in the expression of plasticity, restricting its benefits to slow enough fluctuations. This study points out the need to further investigate the temporal dynamics of phenotypic plasticity to better predict its fitness consequences under environmental fluctuations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Staffan Jacob
- Station d'Écologie Théorique et Expérimentale, UAR2029, CNRS, Moulis 09200, France
| | - Léonard Dupont
- Station d'Écologie Théorique et Expérimentale, UAR2029, CNRS, Moulis 09200, France
| | - Bart Haegeman
- CNRS/Sorbonne Université, UMR7621 Laboratoire d'Océanographie Microbienne, Banyuls-sur-Mer, France
| | - Mélanie Thierry
- Station d'Écologie Théorique et Expérimentale, UAR2029, CNRS, Moulis 09200, France
| | - Julie L M Campana
- Station d'Écologie Théorique et Expérimentale, UAR2029, CNRS, Moulis 09200, France
| | - Delphine Legrand
- Station d'Écologie Théorique et Expérimentale, UAR2029, CNRS, Moulis 09200, France
| | - Julien Cote
- Centre de Recherche sur la Biodiversité et l'Environnement (CRBE), UMR 5300, CNRS-IRD-TINP-UT3, Toulouse 31062 Cedex 9, France
| | - Allan Raffard
- Université catholique de Louvain, Earth and Life Institute, Biodiversity Research Centre, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
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246
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Erlichman A, Sandell L, Otto SP, Aitken SN, Ronce O. Planting long-lived trees in a warming climate: Theory shows the importance of stage-dependent climatic tolerance. Evol Appl 2024; 17:e13711. [PMID: 38894979 PMCID: PMC11183180 DOI: 10.1111/eva.13711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Revised: 04/09/2024] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Climate change poses a particular threat to long-lived trees, which may not adapt or migrate fast enough to keep up with rising temperatures. Assisted gene flow could facilitate adaptation of populations to future climates by using managed translocation of seeds from a warmer location (provenance) within the current range of a species. Finding the provenance that will perform best in terms of survival or growth is complicated by a trade-off. Because trees face a rapidly changing climate during their long lives, the alleles that confer optimal performance may vary across their lifespan. For instance, trees from warmer provenances could be well adapted as adults but suffer from colder temperatures while juvenile. Here we use a stage-structured model, using both analytical predictions and numerical simulations, to determine which provenance would maximize the survival of a cohort of long-lived trees in a changing climate. We parameterize our simulations using empirically estimated demographic transition matrices for 20 long-lived tree species. Unable to find reliable quantitative estimates of how climatic tolerance changes across stages in these same species, we varied this parameter to study its effect. Both our mathematical model and simulations predict that the best provenance depends strongly on how fast the climate changes and also how climatic tolerance varies across the lifespan of a tree. We thus call for increased empirical efforts to measure how climate tolerance changes over life in long-lived species, as our model suggests that it should strongly influence the best provenance for assisted gene flow.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adèle Erlichman
- ISEM, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, IRDMontpellierFrance
- Department of ZoologyUniversity of British ColumbiaVancouverBritish ColumbiaCanada
| | - Linnea Sandell
- Department of ZoologyUniversity of British ColumbiaVancouverBritish ColumbiaCanada
- Department of Organismal BiologyUppsala UniversityUppsalaSweden
- Department of Urban and Rural DevelopmentSwedish University of AgricultureUppsalaSweden
| | - Sarah P. Otto
- Department of ZoologyUniversity of British ColumbiaVancouverBritish ColumbiaCanada
| | - Sally N. Aitken
- Department of Forest and Conservation SciencesUniversity of British ColumbiaVancouverBritish ColumbiaCanada
| | - Ophélie Ronce
- ISEM, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, IRDMontpellierFrance
- Department of ZoologyUniversity of British ColumbiaVancouverBritish ColumbiaCanada
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247
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Kurotani A, Miyamoto H, Kikuchi J. Validation of causal inference data using DirectLiNGAM in an environmental small-scale model and calculation settings. MethodsX 2024; 12:102528. [PMID: 38274701 PMCID: PMC10809110 DOI: 10.1016/j.mex.2023.102528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
The development of data science has been needed in environmental fields such as marine, weather, and soil data. In general, the datasets are large in some cases, but they are often small because they contain observation data that the analyses themselves are limited. In such a case, the data are statistically evaluated by increasing or decreasing the levels of factors using differential analysis, resulting in the essential factors are estimated. However, there is no consistent approach to the means of assessing strong associations as a group between factors. Causal inference method has the possibility to output effective results for small data, and the results are expected to provide important information for understanding the potential highly association between factors, not necessarily the inference with big data. Here, we describe essential checkpoints and settings for the calculation by a direct method for learning a linear non-Gaussian structural equation model (DirectLiNGAM) and validation methods for the calculation results by using DirectLiNGAM with small-scale model data as an additional discussion of DirectLiNGAM portion of the related research article. Thus, this study provides the statistical validation methods for the association networks, treatments, and interventions for structural inference as a group of essential factors.•Causal inference with DirectLiNGAM•Validation of correlation coefficient and feature importance•Validation using causal effect object and propensity scores.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atsushi Kurotani
- Research Center for Agricultural Information Technology, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0856, Japan
- Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Koganei, Tokyo 184-0012, Japan
| | - Hirokuni Miyamoto
- Graduate School of Horticulture, Chiba University: Matsudo, Chiba 271-8501, Japan
- RIKEN Center for Integrated Medical Science, Yokohama, Kanagawa 230-0045, Japan
| | - Jun Kikuchi
- RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, Yokohama, Kanagawa 230-0045, Japan
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248
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Christel H, Bruelheide H, Cesarz S, Eisenhauer N, Hähn GJA, Beugnon R. The spatial distribution of tree-tree interaction effects on soil microbial biomass and respiration. Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e11530. [PMID: 38895566 PMCID: PMC11183910 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.11530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2024] [Revised: 04/05/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
The capacity of forests to sequester carbon in both above- and belowground compartments is a crucial tool to mitigate rising atmospheric carbon concentrations. Belowground carbon storage in forests is strongly linked to soil microbial communities that are the key drivers of soil heterotrophic respiration, organic matter decomposition and thus nutrient cycling. However, the relationships between tree diversity and soil microbial properties such as biomass and respiration remain unclear with inconsistent findings among studies. It is unknown so far how the spatial configuration and soil depth affect the relationship between tree richness and microbial properties. Here, we studied the spatial distribution of soil microbial properties in the context of a tree diversity experiment by measuring soil microbial biomass and respiration in subtropical forests (BEF-China experiment). We sampled soil cores at two depths at five locations along a spatial transect between the trees in mono- and hetero-specific tree pairs of the native deciduous species Liquidambar formosana and Sapindus saponaria. Our analyses showed decreasing soil microbial biomass and respiration with increasing soil depth and distance from the tree in mono-specific tree pairs. We calculated belowground overyielding of soil microbial biomass and respiration - which is higher microbial biomass or respiration than expected from the monocultures - and analysed the distribution patterns along the transect. We found no general overyielding across all sampling positions and depths. Yet, we encountered a spatial pattern of microbial overyielding with a significant microbial overyielding close to L. formosana trees and microbial underyielding close to S. saponaria trees. We found similar spatial patterns across microbial properties and depths that only differed in the strength of their effects. Our results highlight the importance of small-scale variations of tree-tree interaction effects on soil microbial communities and functions and are calling for better integration of within-plot variability to understand biodiversity-ecosystem functioning relationships.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henriette Christel
- German Center for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle‐Jena‐LeipzigLeipzigGermany
- Institute of Biology, Leipzig UniversityLeipzigGermany
| | - Helge Bruelheide
- German Center for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle‐Jena‐LeipzigLeipzigGermany
- Institute of Biology/Geobotany and Botanical Garden, Martin Luther University Halle‐WittenbergHalleGermany
| | - Simone Cesarz
- German Center for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle‐Jena‐LeipzigLeipzigGermany
- Institute of Biology, Leipzig UniversityLeipzigGermany
| | - Nico Eisenhauer
- German Center for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle‐Jena‐LeipzigLeipzigGermany
- Institute of Biology, Leipzig UniversityLeipzigGermany
| | - Georg J. A. Hähn
- BIOME Lab, Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences (BiGeA)Alma Mater Studiorum University of BolognaBolognaItaly
| | - Rémy Beugnon
- German Center for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle‐Jena‐LeipzigLeipzigGermany
- Institute for Meteorology, Leipzig UniversityLeipzigGermany
- CEFE, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRDMontpellier Cedex 5France
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Onyango B, Copeland R, Mbogholi J, Wamalwa M, Kibet C, Tonnang HEZ, Senagi K. WiPFIM: A digital platform for interlinking biocollections of wild plants, fruits, associated insects, and their molecular barcodes. Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e11457. [PMID: 38826163 PMCID: PMC11143469 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.11457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2023] [Revised: 04/12/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 06/04/2024] Open
Abstract
The current knowledge on insects feeding on fruits is limited, and some of the scarce existing data on the fruit-associated insects are secluded within the host institutions. Consequently, their value is not fully realized. Moreover, in countries like Kenya, the integration of biocollections data within a digital framework has not been fully exploited. To address these gaps, this article presents a description of the development of a web-based platform for data sharing and integrating biodiversity historical data of wild plants, fruits, associated insects, and their molecular barcodes (WiPFIM) while leveraging data science technologies. The barcodes corresponding to the biocollections data were retrieved from BOLD database. The platform is an online resource about fruit-insect interactions that can be of interest to a worldwide community of users and can be useful in building innovative tools. The platform is accessible online at https://test-dmmg.icipe.org/wpfhi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bonface Onyango
- Data Management, Modeling and Geo‐Information (DMMG) UnitInternational Centre of Insect Physiology and EcologyNairobiKenya
- Biochemistry and Biotechnology DepartmentPwani UniversityKilifiKenya
| | - Robert Copeland
- Data Management, Modeling and Geo‐Information (DMMG) UnitInternational Centre of Insect Physiology and EcologyNairobiKenya
| | - John Mbogholi
- Biochemistry and Biotechnology DepartmentPwani UniversityKilifiKenya
| | - Mark Wamalwa
- Data Management, Modeling and Geo‐Information (DMMG) UnitInternational Centre of Insect Physiology and EcologyNairobiKenya
| | - Caleb Kibet
- Data Management, Modeling and Geo‐Information (DMMG) UnitInternational Centre of Insect Physiology and EcologyNairobiKenya
| | - Henri E. Z. Tonnang
- Data Management, Modeling and Geo‐Information (DMMG) UnitInternational Centre of Insect Physiology and EcologyNairobiKenya
| | - Kennedy Senagi
- Data Management, Modeling and Geo‐Information (DMMG) UnitInternational Centre of Insect Physiology and EcologyNairobiKenya
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Lenard A, Diamond SE. Evidence of plasticity, but not evolutionary divergence, in the thermal limits of a highly successful urban butterfly. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2024; 155:104648. [PMID: 38754698 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2024.104648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2023] [Revised: 05/11/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
Despite the generally negative impact of urbanization on insect biodiversity, some insect species persist in urban habitats. Understanding the mechanisms underpinning the ability of insects to tolerate urban habitats is critical given the contribution of land-use change to the global insect decline. Compensatory mechanisms such as phenotypic plasticity and evolutionary change in thermal physiological traits could allow urban populations to persist under the altered thermal regimes of urban habitats. It is important to understand the contributions of plasticity and evolution to trait change along urbanization gradients as the two mechanisms operate under different constraints and timescales. Here, we examine the plastic and evolutionary responses of heat and cold tolerance (critical thermal maximum [CTmax] and critical thermal minimum [CTmin]) to warming among populations of the cabbage white butterfly, Pieris rapae, from urban and non-urban (rural) habitats using a two-temperature common garden experiment. Although we expected populations experiencing urban warming to exhibit greater CTmax and diminished CTmin through plastic and evolutionary mechanisms, our study revealed evidence only for plasticity in the expected direction of both thermal tolerance traits. We found no evidence of evolutionary divergence in either heat or cold tolerance, despite each trait showing evolutionary potential. Our results suggest that thermal tolerance plasticity contributes to urban persistence in this system. However, as the magnitude of the plastic response was low and comparable to other insect species, other compensatory mechanisms likely further underpin this species' success in urban habitats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angie Lenard
- Department of Biology, Case Western Reserve University, 2074 Adelbert Rd, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA.
| | - Sarah E Diamond
- Department of Biology, Case Western Reserve University, 2074 Adelbert Rd, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
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