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Chapman TL, Bidwell JR. Behavioral preference for microclimate conditions across elevation in Plethodon montanus. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY. PART A, ECOLOGICAL AND INTEGRATIVE PHYSIOLOGY 2023; 339:967-977. [PMID: 37614068 DOI: 10.1002/jez.2746] [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: 03/23/2023] [Revised: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 08/25/2023]
Abstract
The ability to behaviorally regulate body conditions is critical for ectotherms, particularly in the face of global climate change when seeking stable refugia in a changing environment could facilitate survival. This is especially important for montane species that are limited to high elevations. In the Northern Gray-cheeked salamander (Plethodon montanus), studies have demonstrated that population demographics improve at higher elevations and physiological constraints may prevent them from moving into lower-elevation habitats. However, little is known about the species' ability to utilize microhabitats and behaviorally regulate by selecting preferable microclimates. Here, we used continuous position-sensing gradient chambers to examine the behavioral preference for temperature and relative humidity (RH) in P. montanus to better understand their microhabitat use and behavioral thermoregulation across an elevation gradient. We investigated the seasonal variation in both thermal and RH preference of P. montanus collected from different elevations. Our results suggest that most recently experienced environmental temperatures influence thermal preference in animals at high elevations but not those at lower elevations. Salamanders preferred the highest available RH conditions regardless of environmental conditions or elevation. Data on shuttling behavior (movement across the behavior arena) from the experiments suggest that while salamanders shuttled a similar number of times in both types of trials, they spent significantly less time exploring when exposed to the RH gradient compared to the thermal gradient. Together these results suggest that while thermal preference is influenced by acclimation, preference for moisture conditions is less elastic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Trevor L Chapman
- Department of Biological Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, Tennessee, USA
| | - Joseph R Bidwell
- Department of Biological Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, Tennessee, USA
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Scheele BC, Heard GW, Cardillo M, Duncan RP, Gillespie GR, Hoskin CJ, Mahony M, Newell D, Rowley JJL, Sopniewski J. An invasive pathogen drives directional niche contractions in amphibians. Nat Ecol Evol 2023; 7:1682-1692. [PMID: 37550511 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-023-02155-0] [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: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 07/07/2023] [Indexed: 08/09/2023]
Abstract
Global change is causing an unprecedented restructuring of ecosystems, with the spread of invasive species being a key driver. While population declines of native species due to invasives are well documented, much less is known about whether new biotic interactions reshape niches of native species. Here we quantify geographic range and realized-niche contractions in Australian frog species following the introduction of amphibian chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, a pathogen responsible for catastrophic amphibian declines worldwide. We show that chytrid-impacted species experienced proportionately greater contractions in niche breadth than geographic distribution following chytrid emergence. Furthermore, niche contractions were directional, with contemporary distributions of chytrid-impacted species characterized by higher temperatures, lower diurnal temperature range, higher precipitation and lower elevations. Areas with these conditions may enable host persistence with chytrid through lower pathogenicity of the fungus and/or greater demographic resilience. Nevertheless, contraction to a narrower subset of environmental conditions could increase host vulnerability to other threatening processes and should be considered in assessments of extinction risk and during conservation planning. More broadly, our results emphasize that biotic interactions can strongly shape species realized niches and that large-scale niche contractions due to new species interactions-particularly emerging pathogens-could be widespread.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ben C Scheele
- Fenner School of Environment and Society, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia.
- Macroevolution and Macroecology Group, Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia.
| | - Geoffrey W Heard
- Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network and Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Marcel Cardillo
- Macroevolution and Macroecology Group, Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | - Richard P Duncan
- Centre for Conservation Ecology and Genomics, University of Canberra, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | - Graeme R Gillespie
- Science, Economics and Insights Division, Department of Planning and Environment, Parramatta, New South Wales, Australia
- School of Biosciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Conrad J Hoskin
- College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
| | - Michael Mahony
- School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia
| | - David Newell
- Faculty of Science and Engineering, Southern Cross University, Lismore, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Jodi J L Rowley
- Australian Museum Research Institute, Australian Museum, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Centre for Ecosystem Science; School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Jarrod Sopniewski
- Fenner School of Environment and Society, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia
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Rotger A, Tenan S, Igual JM, Bonner S, Tavecchia G. Life span, growth, senescence and island syndrome: Accounting for imperfect detection and continuous growth. J Anim Ecol 2023; 92:183-194. [PMID: 36367397 PMCID: PMC10099801 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2022] [Accepted: 11/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Small vertebrates on islands are expected to attain a larger body size, and a greater survival than their mainland counterparts. Comparative studies have questioned whether lizards exhibit this set of adaptations, referred to as the 'island syndrome'. We collected data on 730 individuals the endemic Lilford's lizard Podarcis lilfordi throughout a 10-year period on a small island of the Balearic archipelago (Spain). We coupled a growth function with a capture-mark-recapture model to simultaneously estimate size- and sex-dependent growth rate and survival. To put our results into a wider context, we conducted a systematic review of growth, life span and age at maturity in different Podarcis species comparing insular and mainland populations. We found a low average growth coefficient (0.56 and 0.41 year-1 for males and females to reach an asymptotic size of 72.3 and 65.6 mm respectively), a high annual survival probability of 0.81 and 0.79 in males and females, and a large variability between individuals in growth parameters. Survival probability decreased with body size in both sexes, indicating a senescence pattern typical of long-lived species or in populations with a low extrinsic mortality. Assuming a constant survival after sexual maturity, at about 2 years old, the average life span was 6.18 years in males and 8.99 in females. The oldest animal was a male last captured at an estimated age of ≥13 years and still alive at the end of the study. Our results agree with the predictions of the 'island syndrome' for survival, life span and growth parameters. A comparative analysis of these values across 29 populations of 16 different species of Podarcis indicated that insular lizards grow slower and live longer than their mainland counterparts. However, our data differed from other island populations of the same species, suggesting that island-specific characteristics play an additional role to isolation. Within this study we developed an analytical approach to study the body size-dependent survival of small reptiles. We discuss its applicability to contrast hypotheses on senescence in different sexes of this species, and provide the code used to integrate the growth and capture-mark-recapture models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreu Rotger
- Animal Demography and Ecology Unit, GEDA - IMEDEA (CSIC/UIB), Esporles, Spain.,MUSE - Science Museum, Corso del Lavoro e della Scienza, Trento, Italy
| | - Simone Tenan
- National Research Council, Institute of Marine Sciences (CNR-ISMAR), Venezia, Italy
| | - José-Manuel Igual
- Animal Demography and Ecology Unit, GEDA - IMEDEA (CSIC/UIB), Esporles, Spain
| | - Simon Bonner
- University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Giacomo Tavecchia
- Animal Demography and Ecology Unit, GEDA - IMEDEA (CSIC/UIB), Esporles, Spain
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Deluen M, Blanchet S, Aubret F, Trochet A, Gangloff EJ, Guillaume O, Le Chevalier H, Calvez O, Carle C, Genty L, Arrondeau G, Cazale L, Kouyoumdjian L, Ribéron A, Bertrand R. Impacts of temperature on O 2 consumption of the Pyrenean brook newt (Calotriton asper) from populations along an elevational gradient. J Therm Biol 2022; 103:103166. [PMID: 35027206 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2021.103166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2021] [Revised: 12/11/2021] [Accepted: 12/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Global warming impacts biodiversity worldwide, leading to species' adaptation, migration, or extinction. The population's persistence depends on the maintenance of essential activities, which is notably driven by phenotypic adaptation to local environments. Metabolic rate - that increases with temperature in ectotherms - is a key physiological proxy for the energy available to fuel individuals' activities. Cold-adapted ectotherms can exhibit a higher resting metabolism than warm-adapted ones to maintain functionality at higher elevations or latitudes, known as the metabolic cold-adaptation hypothesis. How climate change will affect metabolism in species inhabiting contrasting climates (cold or warm) is still a debate. Therefore, it is of high interest to assess the pace of metabolic responses to global warming among populations adapted to highly different baseline climatic conditions. Here, we conducted a physiological experiment in the endemic Pyrenean brook newt (Calotriton asper). We measured a proxy of standard metabolic rate (SMR) along a temperature gradient in individuals sampled among 6 populations located from 550 to 2189 m a.s.l. We demonstrated that SMR increased with temperature, but significantly diverged depending on populations' origins. The baseline and the slope of the relationship between SMR and temperature were both higher for high-elevation populations than for low-elevation populations. We discussed the stronger metabolic response observed in high-elevation populations suggesting a drop of performance in essential life activities for these individuals under current climate change. With the increase of metabolism as the climate warms, the metabolic-cold adaptation strategy selected in the past could compromise the sustainability of cold-adapted populations if short-term evolutionary responses do not allow to offset this evolutionary legacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marine Deluen
- Station d'Ecologie Théorique et Expérimentale, CNRS, UPR2001, 09200 Moulis, France.
| | - Simon Blanchet
- Station d'Ecologie Théorique et Expérimentale, CNRS, UPR2001, 09200 Moulis, France
| | - Fabien Aubret
- Station d'Ecologie Théorique et Expérimentale, CNRS, UPR2001, 09200 Moulis, France
| | - Audrey Trochet
- Société Herpétologique de France, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CP41, 57 rue Cuvier, 75005, Paris
| | - Eric J Gangloff
- Department of Zoology, Ohio Wesleyan University, Delaware, Ohio
| | - Olivier Guillaume
- Station d'Ecologie Théorique et Expérimentale, CNRS, UPR2001, 09200 Moulis, France
| | - Hugo Le Chevalier
- Station d'Ecologie Théorique et Expérimentale, CNRS, UPR2001, 09200 Moulis, France
| | - Olivier Calvez
- Station d'Ecologie Théorique et Expérimentale, CNRS, UPR2001, 09200 Moulis, France
| | - Clémentine Carle
- Station d'Ecologie Théorique et Expérimentale, CNRS, UPR2001, 09200 Moulis, France
| | - Léa Genty
- Station d'Ecologie Théorique et Expérimentale, CNRS, UPR2001, 09200 Moulis, France
| | - Gaëtan Arrondeau
- Station d'Ecologie Théorique et Expérimentale, CNRS, UPR2001, 09200 Moulis, France
| | - Lucas Cazale
- Station d'Ecologie Théorique et Expérimentale, CNRS, UPR2001, 09200 Moulis, France
| | - Laura Kouyoumdjian
- Station d'Ecologie Théorique et Expérimentale, CNRS, UPR2001, 09200 Moulis, France
| | - Alexandre Ribéron
- Laboratoire Évolution et Diversité Biologique, UMR5174, Université de Toulouse III Paul Sabatier, CNRS, IRD, Toulouse, France
| | - Romain Bertrand
- Laboratoire Évolution et Diversité Biologique, UMR5174, Université de Toulouse III Paul Sabatier, CNRS, IRD, Toulouse, France
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Howard JS, Maerz JC. Review and Synthesis of Estimated Vital Rates for Terrestrial Salamanders in the Family Plethodontidae. ICHTHYOLOGY & HERPETOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.1643/h2020079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jillian S. Howard
- Swaim Biological Inc., 4556 Contractors Pl., Livermore, California 94551; . Send reprint requests to this address
| | - John C. Maerz
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, 180 E Green St., Athens, Georgia 30602;
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Hocking DJ, Crawford JA, Peterman WE, Milanovich JR. Abundance of montane salamanders over an elevational gradient. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:1378-1391. [PMID: 33598138 PMCID: PMC7863398 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2020] [Revised: 10/22/2020] [Accepted: 12/02/2020] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Climate change is expected to systematically alter the distribution and population dynamics of species around the world. The effects are expected to be particularly strong at high latitudes and elevations, and for ectothermic species with small ranges and limited movement potential, such as salamanders in the southern Appalachian Mountains. In this study, we sought to establish baseline abundance estimates for plethodontid salamanders (family: Plethodontidae) over an elevational gradient in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. In addition to generating these baseline data for multiple species, we describe methods for surveying salamanders that allow for meaningful comparisons over time by separating observation and ecological processes generating the data. We found that Plethodon jordani had a mid-elevation peak (1,500 m) in abundance and Desmognathus wrighti increased in abundance with elevation up to the highest areas of the park (2025 m), whereas Eurycea wilderae increased in abundance up to 1,600 m and then plateaued with increasing uncertainty. Litter depth, herbaceous ground cover, and proximity to stream were also important predictors of abundance (dependent upon species), whereas daily temperature, precipitation, ground cover, and humidity influenced detection rates. Our data provide some of the first minimally biased information for future studies to assess changes in the abundance and distribution of salamanders in this region. Understanding abundance patterns along with detailed baseline distributions will be critical for comparisons with future surveys to understand the population and community-level effects of climate change on montane salamanders.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - John A. Crawford
- National Great Rivers Research and Education CenterEast AltonILUSA
| | - William E. Peterman
- School of Environment and Natural ResourcesThe Ohio State UniversityColumbusOHUSA
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Caruso NM, Staudhammer CL, Rissler LJ. A demographic approach to understanding the effects of climate on population growth. Oecologia 2020; 193:889-901. [PMID: 32803340 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-020-04731-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2019] [Accepted: 08/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Amphibian life history traits are affected by temperature and precipitation. Yet, connecting these relationships to population growth, especially for multiple populations within a species, is lacking and precludes our understanding of amphibian population dynamics and distributions. Therefore, we constructed integral projection models for five populations along an elevational gradient to determine how climate and season affect population growth of a terrestrial salamander Plethodon montanus and the importance of demographic vital rates to population growth under varying climate scenarios. We found that population growth was typically higher at the highest elevation compared to the lower elevations, whereas varying inactive season conditions, represented by the late fall, winter and early spring, produced a greater variation in population growth than varying active season conditions (late spring, summer, and early fall). Furthermore, survival and growth were consistently more important, as measured by elasticity, compared to fecundity, and large females had the greatest elasticity compared to all other body sizes. Our results suggest that changing inactive season conditions, especially those that would affect the survival of large individuals, may have the greatest impact on population growth. We recommend future experimental studies focus on the inactive season to better elucidate the mechanisms by which these conditions can affect survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas M Caruso
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, 35487, USA. .,Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA.
| | | | - Leslie J Rissler
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, 35487, USA.,Division of Environmental Biology, National Science Foundation, Alexandria, VA, 22314, USA
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Mitchell AE, Boersma J, Anthony A, Kitayama K, Martin TE. Experimental Amelioration of Harsh Weather Speeds Growth and Development in a Tropical Montane Songbird. Am Nat 2020; 196:E110-E118. [PMID: 32970467 DOI: 10.1086/710151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
AbstractOrganisms living at high elevations generally grow and develop more slowly than those at lower elevations. Slow montane ontogeny is thought to be an evolved adaptation to harsh environments that improves juvenile quality via physiological trade-offs. However, slower montane ontogeny may also reflect proximate influences of harsh weather on parental care and offspring development. We experimentally heated and protected nests from rain to ameliorate harsh montane weather conditions for mountain blackeyes (Chlorocharis emiliae), a montane songbird living at approximately 3,200 m asl in Malaysian Borneo. This experiment was designed to test whether cold and wet montane conditions contribute to parental care and postnatal growth and development rates at high elevations. We found that parents increased provisioning and reduced time spent warming offspring, which grew faster and departed the nest earlier compared with offspring from unmanipulated nests. Earlier departure reduces time-dependent predation risk, benefitting parents and offspring. These plastic responses highlight the importance of proximate weather contributions to broad patterns of montane ontogeny and parental care.
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Caruso NM, Rissler LJ. Museum Specimens Reveal Life History Characteristics in Plethodon montanus. COPEIA 2019. [DOI: 10.1643/ch-18-145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas M. Caruso
- Department of Biological Sciences, Box 870345 MHB Hall, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama 35487
| | - Leslie J. Rissler
- Department of Biological Sciences, Box 870345 MHB Hall, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama 35487
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