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Kovac H, Käfer H, Petrocelli I, Amstrup AB, Stabentheiner A. The Impact of Climate on the Energetics of Overwintering Paper Wasp Gynes ( Polistes dominula and Polistes gallicus). INSECTS 2023; 14:849. [PMID: 37999050 PMCID: PMC10672273 DOI: 10.3390/insects14110849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2023] [Revised: 10/13/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023]
Abstract
Gynes of paper wasps (Polistes sp.) spend the cold season in sheltered hibernacles. These hibernacles protect against predators and adverse weather conditions but offer only limited protection against low temperatures. During overwintering diapause, wasps live on the energy they store. We investigated the hibernacles' microclimate conditions of species from the Mediterranean (Italy, P. dominula, P. gallicus) and temperate (Austria, P. dominula) climates in order to describe the environmental conditions and calculate the energetic demand of overwintering according to standard metabolic rate functions. The temperatures at the hibernacles differed significantly between the Mediterranean and temperate habitats (average in Austria: 3.2 ± 5.71 °C, in Italy: 8.5 ± 5.29 °C). In both habitats, the hibernacle temperatures showed variance, but the mean hibernacle temperature corresponded closely to the meteorological climate data. Cumulative mass-specific energetic costs over the studied period were the lowest for the temperate P. dominula population compared with both Mediterranean species. The lower costs of the temperate species were a result of the lower hibernacle temperature and acclimation to lower environmental temperatures. Model calculations with an increased mean temperature of up to 3 °C due to climate change indicate a dramatic increase of up to 40% in additional costs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helmut Kovac
- Institute of Biology, University of Graz, Universitätsplatz 2, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Helmut Käfer
- Institute of Biology, University of Graz, Universitätsplatz 2, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Iacopo Petrocelli
- Dipartimento di Biologia, Università di Firenze, Via Madonna del Piano 6, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
| | - Astrid B. Amstrup
- Institute of Biology, University of Graz, Universitätsplatz 2, 8010 Graz, Austria
- Department of Biology—Genetics, Ecology and Evolution, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Anton Stabentheiner
- Institute of Biology, University of Graz, Universitätsplatz 2, 8010 Graz, Austria
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Weather and butterfly responses: a framework for understanding population dynamics in terms of species' life-cycles and extreme climatic events. Oecologia 2022; 199:427-439. [PMID: 35616737 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-022-05188-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2021] [Accepted: 05/17/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Understanding population responses to environmental conditions is key in the current context of climate change and the extreme climatic events that are threatening biodiversity in an unprecedented way. In this work, we provide a framework for understanding butterfly population responses to weather and extreme climatic seasons by taking into account topographic heterogeneity, species' life-cycles and density-dependent processes. We used a citizen-science database of Mediterranean butterflies that contains long-term population data (28 years) on 78 butterfly species from 146 sites in the Mediterranean mesic and alpine climate regions. Climatic data were obtained from 93 meteorological stations operating during this period near the butterfly sites. We studied how seasonal precipitation and temperature affect population growth while taking into account the effects of density dependence. Our results reveal (i) the beneficial effects of winter and spring precipitation for butterfly populations, which are most evident in the Mediterranean region and in univoltine species, and mainly affect the larval stage; (ii) a general negative effect of summer rain in the previous year, which affects the adult stage; and (iii) a consistent negative effect of mild autumns and winters on population growth. In addition, density dependence played a major role in the population dynamics of most species, except for those with long-term negative population trends. Our analyses also provide compelling evidence that both extreme population levels in previous years and extreme climatic seasons in the current year provoke population crashes and explosions, especially in the Mediterranean mesic region.
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Vrba P, Sucháčková Bartoňová A, Andres M, Nedvěd O, Šimek P, Konvička M. Exploring Cold Hardiness within a Butterfly Clade: Supercooling Ability and Polyol Profiles in European Satyrinae. INSECTS 2022; 13:insects13040369. [PMID: 35447811 PMCID: PMC9031891 DOI: 10.3390/insects13040369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2022] [Revised: 04/05/2022] [Accepted: 04/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The cold hardiness of overwintering stages affects the distribution of temperate and cold-zone insects. Studies on Erebia, a species-rich cold-zone butterfly genus, detected unexpected diversity of cold hardiness traits. We expanded our investigation to eight Satyrinae species of seven genera. We assessed Autumn and Winter supercooling points (SCPs) and concentrations of putatively cryoprotective sugars and polyols via gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Aphantopus hyperantus and Hipparchia semele survived freezing of body fluids; Coenonympha arcania, C. gardetta, and Melanargia galathea died prior to freezing; Maniola jurtina, Chazara briseis, and Minois dryas displayed a mixed response. SCP varied from −22 to −9 °C among species. Total sugar and polyol concentrations (TSPC) varied sixfold (2 to 12 μg × mg−1) and eightfold including the Erebia spp. results. SCP and TSPC did not correlate. Alpine Erebia spp. contained high trehalose, threitol, and erythritol; C. briseis and C. gardetta contained high ribitol and trehalose; lowland species contained high saccharose, maltose, fructose, and sorbitol. SCP, TSPC, and glycerol concentrations were affected by phylogeny. Species of mountains or steppes tend to be freeze-avoidant, overwinter as young larvae, and contain high concentrations of trehalose, while those of mesic environments tend to be freeze-tolerant, overwinter as later instars, and rely on compounds such as maltose, saccharose, and fructose.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pavel Vrba
- Biology Centre of Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Entomology, Branišovská 31, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic; (P.V.); (A.S.B.); (O.N.); (P.Š.)
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 31, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Alena Sucháčková Bartoňová
- Biology Centre of Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Entomology, Branišovská 31, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic; (P.V.); (A.S.B.); (O.N.); (P.Š.)
| | - Miloš Andres
- JARO Jaroměř, Národní 83, 551 01 Jaroměř, Czech Republic;
| | - Oldřich Nedvěd
- Biology Centre of Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Entomology, Branišovská 31, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic; (P.V.); (A.S.B.); (O.N.); (P.Š.)
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 31, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Šimek
- Biology Centre of Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Entomology, Branišovská 31, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic; (P.V.); (A.S.B.); (O.N.); (P.Š.)
| | - Martin Konvička
- Biology Centre of Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Entomology, Branišovská 31, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic; (P.V.); (A.S.B.); (O.N.); (P.Š.)
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 31, 370 05 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +420-775-13-13-54
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Grassland type and presence of management shape butterfly functional diversity in agricultural and forested landscapes. Glob Ecol Conserv 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2022.e02096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
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Raharivololoniaina A, Berweiler S, Fischer K. Nitrogen fertilization and high plant growing temperature increase herbivore performance. Ecosphere 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3891] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Ange Raharivololoniaina
- Department of Biology Institute for Integrated Natural Sciences University of Koblenz‐Landau Universitätsstraße 1 56070 Koblenz Germany
| | - Svenja Berweiler
- Department of Biology Institute for Integrated Natural Sciences University of Koblenz‐Landau Universitätsstraße 1 56070 Koblenz Germany
| | - Klaus Fischer
- Department of Biology Institute for Integrated Natural Sciences University of Koblenz‐Landau Universitätsstraße 1 56070 Koblenz Germany
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Abarca M, Spahn R. Direct and indirect effects of altered temperature regimes and phenological mismatches on insect populations. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2021; 47:67-74. [PMID: 33989831 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2021.04.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2021] [Revised: 03/26/2021] [Accepted: 04/30/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Climate change is transforming ecosystems by altering species ranges, the composition of communities, and trophic interactions. Here, we synthesize recent reviews and subsequent developments to provide an overview of insect ecological and evolutionary responses to altered temperature regimes. We discuss both direct responses to thermal stress and indirect responses arising from phenological mismatches, altered host quality, and changes in natural enemy activity. Altered temperature regimes can increase exposure to both cold and heat stress and result in phenological and morphological mismatches with adjacent trophic levels. Host plant quality varies in a heterogenous way in response to altered temperatures with both increases and decreases observed. Density-dependent effects, spatial heterogeneity, and rapid evolutionary change provide some resilience to these threats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariana Abarca
- Department of Biological Sciences, Smith College, Northampton, MA, United States.
| | - Ryan Spahn
- Department of Biological Sciences, George Washington University, DC, 20052, United States
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Konvicka M, Kuras T, Liparova J, Slezak V, Horázná D, Klečka J, Kleckova I. Low winter precipitation, but not warm autumns and springs, threatens mountain butterflies in middle-high mountains. PeerJ 2021; 9:e12021. [PMID: 34532158 PMCID: PMC8404571 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.12021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2021] [Accepted: 07/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Low-elevation mountains represent unique model systems to study species endangered by climate warming, such as subalpine and alpine species of butterflies. We aimed to test the effect of climate variables experienced by Erebia butterflies during their development on adult abundances and phenology, targeting the key climate factors determining the population dynamics of mountain insects. We analysed data from a long-term monitoring of adults of two subalpine and alpine butterfly species, Erebia epiphron and E. sudetica (Nymphalidae: Satyrinae) in the Jeseník Mts and Krkonoše Mts (Czech Republic). Our data revealed consistent patterns in their responses to climatic conditions. Lower precipitation (i.e., less snow cover) experienced by overwintering larvae decreases subsequent adult abundances. Conversely, warmer autumns and warmer and drier springs during the active larval phase increase adult abundances and lead to earlier onset and extended duration of the flight season. The population trends of these mountain butterflies are stable or even increasing. On the background of generally increasing temperatures within the mountain ranges, population stability indicates dynamic equilibrium of positive and detrimental consequences of climate warming among different life history stages. These contradictory effects warn against simplistic predictions of climate change consequences on mountain species based only on predicted increases in average temperature. Microclimate variability may facilitate the survival of mountain insect populations, however the availability of suitable habitats will strongly depend on the management of mountain grasslands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Konvicka
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic.,Institute of Entomology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Biology Centre, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Tomas Kuras
- Faculty of Science, Palacký University Olomouc, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Jana Liparova
- Institute of Entomology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Biology Centre, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Vit Slezak
- Jeseníky Protected Landscape Area Administration, Jesenik, Czech Republic
| | - Dita Horázná
- Institute of Entomology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Biology Centre, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Klečka
- Institute of Entomology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Biology Centre, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Irena Kleckova
- Institute of Entomology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Biology Centre, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
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Marshall KE, Gotthard K, Williams CM. Evolutionary impacts of winter climate change on insects. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2020; 41:54-62. [PMID: 32711362 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2020.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2020] [Revised: 05/29/2020] [Accepted: 06/08/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Overwintering is a serious challenge for insects, and winters are rapidly changing as climate shifts. The capacity for phenotypic plasticity and evolutionary adaptation will determine which species profit or suffer from these changes. Here we discuss current knowledge on the potential and evidence for evolution in winter-relevant traits among insect species and populations. We conclude that the best evidence for evolutionary shifts in response to changing winters remain those related to changes in phenology, but all evidence points to cold hardiness as also having the potential to evolve in response to climate change. Predicting future population sizes and ranges relies on understanding to what extent evolution in winter-related traits is possible, and remains a serious challenge.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Karl Gotthard
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Stockholm SE-106 91, Sweden
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