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Campbell KS, Keller P, Golovko SA, Seeger D, Golovko MY, Kerby JL. Connecting the Pipes: Agricultural Tile Drains and Elevated Imidacloprid Brain Concentrations in Juvenile Northern Leopard Frogs ( Rana pipiens). ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:2758-2767. [PMID: 36753680 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c06527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Neonicotinoids are neurotoxic insecticides and are often released into nearby wetlands via subsurface tile drains and can negatively impact nontarget organisms, such as amphibians. Previous studies have indicated that imidacloprid, a commonly used neonicotinoid, can cross the amphibian blood-brain barrier under laboratory conditions; however, little is known about the impact of low concentrations in a field-based setting. Here, we report aqueous pesticide concentrations at wetland production areas that were either connected or not connected to agricultural tile drains, quantified imidacloprid and its break down products in juvenile amphibian brains and livers, and investigated the relationship between imidacloprid brain concentration and brain size. Imidacloprid concentrations in brain and water samples were nearly 2.5 and 5 times higher at tile wetlands (brain = 4.12 ± 1.92 pg/mg protein; water = 0.032 ± 0.045 μg/L) compared to reference wetlands, respectively. Tile wetland amphibians also had shorter cerebellums (0.013 ± 0.001 mm), depicting a negative relationship between imidacloprid brain concentration and cerebellum length. The metabolite, desnitro-imidacloprid, had liver concentrations that were 2 times higher at tile wetlands (2 ± 0.3 μg/g). Our results demonstrate that imidacloprid can cross the amphibian blood-brain barrier under ecological conditions and may alter brain dimensions and provide insight into the metabolism of imidacloprid in amphibians.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaitlyn S Campbell
- Department of Biology, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, South Dakota 57069, United States
| | - Peyton Keller
- Department of Biology, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, South Dakota 57069, United States
| | - Svetlana A Golovko
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, North Dakota 58203, United States
| | - Drew Seeger
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, North Dakota 58203, United States
| | - Mikhail Y Golovko
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, North Dakota 58203, United States
| | - Jacob L Kerby
- Department of Biology, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, South Dakota 57069, United States
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Asymmetry in the frequency and proportion of arm truncation in three sympatric California Octopus species. ZOOLOGY 2021; 147:125940. [PMID: 34198204 DOI: 10.1016/j.zool.2021.125940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2020] [Revised: 05/13/2021] [Accepted: 05/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Octopuses have eight radially symmetrical arms that surround the base of a bilaterally symmetrical body. These numerous appendages, which explore the environment, handle food, and defend the animal against predators, are highly susceptible to truncation or loss. Here, we used scaling relationships specific to the arms of three sympatric octopus species of the genus Octopus, to calculate the proportion of arm truncation. We then compared the frequency and proportion of arm losses between different body locations. Truncated arms were found in 59.8 % of specimens examined, with individuals bearing one to as many as seven injured arms. We found a significant left side bias for greater proportion of arm truncation for all species and sexes except in O. bimaculatus males. We also found that sister species O. bimaculatus and O. bimaculoides had a greater proportion of their anterior arms (pairs 1 and 2) truncated, while in O. rubescens, posterior arms (pairs 3 and 4) were more truncated. The mean percent of arm that was truncated was 28.1 % overall but varied between species and by sex and was highest in O. rubescens females (56 %). The arms of O. rubescens also exhibited the steepest scaling patterns, and showed a positive correlation between body size and number of truncated arms. Overall, we show that arm injuries in our sampling of three intertidal species are frequent and asymmetrical, and that when injured, octopus on average lose a considerable proportion of their arm. Through quantifying the variation in arm truncation, this study provides a new foundation to explore behavioral compensation for arm loss in cephalopods.
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Mônico AT, Silva-Soares T, Koch ED. Malformation in three anuran species from a preserved remnant of Atlantic Forest in southeastern Brazil. NEOTROPICAL BIOLOGY AND CONSERVATION 2019. [DOI: 10.3897/neotropical.14.e37919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Records of malformation in amphibians have significantly increased on a global scale. The main causes of malformations are linked to environmental contaminants, and records in preserved environments are uncommon. We reported malformations in three anuran species belonging to three families:Crossodactylustimbuhy(Hylodidae),Proceratophrysschirchi(Odontophrynidae) andThoropamiliaris(Cycloramphidae). All records were found within the Reserva Biológica Augusto Ruschi, a well-preserved protected remnant of Atlantic rainforest located in the mountains of the state of Espírito Santo, southeastern Brazil. The malformations detected were hemimelia (long bone shortened) with ectrodactyly (digit absent) and brachydactyly (digit shortened) inC.timbuhy, microphtalmia (small eye) inP.schirchiand ectrodactyly inT.miliaris. Further studies are recommended to enable a better understanding about the incidence and causes of malformations within preserved areas.
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Rebouças R, Silva HRD, Solé M. Malformations in Insular and Coastal Populations of Toads in Rio de Janeiro, Southeastern Brazil. SOUTH AMERICAN JOURNAL OF HERPETOLOGY 2019. [DOI: 10.2994/sajh-d-17-00031.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Raoni Rebouças
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Biológicas - Biologia Animal, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo. Avenida Fernando Ferrari, 514, Vitória, ES, Brazil
| | - Hélio Ricardo da Silva
- Departamento de Biologia Animal, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro. Caixa Postal: 74524, 23897-970, Seropédica, RJ, Brazil
| | - Mirco Solé
- Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz. Rodovia Jorge Amado, km 16 - Salobrinho, 45662-900, Ilhéus, BA, Brazil
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Haas SE, Reeves MK, Pinkney AE, Johnson PTJ. Continental-extent patterns in amphibian malformations linked to parasites, chemical contaminants, and their interactions. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2018; 24:e275-e288. [PMID: 28925537 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.13908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2017] [Accepted: 08/16/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Widespread observations of malformed amphibians across North America have generated both concern and controversy. Debates over the causes of such malformations-which can affect >50% of animals in a population-have continued, likely due to involvement of multiple causal factors. Here, we used a 13-year dataset encompassing 53,880 frogs and toads from 422 wetlands and 42 states in the conterminous USA to test hypotheses relating abnormalities and four categories of potential drivers: (i) chemical contaminants, (ii) land use practices, (iii) parasite infection, and (iv) targeted interactions between parasites and pesticides. Using a hierarchically nested, competing-model approach, we further examined how these associations varied spatially among geographic regions. Although malformations were rare overall (average = 1.6%), we identified 96 hotspot sites with 5%-25% abnormal individuals. Using the full dataset of 934 collections (without data on parasite infection), malformation frequency was best predicted by the presence of oil and gas wells within the watershed. Among collections also examined for parasite infection (n = 154), average parasite load and its interaction with pesticide application positively predicted malformations: wetlands with a greater abundance of the trematode Ribeiroia ondatrae were more likely to have malformed amphibians, but these effects were strongest when pesticide application was also high, consistent with prior experimental research. Importantly, however, the influence of these factors also varied regionally, helping explain divergent results from previous studies at local scales; parasite infection was more influential in the West and Northeast, whereas pesticide application and oil/gas wells correlated with abnormalities in the Northeast, Southeast, and western regions of the USA. These results, based on the largest systematic sampling of amphibian malformations, suggest that increased observations of abnormal amphibians are associated with both parasite infection and chemical contaminants, but that their relative importance and interaction strength varied with the spatial extent of the analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah E Haas
- Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Austin, TX, USA
| | | | | | - Pieter T J Johnson
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
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Sánchez-Domene D, Navarro-Lozano A, Acayaba R, Picheli K, Montagner C, de Cerqueira Rossa-Feres D, Rodrigues da Silva F, Alves de Almeida E. Eye malformation baseline in Scinax fuscovarius larvae populations that inhabit agroecosystem ponds in southern Brazil. AMPHIBIA-REPTILIA 2018. [DOI: 10.1163/15685381-20181038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Events of mass malformations in amphibian populations that have exceeded historical records have been reported over the past thirty years. Many of these events have been linked to human activities that occurred near amphibian breeding habitats. The rise in biofuels has promoted, and continues to promote, the growth of sugarcane plantations in Brazil, with the northwest region of São Paulo State having experienced the largest sugarcane expansion over the past few decades. In this region, we sampled temporary ponds located in agroecosystems dominated to different degrees by sugarcane. We found several larvae of Scinax fuscovarius with eye malformations (anophthalmia, aphakia, microphthalmia and sub-development). In this study, we assessed whether the distance from the ponds to the nearest sugarcane crop, the proportion of sugarcane surrounding the ponds, the presence of pesticides in the ponds, or the proportion of land uses with potential teratogens that surround the ponds were related to the frequencies of amphibian eye malformations. We found pesticides present in 11 of the 18 ponds, but none of the predictor variables was associated with the frequencies of amphibian eye malformations. Thus, our results suggest that the observed frequencies of amphibian eye malformations could be a consequence of natural mutation rates, and these data could be used as a malformation baseline for the region. This malformation baseline is the first reported for amphibians in South America and may be useful in future surveys on amphibian populations in tropical agroecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Sánchez-Domene
- 1Instituto de Pesquisa em Bioenergia, Universidade Estadual Paulista, Rio Claro, SP 13500-230, Brazil
| | - Alba Navarro-Lozano
- 2Laboratório de Ecologia Teórica, Departmento de Zoologia e Botânica, Universidade Estadual Paulista, São José do Rio Preto, SP 15054-000, Brazil
| | - Raphael Acayaba
- 3Faculdade de Tecnologia, Universidade de Campinas, Limeira, SP 13484-332, Brazil
| | - Katiuce Picheli
- 2Laboratório de Ecologia Teórica, Departmento de Zoologia e Botânica, Universidade Estadual Paulista, São José do Rio Preto, SP 15054-000, Brazil
| | - Cassiana Montagner
- 4Laboratório de Química Ambiental, Departamento de Química Analítica, Instituto de Química, Universidade de Campinas, Campinas, SP 13484-332, Brazil
| | - Denise de Cerqueira Rossa-Feres
- 2Laboratório de Ecologia Teórica, Departmento de Zoologia e Botânica, Universidade Estadual Paulista, São José do Rio Preto, SP 15054-000, Brazil
| | - Fernando Rodrigues da Silva
- 5Laboratório de Ecologia Teórica: Integrando Tempo, Biologia e Espaço (LET.IT.BE), Departmento de Ciências Ambientais, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, Sorocaba, SP 18052-780, Brazil
| | - Eduardo Alves de Almeida
- 6Departamento de Ciências Naturais, Fundação Universidade Regional de Blumenau, Itoupava Seca, SC 89030-903, Brazil
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Kaczmarski M, Kolenda K, Rozenblut-Kościsty B, Sośnicka W. Phalangeal bone anomalies in the European common toad Bufo bufo from polluted environments. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2016; 23:21940-21946. [PMID: 27535156 PMCID: PMC5099355 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-016-7297-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2016] [Accepted: 07/20/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Every spring, many of amphibians are killed by motor vehicles on roads. These road-killed animals can be used as valuable material for non-invasive studies showing the effect of environmental pollution on amphibian populations. The aims of our research were to check whether the phalanges of road-killed toads may be useful as material for histological analysis, and whether various degrees of human impact influence the level in bone abnormalities in the common toad. We also examined whether the sex and age structure of toads can differ significantly depending in the different sites. We chose three toad breeding sites where road-killed individuals had been observed: near the centre of a city, the outskirts of a city, and a rural site. We collected dead individuals during spring migration in 2013. The sex of each individual was determined and the toes were used to determine age using the skeletochronology method. While performing age estimates, we looked for abnormalities in relation to normal bone tissue structure. In urban site, females dominate males (sex ratio 2.6:1), but in populations from rural and semi-urban sites, sex ratio was reverse (1:2.2 and 1:1.4, respectively). However, we did not find any significant differences between age structure of all populations (average age of each population: approximately 4 years). We observed abnormalities in more than 80 % of all toads from the city, compared to approximately 20 % from the rural and semi-urban sites. In particular, we found hypertrophic bone cells, misaligned intercellular substance, and irregular outer edges of bones. We suggest that these malformations are caused by different pollution, e.g. with heavy metals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mikołaj Kaczmarski
- Institute of Zoology, Poznan University of Life Sciences, Wojska Polskiego 71 C, 60-625, Poznań, Poland
| | - Krzysztof Kolenda
- Department of Vertebrate Biology and Conservation, University of Wroclaw, Sienkiewicza 21, 50-335, Wrocław, Poland.
| | - Beata Rozenblut-Kościsty
- Department of Vertebrate Biology and Conservation, University of Wroclaw, Sienkiewicza 21, 50-335, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Wioletta Sośnicka
- Department of Vertebrate Biology and Conservation, University of Wroclaw, Sienkiewicza 21, 50-335, Wrocław, Poland
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8
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Vaissi S, Sharifi M. Variation in food availability mediate the impact of density on cannibalism, growth, and survival in larval yellow spotted mountain newts (Neurergus microspilotus): Implications for captive breeding programs. Zoo Biol 2016; 35:513-521. [PMID: 27704614 DOI: 10.1002/zoo.21327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2016] [Revised: 08/30/2016] [Accepted: 09/19/2016] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
In this study, we examined cannibalistic behavior, growth, metamorphosis, and survival in larval and post-metamorph endangered yellow spotted mountain newts Neurergus microspilotus hatched and reared in a captive breeding facility. We designed a 2 × 2 factorial experiment, crossing two levels of food with two levels of density including high food/high density, high food/low density, low food/high density, and low food/low density. The level of cannibalistic behavior (including the loss of fore and hind limbs, missing toes, tail, gills, body damage, and whole body consumption) changed as the larvae grew, from a low level during the first 4 weeks, peaking from weeks 7 to 12, and then dropped during weeks 14-52. Both food level and density had a significant effect on cannibalism. The highest frequency of cannibalism was recorded for larvae reared in the low food/high density and lowest in high food/low density treatments. Growth, percent of larval metamorphosed, and survival were all highest in the high food/low density and lowest in low food/high density treatment. Food level had a significant effect on growth, metamorphosis, and survival. However, the two levels of density did not influence growth and metamorphosis but showed a significant effect on survival. Similarly, combined effects of food level and density showed significant effects on growth, metamorphosis, and survival over time. Information obtained from current experiment could improve productivity of captive breeding facilities to ensure the release of adequate numbers of individuals for reintroduction programs. Zoo Biol. 35:513-521, 2016. © 2016 The Authors. Zoo Biology published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Somaye Vaissi
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Razi University, Baghabrisham, Kermanshah, Iran
| | - Mozafar Sharifi
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Razi University, Baghabrisham, Kermanshah, Iran
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9
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Davenport JM, Seiwert PA, Fishback L, Cash WB. The Interactive Effects of Fish Predation and Conspecific Density on Survival and Growth of Tadpoles ofRana sylvaticain a Subarctic Wetland. COPEIA 2016. [DOI: 10.1643/ce-15-324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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10
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Yetisen AK, Davis J, Coskun AF, Church GM, Yun SH. Bioart. Trends Biotechnol 2016; 33:724-734. [PMID: 26617334 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2015.09.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2015] [Revised: 08/31/2015] [Accepted: 09/18/2015] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Bioart is a creative practice that adapts scientific methods and draws inspiration from the philosophical, societal, and environmental implications of recombinant genetics, molecular biology, and biotechnology. Some bioartists foster inter- disciplinary relationships that blur distinctions between art and science. Others emphasize critical responses to emerging trends in the life sciences. Since bioart can be combined with realistic views of scientific developments, it may help inform the public about science. Artistic responses to biotechnology also integrate cultural commentary resembling political activism. Art is not only about ‘responses’, however. Bioart can also initiate new science and engineer- ing concepts, foster openness to collaboration and increasing scientific literacy, and help to form the basis of artists’ future relationships with the communities of biology and the life sciences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali K Yetisen
- Harvard Medical School and Wellman Center for Photomedicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, 65 Landsdowne Street, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
| | - Joe Davis
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, 77 Avenue Louis Pasteur, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Ahmet F Coskun
- Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, 1200 East California Blvd, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - George M Church
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, 77 Avenue Louis Pasteur, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Seok Hyun Yun
- Harvard Medical School and Wellman Center for Photomedicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, 65 Landsdowne Street, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
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11
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Effects of a mining‐altered environment on individual fitness of amphibians and reptiles. Ecosphere 2016. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.1360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
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12
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Qureshi IZ, Kashif Z, Hashmi MZ, Su X, Malik RN, Ullah K, Hu J, Dawood M. Assessment of heavy metals and metalloids in tissues of two frog species: Rana tigrina and Euphlyctis cyanophlyctis from industrial city Sialkot, Pakistan. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2015; 22:14157-14168. [PMID: 25966879 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-015-4454-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2014] [Accepted: 03/27/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
In the present study, we investigated the concentrations of Ni, Fe, Pb, Cu, Co, Zn, Cd, Mn, and Cr in selected body tissues (liver, stomach, kidney, heart, lungs, and skeletal muscles) of two frog species: Rana tigrina and Euphlyctis cyanophlyctis captured from industrial wastewater of Sialkot city known worldwide for its tanning industry. The both frog species had darker appearance, distinctively different wet body weight, and snout-vent length. The results revealed that the heavy metal concentrations were high in the samples collected from industrial sites as compared to non-industrial sites. The different tissues of R. tigrina and E. cyanophlyctis exhibited little significant differences from two sites. The concentrations of heavy metals were more in tissues of R. tigrina as compared to E. cyanophlyctis. Mean concentration of Cd, Fe, Ni, Mn, Cu, and Cr was comparatively greater in R. tigrina, whereas Pb and Co were higher in E. cyanophlyctis. The concentration of Cu and Cd in the liver and kidney were relatively more in both species as compared to other organs. Further, the results indicated that frogs collected from industrial sites showed decreased body length and weight, and greater metal accumulation. The results will help the authorities for the conservation of these frog species which are under the influence of heavy metal contamination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irfan Zia Qureshi
- Laboratory of Animal and Human Physiology, Department of Animal Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, 45320, Pakistan,
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Hayden MT, Reeves MK, Holyoak M, Perdue M, King AL, Tobin SC. Thrice as easy to catch! Copper and temperature modulate predator‐prey interactions in larval dragonflies and anurans. Ecosphere 2015. [DOI: 10.1890/es14-00461.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Mairin T. Hayden
- Department of Environmental Science, Alaska Pacific University, 4101 University Drive, Anchorage, Alaska 99508 USA
| | - Mari K. Reeves
- United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Anchorage Fisheries and Ecological Services Office, 605 West 4th Avenue, Room G-61, Anchorage, Alaska 99501 USA
| | - Marcel Holyoak
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of California, 1 Shields Avenue, Davis, California 95616 USA
| | - Margaret Perdue
- United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Anchorage Fisheries and Ecological Services Office, 605 West 4th Avenue, Room G-61, Anchorage, Alaska 99501 USA
| | - Amanda L. King
- Department of Environmental Science, Alaska Pacific University, 4101 University Drive, Anchorage, Alaska 99508 USA
| | - S. Carl Tobin
- Department of Environmental Science, Alaska Pacific University, 4101 University Drive, Anchorage, Alaska 99508 USA
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Thompson S, Muzinic L, Muzinic C, Niemiller ML, Voss SR. Probability of Regenerating a Normal Limb After Bite Injury in the Mexican Axolotl ( Ambystoma mexicanum). ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2014; 1:27-32. [PMID: 25745564 PMCID: PMC4346137 DOI: 10.1002/reg2.17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Multiple factors are thought to cause limb abnormalities in amphibian populations by altering processes of limb development and regeneration. We examined adult and juvenile axolotls (Ambystoma mexicanum) in the Ambystoma Genetic Stock Center (AGSC) for limb and digit abnormalities to investigate the probability of normal regeneration after bite injury. We observed that 80% of larval salamanders show evidence of bite injury at the time of transition from group housing to solitary housing. Among 717 adult axolotls that were surveyed, which included solitary‐housed males and group‐housed females, approximately half presented abnormalities, including examples of extra or missing digits and limbs, fused digits, and digits growing from atypical anatomical positions. Bite injury probably explains these limb defects, and not abnormal development, because limbs with normal anatomy regenerated after performing rostral amputations. We infer that only 43% of AGSC larvae will present four anatomically normal looking adult limbs after incurring a bite injury. Our results show regeneration of normal limb anatomy to be less than perfect after bite injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sierra Thompson
- Department of Biology and Ambystoma Genetic Stock Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506, USA
| | - Laura Muzinic
- Department of Biology and Ambystoma Genetic Stock Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506, USA
| | - Christopher Muzinic
- Department of Biology and Ambystoma Genetic Stock Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506, USA
| | - Matthew L Niemiller
- Department of Biology and Ambystoma Genetic Stock Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506, USA
| | - S Randal Voss
- Department of Biology and Ambystoma Genetic Stock Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506, USA
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Akimoto SI. Morphological abnormalities in gall-forming aphids in a radiation-contaminated area near Fukushima Daiichi: selective impact of fallout? Ecol Evol 2014; 4:355-69. [PMID: 24634721 PMCID: PMC3936383 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2013] [Revised: 12/01/2013] [Accepted: 12/03/2013] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
To evaluate the impact of fallout from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident on organisms, this study compared the morphology and viability of gall-forming aphids between the Fukushima population and control populations from noncontaminated areas. This study, in particular, focused on the morphology of first-instar gall formers derived from the first sexual reproduction after the accident. Of 164 first instars from Tetraneura sorini galls collected 32 km from Fukushima Daiichi in spring 2012, 13.2% exhibited morphological abnormalities, including four conspicuously malformed individuals (2.4%). In contrast, in seven control areas, first instars with abnormal morphology accounted for 0.0-5.1% (on average, 3.8%). The proportions of abnormalities and mortality were significantly higher in Fukushima than in the control areas. Similarly, of 134 first instars from T. nigriabdominalis galls, 5.9% exhibited morphological abnormalities, with one highly malformed individual. However, of 543 second-generation larvae produced in T. sorini galls, only 0.37% had abnormalities, suggesting that abnormalities found in the first generation were not inherited by the next generation. Although investigation is limited to one study site, this result suggests that radioactive contamination had deleterious effects on embryogenesis in eggs deposited on the bark surface, but a negligible influence on the second generation produced in closed galls. Furthermore, analysis of both species samples collected in spring 2013 indicated that the viability and healthiness of the aphids were significantly improved compared to those in the 2012 samples. Thus, the results of this study suggest the possibility that a reduced level of radiation and/or selection for radiation tolerance may have led to the improved viability and healthiness of the Fukushima population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shin-ichi Akimoto
- Department of Ecology and Systematics, Graduate School of Agriculture, Hokkaido UniversityKita-ku, Sapporo, 060-8589, Japan
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Reeves MK, Medley KA, Pinkney AE, Holyoak M, Johnson PTJ, Lannoo MJ. Localized hotspots drive continental geography of abnormal amphibians on U.S. wildlife refuges. PLoS One 2013; 8:e77467. [PMID: 24260103 PMCID: PMC3832516 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0077467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2013] [Accepted: 09/02/2013] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Amphibians with missing, misshapen, and extra limbs have garnered public and scientific attention for two decades, yet the extent of the phenomenon remains poorly understood. Despite progress in identifying the causes of abnormalities in some regions, a lack of knowledge about their broader spatial distribution and temporal dynamics has hindered efforts to understand their implications for amphibian population declines and environmental quality. To address this data gap, we conducted a nationwide, 10-year assessment of 62,947 amphibians on U.S. National Wildlife Refuges. Analysis of a core dataset of 48,081 individuals revealed that consistent with expected background frequencies, an average of 2% were abnormal, but abnormalities exhibited marked spatial variation with a maximum prevalence of 40%. Variance partitioning analysis demonstrated that factors associated with space (rather than species or year sampled) captured 97% of the variation in abnormalities, and the amount of partitioned variance decreased with increasing spatial scale (from site to refuge to region). Consistent with this, abnormalities occurred in local to regional hotspots, clustering at scales of tens to hundreds of kilometers. We detected such hotspot clusters of high-abnormality sites in the Mississippi River Valley, California, and Alaska. Abnormality frequency was more variable within than outside of hotspot clusters. This is consistent with dynamic phenomena such as disturbance or natural enemies (pathogens or predators), whereas similarity of abnormality frequencies at scales of tens to hundreds of kilometers suggests involvement of factors that are spatially consistent at a regional scale. Our characterization of the spatial and temporal variation inherent in continent-wide amphibian abnormalities demonstrates the disproportionate contribution of local factors in predicting hotspots, and the episodic nature of their occurrence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mari K. Reeves
- Anchorage Field Office, United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Anchorage, Alaska, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Kimberly A. Medley
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Alfred E. Pinkney
- Chesapeake Bay Field Office, United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Annapolis, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Marcel Holyoak
- Environmental Science and Policy, University of California, Davis, Davis, California, United States of America
| | - Pieter T. J. Johnson
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Michael J. Lannoo
- Anatomy and Cell Biology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Terre Haute, Indiana, United States of America
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Nomura F, De Marco P, Carvalho A, Rossa-Feres DC. Does background colouration affect the behaviour of tadpoles? An experimental approach with an odonate predator. ETHOL ECOL EVOL 2013. [DOI: 10.1080/03949370.2012.742465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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BACON JAMIEP, FORT CHELSEAE, TODHUNTER BRIAN, MATHIS MICHAEL, FORT DOUGLASJ. Effects of Multiple Chemical, Physical, and Biological Stressors on the Incidence and Types of Abnormalities Observed in Bermuda's Cane Toads (Rhinella marina). JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY PART B-MOLECULAR AND DEVELOPMENTAL EVOLUTION 2013; 320:218-37. [DOI: 10.1002/jez.b.22496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2012] [Revised: 01/25/2013] [Accepted: 02/12/2013] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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Roberts C, Dickinson T. Ribeiroia ondatrae causes limb abnormalities in a Canadian amphibian community. CAN J ZOOL 2012. [DOI: 10.1139/z2012-050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
A parasitic flatworm ( Ribeiroia ondatrae Price, 1931) is known to cause severe limb abnormalities and high mortality levels in American amphibian populations. The distributional pattern of this parasite—its main dispersal agent being birds—correlates with the boundaries of migratory flyways in the USA. Yet thus far, R. ondatrae have not been found in Canadian amphibians, which is surprising, considering that said flyways extend well into northern Canada. In this study, we report on a lake in British Columbia that is known to support amphibians with abnormalities similar to those induced by R. ondatrae. To determine if the parasite was present and if it was the cause of the abnormalities, we collected and necropsied metamorphs of the Columbia Spotted Frog ( Rana luteiventris Thompson, 1913) and the Pacific Chorus Frog ( Pseudacris regilla (Baird and Girard, 1852)), and we set up field enclosures to protect larvae from R. ondatrae. Abnormality levels were high in both species (>20%), with the vast majority being found in close proximity to the metacercariae of R. ondatrae. Moreover, the types of abnormalities closely matched those previously recorded in field and laboratory exposures of amphibians to R. ondatrae. Finally, larvae that developed in the same lake, but were protected from R. ondatrae by an enclosure, did not develop abnormalities. Collectively, these results demonstrate that R. ondatrae are both present in an amphibian community in Canada and responsible for causing limb abnormalities.
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Affiliation(s)
- C.D. Roberts
- Department of Biology, Thompson Rivers University, Kamloops, BC V2C 0C8, Canada
| | - T.E. Dickinson
- Department of Biology, Thompson Rivers University, Kamloops, BC V2C 0C8, Canada
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Todd BD, Bergeron CM, Hepner MJ, Burke JN, Hopkins WA. Does maternal exposure to an environmental stressor affect offspring response to predators? Oecologia 2011; 166:283-90. [PMID: 21416404 PMCID: PMC3074075 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-011-1961-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2010] [Accepted: 03/02/2011] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
There is growing recognition of the ways in which maternal effects can influence offspring size, physiological performance, and survival. Additionally, environmental contaminants increasingly act as stressors in maternal environments, possibly leading to maternal effects on subsequent offspring. Thus, it is important to determine whether contaminants and other stressors can contribute to maternal effects, particularly under varied ecological conditions that encompass the range under which offspring develop. We used aquatic mesocosms to determine whether maternal effects of mercury (Hg) exposure shape offspring phenotype in the American toad (Bufo americanus) in the presence or absence of larval predators (dragonfly naiads). We found significant maternal effects of Hg exposure and significant effects of predators on several offspring traits, but there was little evidence that maternal effects altered offspring interactions with predators. Offspring from Hg-exposed mothers were 18% smaller than those of reference mothers. Offspring reared with predators were 23% smaller at metamorphosis than those reared without predators. There was also evidence of reduced larval survival when larvae were reared with predators, but this was independent of maternal effects. Additionally, 5 times more larvae had spinal malformations when reared without predators, suggesting selective predation of malformed larvae by predators. Lastly, we found a significant negative correlation between offspring survival and algal density in mesocosms, indicating a role for top-down effects of predators on periphyton communities. Our results demonstrate that maternal exposure to an environmental stressor can induce phenotypic responses in offspring in a direction similar to that produced by direct exposure of offspring to predators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian D Todd
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA.
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Nomura F, do Prado VHM, da Silva FR, Borges RE, Dias NYN, Rossa‐Feres DDC. Are you experienced? Predator type and predator experience trade‐offs in relation to tadpole mortality rates. J Zool (1987) 2011. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-7998.2011.00791.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- F. Nomura
- Departamento de Ecologia, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia, GO, Brazil
| | - V. H. M. do Prado
- Universidade Estadual Paulista, UNESP, São José do Rio Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - F. R. da Silva
- Universidade Estadual Paulista, UNESP, São José do Rio Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - R. E. Borges
- Universidade de Rio Verde, FESURV, Fazenda Fontes do Saber, Rio Verde, GO, Brazil
| | - N. Y. N. Dias
- Programa de Pós‐Graduação em Zoologia, Departamento de Vertebrados, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, UFRJ, Musei Nacional, Quinta da Boa Vista, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
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Johnson PTJ, Kellermanns E, Bowerman J. Critical windows of disease risk: amphibian pathology driven by developmental changes in host resistance and tolerance. Funct Ecol 2011. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2435.2010.01830.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Johnson PT, Bowerman J. Do predators cause frog deformities? The need for an eco-epidemiological approach. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY PART B-MOLECULAR AND DEVELOPMENTAL EVOLUTION 2010; 314:515-8. [DOI: 10.1002/jez.b.21369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2010] [Accepted: 07/06/2010] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
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Skelly DK, Benard MF. Mystery unsolved: missing limbs in deformed amphibians. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY PART B-MOLECULAR AND DEVELOPMENTAL EVOLUTION 2010; 314:179-81. [PMID: 19950330 DOI: 10.1002/jez.b.21330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Ballengee and Sessions (2009) claim that predatory attacks by small predators such as Sympetrum dragonfly larvae are sufficient to explain amphibian limb deformities in which the limb is partly or completely missing. This deformity type, the most common in nature, is not well explained by Ribeiroia infection which has also been nominated as a mechanism for limb deformities. We argue that the conclusions of the Ballanegee and Sessions study are not well founded. In part this is because the authors have provided no quantitative analysis of the association between limb deformities and predator densities. Our own data on frequencies of limb deformities suggest that missing hind limbs are often extremely rare even when Sympetrum and other small predators are common. While predatory attacks may contribute to observations of limb deformities, further study will be required to elucidate their role; other potential mechanisms deserve study as well. It is premature, and counterproductive, to draw any conclusions regarding the mechanisms behind the most common limb deformities recorded in natural populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- David K Skelly
- School of Forestry & Environmental Studies, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06511, USA.
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Sessions SK, Ballengée B. Explanations for deformed frogs: plenty of research left to do (a response to Skelly and Benard). JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY PART B-MOLECULAR AND DEVELOPMENTAL EVOLUTION 2010; 314:341-6. [DOI: 10.1002/jez.b.21351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
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