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Dodonov P, Braga AL, Arruda LH, Alves-Ferreira G, Silva-Matos DM. Is leaf fluctuating asymmetry related to plant and leaf size in Miconia albicans, a common Melastomataceae species? BRAZ J BIOL 2024; 84:e260884. [DOI: 10.1590/1519-6984.260884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2022] [Accepted: 05/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract Fluctuating asymmetry, defined as random differences between the two sides of a symmetrical structure, has been often related to development stress in both plants and animals. In plants, leaf fluctuating asymmetry has been related to stresses such as pollution and fire and may also be related to leaf growth and herbivory rates. We assessed whether leaf fluctuating asymmetry is related to plant and leaf size in Miconia albicans (Sw.) Triana (Melastomataceae), a common multi-stem Neotropical shrub, in a Brazilian savanna area. We collected 15 leaves from each of 70 individuals, and measured fluctuating asymmetry as the difference in area between the right and left sides of the leaves using the central vein as reference. To avoid spurious results due to measurement error, the division along the central vein was performed independently by three researchers. We also measured the basal area and height of each stem of the plant individuals. We used linear models to assess the relations between leaf fluctuating asymmetry, plant size and leaf size. No consistent relations were observed between leaf fluctuating asymmetry and plant size, as the analyses performed on the fluctuating asymmetry values obtained by the different researchers showed different results. However, relative fluctuating asymmetry values, obtained by dividing the fluctuating asymmetry by the total leaf area, tended to be smaller in larger leaves. It thus appears that, in the study species, fluctuating asymmetry is related to the developmental conditions faced by the individual leaves and not by the plant as a whole.
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Affiliation(s)
- P. Dodonov
- Universidade Federal da Bahia, Brasil; Universidade Federal de São Carlos, Brasil
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Fluctuating Asymmetry as a Measure of Stress in Natural Populations of Woody Plants: Influence of Ecological and Geographical Factors on Developmental Stability. Symmetry (Basel) 2023. [DOI: 10.3390/sym15030700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Fluctuating asymmetry is a sensitive indicator of favorable conditions during the period of individual development. The influence of climatic factors, biotopic conditions, latitude, altitude, and age of plants from the natural populations of the silver birch Betula pendula Roth was analyzed. The material consisted of 13,000 leaves of the silver birch from 11 regions of north-eastern Siberia. The influence of 23 climatic factors and six integrated coefficients characterizing the general suitability of the climate, as well as summer, winter, spring, and autumn was analyzed. The developmental stability of woody plants and, consequently, the level of the FA of the lamina in natural biotopes can vary in a wide range. We found that climatic factors, mainly conditions in the warm season, have a significant impact. We also noted the influence of the age, biotope, and light conditions. For Betula pendula, an increase in FA was registered on the ecological periphery of its range, i.e., on the edge of the forest belt in the north and in the mountains. The data obtained demonstrate the high influence of natural stress-inducing factors on development stability in plants.
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3
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Arce AN, Cantwell-Jones A, Tansley M, Barnes I, Brace S, Mullin VE, Notton D, Ollerton J, Eatough E, Rhodes MW, Bian X, Hogan J, Hunter T, Jackson S, Whiffin A, Blagoderov V, Broad G, Judd S, Kokkini P, Livermore L, Dixit MK, Pearse WD, Gill RJ. Signatures of increasing environmental stress in bumblebee wings over the past century: Insights from museum specimens. J Anim Ecol 2023; 92:297-309. [PMID: 35978494 PMCID: PMC10086799 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13788] [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: 12/03/2021] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Determining when animal populations have experienced stress in the past is fundamental to understanding how risk factors drive contemporary and future species' responses to environmental change. For insects, quantifying stress and associating it with environmental factors has been challenging due to a paucity of time-series data and because detectable population-level responses can show varying lag effects. One solution is to leverage historic entomological specimens to detect morphological proxies of stress experienced at the time stressors emerged, allowing us to more accurately determine population responses. Here we studied specimens of four bumblebee species, an invaluable group of insect pollinators, from five museums collected across Britain over the 20th century. We calculated the degree of fluctuating asymmetry (FA; random deviations from bilateral symmetry) between the right and left forewings as a potential proxy of developmental stress. We: (a) investigated whether baseline FA levels vary between species, and how this compares between the first and second half of the century; (b) determined the extent of FA change over the century in the four bumblebee species, and whether this followed a linear or nonlinear trend; (c) tested which annual climatic conditions correlated with increased FA in bumblebees. Species differed in their baseline FA, with FA being higher in the two species that have recently expanded their ranges in Britain. Overall, FA significantly increased over the century but followed a nonlinear trend, with the increase starting c. 1925. We found relatively warm and wet years were associated with higher FA. Collectively our findings show that FA in bumblebees increased over the 20th century and under weather conditions that will likely increase in frequency with climate change. By plotting FA trends and quantifying the contribution of annual climate conditions on past populations, we provide an important step towards improving our understanding of how environmental factors could impact future populations of wild beneficial insects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andres N Arce
- Georgina Mace Centre for The Living Planet, Department of Life Sciences, Silwood Park, Imperial College London, Ascot, UK.,School of Engineering, Arts, Science & Technology, University of Suffolk, Ipswich, UK
| | - Aoife Cantwell-Jones
- Georgina Mace Centre for The Living Planet, Department of Life Sciences, Silwood Park, Imperial College London, Ascot, UK
| | - Michael Tansley
- Georgina Mace Centre for The Living Planet, Department of Life Sciences, Silwood Park, Imperial College London, Ascot, UK.,Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Ian Barnes
- Department of Earth Sciences, Natural History Museum, London, UK
| | - Selina Brace
- Department of Earth Sciences, Natural History Museum, London, UK
| | - Victoria E Mullin
- Department of Earth Sciences, Natural History Museum, London, UK.,Smurfit Institute of Genetics, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - David Notton
- Department of Earth Sciences, Natural History Museum, London, UK.,National Museum Scotland, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Jeff Ollerton
- Faculty of Arts, Science and Technology, University of Northampton, Northampton, UK
| | - Emma Eatough
- Georgina Mace Centre for The Living Planet, Department of Life Sciences, Silwood Park, Imperial College London, Ascot, UK
| | - Marcus W Rhodes
- Georgina Mace Centre for The Living Planet, Department of Life Sciences, Silwood Park, Imperial College London, Ascot, UK
| | - Xueni Bian
- Georgina Mace Centre for The Living Planet, Department of Life Sciences, Silwood Park, Imperial College London, Ascot, UK.,Department of Earth Sciences, Natural History Museum, London, UK
| | - James Hogan
- Oxford University Museum of Natural History, Oxford, UK
| | | | - Simon Jackson
- Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery Trust, Cumbria, UK.,Ipswich Museum (Colchester and Ipswich Museums), Ipswich, UK
| | | | | | - Gavin Broad
- Department of Earth Sciences, Natural History Museum, London, UK
| | | | - Phaedra Kokkini
- Department of Earth Sciences, Natural History Museum, London, UK
| | | | - Mahika K Dixit
- Georgina Mace Centre for The Living Planet, Department of Life Sciences, Silwood Park, Imperial College London, Ascot, UK
| | - William D Pearse
- Georgina Mace Centre for The Living Planet, Department of Life Sciences, Silwood Park, Imperial College London, Ascot, UK
| | - Richard J Gill
- Georgina Mace Centre for The Living Planet, Department of Life Sciences, Silwood Park, Imperial College London, Ascot, UK
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4
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Gandhi P, Ciocanel MV, Niklas K, Dawes AT. Identification of approximate symmetries in biological development. PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. SERIES A, MATHEMATICAL, PHYSICAL, AND ENGINEERING SCIENCES 2021; 379:20200273. [PMID: 34743597 PMCID: PMC8580469 DOI: 10.1098/rsta.2020.0273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/11/2021] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Virtually all forms of life, from single-cell eukaryotes to complex, highly differentiated multicellular organisms, exhibit a property referred to as symmetry. However, precise measures of symmetry are often difficult to formulate and apply in a meaningful way to biological systems, where symmetries and asymmetries can be dynamic and transient, or be visually apparent but not reliably quantifiable using standard measures from mathematics and physics. Here, we present and illustrate a novel measure that draws on concepts from information theory to quantify the degree of symmetry, enabling the identification of approximate symmetries that may be present in a pattern or a biological image. We apply the measure to rotation, reflection and translation symmetries in patterns produced by a Turing model, as well as natural objects (algae, flowers and leaves). This method of symmetry quantification is unbiased and rigorous, and requires minimal manual processing compared to alternative measures. The proposed method is therefore a useful tool for comparison and identification of symmetries in biological systems, with potential future applications to symmetries that arise during development, as observed in vivo or as produced by mathematical models. This article is part of the theme issue 'Recent progress and open frontiers in Turing's theory of morphogenesis'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Punit Gandhi
- Department of Mathematics and Applied Mathematics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
| | | | - Karl Niklas
- School of Integrative Plant Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Adriana T. Dawes
- Department of Mathematics and Department of Molecular Genetics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
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Mielczarek A, Mielczarek Ł, Wojciechowicz-Żytko E. The influence of heavy metals on the shape and asymmetry of wings of female Polistes nimpha (Hymenoptera, Vespidae) living on contaminated sites. ECOTOXICOLOGY (LONDON, ENGLAND) 2021; 30:1854-1861. [PMID: 34259965 PMCID: PMC8556199 DOI: 10.1007/s10646-021-02449-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The aim of the present study was to determine the fluctuating asymmetry of the first pair of wings in females Polistes nimpha (Christ, 1791) living in an environment contaminated with heavy metals. The average concentration of Zn, Cd and Pb in the bodies of the insects varied depending on the distance from the source of contamination, reaching the highest values on the site closest to the source of contamination and the lowest at the most distant site. As a result of the morphometric analyses, significant differences were found in the asymmetry values of the first pair of wings depending on the level of Zn, Cd, Pb accumulated by the wasps. In the case of shape asymmetry, differences were found for all the effects studied (year of capture and site). Significant differences were also found in the size of wings between individuals captured on Sites 1 and 2 and those caught on Site 3. Specimens caught on site characterized by the lowest concentration of heavy metals in the topsoil, proved to be significantly larger than the insects collected on the other sites. There were no differences in the size of individuals between the different years of capture. Based on the results obtained by us, it can be assumed that the wings of P. nimpha females may become a useful object in studying the impact of environmental stress of Zn, Cd and Pb pollution on the symmetry of their wings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Mielczarek
- University of Agriculture in Krakow, Faculty of Biotechnology and Horticulture, Department of Biology, Physiology and Plant Protection, Al. 29 Listopada 54, 31-425, Krakow, Poland
| | - Łukasz Mielczarek
- Krakow Municipal Greenspace Authority, Reymonta 20, 30-059, Krakow, Poland
| | - Elżbieta Wojciechowicz-Żytko
- University of Agriculture in Krakow, Faculty of Biotechnology and Horticulture, Department of Biology, Physiology and Plant Protection, Al. 29 Listopada 54, 31-425, Krakow, Poland.
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Parise AG, Bertoli SC, Souza GM. Belowground interactions affect shoot growth in Eucalyptus urophylla under restrictive conditions. PLANT SIGNALING & BEHAVIOR 2021; 16:1927589. [PMID: 34057038 PMCID: PMC8280888 DOI: 10.1080/15592324.2021.1927589] [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: 04/06/2021] [Revised: 05/03/2021] [Accepted: 05/05/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Plant-plant interactions like competition or facilitation between seedlings can have profound implications on their establishment and posterior development. These interactions are variable and depend upon the presence of neighbouring plants and environmental factors. In this work, we studied the effects of the interaction by the roots of Eucalyptus urophylla seedlings from a population under various environmental stressful conditions: water deficit, nutrient deficit, low light, low temperature, and high temperature. To evaluate it, we measured some growth and morphological parameters. We demonstrated that shoot parameters such as the number of leaves, leaf area, and dry weight of the leaves were the most affected parameters due to the belowground plant-plant interaction under various environmental conditions. We did not find evidence for competition among the plants, especially under restrictive conditions. Therefore, the study corroborates the stress-gradient hypothesis, which states that plants' differences under stressful conditions lead to facilitative interactions. It has implications for plant ecology and forestry techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- André Geremia Parise
- Laboratory of Plant Cognition and Electrophysiology (LACEV), Department of Botany, Institute of Biology, Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas, RS, Brazil
| | - Suzana Chiari Bertoli
- Laboratory of Plant Cognition and Electrophysiology (LACEV), Department of Botany, Institute of Biology, Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas, RS, Brazil
| | - Gustavo Maia Souza
- Laboratory of Plant Cognition and Electrophysiology (LACEV), Department of Botany, Institute of Biology, Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas, RS, Brazil
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Nature, Nurture, and Noise: Developmental Instability, Fluctuating Asymmetry, and the Causes of Phenotypic Variation. Symmetry (Basel) 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/sym13071204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Phenotypic variation arises from genetic and environmental variation, as well as random aspects of development. The genetic (nature) and environmental (nurture) components of this variation have been appreciated since at least 1900. The random developmental component (noise) has taken longer for quantitative geneticists to appreciate. Here, I sketch the historical development of the concepts of random developmental noise and developmental instability, and its quantification via fluctuating asymmetry. The unsung pioneers in this story are Hugo DeVries (fluctuating variation, 1909), C. H. Danforth (random variation between monozygotic twins, 1919), and Sewall Wright (random developmental variation in piebald guinea pigs, 1920). The first pioneering study of fluctuating asymmetry, by Sumner and Huestis in 1921, is seldom mentioned, possibly because it failed to connect the observed random asymmetry with random developmental variation. This early work was then synthesized by Boris Astaurov in 1930 and Wilhelm Ludwig in 1932, and then popularized by Drosophila geneticists beginning with Kenneth Mather in 1953. Population phenogeneticists are still trying to understand the origins and behavior of random developmental variation. Some of the developmental noise represents true stochastic behavior of molecules and cells, while some represents deterministic chaos, nonlinear feedback, and symmetry breaking.
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Variation in Leaf Size and Fluctuating Asymmetry of Mountain Birch (Betula pubescens var. pumila) in Space and Time: Implications for Global Change Research. Symmetry (Basel) 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/sym12101703] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Experimental, latitudinal, and historical approaches have been used to explore and/or predict the effects of global change on biota, and each approach has its own advantages and disadvantages. The weaknesses of these individual approaches can, potentially, be avoided by applying them simultaneously, but this is rarely done in global change research. Here, we explored the temporal and spatial variations in the leaf size and fluctuating asymmetry (FA) of mountain birch (Betula pubescens var. pumila) in the Murmansk region of Russia, with the aim of verifying the predictions derived from the responses of these traits to experimental manipulations of abiotic drivers of global change. The examination of herbarium specimens revealed that leaf length increased during the 20th century, whereas the FA in the number of leaf teeth decreased, presumably reflecting an increase in the carbon and nitrogen availability to plants in that century. Along a northward latitudinal gradient, leaf length decreased whereas FA increased, presumably due to the poleward decreases in air temperature. The study site, collection year, and latitude explained a larger part of the leaf length variation in mountain birch relative to the variation in FA. Leaf length is likely a better indicator than FA in studies addressing global environmental change impacts on plant performance.
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Fluctuating Asymmetry in Morphological Characteristics of Betula Pendula Roth Leaf under Conditions of Urban Ecosystems: Evaluation of the Multi-Factor Negative Impact. Symmetry (Basel) 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/sym12081317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The fluctuating asymmetry (FA) in Betula pendula Roth was estimated as an integrated measure of five morphometric characteristics of a lamina. Samples were collected in seven cities that differ both in climatic conditions, moderately to sharply continental. In total, 33 ecotopes were distinguished with various level of anthropogenic load. The statistical data processing involved correlation, one-way and factorial ANOVA, regression analyses, and principal component analysis (PCA). The impact of 25 climatic and anthropogenic factors on the FA value was considered. In most urban ecotopes, the integrated fluctuating asymmetry (IFA) value was higher than in natural biotopes of the same region. No significant inter-annual differences in IFA values were found. FA dependence on traffic load is noted to be statistically significant. The covariation analysis of IFA, climatic, and anthropogenic variables in various urban ecotopes revealed the impact of three groups of factors that together explain 93% of the variance in environmental parameters. The complex analysis clearly arranged the studied ecotopes by pollution gradient and climatic patterns. The primary effect of the total anthropogenic load on the developmental stability of B. pendula results in an IFA increase. IFA can play a key role in bioindication assessment of environmental quality. The climatic factors have no significant effect on the developmental stability of B. pendula in urban conditions.
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Lüttge U, Souza GM. The Golden Section and beauty in nature: The perfection of symmetry and the charm of asymmetry. PROGRESS IN BIOPHYSICS AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2019; 146:98-103. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pbiomolbio.2018.12.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2018] [Accepted: 12/13/2018] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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11
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Photosynthetic Efficiency is Higher in Asymmetric Leaves than in Symmetric Leaves of the Same Plant. Symmetry (Basel) 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/sym11060834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Symmetry pervades nature, but asymmetry is also rather common. Deviations from genetically programmed symmetry are usually associated with internal or external developmental disturbances and may therefore be related to imperfections in physiological processes. In this study, we test the hypotheses that the photosynthetic efficiency of individual leaves of a plant is negatively related to their asymmetry. We measured chlorophyll fluorescence in leaves of three woody species (Betula pubescens, Populus tremula and Salix caprea) in early and late summer in two localities situated ca. 1000 km apart, and we quantified the asymmetry of these leaves by a multivariate measure based on the relative positions of several landmarks. Contrary to our expectation, we found that the photochemical efficiency of photosystem II was positively correlated with leaf fluctuating asymmetry; this effect was weak but consistent across the studied plant species, localities and seasons. Our finding adds to limited evidence that within-plant variation in leaf asymmetry is associated with variation in leaf physiology. Irrespective of the underlying mechanisms, which remain unknown, the results suggest that trees may benefit even more from their asymmetric leaves, at least in terms of photosynthesis, than they do from their more symmetric leaves.
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Kozlov MV, Zverev V. Temperature and herbivory, but not pollution, affect fluctuating asymmetry of mountain birch leaves: Results of 25-year monitoring around the copper‑nickel smelter in Monchegorsk, northwestern Russia. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2018; 640-641:678-687. [PMID: 29870944 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.05.328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2018] [Revised: 05/07/2018] [Accepted: 05/26/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Fluctuating asymmetry (FA), which is defined as the magnitude of the random deviations from a symmetrical shape, reflects developmental instability and is commonly assumed to increase under environmental and genetic stress. We monitored the leaf FA of mountain birch, Betula pubescens subsp. czerepanovii, from 1993 to 2017 in individually marked trees at 21 sites around the copper‑nickel smelter at Monchegorsk, and we then analysed the results with respect to spatial and temporal variation in pollution, climate and background insect herbivory. Responses of leaf FA to different stressors were stressor specific: FA did not correlate with pollution load, it decreased significantly with an increase in June air temperature and it increased slightly but significantly with an increase in the previous-year leaf damage due to defoliating and leafmining insects. Our findings suggest that climate warming is unlikely to impose stress on the explored mountain birch populations, but even small increases in insect herbivory may adversely affect birch trees. However, these conclusions, since they are based on an observational study, should be viewed as tentative until confirmed by controlled experiments. We also demonstrated that the use of non-blinded measurements, which are prone to confirmation bias, was the primary reason for the earlier report of an increase in birch leaf FA near the Monchegorsk smelter. We hope that our findings will promote a wide use of blinded methods in ecological research and that they will contribute to debunking the myth that plant leaf FA consistently increases with increases in environmental pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mikhail V Kozlov
- Section of Ecology, Department of Biology, University of Turku, FI-20014 Turku, Finland.
| | - Vitali Zverev
- Section of Ecology, Department of Biology, University of Turku, FI-20014 Turku, Finland
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Local Insect Damage Reduces Fluctuating Asymmetry in Next-year's Leaves of Downy Birch. INSECTS 2018; 9:insects9020056. [PMID: 29751675 PMCID: PMC6023539 DOI: 10.3390/insects9020056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2018] [Revised: 05/08/2018] [Accepted: 05/08/2018] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Insect herbivory imposes stress on host plants. This stress may cause an increase in leaf fluctuating asymmetry (FA), which is defined as the magnitude of the random deviations from a symmetrical leaf shape. We tested the hypothesis that differences in leaf FA among individual shoots of downy birch, Betula pubescens, are at least partly explained by local damage caused by insects in the previous year. Unexpectedly, we found that in the year following the damage imposed by miners, leafrollers and defoliators, damaged birch shoots produced leaves with lower FAs compared to shoots from the same tree that had not been damaged by insects. This effect was consistent among the different groups of insects investigated, but intra-species comparisons showed that statistical significance was reached only in shoots that had been damaged by the birch leaf roller, Deporaus betulae. The detected decrease in leaf FA in the year following the damage agrees with the increases in shoot performance and in antiherbivore defence. The present results indicate that within-plant variation in leaf FA may have its origin in previous-year damage by insects, and that FA may influence the current-year’s distribution of herbivory.
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Sherry RA, Lord EM. DEVELOPMENTAL STABILITY IN LEAVES OF CLARKIA TEMBLORIENSIS
(ONAGRACEAE) AS RELATED TO POPULATION OUTCROSSING RATES AND HETEROZYGOSITY. Evolution 2017; 50:80-91. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1558-5646.1996.tb04474.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/1994] [Accepted: 05/17/1994] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca A. Sherry
- Department of Botany and Plant Sciences; University of California; Riverside California 92521-0124
| | - Elizabeth M. Lord
- Department of Botany and Plant Sciences; University of California; Riverside California 92521-0124
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15
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Siikamäki P, Lammi A. FLUCTUATING ASYMMETRY IN CENTRAL AND MARGINAL POPULATIONS OF LYCHNIS VISCARIA
IN RELATION TO GENETIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS. Evolution 2017; 52:1285-1292. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1558-5646.1998.tb02010.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/1997] [Accepted: 06/19/1998] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Pirkko Siikamäki
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science; Konnevesi Research Station, University of Jyväskylä; P.O. Box 35, FIN-40351 Jyväskylä Finland
| | - Antti Lammi
- South West Finland Regional Environmental Centre; P.O. Box 47 20801 Turku Finland
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17
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18
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Modularity and developmental stability in segmented animals: variation in translational asymmetry in geophilomorph centipedes. Dev Genes Evol 2016; 226:187-96. [DOI: 10.1007/s00427-016-0538-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2015] [Accepted: 02/29/2016] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
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19
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Dai C, Liang X, Ren J, Liao M, Li J, Galloway LF. The mean and variability of a floral trait have opposing effects on fitness traits. ANNALS OF BOTANY 2016; 117:421-9. [PMID: 26749589 PMCID: PMC4765544 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcv189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2015] [Accepted: 11/05/2015] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Floral traits are essential for ensuring successful pollination and reproduction in flowering plants. In particular, style and anther positions are key for pollination accuracy and efficiency. Variation in these traits among individuals has been well studied, but less is known about variation within flowers and plants and its effect on pollination and reproductive success. METHODS Style deflexion is responsible for herkogamy and important for pollen deposition in Passiflora incarnata. The degree of deflexion may vary among stigmas within flowers as well as among flowers. We measured the variability of style deflexion at both the flower and the plant level. The fitness consequences of the mean and variation of style deflexion were then evaluated under natural pollination by determining their relationship to pollen deposition, seed production and average seed weight using structural equation modelling. In addition, the relationship between style deflexion and self-pollen deposition was estimated in a greenhouse experiment. KEY RESULTS We found greater variation in style deflexion within flowers and plants than among plants. Variation of style deflexion at the flower and plant level was positively correlated, suggesting that variability in style deflexion may be a distinct trait in P. incarnata. Lower deflexion and reduced variation in that deflexion increased pollen deposition, which in turn increased seed number. However, lower styles also increased self-pollen deposition. In contrast, higher deflexion and greater variability of that deflexion increased variation in pollen deposition, which resulted in heavier seeds. CONCLUSIONS Variability of style deflexion and therefore stigma placement, independent from the mean, appears to be a property of individual P. incarnata plants. The mean and variability of style deflexion in P. incarnata affected seed number and seed weight in contrasting ways, through the quantity and potentially quality of pollen deposition. This antagonistic selection via different fitness components may maintain diverse style phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Can Dai
- School of Resources and Environmental Science, Hubei University, Wuhan 430062, China, Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center for Green Transformation of Bio-Resources, Wuhan 430062, China, Hubei Provincial Key Laboratory of Regional Development and Environmental Response, Wuhan 430062, China and
| | - Xijian Liang
- School of Resources and Environmental Science, Hubei University, Wuhan 430062, China
| | - Jie Ren
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22903, USA
| | - Minglin Liao
- School of Resources and Environmental Science, Hubei University, Wuhan 430062, China
| | - Jiyang Li
- School of Resources and Environmental Science, Hubei University, Wuhan 430062, China
| | - Laura F Galloway
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22903, USA
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20
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Vogt G. Stochastic developmental variation, an epigenetic source of phenotypic diversity with far-reaching biological consequences. J Biosci 2015; 40:159-204. [PMID: 25740150 DOI: 10.1007/s12038-015-9506-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
This article reviews the production of different phenotypes from the same genotype in the same environment by stochastic cellular events, nonlinear mechanisms during patterning and morphogenesis, and probabilistic self-reinforcing circuitries in the adult life. These aspects of phenotypic variation are summarized under the term 'stochastic developmental variation' (SDV) in the following. In the past, SDV has been viewed primarily as a nuisance, impairing laboratory experiments, pharmaceutical testing, and true-to-type breeding. This article also emphasizes the positive biological effects of SDV and discusses implications for genotype-to-phenotype mapping, biological individuation, ecology, evolution, and applied biology. There is strong evidence from experiments with genetically identical organisms performed in narrowly standardized laboratory set-ups that SDV is a source of phenotypic variation in its own right aside from genetic variation and environmental variation. It is obviously mediated by molecular and higher-order epigenetic mechanisms. Comparison of SDV in animals, plants, fungi, protists, bacteria, archaeans, and viruses suggests that it is a ubiquitous and phylogenetically old phenomenon. In animals, it is usually smallest for morphometric traits and highest for life history traits and behaviour. SDV is thought to contribute to phenotypic diversity in all populations but is particularly relevant for asexually reproducing and genetically impoverished populations, where it generates individuality despite genetic uniformity. In each generation, SDV produces a range of phenotypes around a well-adapted target phenotype, which is interpreted as a bet-hedging strategy to cope with the unpredictability of dynamic environments. At least some manifestations of SDV are heritable, adaptable, selectable, and evolvable, and therefore, SDV may be seen as a hitherto overlooked evolution factor. SDV is also relevant for husbandry, agriculture, and medicine because most pathogens are asexuals that exploit this third source of phenotypic variation to modify infectivity and resistance to antibiotics. Since SDV affects all types of organisms and almost all aspects of life, it urgently requires more intense research and a better integration into biological thinking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Günter Vogt
- Faculty of Biosciences, University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 230, D-69120, Heidelberg, Germany,
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21
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Jangveladze T, Kiguradze Z, Gagoshidze M, Nikolishvili M. Stability and convergence of the variable directions difference scheme for one nonlinear two-dimensional model. INT J BIOMATH 2015. [DOI: 10.1142/s1793524515500576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
The system of two-dimensional nonlinear partial differential equations is considered. This system describes the vein formation in meristematic tissues of young leaves. Variable directions difference scheme is constructed and investigated. Absolute stability regarding space and time steps of scheme is shown. The convergence statement for the constructed scheme is proved. Rate of convergence is given. Various numerical experiments are carried out and results of some of them are considered in this paper. Comparison of numerical experiments with the results of the theoretical investigation is given too.
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Affiliation(s)
- Temur Jangveladze
- Ilia Vekua Institute of Applied Mathematics of Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University, 2 University Street, 0186 Tbilisi, Georgia
- Georgian Technical University, 77 Kostava Ave., 0175 Tbilisi, Georgia
| | - Zurab Kiguradze
- Ilia Vekua Institute of Applied Mathematics of Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University, 2 University Street, 0186 Tbilisi, Georgia
| | - Mikheil Gagoshidze
- Sokhumi State University, 12 Politkovskaya Street, 0186 Tbilisi, Georgia
| | - Maia Nikolishvili
- Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University, 2 University Street, 0186 Tbilisi, Georgia
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22
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Kozlov MV. How reproducible are the measurements of leaf fluctuating asymmetry? PeerJ 2015; 3:e1027. [PMID: 26157612 PMCID: PMC4476141 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.1027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2015] [Accepted: 05/26/2015] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Fluctuating asymmetry (FA) represents small, non-directional deviations from perfect symmetry in morphological characters. FA is generally assumed to increase in response to stress; therefore, FA is frequently used in ecological studies as an index of environmental or genetic stress experienced by an organism. The values of FA are usually small, and therefore the reliable detection of FA requires precise measurements. The reproducibility of fluctuating asymmetry (FA) was explored by comparing the results of measurements of scanned images of 100 leaves of downy birch (Betula pubescens) conducted by 31 volunteer scientists experienced in studying plant FA. The median values of FA varied significantly among the participants, from 0.000 to 0.074, and the coefficients of variation in FA for individual leaves ranged from 25% to 179%. The overall reproducibility of the results among the participants was rather low (0.074). Variation in instruments and methods used by the participants had little effect on the reported FA values, but the reproducibility of the measurements increased by 30% following exclusion of data provided by seven participants who had modified the suggested protocol for leaf measurements. The scientists working with plant FA are advised to pay utmost attention to adequate and detailed description of their data acquisition protocols in their forthcoming publications, because all characteristics of instruments and methods need to be controlled to increase the quality and reproducibility of the data. Whenever possible, the images of all measured objects and the results of primary measurements should be published as electronic appendices to scientific papers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mikhail V. Kozlov
- Section of Ecology, Department of Biology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
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Fluctuating and Directional Asymmetry of the Blue Mussel (Mytilus edulis): Improving Methods of Morphological Analysis to Explore Species Performance at the Northern Border of Its Range. Symmetry (Basel) 2015. [DOI: 10.3390/sym7020488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
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24
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Variation in Fractal Symmetry of Annual Growth in Aspen as an Indicator of Developmental Stability in Trees. Symmetry (Basel) 2015. [DOI: 10.3390/sym7020354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
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25
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Fluctuating Asymmetry of Plant Leaves: Batch Processing with LAMINA and Continuous Symmetry Measures. Symmetry (Basel) 2015. [DOI: 10.3390/sym7010255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
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26
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Quantifying the Variability of Internode Allometry within and between Trees for Pinus tabulaeformis Carr. Using a Multilevel Nonlinear Mixed-Effect Model. FORESTS 2014. [DOI: 10.3390/f5112825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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Klisarić NB, Miljković D, Avramov S, Zivković U, Tarasjev A. Fluctuating asymmetry in Robinia pseudoacacia leaves--possible in situ biomarker? ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2014; 21:12928-12940. [PMID: 24981034 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-014-3211-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2014] [Accepted: 06/16/2014] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
In this study, we analyzed fluctuating asymmetry (FA) of black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) leaf traits as a measure of developmental instability in polluted and unpolluted habitats. We aimed to evaluate the potential of this method as a biomarker and its applicability on widely distributed species under in situ conditions. Leaf samples were taken from seven sites--three categorized as unpolluted (natural protected and rural) and four categorized as polluted covering the broad spectrum of intense pollution (industrial and traffic), from 1,489 individual trees in total. Results revealed significant differences in FA with expected higher values in polluted environments. Applicability of FA of R. pseudoaccacia leaf traits as a biomarker for testing potential pollution level, as well as the amount and distribution of sampling effort needed for its application, are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nataša Barišić Klisarić
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković", University of Belgrade, Despota Stefana Blvd. 142, 11000, Belgrade, Serbia,
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28
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Alados CL, Navarro T, Cabezudo B, Emlen JM, Freeman C. Developmental instability in gynodioecious Teucrium lusitanicum. Evol Ecol 2013. [DOI: 10.1023/a:1006502922611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
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29
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Graham JH, Robb DT, Poe AR. Random phenotypic variation of yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) single-gene knockouts fits a double pareto-lognormal distribution. PLoS One 2012; 7:e48964. [PMID: 23139826 PMCID: PMC3490920 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0048964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2012] [Accepted: 10/08/2012] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Distributed robustness is thought to influence the buffering of random phenotypic variation through the scale-free topology of gene regulatory, metabolic, and protein-protein interaction networks. If this hypothesis is true, then the phenotypic response to the perturbation of particular nodes in such a network should be proportional to the number of links those nodes make with neighboring nodes. This suggests a probability distribution approximating an inverse power-law of random phenotypic variation. Zero phenotypic variation, however, is impossible, because random molecular and cellular processes are essential to normal development. Consequently, a more realistic distribution should have a y-intercept close to zero in the lower tail, a mode greater than zero, and a long (fat) upper tail. The double Pareto-lognormal (DPLN) distribution is an ideal candidate distribution. It consists of a mixture of a lognormal body and upper and lower power-law tails. OBJECTIVE AND METHODS If our assumptions are true, the DPLN distribution should provide a better fit to random phenotypic variation in a large series of single-gene knockout lines than other skewed or symmetrical distributions. We fit a large published data set of single-gene knockout lines in Saccharomyces cerevisiae to seven different probability distributions: DPLN, right Pareto-lognormal (RPLN), left Pareto-lognormal (LPLN), normal, lognormal, exponential, and Pareto. The best model was judged by the Akaike Information Criterion (AIC). RESULTS Phenotypic variation among gene knockouts in S. cerevisiae fits a double Pareto-lognormal (DPLN) distribution better than any of the alternative distributions, including the right Pareto-lognormal and lognormal distributions. CONCLUSIONS AND SIGNIFICANCE A DPLN distribution is consistent with the hypothesis that developmental stability is mediated, in part, by distributed robustness, the resilience of gene regulatory, metabolic, and protein-protein interaction networks. Alternatively, multiplicative cell growth, and the mixing of lognormal distributions having different variances, may generate a DPLN distribution.
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Affiliation(s)
- John H Graham
- Department of Biology, Berry College, Mount Berry, Georgia, USA.
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30
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Wennersten L, Forsman A. Population-level consequences of polymorphism, plasticity and randomized phenotype switching: a review of predictions. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2012; 87:756-67. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-185x.2012.00231.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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31
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Nouvellet P, Buesching CD, Dugdale HL, Newman C, Macdonald DW. Mouthing off about developmental stress: Individuality of palate marking in the European badger and its relationship with juvenile parasitoses. J Zool (1987) 2010. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-7998.2010.00743.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- P. Nouvellet
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Zoology, The Recanati‐Kaplan Centre, University of Oxford, Tubney, Abingdon, Oxfordshire, UK
- Centre for Study of Evolution, School of Biological Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton, UK
| | - C. D. Buesching
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Zoology, The Recanati‐Kaplan Centre, University of Oxford, Tubney, Abingdon, Oxfordshire, UK
| | - H. L. Dugdale
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Zoology, The Recanati‐Kaplan Centre, University of Oxford, Tubney, Abingdon, Oxfordshire, UK
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
- Animal Ecology & Theoretical Biology, University of Groningen, Haren, The Netherlands
| | - C. Newman
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Zoology, The Recanati‐Kaplan Centre, University of Oxford, Tubney, Abingdon, Oxfordshire, UK
| | - D. W. Macdonald
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Zoology, The Recanati‐Kaplan Centre, University of Oxford, Tubney, Abingdon, Oxfordshire, UK
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Cothran RD, Jeyasingh PD. CONDITION DEPENDENCE OF A SEXUALLY SELECTED TRAIT IN A CRUSTACEAN SPECIES COMPLEX: IMPORTANCE OF THE ECOLOGICAL CONTEXT. Evolution 2010; 64:2535-46. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1558-5646.2010.00998.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
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34
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Jennions MD. The allometry of fluctuating asymmetry in southern African plants: flowers and leaves. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2008. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1095-8312.1996.tb01458.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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STIGE LEIFCHRISTIAN, LAJUS DMITRYL, SHOSHINA ELENAV, LEIN TOREILIV. Macro-alga population shows low but significant heterogeneity in developmental instability with no detectable association with individual fitness. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2007. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1095-8312.2007.00841.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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37
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Comparing Variational Properties of Homologous Floral and Vegetative Characters in Dalechampia scandens: Testing the Berg Hypothesis. Evol Biol 2007. [DOI: 10.1007/s11692-007-9006-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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38
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ALADOS CL, GOTOR P, BALLESTER P, NAVAS D, ESCOS JM, NAVARRO T, CABEZUDO B. Association between competition and facilitation processes and vegetation spatial patterns in alpha steppes. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2006. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1095-8312.2006.00559.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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39
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Zvereva EL, Kozlov MV. Growth and reproduction of dwarf shrubs, Vaccinium myrtillus and V. vitis-idaea, in a severely polluted area. Basic Appl Ecol 2005. [DOI: 10.1016/j.baae.2004.11.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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40
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Souza GM, Viana JDOF, Oliveira RFD. Asymmetrical leaves induced by water deficit show asymmetric photosynthesis in common bean. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2005. [DOI: 10.1590/s1677-04202005000200005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
In this study we tested the hypothesis that leaf asymmetric growth induced by water deficit in common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) might be correlated with different net photosynthesis rates between the two opposed leaflets (right and left) considering a bilateral symmetric plane. In order to induce developmental instability, the drought-sensitive common bean genotype "Jalo Precoce" was subjected to periods of suspended irrigation during its vegetative growth. Developmental instability was evaluated by measurements of leaflets asymmetry, and the effects of drought on gas exchanges were taken in both symmetrical leaflets (right and left) in relation to the central leaflet. Water deficit induced an increase of 80 % in leaf asymmetry. Net photosynthesis of P. vulgaris was affected by water deficit in two ways, reducing its physiological yield and increasing its variability between leaflets. Thus, as we hypothesized, the increase in developmental instability, measured by leaf symmetry deviations, was supported by a variable net photosynthesis distribution in the leaves induced by drought.
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41
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Kozlov MV. Contrasting response of mountain birch to damage by Eriocrania leafminers in polluted and unpolluted habitats. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2005. [DOI: 10.1139/b04-158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The leafmining larvae of Eriocrania spp. (Lepidoptera, Eriocraniidae) develop in the expanding leaves of mountain birch, Betula pubescens subsp. czerepanovii (Orlova) Hämet-Ahti. The larva usually consumes over a half of the leaf, implying moderate foliar damage to an individual shoot. I demonstrated that in unpolluted forests, effects of damage are restricted to the mined leaf, which grows smaller and demonstrates higher fluctuating asymmetry than intact leaves. In contrast, in heavily polluted industrial barrens, mining of the single leaf adversely affects the entire shoot; timing and expression of responses depend on shoot type. In infested short shoots, intact leaves grow smaller and more asymmetrical than leaves in control shoots, whereas infested long shoots demonstrated no current-year response; this difference suggests that long shoots are more competitive than short shoots and can acquire additional resources to compensate for herbivore damage. In contrast, in the next year after damage, no consequences of mining were detected in short shoots, whereas infested long shoots produced lower numbers of axillary long shoots than controls. The detected interactive effects of pollution and leaf damage most probably result from resource limitation in birches growing on low-nutritive toxic soils.Key words: Betula pubescens subsp. czerepanovii, foliar damage, fluctuating asymmetry, Kola peninsula, leaf size, shoot growth.
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Parris MJ, Cornelius TO. FUNGAL PATHOGEN CAUSES COMPETITIVE AND DEVELOPMENTAL STRESS IN LARVAL AMPHIBIAN COMMUNITIES. Ecology 2004. [DOI: 10.1890/04-0383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 110] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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43
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Kozlov MV. Leaf fall in white birch (Betula pubescens) is independent of leaf asymmetry. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2004. [DOI: 10.1139/b04-076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Developmental instability, reflected by high fluctuating asymmetry, frequently indicates low fitness of an organism. However, it remains unknown whether in modular organisms, like plants, asymmetry is linked with performance at the level of individual metamers. To explore within-tree relationships between fluctuating asymmetry and leaf longevity, each third day between 22 August and 10 October 2001, leaves were collected under two large trees of white birch (Betula pubescens Ehrh.). The date of leaf fall (a proxy of leaf life-span) was not linked with either leaf asymmetry or damage imposed by chewing insects. Similarly, leaves collected under 10 birches at the end of leaf fall in 2002 demonstrated the same asymmetry as leaves collected at the beginning of leaf fall. These results suggest that leaf longevity in white birch is independent of leaf asymmetry.Key words: leaf longevity, fluctuating asymmetry, within-tree variation.
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Kimler VA, Tracy-Bee M, Ollie CD, Langer RM, Montante JM, Marks CRC, Carl Freeman D, Anton Hough R, Taylor JD. Characterization of Melanophore Morphology by Fractal Dimension Analysis. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2004; 17:165-72. [PMID: 15016306 DOI: 10.1046/j.1600-0749.2003.00125.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Fractal or focal dimension (FD) analysis is a valuable tool to identify physiologic stimuli at the cellular and tissue levels that allows for quantification of cell perimeter complexity. The FD analysis was determined on fluorescence images of caffeine- or epinephrine-treated (or untreated control) killifish Fundulus heteroclitus (Linneaus) melanophores in culture. Cell perimeters were indicated by rhodamine-phalloidin labeling of cortical microfilaments using box-counting FD analysis. Caffeine-treated melanophores displayed dispersed melanosomes in cells with less serrated edges and reduced FD and complexity. Complexity in epinephrine-treated cells was significantly higher than the caffeine-treated cells or in the control. Cytoarchitectural variability of the cell perimeter is expected because cells change shape when cued with agents. Epinephrine-treated melanophores demonstrated aggregated melanosomes in cells with more serrated edges, significantly higher FD and thus complexity. Melanophores not treated with caffeine or epinephrine produced variable distributions of melanosomes and resulted in cells with variably serrated edges and intermediate FD with a larger SE of the regression and greater range of complexity. Dispersion of melanosomes occurs with rearrangements of the cytoskeleton to accommodate centrifugal distribution of melanosomes throughout the cell and to the periphery. The loading of melanosomes onto cortical microfilaments may provide a less complex cell contour, with the even distribution of the cytoskeleton and melanosomes. Aggregation of melanosomes occurs with rearrangements of the cytoskeleton to accommodate centripetal distribution of melanosomes. The aggregation of melanosomes may contribute to centripetal retraction of the cytoskeleton and plasma membrane. The FD analysis is, therefore, a convenient method to measure contrasting morphologic changes within stimulated cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria A Kimler
- Biology Department, College of Engineering and Science, University of Detroit Mercy, Detroit, MI, USA.
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Díaz M, Pulido FJ, Møller AP. Herbivore effects on developmental instability and fecundity of holm oaks. Oecologia 2004; 139:224-34. [PMID: 14968355 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-004-1491-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2003] [Accepted: 01/07/2004] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Plants are able to compensate for loss of tissue due to herbivores at a variety of spatial and temporal scales, masking detrimental effects of herbivory on plant fitness at these scales. The stressing effect of herbivory could also produce instability in the development of plant modules, and measures of such instability may reflect the fitness consequences of herbivory if instability is related to components of plant fitness. We analyse the relationships between herbivory, developmental instability and production of female flowers and fruits of holm oak Quercus ilex trees by means of herbivore removal experiments. Removal of leaf herbivores reduced herbivory rates at the tree level, but had no effect on mean production of female flowers or mature fruits, whereas herbivory tended to enhance flower production and had no effect on fruit abortion at the shoot level. Differences in herbivory levels between shoots of the same branch did not affect the size and fluctuating asymmetry of intact leaves. These results indicate compensation for herbivory at the tree level and over-compensation at the shoot level in terms of allocation of resources to female flower production. Removal of insect herbivores produced an increase in the mean developmental instability of leaves at the tree level in the year following the insecticide treatment, and there was a direct relationship between herbivory rates in the current year and leaf fluctuating asymmetry the following year irrespective of herbivore removal treatment. Finally, the production of pistillate flowers and fruits by trees was inversely related to the mean fluctuating asymmetry of leaves growing the same year. Leaf fluctuating asymmetry was thus an estimator of the stressing effects of herbivory on adult trees, an effect that was delayed to the following year. As leaf fluctuating asymmetry was also related to tree fecundity, asymmetry levels provided a sensitive measure of plant performance under conditions of compensatory responses to herbivory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario Díaz
- Departamento de Ciencias Ambientales, Facultad de Ciencias del Medio Ambiente, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, 45071, Toledo, Spain.
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46
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Campbell WB. Assessing developmental errors in branchiostegal rays as indicators of chronic stress in two species of Pacific salmon. CAN J ZOOL 2003. [DOI: 10.1139/z03-187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Stress during ontogeny reduces homeostasis, increasing the formation of developmental errors. Fused and partial branchiostegal rays were assessed as indicators of stress throughout embryogenesis in coho salmon (Oncorhy nchus kisutch Walbaum) and chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha Walbaum). Error frequencies and the proportion of fish possessing them should increase when development is stressed. Coho parr were examined from reciprocal crosses between two hatchery stocks experiencing artificially fluctuated (between 7 and 12 °C) or ambient (natural) temperatures throughout embryogenesis. Temperature means and ranges were equivalent between treatments, allowing patterns of thermal variance to be compared. Chinook presmolts, having high versus low levels of infection with bacterial kidney disease owing to similar levels of parental infection, also were examined. Sampled fish were cleared and stained and the errors analyzed using categorical linear models and observations of positional distributions. Although partial rays in coho were genetically influenced, fusion frequency increased significantly under fluctuating (551) versus ambient temperatures (163), as did the number of fish with fusions (207 versus 104, respectively). No significant difference between bacterial kidney disease groups was observed, indicating the disease had little influence over error development. Positional distributions of fused rays were bimodal in both species, showing anterior and posterior zones of weaker developmental control. Partial rays occurred at initial and terminal positions in the series, suggesting evolutionary vestigialization in both species. Branchiostegal ray fusions are shown to be useful traits for further investigation of thermal stress during embryogenesis in salmon.
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Sinclair C, Hoffmann AA. Monitoring salt stress in grapevines: are measures of plant trait variability useful? J Appl Ecol 2003. [DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-2664.2003.00843.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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GRAHAM JOHNH, SHIMIZU KUNIO, EMLEN JOHNM, FREEMAN DCARL, MERKEL JOHN. Growth models and the expected distribution of fluctuating asymmetry. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2003. [DOI: 10.1046/j.1095-8312.2003.00220.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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FREEMAN DCARL, BROWN MICHELLEL, DOBSON MELISSA, JORDAN YOLANDA, KIZY ANNE, MICALLEF CHRIS, HANCOCK LEANDRIAC, GRAHAM JOHNH, EMLEN JOHNM. Developmental instability: measures of resistance and resilience using pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo L.). Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2003. [DOI: 10.1046/j.1095-8312.2003.00123.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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Kramer MG, Templeton AR, Miller KG. Evolutionary implications of developmental instability in parthenogenetic Drosophila mercatorum. II. Comparison of two strains with identical genotypes, but different modes of reproduction. Evol Dev 2002; 4:234-41. [PMID: 12054296 DOI: 10.1046/j.1525-142x.2002.02009.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Developmental instability is particularly pronounced in parthenogenetic strains of Drosophila mercatorum. All parthenogenetically produced eggs in a given strain have the same genotype, but even when reared in the same environment, only approximately 5% of the eggs initiating development ever reach adulthood. A sexual analogue of a parthenogenetic strain was created to investigate the basis of this developmental instability. The two strains have identical genotypes (except for the Y chromosome in males of the sexual strain) and differ only in mode of reproduction. The sexual strain had a much lower rate of developmental instability than the parthenogenetic strain, suggesting that the instability is caused by the mode of reproduction per se and is not due to homozygosity, disruption of coadapted gene complexes, or any other feature of the parthenogenetic genome. The increased rate of abortion with parthenogenetic reproduction is caused by a proportional increase in the normal panoply of errors that occur in sexual reproduction but at a much lower rate. Attempts to establish other sexual analogues of laboratory parthenogenetic strains revealed different male sterility factors within several parthenogenetic genomes that could potentially act to prevent hybridization with sexually reproducing ancestors during the incipient stages in the evolution of an entirely parthenogenetic lineage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa G Kramer
- Department of Biology, Washington University, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA.
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