Validating measurements of acclimation for climate change adaptation

Barley Yellow Dwarf Virus Influences Its Vector's Endosymbionts but Not Its Thermotolerance

The barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV) of cereals is thought to substantially increase the high-temperature tolerance of its aphid vector, Rhopalosiphum padi, which may enhance its transmission efficiency. This is based on experiments with North American strains of BYDV and R. padi. Here, we independently test these by measuring the temperature tolerance, via Critical Thermal Maximum (CTmax) and knockdown time, of Australian R. padi infected with a local BYDV isolate. We further consider the interaction between BYDV transmission, the primary endosymbiont of R. padi (Buchnera aphidicola), and a transinfected secondary endosymbiont (Rickettsiella viridis) which reduces the thermotolerance of other aphid species. We failed to find an increase in tolerance to high temperatures in BYDV-infected aphids or an impact of Rickettsiella on thermotolerance. However, BYDV interacted with R. padi endosymbionts in unexpected ways, suppressing the density of Buchnera and Rickettsiella. BYDV density was also fourfold higher in Rickettsiella-infected aphids. Our findings indicate that BYDV does not necessarily increase the temperature tolerance of the aphid transmission vector to increase its transmission potential, at least for the genotype combinations tested here. The interactions between BYDV and Rickettsiella suggest new ways in which aphid endosymbionts may influence how BYDV spreads, which needs further testing in a field context.

Through the looking glass: attempting to predict future opportunities and challenges in experimental biology

To celebrate its centenary year, Journal of Experimental Biology (JEB) commissioned a collection of articles examining the past, present and future of experimental biology. This Commentary closes the collection by considering the important research opportunities and challenges that await us in the future. We expect that researchers will harness the power of technological advances, such as '-omics' and gene editing, to probe resistance and resilience to environmental change as well as other organismal responses. The capacity to handle large data sets will allow high-resolution data to be collected for individual animals and to understand population, species and community responses. The availability of large data sets will also place greater emphasis on approaches such as modeling and simulations. Finally, the increasing sophistication of biologgers will allow more comprehensive data to be collected for individual animals in the wild. Collectively, these approaches will provide an unprecedented understanding of 'how animals work' as well as keys to safeguarding animals at a time when anthropogenic activities are degrading the natural environment.

Larval nutritional-stress and tolerance to extreme temperatures in the peach fruit fly, Bactrocera zonata (Diptera: Tephritidae)

Within the factors affecting insect tolerance to extreme environmental conditions, insect nutrition, particularly of immature stages, has received insufficient attention. In the present study, we address this gap by investigating the effects of larval nutrition on heat and cold tolerance of adult Bactrocera zonata - an invasive, polyphagous fruit fly pest. We manipulated the nutritional content in the larval diet by varying the amount of added yeast (2-10% by weight), while maintaining a constant sucrose content. Adults derived from the different larval diets were tested for their tolerance to extreme heat and cold stress. Restricting the amount of yeast reduced the efficacy of the larval diet (i.e. number of pupae produced per g of diet) as well as pupal and adult fresh weight, both being significantly lower for yeast-poor diets. Additionally, yeast restriction during the larval stage (2% yeast diet) significantly reduced the amount of protein but not lipid reserves of newly emerged males and females. Adults maintained after emergence on granulated sugar and water for 10 days were significantly more tolerant to extreme heat (i.e. knock-down time at 42 ^oC) when reared as larvae on yeast-rich diets (8% and 10% yeast) compared to counterparts developing on a diet containing 2% yeast. Nevertheless, the composition of the larval diet did not significantly affect adult survival following acute cold stress (exposure to -3°C for 2 hrs.). These results are corroborated by previous findings on Drosophilid flies. Possible mechanisms leading to nutrition-based heat-tolerance in flies are discussed.

Effect of thermal acclimation on the tolerance of the peach fruit fly (Bactrocera zonata: Tephritidae) to heat and cold stress

Understanding the thermal biology of insects is of increasing importance for predicting their geographic distribution, particularly in light of current and future global temperature increases. Within the limits set by genetic makeup, thermal tolerance is affected by the physiological conditioning of individuals (e.g., through acclimation). Considering this phenotypic plasticity may add to accurately estimating changes to the distribution of insects under a changing climate. We studied the effect of thermal acclimation on cold and heat tolerance of the peach fruit fly (Bactrocera zonata) - an invasive, polyphagous pest that is currently expanding through Africa and the Middle East. Females and males were acclimated at 20, 25 and 30 °C for up to 19 days following adult emergence. The critical thermal minimum (CTmin) and maximum (CTmax) were subsequently recorded as well adult survival following acute exposure to chilling (0 or -3 °C for 2 h). Additionally, we determined the survival of pupae subjected for 2 h to temperatures ranging from -12 °C to 5 °C. We demonstrate that acclimation at 30 °C resulted in significantly higher CTmax and CTmin values (higher heat resistance and lower cold resistance, respectively). Additionally, adult recovery following exposure to -3 °C was significantly reduced following acclimation at 30 °C, and this effect was significantly higher for females. Pupal mortality increased with the decrease in temperature, reaching LT50 and LT95 values following exposure to -0.32 °C and -6.88 °C, respectively. Finally, we found that the survival of pupae subjected to 0 and 2 °C steadily increased with pupal age. Our findings substantiate a physiological foundation for understanding the current geographic range of B. zonata. We assume that acclimation at 30 °C affected the thermal tolerance of the flies partly through modulating feeding and metabolism. Tolerance to chilling during the pupal stage probably changed according to temperature-sensitive processes occurring during metamorphosis, rendering younger pupae more sensitive to chilling.

Exploring the connection between autophagy and heat-stress tolerance in Drosophila melanogaster

Mechanisms aimed at recovering from heat-induced damages are closely associated with the ability of ectotherms to survive exposure to stressful temperatures. Autophagy, a ubiquitous stress-responsive catabolic process, has recently gained renewed attention as one of these mechanisms. By increasing the turnover of cellular structures as well as the clearance of long-lived protein and protein aggregates, the induction of autophagy has been linked to increased tolerance to a range of abiotic stressors in diverse ectothermic organisms. However, whether a link between autophagy and heat-tolerance exists in insect models remains unclear despite broad ecophysiological implications thereof. Here, we explored the putative association between autophagy and heat-tolerance using Drosophila melanogaster as a model. We hypothesized that (i) heat-stress would cause an increase of autophagy in flies' tissues, and (ii) rapamycin exposure would trigger a detectable autophagic response in adults and increase their heat-tolerance. In line with our hypothesis, we report that flies exposed to heat-stress present signs of protein aggregation and appear to trigger an autophagy-related homoeostatic response as a result. We further show that rapamycin feeding causes the systemic effect associated with target of rapamycin (TOR) inhibition, induces autophagy locally in the fly gut, and increases the heat-stress tolerance of individuals. These results argue in favour of a substantial contribution of autophagy to the heat-stress tolerance mechanisms of insects.

Linking critical thermal maximum to mortality from thermal stress in a cold-water frog

Estimates of organismal thermal tolerance are frequently used to assess physiological risk from warming, yet the assumption that these estimates are predictive of mortality has been called into question. We tested this assumption in the cold-water-specialist frog, Ascaphus montanus. For seven populations, we used dynamic experimental assays to measure tadpole critical thermal maximum (CTmax) and measured mortality from chronic thermal stress for 3 days at different temperatures. We tested the relationship between previously estimated population CTmax and observed mortality, as well as the strength of CTmax as a predictor of mortality compared to local stream temperatures capturing varying timescales. Populations with higher CTmax experienced significantly less mortality in the warmest temperature treatment (25°C). We also found that population CTmax outperformed stream temperature metrics as the top predictor of observed mortality. These results demonstrate a clear link between CTmax and mortality from thermal stress, contributing evidence that CTmax is a relevant metric for physiological vulnerability assessments.

Still standing: The heat protection delivered by a facultative symbiont to its aphid host is resilient to repeated thermal stress

Insects have evolved diverse strategies to resist extreme high temperatures (EHT). The adaptive value of such strategies has to be evaluated when organisms experience multiple EHT events during their lifetime, as predicted in a changing climate. This is particularly the case for associations with facultative microbial partners involved in insect heat tolerance, the resilience of which to repeated heat stress has never been studied. We compared two artificial lines of the pea aphid (Acyrthosiphon pisum) differing by the absence or presence of the heat-protective facultative bacterium Serratia symbiotica. We exposed insect nymphs to a varying number of EHT events (between 0 and 3), and recorded fitness parameters. Except survival traits, fitness estimates were affected by the interaction between aphid infection status (absence/presence of S. symbiotica) and thermal treatment (number of heat shocks applied). Costs of bacterial infection were detected in the absence of thermal stress: symbiont-hosting aphids incurred longer development, decreased fecundity and body size. However, symbiotic infection turned neutral, and even beneficial for some traits (development and body size), as the number of heat shocks increased, and compared to the aposymbiotic strain. Conversely, symbiotic infection mediated aphid response to heat shock(s): fitness decreased only in the uninfected group. These findings suggest that (i) the facultative symbiont may alternatively act as a pathogen, commensal or mutualist depending on thermal environment, and (ii) the heat protection it delivered to its host persists under frequent EHT. We discuss eco-evolutionary implications and the role of potentially confounding factors (stage-specific effects, genetic polymorphism displayed by the obligate symbiont).

Acute cold stress and supercooling capacity of Mediterranean fruit fly populations across the Northern Hemisphere (Middle East and Europe)

The Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Diptera: Tephritidae), holds an impressive record of successful invasion events promoted by globalization in fruit trade and human mobility. In addition, C. capitata is gradually expanding its geographic distribution to cooler temperate areas of the Northern Hemisphere. Cold tolerance of C. capitata seems to be a crucial feature that promotes population establishment and hence invasion success. To elucidate the interplay between the invasion process in the northern hemisphere and cold tolerance of geographically isolated populations of C. capitata, we determined (a) the response to acute cold stress survival of adults, and (b) the supercooling capacity (SCP) of immature stages and adults. To assess the phenotypic plasticity in these populations, the effect of acclimation to low temperatures on acute cold stress survival in adults was also examined. The results revealed that survival after acute cold stress was positively related to low temperature acclimation, except for females originating from Thessaloniki (northern Greece). Adults from the warmer environment of South Arava (Israel) were less tolerant after acute cold stress compared with those from Heraklion (Crete, Greece) and Thessaloniki. Plastic responses to cold acclimation were population specific, with the South Arava population being more plastic compared to the two Greek populations. For SCP, the results revealed that there is little to no correlation between SCP and climate variables of the areas where C. capitata populations originated. SCP was much lower than the lowest temperature individuals are likely to experience in their respective habitats. These results set the stage for asking questions regarding the evolutionary adaptive processes that facilitate range expansions of C. capitata into cooler temperate areas of Europe.

The potential climatic range of spotted lanternfly may be broader than previously predicted

Spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula White) is an invasive planthopper that was introduced to the United States from Asia and readily spreads via human aided means. Three geographically separated populations in the United States (NJ, PA, and WV) were collected and used to assess the effects of fluctuating thermal regimes that included temperatures above or below the upper (Tmax) and lower (Tmin) developmental thresholds, respectively, on nymphal survival and development, and to determine if there was within- and among-population variation in hatch timing and temperature responses of nymphs. Nymphs exposed to temperatures > Tmax and Collapse

Key Words

• climate
• development
• phenology
• survival
• temperature

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MESH Headings Collapse

Grants

• Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
• Northern Research Station

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Affiliation(s)

Melody A. Keena Northern Research Station, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service, Hamden, CT, United States
George Hamilton Department of Entomology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, United States
Devin Kreitman Department of Entomology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, United States

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Thermal tolerance responses of the two-spotted stink bug, Bathycoelia distincta (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), vary with life stage and the sex of adults

Temperature tolerance is an essential component of insect fitness, and its understanding can provide a predictive framework for their distribution and abundance. The two-spotted stink bug, Bathycoelia distincta Distant, is a significant pest of macadamia. The main goal of this study was to investigate the thermal tolerance of B. distincta across different life stages. Thermal tolerance indices investigated included critical thermal maximum (CT_max), critical thermal minimum (CT_min), effects of acclimation on CT_max and CT_min at 20, 25, and 30 °C, and rapid heat hardening (RHH), and rapid cold hardening (RCH). The Kruskal-Wallis test was used to explore the effects of life stage and acclimation on CT_max and CT_min and Generalized Linear Models (GLM) for the probability of survival after pre-exposure to RHH at 41 °C for 2 h and RCH at -8 °C for 2 h. CT_max and CT_min varied significantly between life stages at all acclimation temperatures, but CT_min (3.5 °C) varied more than CT_max (2.1 °C). Higher acclimation temperatures resulted in larger variations between life stages for both CT_max and CT_min. A significant acclimation response was observed for the CT_max of instar 2 (1.7 °C) and CT_min of females (2.7 °C) across acclimation temperatures (20-30 °C). Pre-exposure significantly improved the heat and cold survival probability of instar 2 and the cold survival probability of instar 3 and males. The response between life stages was more variable in RCH than in RHH. Instar 2 appeared to be the most thermally plastic life stage of B. distincta. These results suggest that the thermal plastic traits of B. distincta life stages may enable this pest to survive in temperature regimes under the ongoing climate change, with early life stages (except for instar 2) more temperature sensitive than later life stages.

Mating success at elevated temperature is associated to thermal adaptation in a set of recombinant inbred lines of Drosophila melanogaster

In insects, mating ability at elevated temperature can be relevant for adaptation to heat-stressed environments and global warming. Here, we examined copulation latency (T1), copulation duration (T2), and mating frequency (T3, an index of mating success) in two related sets of recombinant inbred lines (RIL) in Drosophila melanogaster at both elevated (33 °C) and benign (25 °C) temperatures. One of these RIL sets (RIL-SH2) was shown to be consistently more resistant in both heat knockdown and heat-shock survival assays than its related set (RIL-D48) in previous studies. Negative correlations across RILs were found between T1 and T3 in this study. Flies from the heat-resistant set of RIL (RIL-SH2) were better able to mate at elevated temperature than flies from the heat-susceptible set (RIL-D48). Quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping identified temperature-dependent QTLs for all traits (T1, T2 and T3) on all the three major chromosomes. Mating success at elevated temperature was found to be influenced by multiple QTLs. At elevated temperature, several QTLs for mating traits co-localized with QTLs that were previously associated with thermotolerance. The genetic basis for T1, T2 and T3 at the elevated temperature was found to be largely different from the genetic basis controlling the variation for mating success at benign temperature, as there was only a very low (or even null) number of QTLs overlapping across temperatures.

Cross-protection interactions in insect pests: Implications for pest management in a changing climate

Agricultural insect pests display an exceptional ability to adapt quickly to natural and anthropogenic stressors. Emerging evidence suggests that frequent and varied sources of stress play an important role in driving protective physiological responses; therefore, intensively managed agroecosystems combined with climatic shifts might be an ideal crucible for stress adaptation. Cross-protection, where responses to one stressor offers protection against another type of stressor, has been well documented in many insect species, yet the molecular and epigenetic underpinnings that drive overlapping protective responses in insect pests remain unclear. In this perspective, we discuss cross-protection mechanisms and provide an argument for its potential role in increasing tolerance to a wide range of natural and anthropogenic stressors in agricultural insect pests. By drawing from existing literature on single and multiple stressor studies, we outline the processes that facilitate cross-protective interactions, including epigenetic modifications, which are understudied in insect stress responses. Finally, we discuss the implications of cross-protection for insect pest management, focusing on the consequences of cross-protection between insecticides and elevated temperatures associated with climate change. Given the multiple ways that insect pests are intensively managed in agroecosystems, we suggest that examining the role of multiple stressors can be important in understanding the wide adaptability of agricultural insect pests. © 2022 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Chill coma recovery of Ceratitis capitata adults across the Northern Hemisphere

The Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Diptera: Tephritidae), is an invasive pest, that is currently expanding its geographic distribution from the Mediterranean coasts to more temperate areas of Europe. Given that low temperature is a primary determinant of insect species' range boundaries especially in the Northern Hemisphere with pronounced seasonality, we used chill coma recovery time for assessing latitudinal clines in basal chill tolerance of C. capitata adults. We selected six populations obtained from areas with broad climatic variability based on the main bioclimatic variables of temperature and precipitation, spanning a latitudinal range of about 19° from Middle East to Central Europe. Adults were exposed to 0 °C for 4 h, and time to regain the typical standing position of a fly at 25 °C were recorded. The post-stress survival after a period of 8 days was also recorded. Results revealed that adults from Israel and Austria were less chill tolerant than those from Greece, resulting in curvilinear trends with latitude. Analysis of macroclimatic conditions revealed combined effects of latitude (as a proxy of photoperiod) and macroclimatic conditions on chill coma recovery time. Nonetheless, there was not a deleterious effect on post-recovery survival, except for flies obtained from the northern most point (Vienna, Austria). Overall, it seems that evolutionary patterns of basal chill coma recovery time of C. capitata adults are driven mainly by local climatic variability.

Are Signals of Local Environmental Adaptation Diluted by Laboratory Culture?

Insects have the ability to readily adapt to changes in environmental conditions, however the strength of local environmental adaptation signals under divergent conditions and the occurrence of trait inertia after relaxation of selection, remains poorly understood, especially for traits of climate stress resistance (CSR) and their phenotypic plasticity. The strength of environmental adaptation signals depend on several selection pressures present in the local environment, while trait inertia often occurs when there is a weakening or removal of a source of selection. Here, using Drosophila melanogaster, we asked whether signals of adaptation in CSR traits (critical thermal limits, heat and chill survival and, desiccation and starvation resistance) persist after exposure to laboratory culture for different durations (two vs. ten generations) across four climatically distinct populations. We show that culture duration has large effects on CSR traits and can both amplify or dilute signals of local adaptation. Effects were however dependent upon interactions between the source population, acclimation (adult acclimation at either 18 °C, 23 °C or 28 °C) conditions and the sex of the flies. Trait plasticity is markedly affected by the interaction between the source population, the specific acclimation conditions employed, and the duration in the laboratory. Therefore, a complex matrix of dynamic CSR trait responses is shown in space and time. Given these strong interaction effects, 'snapshot' estimates of environmental adaptation can result in misleading conclusions about the fitness consequences of climate variability.

Developmental plasticity in thermal tolerance: Ontogenetic variation, persistence, and future directions

Understanding the factors affecting thermal tolerance is crucial for predicting the impact climate change will have on ectotherms. However, the role developmental plasticity plays in allowing populations to cope with thermal extremes is poorly understood. Here, we meta-analyse how thermal tolerance is initially and persistently impacted by early (embryonic and juvenile) thermal environments by using data from 150 experimental studies on 138 ectothermic species. Thermal tolerance only increased by 0.13°C per 1°C change in developmental temperature and substantial variation in plasticity (~36%) was the result of shared evolutionary history and species ecology. Aquatic ectotherms were more than three times as plastic as terrestrial ectotherms. Notably, embryos expressed weaker but more heterogenous plasticity than older life stages, with numerous responses appearing as non-adaptive. While developmental temperatures did not have persistent effects on thermal tolerance overall, persistent effects were vastly under-studied, and their direction and magnitude varied with ontogeny. Embryonic stages may represent a critical window of vulnerability to changing environments and we urge researchers to consider early life stages when assessing the climate vulnerability of ectotherms. Overall, our synthesis suggests that developmental changes in thermal tolerance rarely reach levels of perfect compensation and may provide limited benefit in changing environments.

Meta-analysis reveals weak but pervasive plasticity in insect thermal limits

Extreme temperature events are increasing in frequency and intensity due to climate change. Such events threaten insects, including pollinators, pests and disease vectors. Insect critical thermal limits can be enhanced through acclimation, yet evidence that plasticity aids survival at extreme temperatures is limited. Here, using meta-analyses across 1374 effect sizes, 74 studies and 102 species, we show that thermal limit plasticity is pervasive but generally weak: per 1 °C rise in acclimation temperature, critical thermal maximum increases by 0.09 °C; and per 1 °C decline, critical thermal minimum decreases by 0.15 °C. Moreover, small but significant publication bias suggests that the magnitude of plasticity is marginally overestimated. We find juvenile insects are more plastic than adults, highlighting that physiological responses of insects vary through ontogeny. Overall, we show critical thermal limit plasticity is likely of limited benefit to insects during extreme climatic events, yet we need more studies in under-represented taxa and geographic regions.

The ability of organisms to acclimate to high temperatures is increasingly put to test by climate change. This global meta-analysis shows that plasticity of thermal limits in insects is widespread but unlikely to keep pace with climate change.

Understanding costs and benefits of thermal plasticity for pest management: insights from the integration of laboratory, semi-field and field assessments of Ceratitis capitata (Diptera: Tephritidae)

The relative costs and benefits of thermal acclimation for manipulating field performance of pest insects depend upon a number of factors including which traits are affected and how persistent any trait changes are in different environments. By assessing plastic trait responses of Ceratitis capitata (Mediterranean fruit fly) across three distinct operational environments (laboratory, semi-field, and field), we examined the influence of different thermal acclimation regimes (cool, intermediate [or handling control], and warm) on thermal tolerance traits (chill-coma recovery, heat-knockdown time, critical thermal minimum and critical thermal maximum) and flight performance (mark-release-recapture). Under laboratory conditions, thermal acclimation altered thermal limits in a relatively predictable manner and there was a generally positive effect across all traits assessed, although some traits responded more strongly. By contrast, dispersal-related performance yielded strongly contrasting results depending on the specific operational environment assessed. In semi-field conditions, warm- or cold-acclimated flies were recaptured more often than the control group at cooler ambient conditions suggesting an overall stimulatory influence of thermal variability on low-temperature dispersal. Under field conditions, a different pattern was identified: colder flies were recaptured more in warmer field conditions relative to other treatment groups. This study highlights the trait- and context-specific nature of how thermal acclimation influences traits of thermal performance and tolerance. Consequently, laboratory and semi-field assessments of dispersal may not provide results that extend into the field setting despite the apparent continuum of environmental complexity among them (laboratory < semi-field < field).

The effect of thermal microenvironment in upper thermal tolerance plasticity in tropical tadpoles. Implications for vulnerability to climate warming

Current climate change is generating accelerated increase in extreme heat events and organismal plastic adjustments in upper thermal tolerances, (critical thermal maximum -CT_max ) are recognized as the quicker mitigating mechanisms. However, current research casts doubt on the actual mitigating role of thermal acclimation to face heat impacts, due to its low magnitude and weak environmental signal. Here, we examined these drawbacks by first estimating maximum extent of thermal acclimation by examining known sources of variation affecting CT_max expression, such as daily thermal fluctuation and heating rates. Second, we examined whether the magnitude and pattern of CT_max plasticity is dependent of the thermal environment by comparing the acclimation responses of six species of tropical amphibian tadpoles inhabiting thermally contrasting open and shade habitats and, finally, estimating their warming tolerances (WT = CT_max  - maximum temperatures) as estimator of heating risk. We found that plastic CT_max responses are improved in tadpoles exposed to fluctuating daily regimens. Slow heating rates implying longer duration assays determined a contrasting pattern in CT_max plastic expression, depending on species environment. Shade habitat species suffer a decline in CT_max whereas open habitat tadpoles greatly increase it, suggesting an adaptive differential ability of hot exposed species to quick hardening adjustments. Open habitat tadpoles although overall acclimate more than shade habitat species, cannot capitalize this beneficial increase in CT_max, because the maximum ambient temperatures are very close to their critical limits, and this increase may not be large enough to reduce acute heat stress under the ongoing global warming.

Designing a Seasonal Acclimation Study Presents Challenges and Opportunities

Organisms living in seasonal environments often adjust physiological capacities and sensitivities in response to (or in anticipation of) environment shifts. Such physiological and morphological adjustments (“acclimation” and related terms) inspire opportunities to explore the mechanistic bases underlying these adjustments, to detect cues inducing adjustments, and to elucidate their ecological and evolutionary consequences. Seasonal adjustments (“seasonal acclimation”) can be detected either by measuring physiological capacities and sensitivities of organisms retrieved directly from nature (or outdoor enclosures) in different seasons or less directly by rearing and measuring organisms maintained in the laboratory under conditions that attempt to mimic or track natural ones. But mimicking natural conditions in the laboratory is challenging—doing so requires prior natural-history knowledge of ecologically relevant body temperature cycles, photoperiods, food rations, social environments, among other variables. We argue that traditional laboratory-based conditions usually fail to approximate natural seasonal conditions (temperature, photoperiod, food, “lockdown”). Consequently, whether the resulting acclimation shifts correctly approximate those in nature is uncertain, and sometimes is dubious. We argue that background natural history information provides opportunities to design acclimation protocols that are not only more ecologically relevant, but also serve as templates for testing the validity of traditional protocols. Finally, we suggest several best practices to help enhance ecological realism.

Potential distribution of invasive crop pests under climate change: incorporating mitigation responses of insects into prediction models

Climate change facilitates biological invasions globally. Predicting potential distribution shifts of invasive crop pests under climate change is essential for global food security in the context of ongoing world population increase. However, existing predictions often omit the capacity of crop pests to mitigate the impacts of climate change by using microclimates, as well as through thermoregulation, life history variation and evolutionary responses. Microclimates provide refugia buffering climate extremes. Thermoregulation and life history variation can reduce the effects of diurnal and seasonal temperature variability. Evolutionary responses allow insects to adapt to long-term climate change. Neglecting these ecological processes may lead to overestimations in the negative impacts of climate change on invasive pests whereas in turn cause underestimations in their range expansions. To improve model predictions, we need to incorporate the fine-scale microclimates experienced by invasive crop pests and the mitigation responses of insects to climate change into species distribution models.

Effect of developmental temperatures on Aphidius colemani host-foraging behavior at high temperature

Temperatures experienced by insects during their adult life often differ from developmental temperatures. Yet, developmental thermal acclimation can play an important role in shaping physiological, morphological, and behavioral traits at the adult stage. We explored how three rearing temperatures (10, 20, and 28 °C) affected host-foraging behaviors and associated traits under warm conditions in the parasitoid Aphidius colemani, a key model in behavioral ecology and an important natural enemy of aphids. Developmental time was longer at lower temperatures, resulting in bigger emerging parasitoids, with higher egg-loads. Parasitism rates, emergence rates, and parasitoid survival (once placed at high temperature) were the highest for parasitoids developed at 20 °C. When exposed to 28 °C, the expression of all behavioral items (time spent walking searching for hosts, number of antennal and ovipositor contacts with hosts) was higher for parasitoids reared at 20 °C, followed by those reared at 10 °C, then those reared at 28 °C. Finally, we showed that parasitoid residence time on aphid patches was determined by both developmental temperatures and the number of host encounter without oviposition, representative of the resource quality. We revealed that developing at 28 °C did not lead to increased adult performance at this temperature, probably because of complex interactions and trade-offs between developmental costs at high temperature and optimal foraging behaviors (e.g., parasitoid size and host-handling capacities). Our results strengthen the idea that thermal developmental plasticity may play an important role in insect behavioral responses to varying temperatures, and is important to consider in the context of climate change.

Genetic variation in the heat-stress survival of embryos is largely decoupled from adult thermotolerance in an intercontinental set of recombinant lines of Drosophila melanogaster

In insects, thermal adaptation works on the genetic variation for thermotolerance of not only larvae and adults but also of the immobile stages of the life cycle including eggs. In contrast to adults and larvae, the genetic basis for thermal adaptation in embryos (eggs) remains to be tested in the model insect Drosophila melanogaster. Quantitative-trait loci (QTL) for heat-stress resistance in embryos could largely differ from previously identified QTL for larvae and adults. Here we used an intercontinental set of recombinant inbred lines (RIL), which were previously used to identify thermotolerance-QTLs in adults and larvae because of their high variation segregating for adult thermotolerance. Eggs appeared to be more heat resistant than larvae and adults from previous studies on these RIL, though different heat-shock assays were used in previous studies. We found that variation in thermotolerance in embryos can be, at least partially, genetically decoupled from thermotolerance in the adult insect. Some RIL that are heat resistant in the adult and larvae can be heat susceptible in embryos. Only one small-effect QTL out of five autosomal QTL co-localized between embryo and other ontogenetic stages. These results suggest that selection for thermal adaptation in adult flies and larvae is predicted to have only a small impact on embryo thermotolerance. In addition, heat-stress tolerance of insects can be measured across ontogenetic stages including embryos in order to better predict thermal adaptive limits of populations and species.

Developmental Temperature Affects Life-History Traits and Heat Tolerance in the Aphid Parasitoid Aphidius colemani

Developmental temperature plays important roles in the expression of insect traits through thermal developmental plasticity. We exposed the aphid parasitoid Aphidius colemani to different temperature regimes (10, 20, or 28 °C) throughout larval development and studied the expression of morphological and physiological traits indicator of fitness and heat tolerance in the adult. We showed that the mass decreased and the surface to volume ratio of parasitoids increased with the development temperature. Water content was not affected by rearing temperature, but parasitoids accumulated more lipids when reared at 20 °C. Egg content was not affected by developmental temperature, but adult survival was better for parasitoids reared at 20 °C. Finally, parasitoids developed at 20 °C showed the highest heat stupor threshold, whereas parasitoids developed at 28 °C showed the highest heat coma threshold (better heat tolerance CTmax1 and CTmax2, respectively), therefore only partly supporting the beneficial acclimation hypothesis. From a fundamental point of view, our study highlights the role of thermal plasticity (adaptive or not) on the expression of different life history traits in insects and the possible correlations that exist between these traits. From an applied perspective, these results are important in the context of biological control through mass release techniques of parasitoids in hot environments.

Effects of Thermal Acclimation on the Tolerance of Bactrocera zonata (Diptera: Tephritidae) to Hydric Stress

Insects, similarly to other small terrestrial invertebrates, are particularly susceptible to climatic stress. Physiological adjustments to cope with the environment (i.e., acclimation) together with genetic makeup eventually determine the tolerance of a species to climatic extremes, and constrain its distribution. Temperature and desiccation resistance in insects are both conditioned by acclimation and may be interconnected, particularly for species inhabiting xeric environments. We determined the effect of temperature acclimation on desiccation resistance of the peach fruit fly (Bactrocera zonata, Tephritidae) – an invasive, polyphagous pest, currently spreading through both xeric and mesic environments in Africa and the Eurasian continent. Following acclimation at three constant temperatures (20, 25, and 30°C), the survival of adult flies deprived of food and water was monitored in extreme dry and humid conditions (<10 and >90% relative humidity, respectively). We found that flies acclimated at higher temperatures were significantly heavier, and contained more lipids and protein. Acclimation temperature significantly and similarly affected the survival of males and females at both high and low humidity conditions. In both cases, flies maintained at 30°C survived longer compared to 20 and 25°C – habituated counterparts. Regardless of the effect of acclimation temperature on survival, overall life expectancy was significantly shortened when flies were assayed under desiccating conditions. Additionally, our experiments indicate no significant difference in survival patterns between males and females, and that acclimation temperature had similar effects after both short (5–10 days) and long (11–20 days) acclimation periods. We conclude that acclimation at 30°C prolongs the survival of B. zonata, regardless of ambient humidity levels. Temperature probably affected survival through modulating feeding and metabolism, allowing for accumulation of larger energetic reserves, which in turn, promoted a greater ability to resist starvation, and possibly desiccation as well. Our study set the grounds for understanding the phenotypic plasticity of B. zonata from the hydric perspective, and for further evaluating the invasion potential of this pest.

Interactions between developmental and adult acclimation have distinct consequences for heat tolerance and heat stress recovery

Developmental and adult thermal acclimation can have distinct, even opposite, effects on adult heat resistance in ectotherms. Yet, their relative contribution to heat-hardiness of ectotherms remains unclear despite the broad ecological implications thereof. Furthermore, the deterministic relationship between heat knockdown and recovery from heat stress is poorly understood but significant for establishing causal links between climate variability and population dynamics. Here, using Drosophila melanogaster in a full-factorial experimental design, we assessed the heat tolerance of flies in static stress assays, and document how developmental and adult acclimation interact with a distinct pattern to promote survival to heat stress in adults. We show that warmer adult acclimation is the initial factor enhancing survival to constant stressful high temperatures in flies, but also that the interaction between adult and developmental acclimation becomes gradually more important to ensure survival as the stress persists. This provides an important framework revealing the dynamic interplay between these two forms of acclimation that ultimately enhance thermal tolerance as a function of stress duration. Furthermore, by investigating recovery rates post-stress, we also show that the process of heat-hardening and recovery post-heat knockdown are likely to be based on set of (at least partially) divergent mechanisms. This could bear ecological significance as a trade-off may exist between increasing thermal tolerance and maximizing recovery rates post-stress, constraining population responses when exposed to variable and stressful climatic conditions.

How useful are thermal vulnerability indices?

To forecast climate change impacts across habitats or taxa, thermal vulnerability indices (e.g., safety margins and warming tolerances) are growing in popularity. Here, we present their history, context, formulation, and current applications. We highlight discrepancies in terminology and usage, and we draw attention to key assumptions underpinning the main indices and to their ecological and evolutionary relevance. In the process, we flag biases influencing these indices that are not always evaluated. These biases affect both components of index formulations, namely: (i) the characterisation of the thermal environment; and (ii) an organism's physiological and behavioural responses to more frequent and severe warming. Presently, many outstanding questions weaken a thermal vulnerability index approach. We describe ways to validate vulnerability index applications and outline issues to be considered in further developing these indices.

Cardiac performance in heat-stressed flies of heat-susceptible and heat-resistant Drosophila melanogaster

Thermotolerance is a complex trait that can greatly differ between heat-susceptible (HS) and heat-adapted populations of small insects including Drosophila, with short-term effects after a sub-lethal level of heat stress on many physiological functions. Cardiac performance could accordingly be more robust in heat-resistant (HR) than in HS individuals under heat stress. Here, we tested heart performance under heat-stress effects in two recombinant inbred lines (RIL) of Drosophila melanogaster that dramatically differ in heat knockdown resistance. Heart rate did not strongly differ between heat-susceptible and heat-tolerant flies after a sub-lethal heat stress. Instead, heat-susceptible flies showed a much higher arrhythmia incidence, a longer duration of each heartbeat, and a larger amount of bradycardia than heat-tolerant flies. The highly conserved cardiac proteins SERCA, RyR and NCX that participate in the excitation/contraction coupling, did not differ in activity level between HR and HS flies. Available information for both RIL suggests that heart performance under heat stress may be linked, at least partially, to candidate genes of previously identified quantitative trait loci (QTL) for thermotolerance. This study indicates that HR flies can be genetically more robust in their heart performance than HS flies under even sub-lethal levels of heat stress.

Flow increases tolerance of heat and hypoxia of an aquatic insect

Recent experiments support the idea that upper thermal limits of aquatic insects arise, at least in part, from a lack of sufficient oxygen: rising temperatures typically stimulate metabolic demand for oxygen more than they increase rates of oxygen supply from the environment. Consequently, factors influencing oxygen supply, like water flow, should also affect thermal and hypoxia tolerance. We tested this hypothesis by measuring the effects of experimentally manipulated flows on the heat and hypoxia tolerance of aquatic nymphs of the giant salmonfly (Plecoptera: Pteronarcys californica), a common stonefly in western North America. As predicted, stoneflies in flowing water (10 cm s-1) tolerated water that was approximately 4°C warmer and that contained approximately 15% less oxygen than did those in standing water. Our results imply that the impacts of climate change on streamflow, such as changes in patterns of precipitation and decreased snowpack, will magnify the threats to aquatic insects from warmer water temperatures and lower oxygen levels.

Geographic variation in acclimation responses of thermal tolerance in South African diving beetles (Dytiscidae: Coleoptera)

Understanding sources of variation in animal thermal limits is critical to forecasting ecological responses to climate change. Here, we estimated upper and lower thermal limits, and their capacity to respond to thermal acclimation, in several species and populations of diving beetles (Dytiscidae) from diverse geographic regions representative of variable climate within South Africa. We also considered ecoregions and latitudinal ranges as potential predictors of thermal limits and the plasticity thereof. For upper thermal limits, species showed significant variation and limited acclimation-related plasticity. Lower thermal limits responded to acclimation in some cases and showed marked variation among species that could be explained by taxonomic affiliation and ecoregion. Limited acclimation ability in the species included in this study suggest plasticity of thermal limits will not be a likely buffer for coping with climate change. From the present results for the Dytiscidae of the region, it appears the group may be particularly susceptible to heat and/or drought and may thus serve as useful indicator species of ecosystem change. Understanding how these climate-related impacts play out at different spatial and temporal scales will have profound implications for conservation management and functional responses, especially important in a region already showing a trend for warming and drying.

Time course of acclimation of critical thermal limits in two springtail species (Collembola)

Critical thermal limits are one of the most important sources of information on the possible impacts of climate change on soil microarthropods. The extent of plasticity of tolerance limits can provide valuable insights about the likely responses of ectotherms to environmental change. Although many studies have investigated various aspects of the acclimatory response of thermal limits to temperature changes in arthropods, the number of studies focusing on the temporal dynamics of this plastic response is relatively small. Collembola, one of the key microarthropods groups in almost all soil ecosystems around the world, have been the focus of several thermal acclimation studies. Yet the time course of acclimation and its reversal have not been widely studied in this group. Here we investigated the time course of acclimation of critical thermal maxima (CT_max) and minima (CT_min) of two springtail species. We exposed a Cryptopygus species from temperate southern Australia to high and low temperature conditions and Mucrosomia caeca from Sub-Antarctic Macquarie Island to high temperature conditions. Upper thermal limits in both species were found to be highly constrained, as CT_max did not show substantial response to high and low temperature acclimation both in the Cryptopygus species and M. caeca, whereas CT_min showed significant responses to high and low temperature conditions. The acclimation begins to stabilize in approximately seven days in all treatments except for the acclimation of CT_min under high temperature conditions, where the pattern of change suggests that this acclimation might take longer to be completed. Although reversal of this acclimation also begins to stabilize under 7 days, re-acclimation was relatively slow as we did not observe a very clear settling point in 2 of the 3 re-acclimation treatments. The observed limits on the plasticity of CT_max indicate that both of these species may be very limited in their ability to respond plastically to short-term rapid changes in temperature (i.e temperature extremes).

Urban ecophysiology: beyond costs, stress and biomarkers

Natural habitats are rapidly declining due to urbanisation, with a concomitant decline in biodiversity in highly urbanised areas. Yet thousands of different species have colonised urban environments. These organisms are exposed to novel urban conditions, which are sometimes beneficial, but most often challenging, such as increased ambient temperature, chemicals, noise and light pollution, dietary alterations and disturbance by humans. Given the fundamental role of physiological responses in coping with such conditions, certain physiological systems such as the redox system, metabolism and hormones are thought to specifically influence organisms' ability to persist and cope with urbanisation. However, these physiological systems often show mixed responses to urbanisation. Does this mean that some individuals, populations or species are resilient to the urban environmental challenges? Or is something missing from our analyses, leading us to erroneous conclusions regarding the impact of urbanisation? To understand the impact of urbanisation, I argue that a more integrated mechanistic and ecological approach is needed, along with experiments, in order to fully understand the physiological responses; without knowledge of their ecological and evolutionary context, physiological measures alone can be misinterpreted. Furthermore, we need to further investigate the causes of and capacity for individual plasticity in order to understand not only the impact of urbanisation, but also species resilience. I argue that abiotic and biotic urban factors can interact (e.g. pollution with micro- and macronutrients) to either constrain or relax individual physiological responses - and, thereby, plasticity - on a temporal and/or spatial scale, which can lead to erroneous conclusions regarding the impact of urbanisation.