1
|
Liu X, Lin L, Sinding MHS, Bertola LD, Hanghøj K, Quinn L, Garcia-Erill G, Rasmussen MS, Schubert M, Pečnerová P, Balboa RF, Li Z, Heaton MP, Smith TPL, Pinto RR, Wang X, Kuja J, Brüniche-Olsen A, Meisner J, Santander CG, Ogutu JO, Masembe C, da Fonseca RR, Muwanika V, Siegismund HR, Albrechtsen A, Moltke I, Heller R. Introgression and disruption of migration routes have shaped the genetic integrity of wildebeest populations. Nat Commun 2024; 15:2921. [PMID: 38609362 PMCID: PMC11014984 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-47015-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
The blue wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus) is a keystone species in savanna ecosystems from southern to eastern Africa, and is well known for its spectacular migrations and locally extreme abundance. In contrast, the black wildebeest (C. gnou) is endemic to southern Africa, barely escaped extinction in the 1900s and is feared to be in danger of genetic swamping from the blue wildebeest. Despite the ecological importance of the wildebeest, there is a lack of understanding of how its unique migratory ecology has affected its gene flow, genetic structure and phylogeography. Here, we analyze whole genomes from 121 blue and 22 black wildebeest across the genus' range. We find discrete genetic structure consistent with the morphologically defined subspecies. Unexpectedly, our analyses reveal no signs of recent interspecific admixture, but rather a late Pleistocene introgression of black wildebeest into the southern blue wildebeest populations. Finally, we find that migratory blue wildebeest populations exhibit a combination of long-range panmixia, higher genetic diversity and lower inbreeding levels compared to neighboring populations whose migration has recently been disrupted. These findings provide crucial insights into the evolutionary history of the wildebeest, and tangible genetic evidence for the negative effects of anthropogenic activities on highly migratory ungulates.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaodong Liu
- Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Long Lin
- Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | - Laura D Bertola
- Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Kristian Hanghøj
- Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Liam Quinn
- Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | | | - Mikkel Schubert
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | - Renzo F Balboa
- Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Zilong Li
- Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Michael P Heaton
- USDA, ARS, U.S. Meat Animal Research Center (USMARC), Clay Center, NE, USA
| | - Timothy P L Smith
- USDA, ARS, U.S. Meat Animal Research Center (USMARC), Clay Center, NE, USA
| | - Rui Resende Pinto
- CIIMAR-Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research-University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Section for Biodiversity, Globe Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Xi Wang
- Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Josiah Kuja
- Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | - Jonas Meisner
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Copenhagen Research Centre for Mental Health, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Cindy G Santander
- Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Joseph O Ogutu
- Biostatistics Unit, Institute of Crop Science, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Charles Masembe
- Department of Zoology, Entomology and Fisheries Sciences, Makerere University, P. O. Box 7062, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Rute R da Fonseca
- CIIMAR-Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research-University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Section for Biodiversity, Globe Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Vincent Muwanika
- Department of Environmental Management, Makerere University, PO Box 7062, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Hans R Siegismund
- Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | - Ida Moltke
- Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Rasmus Heller
- Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Lindroos EE, Bataille CP, Holder PW, Talavera G, Reich MS. Temporal stability of δ2H in insect tissues: Implications for isotope-based geographic assignments. Front Ecol Evol 2023. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2023.1060836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Hydrogen isotope geolocation of insects is based on the assumption that the chitin in the wings of adult migratory insects preserves the hydrogen isotope composition (δ2H) of the larval stages without influence of adult diet. Here, we test this assumption by conducting laboratory feeding experiments for monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) including: (1) a starvation treatment where adults were not fed and (2) an enriched treatment where adults were fed a diet isotopically enriched in deuterium (~ +78‰) compared to the larval diet. The δ2H values of adult wings were measured at different time steps along the 24-day experiment. We also investigated intra-wing differences in δ2H values caused by wing pigmentation, absence of wing scales, and presence of major wing veins. We conclude that, although the magnitude of the changes in δ2H values are small (~6‰), wing δ2H values vary based on adult diet and insect age, particularly early after eclosion (i.e., 1–4 days). We found that wing shade, wing pigmentation, and the presence of wing scales do not alter wing δ2H values. However, wing samples containing veins had systematically higher δ2H values (~9‰), suggesting that adult diet influences the hemolymph that circulates in the wing veins. We hypothesise that there is a stronger influence of adult diet on the isotope signal of wings during early adult life relative to later life because of increased metabolic and physiologic activity in young insect wings. We argue that the influence of the isotopic contribution of adult diet is generally small and is likely minimal if the wings are carefully sampled to avoid veins. However, we also demonstrated that wings are not inert tissues, and that adult feeding contributes to some of the intra-population δ2H variance. We conclude that δ2H geolocation using insect wings remains valid, but that adult feeding, butterfly age and wing vein sampling generate an inherent uncertainty limiting the precision of geolocation.
Collapse
|
3
|
Massie JA, Santos RO, Rezek RJ, James WR, Viadero NM, Boucek RE, Blewett DA, Trotter AA, Stevens PW, Rehage JS. Primed and cued: long-term acoustic telemetry links interannual and seasonal variations in freshwater flows to the spawning migrations of Common Snook in the Florida Everglades. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2022; 10:48. [PMID: 36372881 PMCID: PMC9655820 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-022-00350-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Spawning migrations are a widespread phenomenon among fishes, often occurring in response to environmental conditions prompting movement into reproductive habitats (migratory cues). However, for many species, individual fish may choose not to migrate, and research suggests that conditions preceding the spawning season (migratory primers) may influence this decision. Few studies have provided empirical descriptions of these prior conditions, partly due to a lack of long-term data allowing for robust multi-year comparisons. To investigate how primers and cues interact to shape the spawning migrations of coastal fishes, we use acoustic telemetry data from Common Snook (Centropomus undecimalis) in Everglades National Park, Florida, USA. A contingent of Snook migrate between rivers and coastal spawning sites, varying annually in both the proportion of the population that migrates and the timing of migration within the spawning season. However, the specific environmental factors that serve as migratory primers and cues remain unknown. METHODS We used eight years of acoustic telemetry data (2012-2019) from 173 tagged Common Snook to investigate how primers and cues influence migratory patterns at different temporal scales. We hypothesize that (1) interannual differences in hydrologic conditions preceding the spawning season contribute to the number of individuals migrating each year, and (2) specific environmental cues trigger the timing of migrations during the spawning season. We used GLMMs to model both the annual and seasonal migratory response in relation to flow characteristics (water level, rate of change in water level), other hydrologic/abiotic conditions (temperature, salinity), fish size, and phenological cues independent of riverine conditions (photoperiod, lunar cycle). RESULTS We found that the extent of minimum marsh water level prior to migration and fish size influence the proportion of Snook migrating each year, and that high river water level and daily rates of change serve as primary cues triggering migration timing. CONCLUSION Our findings illustrate how spawning migrations are shaped by environmental factors acting at different temporal scales and emphasize the importance of long-term movement data in understanding these patterns. Research providing mechanistic descriptions of conditions that promote migration and reproduction can help inform management decisions aimed at conserving ecologically and economically important species.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jordan A Massie
- Institute of Environment, Department of Earth and Environment, Florida International University, 11200 SW 8th St., Miami, FL, USA.
| | - Rolando O Santos
- Institute of Environment, Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Ryan J Rezek
- Department of Marine Science, Coastal Carolina University, Conway, SC, USA
| | - W Ryan James
- Institute of Environment, Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Natasha M Viadero
- Institute of Environment, Department of Earth and Environment, Florida International University, 11200 SW 8th St., Miami, FL, USA
| | - Ross E Boucek
- Bonefish & Tarpon Trust, Florida Keys Initiative, Marathon, FL, USA
| | - David A Blewett
- Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, Port Charlotte, FL, USA
| | - Alexis A Trotter
- Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, St. Petersburg, FL, USA
| | - Philip W Stevens
- Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, St. Petersburg, FL, USA
| | - Jennifer S Rehage
- Institute of Environment, Department of Earth and Environment, Florida International University, 11200 SW 8th St., Miami, FL, USA
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Poessel SA, Woodbridge B, Smith BW, Murphy RK, Bedrosian BE, Bell DA, Bittner D, Bloom PH, Crandall RH, Domenech R, Fisher RN, Haggerty PK, Slater SJ, Tracey JA, Watson JW, Katzner TE. Interpreting long‐distance movements of non‐migratory golden eagles: Prospecting and nomadism? Ecosphere 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.4072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Sharon A. Poessel
- U.S. Geological Survey Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center Boise Idaho USA
| | - Brian Woodbridge
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Division of Migratory Birds Management Denver Federal Center Denver Colorado USA
| | - Brian W. Smith
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Division of Migratory Birds Management Denver Federal Center Denver Colorado USA
| | | | | | | | - David Bittner
- Wildlife Research Institute, Inc. Julian California USA
| | | | | | | | - Robert N. Fisher
- U.S. Geological Survey Western Ecological Research Center San Diego California USA
| | - Patricia K. Haggerty
- U.S. Geological Survey Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center Corvallis Oregon USA
| | | | - Jeff A. Tracey
- U.S. Geological Survey Western Ecological Research Center San Diego California USA
| | - James W. Watson
- Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Olympia Washington USA
| | - Todd E. Katzner
- U.S. Geological Survey Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center Boise Idaho USA
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Beltran RS, Yuen AL, Condit R, Robinson PW, Czapanskiy MF, Crocker DE, Costa DP. Elephant seals time their long-distance migrations using a map sense. Curr Biol 2022; 32:R156-R157. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2022.01.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
|
6
|
Magnetic maps in animal navigation. J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol 2022; 208:41-67. [PMID: 34999936 PMCID: PMC8918461 DOI: 10.1007/s00359-021-01529-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2021] [Revised: 11/21/2021] [Accepted: 11/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
In addition to providing animals with a source of directional or ‘compass’ information, Earth’s magnetic field also provides a potential source of positional or ‘map’ information that animals might exploit to assess location. In less than a generation, the idea that animals use Earth’s magnetic field as a kind of map has gone from a contentious hypothesis to a well-established tenet of animal navigation. Diverse animals ranging from lobsters to birds are now known to use magnetic positional information for a variety of purposes, including staying on track along migratory pathways, adjusting food intake at appropriate points in a migration, remaining within a suitable oceanic region, and navigating toward specific goals. Recent findings also indicate that sea turtles, salmon, and at least some birds imprint on the magnetic field of their natal area when young and use this information to facilitate return as adults, a process that may underlie long-distance natal homing (a.k.a. natal philopatry) in many species. Despite recent progress, much remains to be learned about the organization of magnetic maps, how they develop, and how animals use them in navigation.
Collapse
|
7
|
Bernard A, Rodrigues AS, Cazalis V, Grémillet D. Toward a global strategy for seabird tracking. Conserv Lett 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/conl.12804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Alice Bernard
- CEFE, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD Montpellier France
- Sustainability Research Unit Nelson Mandela University (NMU) George South Africa
- CNRS UMR 5558, LBBE Université Lyon 1 Villeurbanne Cedex France
- REHABS, CNRS‐Université Lyon 1‐NMU, International Research Laboratory George South Africa
| | | | - Victor Cazalis
- CEFE, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD Montpellier France
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle‐Jena‐Leipzig, Puschstr. 4 Leipzig Germany
- Leipzig University Leipzig Germany
| | - David Grémillet
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC) UMR 7372 CNRS – La Rochelle Université Villiers‐en‐Bois France
- FitzPatrick Institute DST/NRF Excellence Centre at the University of Cape Town Rondebosch South Africa
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Chowdhury S, Fuller RA, Dingle H, Chapman JW, Zalucki MP. Migration in butterflies: a global overview. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2021; 96:1462-1483. [PMID: 33783119 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12714] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2020] [Revised: 03/16/2021] [Accepted: 03/17/2021] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Insect populations including butterflies are declining worldwide, and they are becoming an urgent conservation priority in many regions. Understanding which butterfly species migrate is critical to planning for their conservation, because management actions for migrants need to be coordinated across time and space. Yet, while migration appears to be widespread among butterflies, its prevalence, as well as its taxonomic and geographic distribution are poorly understood. The study of insect migration is hampered by their small size and the difficulty of tracking individuals over long distances. Here we review the literature on migration in butterflies, one of the best-known insect groups. We find that nearly 600 butterfly species show evidence of migratory movements. Indeed, the rate of 'discovery' of migratory movements in butterflies suggests that many more species might in fact be migratory. Butterfly migration occurs across all families, in tropical as well as temperate taxa; Nymphalidae has more migratory species than any other family (275 species), and Pieridae has the highest proportion of migrants (13%; 133 species). Some 13 lines of evidence have been used to ascribe migration status in the literature, but only a single line of evidence is available for 92% of the migratory species identified, with four or more lines of evidence available for only 10 species - all from the Pieridae and Nymphalidae. Migratory butterflies occur worldwide, although the geographic distribution of migration in butterflies is poorly resolved, with most data so far coming from Europe, USA, and Australia. Migration is much more widespread in butterflies than previously realised - extending far beyond the well-known examples of the monarch Danaus plexippus and the painted lady Vanessa cardui - and actions to conserve butterflies and insects in general must account for the spatial dependencies introduced by migratory movements.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shawan Chowdhury
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Saint Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - Richard A Fuller
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Saint Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - Hugh Dingle
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Jason W Chapman
- Biosciences, Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Penryn, TR10 9FE, UK.,College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Myron P Zalucki
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Saint Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Benediktová K, Adámková J, Svoboda J, Painter MS, Bartoš L, Nováková P, Vynikalová L, Hart V, Phillips J, Burda H. Magnetic alignment enhances homing efficiency of hunting dogs. eLife 2020; 9:55080. [PMID: 32539933 PMCID: PMC7297537 DOI: 10.7554/elife.55080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2020] [Accepted: 05/27/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite anecdotal reports of the astonishing homing abilities in dogs, their homing strategies are not fully understood. We equipped 27 hunting dogs with GPS collars and action cams, let them freely roam in forested areas, and analyzed components of homing in over 600 trials. When returning to the owner (homewards), dogs either followed their outbound track (‘tracking’) or used a novel route (‘scouting’). The inbound track during scouting started mostly with a short (about 20 m) run along the north-south geomagnetic axis, irrespective of the actual direction homewards. Performing such a ‘compass run’ significantly increased homing efficiency. We propose that this run is instrumental for bringing the mental map into register with the magnetic compass and to establish the heading of the animal.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kateřina Benediktová
- Department of Game Management and Wildlife Biology, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences, Praha, Czech Republic
| | - Jana Adámková
- Department of Game Management and Wildlife Biology, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences, Praha, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Svoboda
- Department of Game Management and Wildlife Biology, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences, Praha, Czech Republic
| | - Michael Scott Painter
- Department of Game Management and Wildlife Biology, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences, Praha, Czech Republic.,Biology Department, Barry University, Miami, United States
| | - Luděk Bartoš
- Department of Ethology, Institute of Animal Science, Praha, Czech Republic.,Department of Ethology and Companion Animal Science, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences, Praha, Czech Republic
| | - Petra Nováková
- Department of Game Management and Wildlife Biology, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences, Praha, Czech Republic
| | - Lucie Vynikalová
- Department of Zoology and Fisheries, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences, Praha, Czech Republic
| | - Vlastimil Hart
- Department of Game Management and Wildlife Biology, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences, Praha, Czech Republic
| | - John Phillips
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, United States
| | - Hynek Burda
- Department of Game Management and Wildlife Biology, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences, Praha, Czech Republic
| |
Collapse
|