1
|
Pruett JE, Hall JM, Tiatragul S, Warner DA. Nesting in Anolis Lizards: An Understudied Topic in a Well-Studied Clade. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.821115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Maternal nesting behavior in oviparous species strongly influences the environmental conditions their embryos experience during development. In turn, these early-life conditions have consequences for offspring phenotypes and many fitness components across an individual’s lifespan. Thus, identifying the evolutionary and ecological causes and effects of nesting behavior is a key goal of behavioral ecology. Studies of reptiles have contributed greatly to our understanding of how nesting behavior shapes offspring phenotypes. While some taxonomic groups have been used extensively to provide insights into this important area of biology, many groups remain poorly studied. For example, the squamate genus Anolis has served as a model to study behavior, ecology, and evolution, but research focused on Anolis nesting behavior and developmental plasticity is comparatively scarce. This dearth of empirical research may be attributed to logistical challenges (e.g., difficulty locating nests), biological factors (e.g., their single-egg clutches may hinder some experimental designs), and a historical focus on males in Anolis research. Although there is a gap in the literature concerning Anolis nesting behavior, interest in nesting ecology and developmental plasticity in this group has grown in recent years. In this paper, we (1) review existing studies of anole nesting ecology and developmental plasticity; (2) highlight areas of anole nesting ecology that are currently understudied and discuss how research in these areas can contribute to broader topics (e.g., maternal effects and global change biology); and (3) provide guidelines for studying anole nesting in the field. Overall, this review provides a foundation for establishing anoles as models to study nesting ecology and developmental plasticity.
Collapse
|
2
|
Raynal RS, Noble DWA, Riley JL, Senior AM, Warner DA, While GM, Schwanz LE. Impact of fluctuating developmental temperatures on phenotypic traits in reptiles: a meta-analysis. J Exp Biol 2022; 225:274260. [PMID: 35258602 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.243369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2021] [Accepted: 11/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
During the vulnerable stages of early life, most ectothermic animals experience hourly and diel fluctuations in temperature as air temperatures change. While we know a great deal about how different constant temperatures impact the phenotypes of developing ectotherms, we know remarkably little about the impacts of temperature fluctuations on the development of ectotherms. In this study, we used a meta-analytic approach to compare the mean and variance of phenotypic outcomes from constant and fluctuating incubation temperatures across reptile species. We found that fluctuating temperatures provided a small benefit (higher hatching success and shorter incubation durations) at cool mean temperatures compared with constant temperatures, but had a negative effect at warm mean temperatures. In addition, more extreme temperature fluctuations led to greater reductions in embryonic survival compared with moderate temperature fluctuations. Within the limited data available from species with temperature-dependent sex determination, embryos had a higher chance of developing as female when developing in fluctuating temperatures compared with those developing in constant temperatures. With our meta-analytic approach, we identified average mean nest temperatures across all taxa where reptiles switch from receiving benefits to incurring costs when incubation temperatures fluctuate. More broadly, our study indicates that the impact of fluctuating developmental temperature on some phenotypes in ectothermic taxa are likely to be predictable via integration of developmental temperature profiles with thermal performance curves.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca S Raynal
- Evolution & Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Daniel W A Noble
- Division of Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2600, Australia
| | - Julia L Riley
- Department of Biology, Mount Allison University, Sackville, NB, Canada, E4L 1E2
| | - Alistair M Senior
- Charles Perkins Centre, Faculty of Science, School of Life and Environmental Sciences and School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Daniel A Warner
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Sciences and Mathematics, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
| | - Geoffrey M While
- School of Natural Sciences, University of Tasmania, Sandy Bay, Hobart, TAS 7001, Australia
| | - Lisa E Schwanz
- Evolution & Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Kwapich CL. Green Anole (Anolis carolinensis) Eggs Associated with Nest Chambers of the Trap-Jaw Ant Odontomachus brunneus. SOUTHEAST NAT 2021. [DOI: 10.1656/058.020.0409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Christina L. Kwapich
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Massachusetts Lowell, One University Avenue, Lowell, MA 01854;
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Sanger TJ, Harding L, Kyrkos J, Turnquist AJ, Epperlein L, Nunez SA, Lachance D, Dhindsa S, Stroud JT, Diaz RE, Czesny B. Environmental Thermal Stress Induces Neuronal Cell Death and Developmental Malformations in Reptiles. Integr Org Biol 2021; 3:obab033. [PMID: 34877473 PMCID: PMC8643577 DOI: 10.1093/iob/obab033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2021] [Revised: 09/25/2021] [Accepted: 11/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Every stage of organismal life history is being challenged by global warming. Many species are already experiencing temperatures approaching their physiological limits; this is particularly true for ectothermic species, such as lizards. Embryos are markedly sensitive to thermal insult. Here, we demonstrate that temperatures currently experienced in natural nesting areas can modify gene expression levels and induce neural and craniofacial malformations in embryos of the lizard Anolis sagrei. Developmental abnormalities ranged from minor changes in facial structure to significant disruption of anterior face and forebrain. The first several days of postoviposition development are particularly sensitive to this thermal insult. These results raise new concern over the viability of ectothermic species under contemporary climate change. Herein, we propose and test a novel developmental hypothesis that describes the cellular and developmental origins of those malformations: cell death in the developing forebrain and abnormal facial induction due to disrupted Hedgehog signaling. Based on similarities in the embryonic response to thermal stress among distantly related species, we propose that this developmental hypothesis represents a common embryonic response to thermal insult among amniote embryos. Our results emphasize the importance of adopting a broad, multidisciplinary approach that includes both lab and field perspectives when trying to understand the future impacts of anthropogenic change on animal development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Thomas J Sanger
- Department of Biology, Loyola University Chicago, 1050 Sheridan Rd., Chicago, IL 60660, USA
| | - Laura Harding
- Department of Biology, Loyola University Chicago, 1050 Sheridan Rd., Chicago, IL 60660, USA
| | - Judith Kyrkos
- Department of Biology, Loyola University Chicago, 1050 Sheridan Rd., Chicago, IL 60660, USA
| | - Alexandrea J Turnquist
- Department of Biology, Loyola University Chicago, 1050 Sheridan Rd., Chicago, IL 60660, USA
| | - Lilian Epperlein
- Department of Biology, Loyola University Chicago, 1050 Sheridan Rd., Chicago, IL 60660, USA
| | - Sylvia A Nunez
- Department of Biology, Loyola University Chicago, 1050 Sheridan Rd., Chicago, IL 60660, USA
| | - Dryden Lachance
- Department of Biology, Loyola University Chicago, 1050 Sheridan Rd., Chicago, IL 60660, USA
| | - Seerat Dhindsa
- Department of Biology, Loyola University Chicago, 1050 Sheridan Rd., Chicago, IL 60660, USA
| | - James T Stroud
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, Campus Box 1137. One Brookings Drive St. Louis, MO 63130-4899, USA
| | - Raul E Diaz
- Department of Biological Sciences, California State University, Los Angeles, 5151 State University Dr., Los Angeles, CA 90032, USA
| | - Beata Czesny
- Department of Biology, Loyola University Chicago, 1050 Sheridan Rd., Chicago, IL 60660, USA
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Nest site selection in a southern and northern population of the velvet gecko (Amalosia lesueurii). J Therm Biol 2021; 102:103121. [PMID: 34863484 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2021.103121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2021] [Revised: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 10/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
In many oviparous reptiles, thermal conditions inside nests influence phenotypic traits of hatchlings that are linked to survival. Maternal nest-site selection can therefore have long-term implications for offspring and maternal fitness. We studied nest-site selection in a nocturnal lizard (Amalosia lesueurii) from south eastern Australia. Females of this species lay their eggs communally inside rock crevices, and previous studies have shown that maximum daily nest temperatures are positively correlated with maximum daily air temperatures. The incubation period extends for up to 100 d, so during hot summers, embryos may be exposed to stressful thermal conditions. Potentially, mothers could buffer their eggs from thermal extremes via careful selection of nest sites. To evaluate this, we studied nest site selection in a southern population (Morton) and a northern population (Yengo) that experience mild and hot summers respectively. In the field, we measured the physical characteristics, orientation, canopy cover and incident radiation load, and thermal regimes of nest sites and randomly available crevices during one of the hottest Australian summers on record (2018-2019). We found strong inter population differences in the degree of canopy cover and solar radiation loads above nest sites. Nest sites from Morton were more open, and received higher radiation loads, than nest sites from Yengo. Mean nest temperatures were similar in Morton and Yengo, but nests from Yengo experienced higher daily temperatures than those from Morton. During heatwaves, temperatures in some nests exceeded the species critical thermal maximum (39.9 °C) for several hours each day. Our results show that females can adjust nest-site choice to match local environments, but future research is necessary to clarify whether exposure to high temperatures influences hatching success or offspring phenotypes in this species.
Collapse
|
6
|
Hall JM, Miracle J, Scruggs CD, Warner DA. Natural nest substrates influence squamate embryo physiology but have little effect on hatchling phenotypes. Integr Zool 2021; 17:550-566. [PMID: 34002932 DOI: 10.1111/1749-4877.12553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Vertebrate embryos require access to water; however, many species nest in terrestrial habitats that vary considerably in moisture content. Oviparous, non-avian reptiles have served as models to understand how environmental factors, like moisture availability, influence development because eggs are often exposed to prevailing environments in the absence of parental care. Though much research demonstrates the importance of water absorption by eggs, many ecological factors that influence moisture availability in natural nests have received little attention. For example, the type of substrate in which nests are constructed is understudied. We experimentally incubated eggs of the brown anole lizard (Anolis sagrei) in 2 naturally occurring nest substrates that were treated with varying amounts of water to determine how natural substrates influence development at different moisture concentrations. One substrate consisted of sand and crushed seashells and the other was mostly organic material (i.e. decayed plant material). Both are common nesting substrates at our field site. When controlling for water uptake by eggs, we found that egg survival and hatchling phenotypes were similar between substrates; however, embryos developed more quickly in the sand/shell substrate than the organic substrate, indicating substrate-specific effects on embryo physiology. These results demonstrate that different natural substrates can result in similar developmental outcomes if the water available to eggs is comparable; however, some aspects of development, like developmental rate, are affected by the type of substrate, independent of water availability. Further study is required to determine how natural substrates influence embryo physiology independent of water content.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joshua M Hall
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama, USA
| | - Jocelyn Miracle
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama, USA
| | - Cindy D Scruggs
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama, USA
| | - Daniel A Warner
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama, USA
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
A reciprocal egg-swap experiment reveals sources of variation in developmental success among populations of a desert lizard. Oecologia 2021; 196:27-35. [PMID: 33825007 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-021-04903-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2020] [Accepted: 03/23/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Identifying intrinsic and extrinsic sources of variation in life history traits among populations has been well-studied at the post-embryonic stage but rarely at the embryonic stage. To reveal these sources of variation in the developmental success of embryos, we measured the physical characteristics of nest environments and conducted reciprocal egg-swap experiments in two populations of the toad-headed agamid lizard (Phrynocephalus przewalskii), isolated from each other by a mountain range. We determined the effects of population origin and nest environment on embryonic and offspring traits related to developmental success, including incubation period, hatching success, and offspring growth and survival. Females from the northern population constructed deeper nests that were colder and wetter than those from the southern population. Northern embryos had higher hatching success than the southern embryos when incubated at the northern nest environment, but not when they were incubated at the southern nest environment. The southern hatchlings grew faster than the northern hatchlings when incubated at the southern nest environment, but not after incubation at the northern nest environment. These phenomena likely reflect local adaptation of embryonic development to their nest environments among populations in lizards. In addition, the southern hatchlings had higher survivorship than the northern hatchlings regardless of nest environment, suggesting the southern population has evolved a superior phenotype at the hatchling stage to maximize its fitness.
Collapse
|
8
|
Li S, Hao X, Sun B, Bi J, Zhang Y, DU W. Phenotypic consequences of maternally selected nests: a cross-fostering experiment in a desert lizard. Integr Zool 2020; 16:741-754. [PMID: 33190392 DOI: 10.1111/1749-4877.12505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Despite the importance of maternally selected nests in shaping offspring phenotypes, our understanding of how the nest environment affects embryonic development and offspring traits of most non-avian reptiles is rather limited largely due to the logistical difficulty in locating their nests. To identify the relative contributions of environmental (temporal [seasonal] and spatial [nest-site]) and intrinsic (clutch) factors on embryonic development and offspring traits, we conducted a cross-fostering experiment by swapping eggs between maternally-selected nests of the toad-headed agama (Phrynocephalus przewalskii) in the field. We found that nest environment explained a large proportion of variation in incubation duration, hatching success, and offspring size and growth. In contrast, clutch only explained a small proportion of variation in these embryonic and offspring traits. More significantly, compared with spatial effects, seasonal effects explained more phenotypic variation in both embryonic development and offspring traits. Eggs laid early in the nesting season had longer incubation durations and produced smaller hatchlings with higher post-hatching growth rates than did later-laid eggs. Consequently, hatchlings from early-laid eggs reached larger body sizes prior to winter. In addition, we found that female toad-headed agama did not select nests specific to reaction norms of their own offspring because hatchlings from original or translocated nests had similar phenotypic traits. Overall, our study demonstrates the importance of seasonal variation in nest environments in determining embryonic development and offspring phenotypes, which has not been widely appreciated at least in non-avian reptiles.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shuran Li
- College of Life and Environmental Science, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China.,International Society of Zoological Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xin Hao
- Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Baojun Sun
- Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Junhuai Bi
- College of Life Science, Inner Mongolia Normal University, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, China
| | - Yongpu Zhang
- College of Life and Environmental Science, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Weiguo DU
- Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,Center for Excellence in Animal Evolution and Genetics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Dependence on a human structure influences the extinction of a non-native lizard population after a major environmental change. Biol Invasions 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s10530-020-02405-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
|
10
|
Hall JM, Warner DA. Ecologically relevant thermal fluctuations enhance offspring fitness: biological and methodological implications for studies of thermal developmental plasticity. J Exp Biol 2020; 223:jeb231902. [PMID: 32778564 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.231902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2020] [Accepted: 08/04/2020] [Indexed: 08/26/2023]
Abstract
Natural thermal environments are notably complex and challenging to mimic in controlled studies. Consequently, our understanding of the ecological relevance and underlying mechanisms of organismal responses to thermal environments is often limited. For example, studies of thermal developmental plasticity have provided key insights into the ecological consequences of temperature variation, but most laboratory studies use treatments that do not reflect natural thermal regimes. While controlling other important factors, we compared the effects of naturally fluctuating temperatures with those of commonly used laboratory regimes on development of lizard embryos and offspring phenotypes and survival. We incubated eggs in four treatments: three that followed procedures commonly used in the literature, and one that precisely mimicked naturally fluctuating nest temperatures. To explore context-dependent effects, we replicated these treatments across two seasonal regimes: relatively cool temperatures from nests constructed early in the season and warm temperatures from late-season nests. We show that natural thermal fluctuations have a relatively small effect on developmental variables but enhance hatchling performance and survival at cooler temperatures. Thus, natural thermal fluctuations are important for successful development and simpler approximations (e.g. repeated sine waves, constant temperatures) may poorly reflect natural systems under some conditions. Thus, the benefits of precisely replicating real-world temperatures in controlled studies may outweigh logistical costs. Although patterns might vary according to study system and research goals, our methodological approach demonstrates the importance of incorporating natural variation into controlled studies and provides biologists interested in thermal ecology with a framework for validating the effectiveness of commonly used methods.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joshua M Hall
- Auburn University, Department of Biological Sciences, 101 Rouse Life Sciences Building, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
| | - Daniel A Warner
- Auburn University, Department of Biological Sciences, 101 Rouse Life Sciences Building, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
DeSana A, Fargevieille A, Warner DA. Survival of lizard eggs varies with microhabitat in the presence of an invertebrate nest predator. Evol Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s10682-020-10058-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
|
12
|
Pruett JE, Fargevieille A, Warner DA. Temporal variation in maternal nest choice and its consequences for lizard embryos. Behav Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/araa032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
AbstractMicrohabitat choice of nest sites is an important maternal effect that influences the survival and development of embryos in oviparous species. Embryos of many species display a high degree of plasticity in response to developmental environments, which places maternal nesting behavior under strong selective pressure, particularly in temporally changing environments. Nesting behavior varies widely across taxa that exhibit diverse reproductive strategies. The brown anole (Anolis sagrei), for example, lays one egg every 7–10 days across an extended reproductive season from April to October. This aspect of their reproduction provides an opportunity to examine temporal shifts in nesting behavior and its consequences on egg survival and offspring development under seasonally changing climatic conditions. We conducted a two-part study to quantify temporal variation in maternal nesting behavior and its effect on development of A. sagrei embryos. First, we measured nest micro-environments over the nesting season. Second, we “planted” eggs across the landscape at our field site to examine the influence of nest conditions on egg survival and hatchling phenotypes. We also incubated eggs inside chambers in the field to decouple effects of nest moisture from those of other environmental variables (e.g., temperature). Females chose nest sites with higher moisture and lower temperatures relative to what was generally available across the landscape during the nesting season. In addition, eggs exposed to relatively cool temperatures had higher hatching success, and high nest moisture increased egg survival and body condition of hatchlings. Overall, we provide evidence in the field that maternal nesting behavior facilitates offspring survival.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jenna E Pruett
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Rouse Life Sciences, Auburn, AL, USA
| | - Amélie Fargevieille
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Rouse Life Sciences, Auburn, AL, USA
| | - Daniel A Warner
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Rouse Life Sciences, Auburn, AL, USA
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Dees A, Wilson K, Reali C, Pruett JE, Hall JM, Brandt R, Warner DA. Communal egg‐laying behaviour and the consequences of egg aggregation in the brown anole (
Anolis sagrei
). Ethology 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.13028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Allison Dees
- Department of Biological Sciences Auburn University Auburn AL USA
| | - Kayla Wilson
- Department of Biological Sciences Auburn University Auburn AL USA
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Alabama at Huntsville Huntsville AL USA
| | - Chanel Reali
- Department of Biological Sciences Auburn University Auburn AL USA
| | - Jenna E. Pruett
- Department of Biological Sciences Auburn University Auburn AL USA
| | - Joshua M. Hall
- Department of Biological Sciences Auburn University Auburn AL USA
| | - Renata Brandt
- Department of Biological Sciences Auburn University Auburn AL USA
- School of the Environment Laurentian University Sudbury ON Canada
- Science North Sudbury ON Canada
| | - Daniel A. Warner
- Department of Biological Sciences Auburn University Auburn AL USA
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Hall JM, Warner DA. Thermal sensitivity of lizard embryos indicates a mismatch between oxygen supply and demand at near‐lethal temperatures. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY PART 2020; 335:72-85. [DOI: 10.1002/jez.2359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2020] [Revised: 03/27/2020] [Accepted: 03/30/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Joshua M. Hall
- Department of Biological Sciences Auburn University Auburn Alabama
| | - Daniel A. Warner
- Department of Biological Sciences Auburn University Auburn Alabama
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Hulbert AC, Hall JM, Mitchell TS, Warner DA. Use of human-made structures facilitates persistence of a non-native ectotherm. Biol Invasions 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s10530-020-02236-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
|
16
|
Tiatragul S, Hall JM, Warner DA. Nestled in the city heat: urban nesting behavior enhances embryo development of an invasive lizard. JOURNAL OF URBAN ECOLOGY 2020. [DOI: 10.1093/jue/juaa001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Urbanization transforms many aspects of natural landscapes and poses many new challenges for individual survival and population persistence. Thus, urbanization provides an opportunity to examine how organisms deal with novel environmental change. Many studies provide evidence of phenotypic adaptation to urban environments, but few focus on responses during early life stages. Filling this information gap is important, because early life stages are particularly sensitive to abiotic factors, and no population is sustainable without successful embryo development. We tested the hypotheses that (i) embryos tolerate warmer temperature conditions of urbanized areas and (ii) maternal nesting behavior protects embryos from potentially lethal thermal conditions in urbanized habitats. We studied introduced populations of a subtropical lizard, Anolis cristatellus, in suburban and forested areas in Miami, Florida. In each habitat, we measured microenvironment variables for locations that females used for nesting vs. locations they did not use. We then incubated eggs from both populations under thermal conditions that mimicked used and unused sites. Nests in the suburban site were warmer than in the forest; however, in the suburban site, locations that females used were relatively cool compared with locations that were not used. We found no evidence that embryos are adapted to their respective suburban or forested thermal environments, but rather maternal nest-site choice enhanced embryo development in the suburban habitat. Maternal nesting behavior is likely an important factor for population persistence under major environmental changes, and a key contributor to the establishment and spread of invasive organisms across urbanized landscapes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sarin Tiatragul
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
| | - Joshua M Hall
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
| | - Daniel A Warner
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Schwanz LE, Georges A, Holleley CE, Sarre SD. Climate change, sex reversal and lability of sex‐determining systems. J Evol Biol 2020; 33:270-281. [DOI: 10.1111/jeb.13587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2019] [Revised: 12/03/2019] [Accepted: 12/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Lisa E. Schwanz
- Evolution & Ecology Research Centre School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences UNSW Sydney Sydney NSW Australia
| | - Arthur Georges
- Institute for Applied Ecology University of Canberra Canberra ACT Australia
| | - Clare E. Holleley
- Australian National Wildlife Collection CSIRO National Research Collections Australia Canberra ACT Australia
| | - Stephen D. Sarre
- Institute for Applied Ecology University of Canberra Canberra ACT Australia
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
de Andrade AC. Metropolitan lizards? Urbanization gradient and the density of lagartixas ( Tropidurus hispidus) in a tropical city. Ecol Evol 2020; 10:1740-1750. [PMID: 32128113 PMCID: PMC7042683 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.5518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2019] [Revised: 06/11/2019] [Accepted: 07/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Urbanization, with its cohort of environmental stressors, has a dramatic effect on wildlife, causing loss of biodiversity and decline in population abundance customarily associated with increasing levels of impervious surface and fragmentation of native habitats. Some studies suggest that faunal species from open habitats, and with higher abundance in natural environments, seem more likely to tolerate and live in urban environments. Here I evaluate how the level of urbanization affects lagartixas (Tropidurus hispidus) one of the most common lizards found in open vegetation ecosystems in NE Brazil. I surveyed a total of 47 transects across sites that differed in proportion of impervious surface (high, mild, peri-urban, and rural). I also collected specific biotic (herbaceous cover, tree, and arthropod abundance) and abiotic (amount of shelters and impervious surfaces) factors that could affect lagartixas abundance. Ants were the most common arthropod both in the rural and urban environment. Lagartixas thrive in urban environments, and trees and shelter were key predictors of their abundance. Lagartixas show a clear association with use of artificial structures. The low densities of lagartixas in rural areas and higher density in urbanized areas suggest that they colonized urban areas due to the hard surfaces and they probably are not exploiting a novel habitat, but somewhat responding to conditions resembling those in which they evolved. Finally, lagartixas are extremely common in tropical cities, they have a suite of features that are associated with selective pressures in cities and they might play a key functional role in urban ecosystems making this lizard an excellent system for the study of ecology and adaptation to the urban environments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Antonio C. de Andrade
- Departamento de Engenharia e Meio AmbienteUniversidade Federal da ParaibaRio TintoBrazil
- Centre of Urban EnviromentsUniversity of Toronto MississaugaMississaugaONCanada
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Muller BJ, Andrews RM, Schwarzkopf L, Pike DA. Social context alters retreat- and nest-site selection in a globally invasive gecko, Hemidactylus frenatus. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2019. [DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blz188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Microhabitat orientation and structure and the presence of conspecifics may strongly influence the choice of habitat. We studied how these variables influence retreat- and nest-site selection in gravid females of a globally successful invasive species, the Asian house gecko (Hemidactylus frenatus). When provided with various substrates (vertical and horizontal ceramic tiles, vertical and horizontal plywood tiles, horizontal bark over leaf litter, vertical bark over a log, and sand) gravid female geckos preferred to retreat to, and nest in, materials with crevices commonly found in urban habitats. When housed alone, gravid females most frequently retreated to vertical ceramic tile or wooden crevices, and 66.7% nested in vertical ceramic tiles. When housed with two other conspecifics, gravid females most frequently retreated to vertical ceramic tiles, but selected a wider range of nest sites. Overall, gravid geckos housed alone typically nested in the same substrates that they used as diurnal retreats; when housed in groups, however, females oviposited in locations different from those they selected as retreats. Thus, H. frenatus females use a wider range of substrates when conspecifics are present. Invasion success in this species might be driven, in part, by preferences for retreat and nest substrates that are common in human-dominated habitats.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin J Muller
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Robin M Andrews
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Lin Schwarzkopf
- College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, Australia
| | - David A Pike
- Department of Biology, Rhodes College, Memphis, TN, USA
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Hall JM, Warner DA. Thermal tolerance in the urban heat island: thermal sensitivity varies ontogenetically and differs between embryos of two sympatric ectotherms. J Exp Biol 2019; 222:jeb.210708. [DOI: 10.1242/jeb.210708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2019] [Accepted: 09/11/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Most studies of thermal tolerance use adults, but early-life stages (e.g. embryos) are often more sensitive to thermal agitation. Studies that examine effects on embryos rarely assess the potential for thermal tolerance to change with ontogeny or how effects differ among sympatric species, and often utilize unrealistic temperature treatments. We used thermal fluctuations from nests within the urban-heat island to determine how thermal tolerance of embryos changes across development and differs among two sympatric lizard species (Anolis sagrei and A. cristatellus). We applied fluctuations that varied in frequency and magnitude at different times during development and measured effects on embryo physiology, egg survival, and hatchling morphology, growth, and survival. Thermal tolerance differed between the species by∼2 °C: embryos of A. sagrei, a lizard that prefers warmer, open-canopy microhabitats, were more robust to thermal stress than embryos of A. cristatellus, which prefers cooler, closed-canopy microhabitats. Moreover, thermal tolerance changed through development; however, the nature of this change differed between the species. For A. cristatellus, thermal tolerance was greatest mid-development. For A. sagrei the relationship was not statistically clear. The greatest effects of thermal stress were on embryo and hatchling survival and embryo physiology. Hatchling morphology and growth were less affected. Inter-specific responses and the timing of stochastic thermal events with respect to development have important effects on egg mortality. Thus, research that integrates ecologically-meaningful thermal treatments, considers multiple life-history stages, and examines interspecific responses will be critical to make robust predictions of the impacts of global change on wildlife.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joshua M. Hall
- Auburn University, Department of Biological Sciences, 101 Rouse Life Sciences Building, Auburn, Alabama 36849, USA
| | - Daniel A. Warner
- Auburn University, Department of Biological Sciences, 101 Rouse Life Sciences Building, Auburn, Alabama 36849, USA
| |
Collapse
|