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Seixas L, Barão KR, Lopes R, Serafim D, Demetrio GR. Is urbanization a driver of aboveground biomass allocation in a widespread tropical shrub, Turnera subulata (Turneroideae - Passifloraceae)? JOURNAL OF PLANT RESEARCH 2024:10.1007/s10265-024-01560-1. [PMID: 39014142 DOI: 10.1007/s10265-024-01560-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 06/19/2024] [Indexed: 07/18/2024]
Abstract
Plant biomass allocation is mainly affected by the environment where each individual grows. In this sense, through the rapid global expansion of impermeable areas, urbanization has strong, albeit poorly understood, consequences on the biomass allocation of plants found in this environment. Nevertheless, the comprehension of biomass allocation processes in urban shrubs remains unclear, because most studies of urban ecology focus on tree species. This is an important gap of knowledge because a great part of urban vegetation is composed of shrubs and their association with trees have positive impacts in urban ecosystem services. In this study, we explored the ecological and potential selective pressure effects of an urbanization gradient on the biomass allocation patterns of aboveground organs of Turnera subulata, a widely distributed tropical shrub. We have demonstrated that, for certain reproductive organs, biomass allocation decreases in locations with higher urbanization. Unlike expected, the biomass of vegetative organs was not affected by urbanization, and we did not observe any effect of urbanization intensity on the variance in biomass allocation to vegetative and reproductive organs. We did not record urbanization-mediated trade-offs in biomass allocation for reproductive and vegetative organs. Instead, the biomass of these structures showed a positive relationship. Our data suggest that urbanization does not result in radical changes in biomass allocation of T. subulata, and neither in the variation of these traits. They indicate that the ability of T. subulata to thrive in urban environments may be associated with life history and morphological mechanisms. Our findings contribute to the understanding of shrub plant responses to urbanization and highlight urbanization as a potential factor in resource allocation differences for different structures and functions in plants living in these environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Seixas
- Graduate Program in Ecology (PPG-Ecology), State University of Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil
- Plant Ecology Laboratory, Penedo Educational Unit, Federal University of Alagoas, Penedo, AL, Brazil
| | - K R Barão
- Graduate Program of Biological Diversity and Conservation in the Tropics (PPG DIBICT), Federal University of Alagoas, Maceió, AL, Brazil
- Laboratory of Systematics and Diversity of Arthropods, Penedo Educational Unit, Federal University of Alagoas, Penedo, AL, Brazil
| | - Rvr Lopes
- Plant Ecology Laboratory, Penedo Educational Unit, Federal University of Alagoas, Penedo, AL, Brazil
- Graduate Program of Biological Diversity and Conservation in the Tropics (PPG DIBICT), Federal University of Alagoas, Maceió, AL, Brazil
| | - D Serafim
- Plant Ecology Laboratory, Penedo Educational Unit, Federal University of Alagoas, Penedo, AL, Brazil
- Graduate Program of Biological Diversity and Conservation in the Tropics (PPG DIBICT), Federal University of Alagoas, Maceió, AL, Brazil
| | - Guilherme Ramos Demetrio
- Plant Ecology Laboratory, Penedo Educational Unit, Federal University of Alagoas, Penedo, AL, Brazil.
- Graduate Program of Biological Diversity and Conservation in the Tropics (PPG DIBICT), Federal University of Alagoas, Maceió, AL, Brazil.
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Łopucki R, Sajnaga E, Kalwasińska A, Klich D, Kitowski I, Stępień-Pyśniak D, Christensen H. Green spaces contribute to structural resilience of the gut microbiota in urban mammals. Sci Rep 2024; 14:15508. [PMID: 38969657 PMCID: PMC11226671 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-66209-4] [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: 03/03/2024] [Accepted: 06/28/2024] [Indexed: 07/07/2024] Open
Abstract
The gut microbiome of wild animals is subject to various environmental influences, including those associated with human-induced alterations to the environment. We investigated how the gut microbiota of a synurbic rodent species, the striped field mouse (Apodemus agrarius), change in cities of varying sizes, seeking the urban microbiota signature for this species. Fecal samples for analysis were collected from animals living in non-urbanized areas and green spaces of different-sized cities (Poland). Metagenomic 16S rRNA gene sequencing and further bioinformatics analyses were conducted. Significant differences in the composition of gut microbiomes among the studied populations were found. However, the observed changes were dependent on local habitat conditions, without strong evidence of a correlation with the size of the urbanized area. The results suggest that ecological detachment from a more natural, non-urban environment does not automatically lead to the development of an "urban microbiome" model in the studied rodent. The exposure to the natural environment in green spaces may serve as a catalyst for microbiome transformations, providing a previously underestimated contribution to the maintenance of native gut microbial communities in urban mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafał Łopucki
- Department of Biomedicine and Environmental Research, The John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, Konstantynów 1J, 20-708, Lublin, Poland.
| | - Ewa Sajnaga
- Department of Biomedicine and Environmental Research, The John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, Konstantynów 1J, 20-708, Lublin, Poland
| | - Agnieszka Kalwasińska
- Department of Environmental Microbiology and Biotechnology, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, Lwowska 1, 87-100, Toruń, Poland
| | - Daniel Klich
- Department of Animal Genetics and Conservation, Warsaw University of Life Sciences (SGGW), Ciszewskiego 8, 02-786, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Ignacy Kitowski
- University College of Applied Sciences in Chełm, Pocztowa 54, 22-100, Chełm, Poland
| | - Dagmara Stępień-Pyśniak
- Department of Veterinary Prevention and Avian Diseases, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Głęboka 30, 20-612, Lublin, Poland
| | - Henrik Christensen
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Stigbøjlen 4, Frederiksberg C, Denmark
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3
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Diamant ES, Yeh PJ. Complex patterns of morphological diversity across multiple populations of an urban bird species. Evolution 2024; 78:1325-1337. [PMID: 38700135 DOI: 10.1093/evolut/qpae067] [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: 10/25/2023] [Revised: 04/21/2024] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/05/2024]
Abstract
Urbanization presents a natural evolutionary experiment because selection pressures in cities can be strongly mismatched with those found in species' historic habitats. However, some species have managed to adapt and even thrive in these novel conditions. When a species persists across multiple cities, a fundamental question arises: do we see similar traits evolve in similar novel environments? By testing if and how similar phenotypes emerge across multiple urban populations, we can begin to assess the predictability of population response to anthropogenic change. Here, we examine variation within and across multiple populations of a songbird, the dark-eyed junco (Junco hyemalis). We measured morphological variations in juncos across urban and nonurban populations in Southern California. We investigated whether the variations we observed were due to differences in environmental conditions across cities. Bill shape differed across urban populations; Los Angeles and Santa Barbara juncos had shorter, deeper bills than nonurban juncos, but San Diego juncos did not. On the other hand, wing length decreased with the built environment, regardless of the population. Southern Californian urban juncos exhibit both similarities and differences in morphological traits. Studying multiple urban populations can help us determine the predictability of phenotypic evolutionary responses to novel environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleanor S Diamant
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology, The Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Midreshet Ben-Gurion, Israel
- Jacob Blaustein Center for Scientific Cooperation, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Midreshet Ben-Gurion, Israel
| | - Pamela J Yeh
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Santa Fe Institute, Santa Fe, NM, United States
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4
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Savage AM, Willmott MJ, Moreno‐García P, Jagiello Z, Li D, Malesis A, Miles LS, Román‐Palacios C, Salazar‐Valenzuela D, Verrelli BC, Winchell KM, Alberti M, Bonilla‐Bedoya S, Carlen E, Falvey C, Johnson L, Martin E, Kuzyo H, Marzluff J, Munshi‐South J, Phifer‐Rixey M, Stadnicki I, Szulkin M, Zhou Y, Gotanda KM. Online toolkits for collaborative and inclusive global research in urban evolutionary ecology. Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e11633. [PMID: 38919647 PMCID: PMC11197044 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.11633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2024] [Revised: 06/05/2024] [Accepted: 06/12/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Urban evolutionary ecology is inherently interdisciplinary. Moreover, it is a field with global significance. However, bringing researchers and resources together across fields and countries is challenging. Therefore, an online collaborative research hub, where common methods and best practices are shared among scientists from diverse geographic, ethnic, and career backgrounds would make research focused on urban evolutionary ecology more inclusive. Here, we describe a freely available online research hub for toolkits that facilitate global research in urban evolutionary ecology. We provide rationales and descriptions of toolkits for: (1) decolonizing urban evolutionary ecology; (2) identifying and fostering international collaborative partnerships; (3) common methods and freely-available datasets for trait mapping across cities; (4) common methods and freely-available datasets for cross-city evolutionary ecology experiments; and (5) best practices and freely available resources for public outreach and communication of research findings in urban evolutionary ecology. We outline how the toolkits can be accessed, archived, and modified over time in order to sustain long-term global research that will advance our understanding of urban evolutionary ecology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy M. Savage
- Department of Biology & Center for Computational and Integrative BiologyRutgers University – CamdenCamdenNew JerseyUSA
| | - Meredith J. Willmott
- Department of Biology & Center for Computational and Integrative BiologyRutgers University – CamdenCamdenNew JerseyUSA
| | - Pablo Moreno‐García
- Department of Biological Sciences, Center for Computation & TechnologyLouisiana State UniversityBaton RougeLouisianaUSA
| | - Zuzanna Jagiello
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Biology, Biological and Chemical Research CentreUniversity of WarsawWarsawPoland
| | - Daijiang Li
- Department of Biological Sciences, Center for Computation & TechnologyLouisiana State UniversityBaton RougeLouisianaUSA
| | - Anna Malesis
- Department of Urban Design and PlanningUniversity of WashingtonSeattleWashingtonUSA
| | - Lindsay S. Miles
- Virginia Polytechnic and State UniversityEntomology DepartmentBlacksburgVirginiaUSA
| | | | - David Salazar‐Valenzuela
- Centro de Investigación de la Biodiversidad y Cambio Climático & Facultad de Ciencias de Medio AmbienteUniversidad IndoaméricaQuitoEcuador
| | - Brian C. Verrelli
- Center for Biological Data ScienceVirginia Commonwealth UniversityRichmondVirginiaUSA
| | | | - Marina Alberti
- Department of Urban Design and PlanningUniversity of WashingtonSeattleWashingtonUSA
| | | | - Elizabeth Carlen
- Department of BiologyWashington University of St. LouisSt. LouisMissouriUSA
| | - Cleo Falvey
- Department of Biology & Center for Computational and Integrative BiologyRutgers University – CamdenCamdenNew JerseyUSA
| | - Lauren Johnson
- Department of BiologyWashington University of St. LouisSt. LouisMissouriUSA
| | - Ella Martin
- Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyUniversity of TorontoTorontoOntarioCanada
| | - Hanna Kuzyo
- Frankfurt Zoological SocietyFrankfurtGermany
| | - John Marzluff
- Department of Urban Design and PlanningUniversity of WashingtonSeattleWashingtonUSA
| | - Jason Munshi‐South
- Louis Calder Center & Department of Biological SciencesFordham UniversityArmonkNew YorkUSA
| | | | - Ignacy Stadnicki
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Biology, Biological and Chemical Research CentreUniversity of WarsawWarsawPoland
| | - Marta Szulkin
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Biology, Biological and Chemical Research CentreUniversity of WarsawWarsawPoland
| | - Yuyu Zhou
- Department of Geological and Atmospheric SciencesIowa State UniversityAmesIowaUSA
| | - Kiyoko M. Gotanda
- Department of Biological SciencesBrock UniversitySt. CatharinesOntarioCanada
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5
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Riascos JM, Obonaga LD, Ramos J. Is the threatened land crab Cardisoma guanhumi conquering human-dominated systems? Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e10737. [PMID: 38681183 PMCID: PMC11046080 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2022] [Revised: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Land use changes are heralded as a major driver of biodiversity loss. However, recent findings show that cities, perhaps the most radical habitat transformation, sustain increasing numbers of threatened species. This emerging trend has been mostly chronicled for vertebrates from landlocked cities, although loss of biodiversity and rates or urbanization are higher in coastal marine systems. To advance our understanding on how threatened species may conquer human-dominated systems, we studied the threatened edible crab Cardisoma guanhumi and assessed how it is proliferating in croplands and urban systems at different spatial scales and whether populations show consequences of long-term exploitation. We gathered the data on crab populations covering the whole distribution range, including three countries reporting this as a threatened species. The abundance, distribution, and size structure of crab populations among different land uses at local scales were compared and published data for populations thriving in different habitats throughout their distribution range were compiled. We found that at local scale this species is able to thrive in natural and human-disturbed habitats, where food sources are heavily altered. At larger scales, the species showed no differences in abundance and size structure among natural and anthropogenic habitats. In areas near the southern distribution edge, crab populations were more abundant and composed of larger animals in urban areas and croplands than those in natural habitats, suggesting that human-disturbed systems are stepping stones to extend the geographic range. However, we found a long-term reduction in maximum body size, exacerbated by land use changes, that likely reflects exploitation regimes consistently targeting larger crabs. Despite its status as a threatened species, the long history of human exploitation combined with livestock farming practices may explain the proliferation of this crab in human-dominated systems, which emphasize the need to consider conservation in human-dominated systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- José M. Riascos
- Corporación Académica AmbientalUniversidad de Antioquia‐Sede Ciencias del MarTurboAntioquiaColombia
- Corporation Center of Excellence in Marine Sciences – CEMarinBogotáColombia
| | - Levy D. Obonaga
- Programa de Doctorado en Ciencias del MarUniversidad de AntioquiaTurboColombia
| | - Jhostin Ramos
- Programa de Ecología de Zonas CosterasUniversidad de Antioquia‐Sede Ciencias del MarTurboAntioquiaColombia
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Pyott ML, Norris DR, Mitchell GW, Custode L, Gow EA. Home range size and habitat selection of owned outdoor domestic cats ( Felis catus) in urban southwestern Ontario. PeerJ 2024; 12:e17159. [PMID: 38562997 PMCID: PMC10984174 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.17159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Domestic cats (Felis catus) play a dual role in society as both companion animals and predators. When provided with unsupervised outdoor access, cats can negatively impact native wildlife and create public health and animal welfare challenges. The effective implementation of management strategies, such as buffer zones or curfews, requires an understanding of home range size, the factors that influence their movement, and the types of habitats they use. Here, we used a community/citizen scientist approach to collect movement and habitat use data using GPS collars on owned outdoor cats in the Kitchener-Waterloo-Cambridge-Guelph region, southwestern Ontario, Canada. Mean (± SD) 100% minimum convex polygon home range size was 8 ± 8 ha (range: 0.34-38 ha) and was positively associated with road density but not with intrinsic factors such as boldness, sex, or age. With regards to habitat selection, cats used greenspaces, roads, and agricultural land less often than predicted but strongly selected for impervious surfaces (urban areas other than greenspaces or roads). Our results suggest that wildlife near buildings and residential areas are likely at the greatest risk of cat predation and that a buffer size of 840 m would be needed to restrict cats from entering areas of conservation concern.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marlee L. Pyott
- Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - D. Ryan Norris
- Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - Greg W. Mitchell
- Department of Integrative Biology, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
- Wildlife Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, National Wildlife Research Centre, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Leonardo Custode
- Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - Elizabeth A. Gow
- Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
- Wildlife Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Pacific Wildlife Research Centre, Delta, British Columbia, Canada
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7
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O'Connor LMJ, Cosentino F, Harfoot MBJ, Maiorano L, Mancino C, Pollock LJ, Thuiller W. Vulnerability of terrestrial vertebrate food webs to anthropogenic threats in Europe. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2024; 30:e17253. [PMID: 38519878 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.17253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2023] [Revised: 02/07/2024] [Accepted: 02/10/2024] [Indexed: 03/25/2024]
Abstract
Vertebrate species worldwide are currently facing significant declines in many populations. Although we have gained substantial knowledge about the direct threats that affect individual species, these threats only represent a fraction of the broader vertebrate threat profile, which is also shaped by species interactions. For example, threats faced by prey species can jeopardize the survival of their predators due to food resource scarcity. Yet, indirect threats arising from species interactions have received limited investigation thus far. In this study, we investigate the indirect consequences of anthropogenic threats on biodiversity in the context of European vertebrate food webs. We integrated data on trophic interactions among over 800 terrestrial vertebrates, along with their associated human-induced threats. We quantified and mapped the vulnerability of various components of the food web, including species, interactions, and trophic groups to six major threats: pollution, agricultural intensification, climate change, direct exploitation, urbanization, and invasive alien species and diseases. Direct exploitation and agricultural intensification were two major threats for terrestrial vertebrate food webs: affecting 34% and 31% of species, respectively, they threaten 85% and 69% of interactions in Europe. By integrating network ecology with threat impact assessments, our study contributes to a better understanding of the magnitude of anthropogenic impacts on biodiversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louise M J O'Connor
- Laboratoire d'Écologie Alpine, Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Univ. Savoie Mont Blanc, CNRS, LECA, Grenoble, France
- Biodiversity and Natural Resources Programme, International Institute of Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), Laxenburg, Austria
| | - Francesca Cosentino
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies "Charles Darwin", University of Rome "La Sapienza", Rome, Italy
| | - Michael B J Harfoot
- UN Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC), Cambridge, UK
- Vizzuality, Madrid, Spain
| | - Luigi Maiorano
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies "Charles Darwin", University of Rome "La Sapienza", Rome, Italy
| | - Chiara Mancino
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies "Charles Darwin", University of Rome "La Sapienza", Rome, Italy
| | - Laura J Pollock
- Department of Biology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Wilfried Thuiller
- Laboratoire d'Écologie Alpine, Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Univ. Savoie Mont Blanc, CNRS, LECA, Grenoble, France
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8
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Martin E, El-Galmady S, Johnson MTJ. Urban socioeconomic variation influences the ecology and evolution of trophic interactions. Ecol Lett 2024; 27:e14407. [PMID: 38504478 DOI: 10.1111/ele.14407] [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: 09/11/2023] [Revised: 02/25/2024] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/21/2024]
Abstract
As urbanization expands, it is becoming increasingly important to understand how anthropogenic activity is affecting ecological and evolutionary processes. Few studies have examined how human social patterns within cities can modify eco-evolutionary dynamics. We tested how socioeconomic variation corresponds with changes in trophic interactions and natural selection on prey phenotypes using the classic interaction between goldenrod gall flies (Eurosta solidaginis) and their natural enemies: birds, beetles, and parasitoid wasps. We sampled galls from 84 sites across neighbourhoods with varying socioeconomic levels, and quantified the frequency of predation/parasitism on flies and natural selection by each enemy. We found that bird predation was higher in the highest income neighbourhoods, increasing the strength of selection for smaller galls. Wasp and beetle attack, but not their strength of selection, increased in lower income neighbourhoods. We show that socioeconomic variation in cities can have strong unintended consequences for the ecology and evolution of trophic interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ella Martin
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
- Centre for Urban Environments, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
| | - Samer El-Galmady
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
| | - Marc T J Johnson
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
- Centre for Urban Environments, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
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9
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Moran PA, Bosse M, Mariën J, Halfwerk W. Genomic footprints of (pre) colonialism: Population declines in urban and forest túngara frogs coincident with historical human activity. Mol Ecol 2024; 33:e17258. [PMID: 38153193 DOI: 10.1111/mec.17258] [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: 03/06/2023] [Revised: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/29/2023]
Abstract
Urbanisation is rapidly altering ecosystems, leading to profound biodiversity loss. To mitigate these effects, we need a better understanding of how urbanisation impacts dispersal and reproduction. Two contrasting population demographic models have been proposed that predict that urbanisation either promotes (facilitation model) or constrains (fragmentation model) gene flow and genetic diversity. Which of these models prevails likely depends on the strength of selection on specific phenotypic traits that influence dispersal, survival, or reproduction. Here, we a priori examined the genomic impact of urbanisation on the Neotropical túngara frog (Engystomops pustulosus), a species known to adapt its reproductive traits to urban selective pressures. Using whole-genome resequencing for multiple urban and forest populations we examined genomic diversity, population connectivity and demographic history. Contrary to both the fragmentation and facilitation models, urban populations did not exhibit substantial changes in genomic diversity or differentiation compared with forest populations, and genomic variation was best explained by geographic distance rather than environmental factors. Adopting an a posteriori approach, we additionally found both urban and forest populations to have undergone population declines. The timing of these declines appears to coincide with extensive human activity around the Panama Canal during the last few centuries rather than recent urbanisation. Our study highlights the long-lasting legacy of past anthropogenic disturbances in the genome and the importance of considering the historical context in urban evolution studies as anthropogenic effects may be extensive and impact nonurban areas on both recent and older timescales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter A Moran
- A-LIFE, Section Ecology & Evolution, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Mirte Bosse
- A-LIFE, Section Ecology & Evolution, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Animal Breeding and Genomics, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Janine Mariën
- A-LIFE, Section Ecology & Evolution, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Wouter Halfwerk
- A-LIFE, Section Ecology & Evolution, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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10
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Alberti M. Cities of the Anthropocene: urban sustainability in an eco-evolutionary perspective. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2024; 379:20220264. [PMID: 37952615 PMCID: PMC10645089 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2022.0264] [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: 03/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 11/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Cities across the globe are driving systemic change in social and ecological systems by accelerating the rates of interactions and intensifying the links between human activities and Earth's ecosystems, thereby expanding the scale and influence of human activities on fundamental processes that sustain life. Increasing evidence shows that cities not only alter biodiversity, they change the genetic makeup of many populations, including animals, plants, fungi and microorganisms. Urban-driven rapid evolution in species traits might have significant effects on socially relevant ecosystem functions such as nutrient cycling, pollination, water and air purification and food production. Despite increasing evidence that cities are causing rapid evolutionary change, current urban sustainability strategies often overlook these dynamics. The dominant perspectives that guide these strategies are essentially static, focusing on preserving biodiversity in its present state or restoring it to pre-urban conditions. This paper provides a systemic overview of the socio-eco-evolutionary transition associated with global urbanization. Using examples of observed changes in species traits that play a significant role in maintaining ecosystem function and resilience, I propose that these evolutionary changes significantly impact urban sustainability. Incorporating an eco-evolutionary perspective into urban sustainability science and planning is crucial for effectively reimagining the cities of the Anthropocene. This article is part of the theme issue 'Evolution and sustainability: gathering the strands for an Anthropocene synthesis'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina Alberti
- Department of Urban Design and Planning, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
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11
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Leighton GRM, Froneman W, Serieys LEK, Bishop JM. Trophic downgrading of an adaptable carnivore in an urbanising landscape. Sci Rep 2023; 13:21582. [PMID: 38062237 PMCID: PMC10703923 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-48868-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Urbanisation critically alters wildlife habitat and resource distribution, leading to shifts in trophic dynamics. The loss of apex predators in human-transformed landscapes can result in changes in the ecological roles of the remaining mesocarnivores. Decreased top-down control together with increased bottom-up forcing through greater availability of anthropogenic foods can result in a predation paradox. Understanding these changes is important for conserving ecological function and biodiversity in rapidly urbanising systems. Here, we use stable isotope analysis to provide insight into longer term changes in trophic position, niche width and overlap of an elusive, medium-sized urban adapter, the caracal (Caracal caracal) in and around the city of Cape Town, South Africa. Using fur samples (n = 168) from individuals along a gradient of urbanisation we find that overall caracals have a broad isotopic dietary niche that reflects their large variation in resource use. When accounting for underlying environmental differences, the intensity of anthropogenic pressure, measured using the Human Footprint Index (HFI), explained variation in both food subsidy use (δ13C values) and trophic status (δ15N values). The significantly higher δ13C values (P < 0.01) and lower δ15N values (P < 0.001) of caracals in more urbanised areas suggest that predator subsidy consumption occurs via predictable, anthropogenic resource subsidies to synanthropic prey. These prey species are predominantly primary consumers, resulting in shifts in diet composition towards lower trophic levels. Further, caracals using areas with higher HFI had narrower isotope niches than those in less impacted areas, likely due to their hyperfocus on a few lower trophic level prey species. This pattern of niche contraction in urban areas is retained when accounting for caracal demographics, including sex and age. The removal of apex predators in human-transformed landscapes together with reliable resource availability, including abundant prey, may paradoxically limit the ecological influence of the remaining predators, and bring about a degree of predator trophic downgrading. The dampening of top-down control, and thus ecosystem regulation, likely points to widespread disruption of trophic dynamics in rapidly developing areas globally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriella R M Leighton
- SARChI Chair in Marine Ecology, Department of Zoology and Entomology, Rhodes University, PO Box 94, Grahamstown, 6140, South Africa.
- Institute for Communities and Wildlife in Africa, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, Cape Town, 7701, South Africa.
| | - William Froneman
- SARChI Chair in Marine Ecology, Department of Zoology and Entomology, Rhodes University, PO Box 94, Grahamstown, 6140, South Africa
| | - Laurel E K Serieys
- Institute for Communities and Wildlife in Africa, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, Cape Town, 7701, South Africa
- Panthera, 8 W 40th St, New York, NY, 10018, USA
- Cape Leopard Trust, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Jacqueline M Bishop
- Institute for Communities and Wildlife in Africa, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, Cape Town, 7701, South Africa
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12
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Fukano Y, Yamori W, Misu H, Sato MP, Shirasawa K, Tachiki Y, Uchida K. From green to red: Urban heat stress drives leaf color evolution. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eabq3542. [PMID: 37862418 PMCID: PMC10588939 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abq3542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/22/2023]
Abstract
Prevalence of impervious surface and resulting higher temperatures in urban areas, known as urban heat islands, comprises prominent characteristics in global cities. However, it is not known whether and how urban plants adapt to such heat stress. This study focused on Oxalis corniculata, which has intraspecific polymorphism in leaf color (green and red) and examined whether the leaf color variation is associated with urban heat stress. Field observations revealed that green-leaved plants were dominant in green habitats, and red-leaved individuals were dominant in urban habitats, at local (<500 meters), landscape (<50 kilometers), and global scales. Growth and photosynthesis experiments demonstrated that red-leaved individuals performed better under heat stress, while green-leaved individuals performed better under nonstressful conditions. Genome-wide SNP analysis suggests that the red leaf may have evolved multiple times from the ancestral green leaf. Overall, the results suggest that the red leaves of O. corniculata observed in cities worldwide are evidence of plant adaptive evolution due to urban heat islands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuya Fukano
- Graduate School of Horticulture Sciences, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
| | - Wataru Yamori
- Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hayata Misu
- Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Mitsuhiko P. Sato
- Department of Frontier Research and Development, Kazusa DNA Research Institute, Chiba, Japan
| | - Kenta Shirasawa
- Department of Frontier Research and Development, Kazusa DNA Research Institute, Chiba, Japan
| | - Yuuya Tachiki
- Department of Biological Sciences, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kei Uchida
- Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
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13
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Suarez-Rubio M, Bates PJ, Aung T, Hlaing NM, Oo SSL, Htun YKZ, Ohn Mar SM, Myint A, Wai TLL, Mo PM, Fehrmann L, Nölke N, Kleinn C, Renner SC. Bird diversity along an urban to rural gradient in large tropical cities peaks in mid-level urbanization. PeerJ 2023; 11:e16098. [PMID: 37842049 PMCID: PMC10569181 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.16098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2022] [Accepted: 08/24/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The gradient from natural to urban areas strongly associates with the structure of avian communities over that gradient. Most research on urban birds is from temperate areas and knowledge from tropical Southeast Asia is lacking. We examined bird species diversity, relative abundance, and species composition along an urban to rural gradient in three Myanmar cities, and assessed potential environmental factors responsible for the changes. We counted birds within 40 point-count sites with 50-m fixed-radius in three large cities of Myanmar, namely Mandalay, Mawlamyine, and Myeik. We distinguished four urban habitat types (Downtown-urban, University Campus-suburban, Paddy Field-agriculture, Hill-forest). We classified all species into migrant or resident and into major feeding groups and related with several environmental parameters such as 'impervious surface'. We counted 5,423 individuals of 103 species with roughly equal species diversity between the three cities. Rock Pigeon (Columba livia) was the most frequent species. The species composition differed significantly between the four major habitat types. Omnivores were more abundant in the city center than all other functional groups. Interestingly, insectivores were also predominant in the city center. In addition, more generalist' species occurred towards the city center compared to the periphery, indicating that the periphery has increased relevance for specialized birds. We found some marked differences in species composition between the three cities of Mandalay, Mawlamyine, and Myeik. Additionally to species composition, species diversity and relative abundance differed significantly between each of the four major habitat types in all three cities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcela Suarez-Rubio
- Institute of Zoology, Department of Integrative Biology and Biodiversity Research, University of Natural Resources and Life Science, Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Thein Aung
- Myanmar Bird and Nature Society, Yangon, Myanmar
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Lutz Fehrmann
- Forest Inventory and Remote Sensing, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Nils Nölke
- Forest Inventory and Remote Sensing, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Christoph Kleinn
- Forest Inventory and Remote Sensing, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Swen C. Renner
- Ornithology, Natural History Museum Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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14
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Salmón P, López-Idiáquez D, Capilla-Lasheras P, Pérez-Tris J, Isaksson C, Watson H. Urbanisation impacts plumage colouration in a songbird across Europe: Evidence from a correlational, experimental and meta-analytical approach. J Anim Ecol 2023; 92:1924-1936. [PMID: 37574652 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2022] [Accepted: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023]
Abstract
Urbanisation is accelerating across the globe, transforming landscapes, presenting organisms with novel challenges, shaping phenotypes and impacting fitness. Urban individuals are claimed to have duller carotenoid-based colouration, compared to their non-urban counterparts, the so-called 'urban dullness' phenomenon. However, at the intraspecific level, this generalisation is surprisingly inconsistent and often based on comparisons of single urban/non-urban populations or studies from a limited geographical area. Here, we combine correlational, experimental and meta-analytical data on a common songbird, the great tit Parus major, to investigate carotenoid-based plumage colouration in urban and forest populations across Europe. We find that, as predicted, urban individuals are paler than forest individuals, although there are large population-specific differences in the magnitude of the urban-forest contrast in colouration. Using one focal region (Malmö, Sweden), we reveal population-specific processes behind plumage colouration differences, which are unlikely to be the result of genetic or early-life conditions, but instead a consequence of environmental factors acting after fledging. Finally, our meta-analysis indicates that the urban dullness phenomenon is well established in the literature, for great tits, with consistent changes in carotenoid-based plumage traits, particularly carotenoid chroma, in response to anthropogenic disturbances. Overall, our results provide evidence for uniformity in the 'urban dullness' phenomenon but also highlight that the magnitude of the effect on colouration depends on local urban characteristics. Future long-term replicated studies, covering a wider range of species and feeding guilds, will be essential to further our understanding of the eco-evolutionary implications of this phenomenon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pablo Salmón
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
- School of Biodiversity, One Health and Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - David López-Idiáquez
- Department of Plant Biology and Ecology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Leioa, Spain
- CEFE, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, Montpellier, France
| | - Pablo Capilla-Lasheras
- School of Biodiversity, One Health and Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Javier Pérez-Tris
- Evolution and Conservation Biology Research Group, Department of Biodiversity, Ecology and Evolution, Faculty of Biology, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Hannah Watson
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
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15
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Wu M, Liu G, Gonella F, Chen W, Li H, Yan N, Yang Q. Does a scaling exist in urban ecological infrastructure? A case for sustainability trade-off in China. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023:10.1007/s11356-023-29275-1. [PMID: 37608174 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-29275-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 08/24/2023]
Abstract
So far, urban scaling theory has proven that urban area, infrastructure, and economic output have a scaling relation with population. But if we consider ecological space as a part of urban infrastructure, would the same scaling characteristics exist? What is the scaling relationship between ecological spaces and economic social development in different stages of urbanization? This paper is based on this question and explores the trade-off between social economic system and ecosystem in 370 cities of China. The results show that the relationship between population and urban ecological space generally follows the scaling theory in terms of different types of ecological spaces and ecosystem services. For every 10-fold increase in population size, the total area of ecological space and ecosystem services increase by approximately 4 times. The manifestation of ecological space following the scaling laws is the aggregation behavior of better network connectivity. There is a trade-off between urban ecological space and socioeconomic development, with flow equilibrium reached at a population of 2 million and efficiency equilibrium reached at a population of 1 million. Starting from type I and type II megapolis, urban development gradually tends to stabilize, and there may even be a trend of slow decline in urban development potential. In the absence of ecological space, virtual network space can serve as a substitute for ecological space. The driving factors affect scaling behavior of ecological space, including connectivity of ecological space, spatial heterogeneity of natural conditions, and disturbance of economic and social activities. This research can help city to expand ecological space, promoting the added value of urban ecological assets and keeping the urban development potential within the optimal threshold range continuously.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingwan Wu
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Gengyuan Liu
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China.
- Beijing Engineering Research Center for Watershed Environmental Restoration & Integrated Ecological Regulation, Beijing, 100875, China.
| | - Francesco Gonella
- Department of Molecular Sciences and Nanosystems, Ca' Foscari University of Venice, 30170, Venezia Mestre, Italy
| | - Weiqiang Chen
- Key Lab of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen, 361021, Fujian, China
| | - Hui Li
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Ningyu Yan
- Key Laboratory for City Environmental Safety and Green Development of the Ministry of Education, Institute of Environmental and Ecological Engineering, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, 511458, China
| | - Qing Yang
- Advanced Interdisciplinary Institute of Environment and Ecology, Beijing Normal University, Zhuhai, 519087, China
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16
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Palacio FX, Ordano M. Urbanization shapes phenotypic selection of fruit traits in a seed-dispersal mutualism. Evolution 2023; 77:1769-1779. [PMID: 37128948 DOI: 10.1093/evolut/qpad081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2022] [Revised: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 04/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Urbanization is currently one of the trademarks of the Anthropocene, accelerating evolutionary processes and reshaping ecological interactions over short time scales. Species interactions represent a fundamental pillar of diversity that is being altered globally by anthropogenic change. Urban environments, despite their potential impact, have seldom been studied in relation to how they shape natural selection of phenotypic traits in multispecies interactions. Using a seed-dispersal mutualism as a study system, we estimated the regime and magnitude of phenotypic selection exerted by frugivores on fruit and seed traits across three plant populations with different degrees of urbanization (urban, semiurban, and rural). Urbanization weakened phenotypic selection via an indirect positive impact on fruit production and fitness and, to a lesser extent, through a direct positive effect on species visitation rates. Our results show that urban ecosystems may affect multifarious selection of traits in the short term and highlight the role of humans in shaping eco-evolutionary dynamics of multispecies interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Facundo X Palacio
- Sección Ornitología, División Zoología Vertebrados, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo, Universidad Nacional de La Plata and Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, La Plata, Argentina
| | - Mariano Ordano
- Fundación Miguel Lillo, San Miguel de Tucumán, Argentina
- Instituto de Ecología Regional, Universidad Nacional de Tucumán, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Yerba Buena, Argentina
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17
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Michaud R, Hagey TJ, De León LF, Revell LJ, Avilés-Rodríguez KJ. Geometric Morphometric Assessment of Toe Shape in Forest and Urban Lizards Following Hurricane Disturbances. Integr Org Biol 2023; 5:obad025. [PMID: 37521144 PMCID: PMC10384016 DOI: 10.1093/iob/obad025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Revised: 05/18/2023] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Evidence suggests that hurricanes can influence the evolution of organisms, with phenotypic traits involved in adhesion, such as the toepads of arboreal lizards, being particularly susceptible to natural selection imposed by hurricanes. To investigate this idea, we quantified trait variation before and after Hurricanes Irma and Maria (2017) in forest and urban populations of the Puerto Rican lizard Anolis cristatellus. We found that the hurricanes affected toe morphology differently between forest and urban sites. In particular, toepads of the forefeet were longer and narrower in forest, but wider in urban populations, compared to pre-hurricane measures. Toepads of the hind feet were larger in area following the hurricanes. Fore and rear toes increased in length following the hurricane. There were no changes in the number of lamellae scales or lamellae spacing, but lamellae 6-11 of the forefeet shifted proximally following the hurricane. We also measured clinging performance and toe shape. We found that toepad area and toe lengths were stronger predictors of adhesive forces than toepad shape. Our results highlight an interaction between urbanization and hurricanes, demonstrating the importance to consider how urban species will respond to extreme weather events. Additionally, our different results for fore and rear feet highlight the importance of evaluating both of these traits when measuring the morphological response to hurricanes in arboreal lizards.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Michaud
- Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts Boston, 100 Morrissey Blvd, Boston, MA 02125, USA
| | - T J Hagey
- Department of Science and Mathematics, Mississippi University for Women, 1100 College Street, Columbus, MS 39701, USA
| | - L F De León
- Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts Boston, 100 Morrissey Blvd, Boston, MA 02125, USA
| | - L J Revell
- Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts Boston, 100 Morrissey Blvd, Boston, MA 02125, USA
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18
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Little JC, Kaaronen RO, Hukkinen JI, Xiao S, Sharpee T, Farid AM, Nilchiani R, Barton CM. Earth Systems to Anthropocene Systems: An Evolutionary, System-of-Systems, Convergence Paradigm for Interdependent Societal Challenges. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:5504-5520. [PMID: 37000909 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c06203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Humans have made profound changes to the Earth. The resulting societal challenges of the Anthropocene (e.g., climate change and impacts, renewable energy, adaptive infrastructure, disasters, pandemics, food insecurity, and biodiversity loss) are complex and systemic, with causes, interactions, and consequences that cascade across a globally connected system of systems. In this Critical Review, we turn to our "origin story" for insight, briefly tracing the formation of the Universe and the Earth, the emergence of life, the evolution of multicellular organisms, mammals, primates, and humans, as well as the more recent societal transitions involving agriculture, urbanization, industrialization, and computerization. Focusing on the evolution of the Earth, genetic evolution, the evolution of the brain, and cultural evolution, which includes technological evolution, we identify a nested evolutionary sequence of geophysical, biophysical, sociocultural, and sociotechnical systems, emphasizing the causal mechanisms that first formed, and then transformed, Earth systems into Anthropocene systems. Describing how the Anthropocene systems coevolved, and briefly illustrating how the ensuing societal challenges became tightly integrated across multiple spatial, temporal, and organizational scales, we conclude by proposing an evolutionary, system-of-systems, convergence paradigm for the entire family of interdependent societal challenges of the Anthropocene.
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Affiliation(s)
- John C Little
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, United States
| | - Roope O Kaaronen
- Sustainability Research Unit, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki 00014, Finland
| | - Janne I Hukkinen
- Environmental Policy Research Group, Helsinki Institute of Sustainability Science, University of Helsinki, Helsinki 00014, Finland
| | - Shuhai Xiao
- Department of Geosciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, United States
| | - Tatyana Sharpee
- Computational Neurobiology Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - Amro M Farid
- School of Systems and Enterprises, Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, New Jersey 07030, United States
| | - Roshanak Nilchiani
- School of Systems and Enterprises, Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, New Jersey 07030, United States
| | - C Michael Barton
- School of Human Evolution and Social Change, and School of Complex Adaptive Systems, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287, United States
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19
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Monroe DJ, Barny LA, Wu A, Minbiole KPC, Gabor CR. An integrated physiological perspective on anthropogenic stressors in the Gulf coast toad (Incilius nebulifer). Front Ecol Evol 2023. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2023.1112982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Anthropogenic environmental change, including climate change and urbanization, results in warmer temperatures in both terrestrial and aquatic habitats and changes in community assemblages including invasive species introductions, among many other alterations. Anurans are particularly susceptible to these changes because generally they have a biphasic lifecycle and rely on aquatic and terrestrial habitats for survival. Changes such as warmer water temperature can result in direct and carryover effects, after metamorphosis that decrease fitness. However, Gulf Coast toads (Incilius (Bufo) nebulifer) are expanding their range, including into anthropogenically disturbed areas. We hypothesize that I. nebulifer copes with warmer water, reduced water levels, and invasive species by altering their physiology and/or behavior. Corticosterone is the primary glucocorticoid in amphibians, and it modulates many aspects of physiology and behavior, potentially including lipid storage and hop performance, during unpredictable (stressful) events. As a true toad, I. nebulifer also produces bufadienolide toxins that aid in its antipredator defense and may have tradeoffs with corticosterone. In a fully factorial design, we measured baseline corticosterone levels in tadpoles in response to two treatments: decreased water levels and increased water temperatures. After metamorphosis, we measured the corticosterone profile and other associated responses to exposure to the predatory red imported fire ant (Solenopsis invicta; RIFA). We found that tadpoles had elevated baseline corticosterone release rates when reared in warmer water and reduced water levels. Toadlets also had elevated baseline corticosterone release rates when exposed to any combination of two of the three treatments but when exposed to all three treatments toadlets instead showed elevated magnitude of their stress response. Predator avoidance (as measured by hop performance) was reduced after exposure to RIFA. Tadpoles from warmer water developed more quickly and were smaller in mass after metamorphosis. Toadlets had reduced production of two of the three detected bufadienolides and increased energy storage (lipids) after exposure to warmer water and reduced growth after exposure to reduced water levels. We found direct and carryover effects of common anthropogenic changes in I. nebulifer that may aid in their ability to persist despite these changes.
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20
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Bar-Ziv M, Sofer A, Gorovoy A, Spiegel O. Beyond simple habituation: Anthropogenic habitats influence the escape behaviour of spur-winged lapwings in response to both human and non-human threats. J Anim Ecol 2023; 92:417-429. [PMID: 36477653 PMCID: PMC10107496 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13858] [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: 08/02/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Habitat development may affect wildlife behaviour, favouring individuals or behaviours that cope better with perceived threats (predators). Bolder behaviours in human-dominated habitats (HDH; e.g. urban and rural settlements) may represent habituation specifically to humans, or a general reduction in predator-avoidance response. However, such carry-over effects across threat types (i.e. beyond humans) and phases of the escape sequence have not been well studied to date. Here we investigated escape behaviours of a locally common wader species, the spur-winged lapwing Vanellus spinosus. We assayed their flight initiation distance (FID) and subsequent escape behaviours in agricultural areas and in HDH. We found that lapwings in HDH were bolder, and that the difference was manifested in several phases of the predator-avoidance sequence (shorter FIDs, shorter distances fled, and a higher probability of escape by running vs. flying). When re-approached (by an observer) after landing, lapwings in HDH were also more repetitive in their FID than those in other habitats. To determine whether this apparent bolder behaviour in HDH areas is merely a consequence of habituation to humans or represents a broader behavioural change, we introduced an additional threat type-a remotely-operated taxidermic jackal ('Jack-Truck'). Finding bolder responses in the HDH to the human threat alone (and not to the Jack-Truck) could have supported the habituation hypothesis. In contrast, however, we found a bolder response in the HDH to both threat types, as well as a correlation between their FIDs across different sites. These bolder behaviours suggest that HDH impose a broader behavioural change on lapwings, rather than just simple habituation. Overall, our findings demonstrate how FID trials can reveal strong behavioural carry-over effects of HDH following human and non-human threats, including effects on the subsequent phases of escaping the predator. Further, FID assays may reveal consistent behavioural types when assessed under field conditions, and offer a direct way to differentiate among the various poorly understood and non-mutually exclusive mechanisms that lead to behavioural differences among organisms in HDH. The mechanistic perspective is essential for understanding how rapid urbanization impacts wildlife behaviour, populations, and the range of behaviours within them, even in species apparently resilient to such environmental changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Bar-Ziv
- School of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Aran Sofer
- School of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Adel Gorovoy
- School of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Orr Spiegel
- School of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
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21
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City comfort: weaker metabolic response to changes in ambient temperature in urban red squirrels. Sci Rep 2023; 13:1393. [PMID: 36697502 PMCID: PMC9876937 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-28624-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The ecophysiological responses of species to urbanisation reveal important information regarding the processes of successful urban colonization and biodiversity patterns in urban landscapes. Investigating these responses will also help uncover whether synurban species are indeed urban 'winners'. Yet we still lack basic knowledge about the physiological costs and overall energy budgets of most species living in urban habitats, especially for mammals. Within this context, we compared the energetic demands of Eurasian red squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris) from the core of an urban environment with those from a nearby forest. We measured oxygen consumption as a proxy for resting metabolic rate (RMR) of 20 wild individuals (13 urban, 7 forest), at naturally varying ambient temperature (Ta) in an outdoor-enclosure experiment. We found that the variation in RMR was best explained by the interaction between Ta and habitat, with a significant difference between populations. Urban squirrels showed a shallower response of metabolic rate to decreasing Ta than woodland squirrels. We suggest that this is likely a consequence of urban heat island effects, as well as widespread supplemental food abundance. Our results indicate energy savings for urban squirrels at cooler temperatures, yet with possible increased costs at higher temperatures compared to their woodland conspecifics. Thus, the changed patterns of metabolic regulation in urban individuals might not necessarily represent an overall advantage for urban squirrels, especially in view of increasing temperatures globally.
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22
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Smallwood NL, Wood EM. The ecological role of native‐plant landscaping in residential yards to birds during the nonbreeding period. Ecosphere 2023. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.4360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Noriko L. Smallwood
- Department of Biological Sciences California State University Los Angeles Los Angeles California USA
| | - Eric M. Wood
- Department of Biological Sciences California State University Los Angeles Los Angeles California USA
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23
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Demystifying ecological connectivity for actionable spatial conservation planning. Trends Ecol Evol 2022; 37:1079-1091. [PMID: 36182406 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2022.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2022] [Revised: 08/25/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Connectivity underpins the persistence of life; it needs to inform biodiversity conservation decisions. Yet, when prioritising conservation areas and developing actions, connectivity is not being operationalised in spatial planning. The challenge is the translation of flows associated with connectivity into conservation objectives that lead to actions. Connectivity is nebulous, it can be abstract and mean different things to different people, making it difficult to include in conservation problems. Here, we show how connectivity can be included in mathematically defining conservation planning objectives. We provide a path forward for linking connectivity to high-level conservation goals, such as increasing species' persistence. We propose ways to design spatial management areas that gain biodiversity benefit from connectivity.
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24
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Fukano Y, Uchida K, Tachiki Y. Urban-rural gradients: how landscape changes drive adaptive evolution of plant competitive traits. Evol Ecol 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s10682-022-10215-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
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25
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Stochastic and deterministic processes shaping the testate amoeba communities across different biotopes of urban parks in Moscow and Xiamen cities. Urban Ecosyst 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s11252-022-01306-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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26
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Winchell KM, Aviles‐Rodriguez KJ, Carlen EJ, Miles LS, Charmantier A, De León LF, Gotanda KM, Rivkin LR, Szulkin M, Verrelli BC. Moving past the challenges and misconceptions in urban adaptation research. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e9552. [PMID: 36425909 PMCID: PMC9679025 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.9552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2022] [Revised: 10/25/2022] [Accepted: 11/04/2022] [Indexed: 10/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Although the field of urban evolutionary ecology has recently expanded, much progress has been made in identifying adaptations that arise as a result of selective pressures within these unique environments. However, as studies within urban environments have rapidly increased, researchers have recognized that there are challenges and opportunities in characterizing urban adaptation. Some of these challenges are a consequence of increased direct and indirect human influence, which compounds long-recognized issues with research on adaptive evolution more generally. In this perspective, we discuss several common research challenges to urban adaptation related to (1) methodological approaches, (2) trait-environment relationships and the natural history of organisms, (3) agents and targets of selection, and (4) habitat heterogeneity. Ignoring these challenges may lead to misconceptions and further impede our ability to draw conclusions regarding evolutionary and ecological processes in urban environments. Our goal is to first shed light on the conceptual challenges of conducting urban adaptation research to help avoid the propagation of these misconceptions. We further summarize potential strategies to move forward productively to construct a more comprehensive picture of urban adaptation, and discuss how urban environments also offer unique opportunities and applications for adaptation research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristin M. Winchell
- Department of BiologyNew York UniversityNew YorkNYUSA
- Department of BiologyWashington University in St. LouisSt. LouisMissouriUSA
| | - Kevin J. Aviles‐Rodriguez
- Department of BiologyUniversity of Massachusetts BostonBostonMassachusettsUSA
- Department of BiologyFordham UniversityBronxNew YorkUSA
| | - Elizabeth J. Carlen
- Department of BiologyWashington University in St. LouisSt. LouisMissouriUSA
- Department of BiologyFordham UniversityBronxNew YorkUSA
- Living Earth CollaborativeWashington University in St. LouisSt. LouisMissouriUSA
| | - Lindsay S. Miles
- Center for Biological Data ScienceVirginia Commonwealth UniversityRichmondVirginiaUSA
| | - Anne Charmantier
- Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et EvolutiveUniversité de Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRDMontpellierFrance
| | - Luis F. De León
- Department of BiologyUniversity of Massachusetts BostonBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Kiyoko M. Gotanda
- Department of BiologyUniversité de SherbrookeSherbrookeQuebecCanada
- Department of Biological SciencesBrock UniversitySt. Catharine'sOntarioCanada
| | - L. Ruth Rivkin
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyUniversity of TorontoTorontoOntarioCanada
- Department of BiologyUniversity of Toronto MississaugaMississaugaOntarioCanada
- Centre for Urban EnvironmentsUniversity of Toronto MississaugaMississaugaOntarioCanada
| | - Marta Szulkin
- Centre of New TechnologiesUniversity of WarsawWarsawPoland
| | - Brian C. Verrelli
- Center for Biological Data ScienceVirginia Commonwealth UniversityRichmondVirginiaUSA
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27
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Feng R, Wang F, Zhou M, Liu S, Qi W, Li L. Spatiotemporal effects of urban ecological land transitions to thermal environment change in mega-urban agglomeration. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 838:156158. [PMID: 35609702 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.156158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2021] [Revised: 05/18/2022] [Accepted: 05/18/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Urban ecological land transitions (UELTs) have far-reaching effects on the thermal environment, but their dynamic effects in urban agglomerations remain poorly understood. This study defines the UELTs concept and quantifies its spatiotemporal effects and driving mechanisms on land surface temperature interdecadal variations (LSTIVs) in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area using remote sensing, fuzzy overlay, shape-weighted landscape evolution index, and Geodetector methods. The results showed that UELTs shifted from degradation, increasing pressure, and decreasing vegetation proportion in the central city to scattered restoration, pressure relief, and increasing vegetation proportion in 2010-2020. LSTIVs simultaneously transitioned from rapid growth and contiguous expansion to reduction and dispersion. Moreover, the contribution of UELTs to LSTIVs increased by 19.49% from 2000 to 2020, and gradually shifted from being driven by dominant transition (isolating and adjacent degradation) (mean q = 0.58) to recessive transition (increased population and construction land pressure) (mean q = 0.62), where q is the determinant power. Interactions between edge-expansion and infilling restoration with the blue-green ratio (BGR; i.e., ratio of waterbodies to vegetation), habitat quality, and population layout had significant effects on LSTIVs. In addition, the relative magnitude of the effect of UEL restoration-degradation and BGR on LSTIVs was not fixed, but rather related to their interaction effect and the urban agglomeration development stage. Therefore, in addition to promoting an increase in UEL, optimizing the landscape structure of UEL (e.g., increasing aggregation and connectivity, adjusting BGR) and UEL distribution with other human factors are also crucial to reduce the urban thermal environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rundong Feng
- Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Key Laboratory of Regional Sustainable Development Modeling, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
| | - Fuyuan Wang
- Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Key Laboratory of Regional Sustainable Development Modeling, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.
| | - Meijing Zhou
- School of Business, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China; Competence Center Sustainability and Infrastructure Systems, Fraunhofer-Institute for Systems and Innovation Research, Karlsruhe 76139, Germany.
| | - Shenghe Liu
- Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Key Laboratory of Regional Sustainable Development Modeling, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.
| | - Wei Qi
- Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Key Laboratory of Regional Sustainable Development Modeling, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.
| | - Li Li
- Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Key Laboratory of Regional Sustainable Development Modeling, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
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28
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Verrelli BC, Alberti M, Des Roches S, Harris NC, Hendry AP, Johnson MTJ, Savage AM, Charmantier A, Gotanda KM, Govaert L, Miles LS, Rivkin LR, Winchell KM, Brans KI, Correa C, Diamond SE, Fitzhugh B, Grimm NB, Hughes S, Marzluff JM, Munshi-South J, Rojas C, Santangelo JS, Schell CJ, Schweitzer JA, Szulkin M, Urban MC, Zhou Y, Ziter C. A global horizon scan for urban evolutionary ecology. Trends Ecol Evol 2022; 37:1006-1019. [PMID: 35995606 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2022.07.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2022] [Revised: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 07/27/2022] [Indexed: 10/31/2022]
Abstract
Research on the evolutionary ecology of urban areas reveals how human-induced evolutionary changes affect biodiversity and essential ecosystem services. In a rapidly urbanizing world imposing many selective pressures, a time-sensitive goal is to identify the emergent issues and research priorities that affect the ecology and evolution of species within cities. Here, we report the results of a horizon scan of research questions in urban evolutionary ecology submitted by 100 interdisciplinary scholars. We identified 30 top questions organized into six themes that highlight priorities for future research. These research questions will require methodological advances and interdisciplinary collaborations, with continued revision as the field of urban evolutionary ecology expands with the rapid growth of cities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian C Verrelli
- Center for Biological Data Science, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23284, USA.
| | - Marina Alberti
- Department of Urban Design and Planning, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Simone Des Roches
- School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Nyeema C Harris
- Applied Wildlife Ecology Lab, Yale School of the Environment, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Andrew P Hendry
- Department of Biology, Redpath Museum, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 0C4, Canada
| | - Marc T J Johnson
- Department of Biology, Centre for Urban Environments, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON L5L 1C6, Canada
| | - Amy M Savage
- Department of Biology and Center for Computational & Integrative Biology, Rutgers University-Camden, Camden, NJ 08103, USA
| | | | - Kiyoko M Gotanda
- Department of Biological Sciences, Brock University, St. Catharines, ON L2S 3A1, Canada; Département de Biologie, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC J1K 2R1, Canada
| | - Lynn Govaert
- Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, 12587 Berlin, Germany
| | - Lindsay S Miles
- Center for Biological Data Science, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23284, USA
| | - L Ruth Rivkin
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON L5L 1C6, Canada; Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2, Canada
| | - Kristin M Winchell
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Kristien I Brans
- Department of Biology, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Cristian Correa
- Instituto de Conservación Biodiversidad y Territorio, Centro de Humedales Río Cruces, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, 5090000, Chile
| | - Sarah E Diamond
- Department of Biology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Ben Fitzhugh
- Department of Anthropology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Nancy B Grimm
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
| | - Sara Hughes
- School for Environment and Sustainability, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - John M Marzluff
- School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Jason Munshi-South
- Louis Calder Center & Department of Biological Sciences, Fordham University, Armonk, NY 10504, USA
| | - Carolina Rojas
- Instituto de Estudios Urbanos y Territoriales, Centro de Desarrollo Sustentable CEDEUS, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, El Comendador 1916, Providencia, 7500000, Santiago, Chile
| | - James S Santangelo
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON L5L 1C6, Canada
| | - Christopher J Schell
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Jennifer A Schweitzer
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37917, USA
| | - Marta Szulkin
- Centre of New Technologies, University of Warsaw, Banacha 2c, 02-097, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Mark C Urban
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology & Center of Biological Risk, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA
| | - Yuyu Zhou
- Department of Geological and Atmospheric Sciences, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
| | - Carly Ziter
- Department of Biology, Concordia University, Montreal, QC H4B 1R6, Canada
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29
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Population density of the tropical lizard Anolis cristatellus in urban and forested habitats after a major hurricane. Trop Ecol 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s42965-022-00251-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/16/2022]
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30
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Gámez S, Potts A, Mills KL, Allen AA, Holman A, Randon PM, Linson O, Harris NC. Downtown diet: a global meta-analysis of increased urbanization on the diets of vertebrate predators. Proc Biol Sci 2022; 289:20212487. [PMID: 35232241 PMCID: PMC8889190 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2021.2487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Predation is a fundamental ecological process that shapes communities and drives evolutionary dynamics. As the world rapidly urbanizes, it is critical to understand how human perturbations alter predation and meat consumption across taxa. We conducted a meta-analysis to quantify the effects of urban environments on three components of trophic ecology in predators: dietary species richness, dietary evenness and stable isotopic ratios (IRs) (δ13C and δ15N IR). We evaluated whether the intensity of anthropogenic pressure, using the human footprint index (HFI), explained variation in effect sizes of dietary attributes using a meta-regression. We calculated Hedges' g effect sizes from 44 studies including 11 986 samples across 40 predatory species in 39 cities globally. The direction and magnitude of effect sizes varied among predator taxa with reptilian diets exhibiting the most sensitivity to urbanization. Effect sizes revealed that predators in cities had comparable diet richness, evenness and nitrogen ratios, though carbon IRs were more enriched in cities. We found that neither the 1993 nor 2009 HFI editions explained effect size variation. Our study provides, to our knowledge, the first assessment of how urbanization has perturbed predator-prey interactions for multiple taxa at a global scale. We conclude that the functional role of predators is conserved in cities and urbanization does not inherently relax predation, despite diets broadening to include anthropogenic food sources such as sugar, wheat and corn.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siria Gámez
- Applied Wildlife Ecology Laboratory, School of the Environment, Yale University, 195 Prospect Street, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Abigail Potts
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, 500 S State Street #2005, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Kirby L Mills
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, 500 S State Street #2005, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Aurelia A Allen
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, 500 S State Street #2005, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Allyson Holman
- School for Environment and Sustainability, University of Michigan, 500 S State Street #2005, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Peggy M Randon
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, 500 S State Street #2005, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Olivia Linson
- College of Literature, Science and the Arts, University of Michigan, 500 S State Street #2005, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Nyeema C Harris
- Applied Wildlife Ecology Laboratory, School of the Environment, Yale University, 195 Prospect Street, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
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31
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Cronin AD, Smit JAH, Muñoz MI, Poirier A, Moran PA, Jerem P, Halfwerk W. A comprehensive overview of the effects of urbanisation on sexual selection and sexual traits. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2022; 97:1325-1345. [PMID: 35262266 PMCID: PMC9541148 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12845] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2021] [Revised: 02/11/2022] [Accepted: 02/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Urbanisation can affect mating opportunities and thereby alter inter- and intra-sexual selection pressures on sexual traits. Biotic and abiotic urban conditions can influence an individual's success in pre- and post-copulatory mating, for example through impacts on mate attraction and mate preference, fertilisation success, resource competition or rival interactions. Divergent sexual selection pressures can lead to differences in behavioural, physiological, morphological or life-history traits between urban and non-urban populations, ultimately driving adaptation and speciation. Most studies on urban sexual selection and mating interactions report differences between urban and non-urban populations or correlations between sexual traits and factors associated with increased urbanisation, such as pollution, food availability and risk of predation and parasitism. Here we review the literature on sexual selection and sexual traits in relation to urbanisation or urban-associated conditions. We provide an extensive list of abiotic and biotic factors that can influence processes involved in mating interactions, such as signal production and transmission, mate choice and mating opportunities. We discuss all relevant data through the lens of two, non-mutually exclusive theories on sexual selection, namely indicator and sensory models. Where possible, we indicate whether these models provide the same or different predictions regarding urban-adapted sexual signals and describe different experimental designs that can be useful for the different models as well as to investigate the drivers of sexual selection. We argue that we lack a good understanding of: (i) the factors driving urban sexual selection; (ii) whether reported changes in traits result in adaptive benefits; and (iii) whether these changes reflect a short-term ecological, or long-term evolutionary response. We highlight that urbanisation provides a unique opportunity to study the process and outcomes of sexual selection, but that this requires a highly integrative approach combining experimental and observational work.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew D Cronin
- Department of Ecological Sciences, Vrije Universiteit, De Boelelaan 1085, Amsterdam, 1081 HV, The Netherlands
| | - Judith A H Smit
- Department of Ecological Sciences, Vrije Universiteit, De Boelelaan 1085, Amsterdam, 1081 HV, The Netherlands
| | - Matías I Muñoz
- Department of Ecological Sciences, Vrije Universiteit, De Boelelaan 1085, Amsterdam, 1081 HV, The Netherlands
| | - Armand Poirier
- Department of Ecological Sciences, Vrije Universiteit, De Boelelaan 1085, Amsterdam, 1081 HV, The Netherlands
| | - Peter A Moran
- Department of Ecological Sciences, Vrije Universiteit, De Boelelaan 1085, Amsterdam, 1081 HV, The Netherlands
| | - Paul Jerem
- Department of Ecological Sciences, Vrije Universiteit, De Boelelaan 1085, Amsterdam, 1081 HV, The Netherlands
| | - Wouter Halfwerk
- Department of Ecological Sciences, Vrije Universiteit, De Boelelaan 1085, Amsterdam, 1081 HV, The Netherlands
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32
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Alberti M, Wang T. Detecting patterns of vertebrate biodiversity across the multidimensional urban landscape. Ecol Lett 2022; 25:1027-1045. [PMID: 35113498 DOI: 10.1111/ele.13969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2021] [Revised: 11/22/2021] [Accepted: 11/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Explicit characterisation of the complexity of urban landscapes is critical for understanding patterns of biodiversity and for detecting the underlying social and ecological processes that shape them. Urban environments exhibit variable heterogeneity and connectivity, influenced by different historical contingencies, that affect community assembly across scales. The multidimensional nature of urban disturbance and co-occurrence of multiple stressors can cause synergistic effects leading to nonlinear responses in populations and communities. Yet, current research design of urban ecology and evolutionary studies typically relies on simple representation of the parameter space that can be observed. Sampling approaches apply simple urban gradients such as linear transects in space or comparisons of urban sites across the urban mosaic accounting for a few variables. This rarely considers multiple dimensions and scales of biodiversity, and proves to be inadequate to explain observed patterns. We apply a multidimensional approach that integrates distinctive social, ecological and built characteristics of urban landscapes, representing variations along dimensions of heterogeneity, connectivity and historical contingency. Measuring species richness and beta diversity across 100 US metropolitan areas at the city and 1-km scales, we show that distinctive signatures of urban biodiversity can result from interactions between socioecological heterogeneity and connectivity, mediated by historical contingency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina Alberti
- Department of Urban Design and Planning, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.,Urban Ecology Research Lab, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Tianzhe Wang
- Department of Urban Design and Planning, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.,Urban Ecology Research Lab, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
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33
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Aoki LR, Brisbin MM, Hounshell AG, Kincaid DW, Larson EI, Sansom BJ, Shogren AJ, Smith RS, Sullivan-Stack J. OUP accepted manuscript. Bioscience 2022; 72:508-520. [PMID: 35677292 PMCID: PMC9169894 DOI: 10.1093/biosci/biac020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Extreme events have increased in frequency globally, with a simultaneous surge in scientific interest about their ecological responses, particularly in sensitive freshwater, coastal, and marine ecosystems. We synthesized observational studies of extreme events in these aquatic ecosystems, finding that many studies do not use consistent definitions of extreme events. Furthermore, many studies do not capture ecological responses across the full spatial scale of the events. In contrast, sampling often extends across longer temporal scales than the event itself, highlighting the usefulness of long-term monitoring. Many ecological studies of extreme events measure biological responses but exclude chemical and physical responses, underscoring the need for integrative and multidisciplinary approaches. To advance extreme event research, we suggest prioritizing pre- and postevent data collection, including leveraging long-term monitoring; making intersite and cross-scale comparisons; adopting novel empirical and statistical approaches; and developing funding streams to support flexible and responsive data collection.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Alexandria G Hounshell
- Biological Sciences Department, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States
| | - Dustin W Kincaid
- Vermont EPSCoR and Gund Institute for Environment, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont, United States
| | - Erin I Larson
- Institute of Culture and Environment, Alaska Pacific University, Anchorage, Alaska, United States
| | - Brandon J Sansom
- Department of Geography, State University of New York University, Buffalo, Buffalo, New York
- US Geological Survey's Columbia Environmental Research Center, Columbia, Missouri, United States
| | - Arial J Shogren
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Michigan State University, East Lansing Michigan
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa Alabama, United States
| | - Rachel S Smith
- Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States
| | - Jenna Sullivan-Stack
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, United States
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34
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35
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Maasri A, Jähnig SC, Adamescu MC, Adrian R, Baigun C, Baird DJ, Batista-Morales A, Bonada N, Brown LE, Cai Q, Campos-Silva JV, Clausnitzer V, Contreras-MacBeath T, Cooke SJ, Datry T, Delacámara G, De Meester L, Dijkstra KDB, Do VT, Domisch S, Dudgeon D, Erös T, Freitag H, Freyhof J, Friedrich J, Friedrichs-Manthey M, Geist J, Gessner MO, Goethals P, Gollock M, Gordon C, Grossart HP, Gulemvuga G, Gutiérrez-Fonseca PE, Haase P, Hering D, Hahn HJ, Hawkins CP, He F, Heino J, Hermoso V, Hogan Z, Hölker F, Jeschke JM, Jiang M, Johnson RK, Kalinkat G, Karimov BK, Kasangaki A, Kimirei IA, Kohlmann B, Kuemmerlen M, Kuiper JJ, Kupilas B, Langhans SD, Lansdown R, Leese F, Magbanua FS, Matsuzaki SIS, Monaghan MT, Mumladze L, Muzon J, Mvogo Ndongo PA, Nejstgaard JC, Nikitina O, Ochs C, Odume ON, Opperman JJ, Patricio H, Pauls SU, Raghavan R, Ramírez A, Rashni B, Ross-Gillespie V, Samways MJ, Schäfer RB, Schmidt-Kloiber A, Seehausen O, Shah DN, Sharma S, Soininen J, Sommerwerk N, Stockwell JD, Suhling F, Tachamo Shah RD, Tharme RE, Thorp JH, Tickner D, Tockner K, Tonkin JD, Valle M, Vitule J, Volk M, Wang D, Wolter C, Worischka S. A global agenda for advancing freshwater biodiversity research. Ecol Lett 2021; 25:255-263. [PMID: 34854211 DOI: 10.1111/ele.13931] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2021] [Revised: 10/20/2021] [Accepted: 10/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Global freshwater biodiversity is declining dramatically, and meeting the challenges of this crisis requires bold goals and the mobilisation of substantial resources. While the reasons are varied, investments in both research and conservation of freshwater biodiversity lag far behind those in the terrestrial and marine realms. Inspired by a global consultation, we identify 15 pressing priority needs, grouped into five research areas, in an effort to support informed stewardship of freshwater biodiversity. The proposed agenda aims to advance freshwater biodiversity research globally as a critical step in improving coordinated actions towards its sustainable management and conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alain Maasri
- Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Berlin, Germany.,The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Sonja C Jähnig
- Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Berlin, Germany.,Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Mihai C Adamescu
- Research Center in Systems Ecology and Sustainability, University of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania
| | - Rita Adrian
- Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Berlin, Germany.,Institut für Biologie, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Claudio Baigun
- Universidad Nacional de San Martin, San Martin, Argentina
| | - Donald J Baird
- Environment & Climate Change Canada/University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada
| | | | - Núria Bonada
- Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat (IRBio), Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Lee E Brown
- School of Geography & water@leeds, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Qinghua Cai
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | | | - Viola Clausnitzer
- Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | | | | | | | | | - Luc De Meester
- Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Berlin, Germany.,Institut für Biologie, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | | | - Van Tu Do
- Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, Ha Noi, Vietnam
| | - Sami Domisch
- Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Tibor Erös
- Balaton Limnological Research Institute, Tihany, Hungary
| | | | - Joerg Freyhof
- Museum für Naturkunde-Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Martin Friedrichs-Manthey
- Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Berlin, Germany.,Institut für Biologie, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Mark O Gessner
- Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Berlin, Germany.,Berlin Institute of Technology, Berlin, Germany.,Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), Berlin, Germany
| | | | | | | | - Hans-Peter Grossart
- Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Berlin, Germany.,Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), Berlin, Germany.,Institute of Biochemistry and Biology, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Georges Gulemvuga
- International Commission for Congo-Ubangui-Sangha Basin, Kinshasa, D.R. Congo
| | | | - Peter Haase
- Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | | | - Hans Jürgen Hahn
- University of Koblenz-Landau, Koblenz and Landau, Germany.,Institute for Groundwater Ecology IGÖ GmbH, Landau, Germany
| | | | - Fengzhi He
- Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jani Heino
- Finnish Environment Institute, Oulu, Finland
| | - Virgilio Hermoso
- Centre de Ciència i Tecnologia Forestal de Catalunya, Solsona, Spain
| | - Zeb Hogan
- University of Nevada, Reno, Nevada, USA
| | - Franz Hölker
- Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Berlin, Germany.,Institut für Biologie, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jonathan M Jeschke
- Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Berlin, Germany.,Institut für Biologie, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), Berlin, Germany
| | - Meilan Jiang
- Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Chongqing, China
| | | | - Gregor Kalinkat
- Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Berlin, Germany
| | - Bakhtiyor K Karimov
- Tashkent Institute of Irrigation and Agricultural Mechanization Engineers, Tashkent, Uzbekistan
| | | | | | | | | | - Jan J Kuiper
- Stockholm Resilience Centre, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Benjamin Kupilas
- Norwegian Institute for Water Research, Oslo, Norway.,University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Simone D Langhans
- Basque Centre for Climate Change (BC3), Leioa, Spain.,University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | | | | | | | | | - Michael T Monaghan
- Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Berlin, Germany.,Institut für Biologie, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Levan Mumladze
- Institute of Zoology, Ilia State University, Tiblis, Georgia
| | - Javier Muzon
- Universidad Nacional de Avellaneda, Avellaneda, Argentina
| | | | - Jens C Nejstgaard
- Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Berlin, Germany.,Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Clifford Ochs
- University of Mississippi, University Park, Mississippi, USA
| | | | | | | | - Steffen U Pauls
- Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,Justus-Liebig-University, Gießen, Germany
| | - Rajeev Raghavan
- Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies, Kochi, India
| | - Alonso Ramírez
- North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
| | - Bindiya Rashni
- Institute of Applied Science, University of the South Pacific, Suva, Fiji
| | | | | | - Ralf B Schäfer
- University of Koblenz-Landau, Koblenz and Landau, Germany
| | | | - Ole Seehausen
- University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.,Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (Eawag), Kastanienbaum, Switzerland
| | | | | | | | - Nike Sommerwerk
- Museum für Naturkunde-Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Frank Suhling
- Technische Universität Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany
| | | | | | | | | | - Klement Tockner
- Senckenberg Society for Nature Research, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Jonathan D Tonkin
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand
| | - Mireia Valle
- National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis, University of California, Santa Barbara, California, USA.,AZTI, Marine Research, Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), Sukarrieta, Spain
| | - Jean Vitule
- Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, Brazil
| | - Martin Volk
- Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Ding Wang
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Christian Wolter
- Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Berlin, Germany
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36
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Quantification of Urban Patterns and Processes through Space and Time Using Remote Sensing Data: A Comparative Study between Three Saudi Arabian Cities. SUSTAINABILITY 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/su132212615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Saudi Arabia has developed rapidly over the last five decades in the wake of an extensive development programme implemented by the government throughout the entire country. Several previous studies have measured the extent and rate of urbanization in Saudi Arabian cities, but most of this research used only remote sensing data or a single index to explain urban growth patterns. This study used satellite data and a set of landscape metrics to quantify the spatiotemporal urban growth patterns and processes in three Saudi Arabian cities–Riyadh, Jeddah and Makkah. First, Landsat images were collected and classified for the years 1985, 1990, 2000, 2007, 2014 and 2020. Classification was carried out through an object-based image analysis (OBIA) to map the extent of urbanization. The classified maps were then used to compute seven landscape metrics to determine the spatial configuration of urban areas. The spatial metrics were calculated for the entire landscape and across buffer zones that were delineated from the urban core centre of each city. The overall accuracies were >94% for all the classified maps. The spatiotemporal results indicated that all three cities have experienced significant urban growth during the last four decades. Urban patterns in Jeddah were more dispersed than in Riyadh, which showed aggregated patterns (especially in recent years), while urban growth in Makkah tended to be more fragmented. The urban form in Riyadh was relatively simple, while a complex form was associated with Makkah and Jeddah. Understanding the rates, patterns, processes and trajectories of changes to urban land use is essential for various decision-making processes.
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37
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Thompson MJ, Capilla-Lasheras P, Dominoni DM, Réale D, Charmantier A. Phenotypic variation in urban environments: mechanisms and implications. Trends Ecol Evol 2021; 37:171-182. [PMID: 34690006 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2021.09.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2021] [Revised: 09/16/2021] [Accepted: 09/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
In the past decade, numerous studies have explored how urbanisation affects the mean phenotypes of populations, but it remains unknown how urbanisation impacts phenotypic variation, a key target of selection that shapes, and is shaped by, eco-evolutionary processes. Our review suggests that urbanisation may often increase intraspecific phenotypic variation through several processes; a conclusion aligned with results from our illustrative analysis on tit morphology across 13 European city/forest population pairs. Urban-driven changes in phenotypic variation will have immense implications for urban populations and communities, particularly through urbanisation's effects on individual fitness, species interactions, and conservation. We call here for studies that incorporate phenotypic variation in urban eco-evolutionary research alongside advances in theory.
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Affiliation(s)
- M J Thompson
- Département des sciences biologiques, Université du Québec à Montréal, 141 Avenue du Président-Kennedy, Montréal, QC H2X 1Y4, Canada; CEFE, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, Montpellier, France.
| | - P Capilla-Lasheras
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health & Comparative Medicine, Graham Kerr Building, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK
| | - D M Dominoni
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health & Comparative Medicine, Graham Kerr Building, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK
| | - D Réale
- Département des sciences biologiques, Université du Québec à Montréal, 141 Avenue du Président-Kennedy, Montréal, QC H2X 1Y4, Canada
| | - A Charmantier
- CEFE, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, Montpellier, France
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38
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Liu J, Dietz T, Carpenter SR, Taylor WW, Alberti M, Deadman P, Redman C, Pell A, Folke C, Ouyang Z, Lubchenco J. Coupled human and natural systems: The evolution and applications of an integrated framework : This article belongs to Ambio's 50th Anniversary Collection. Theme: Anthropocene. AMBIO 2021; 50:1778-1783. [PMID: 33721224 PMCID: PMC7957461 DOI: 10.1007/s13280-020-01488-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Jianguo Liu
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Center for Systems Integration and Sustainability, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA.
| | - Thomas Dietz
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Center for Systems Integration and Sustainability, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
- Department of Sociology & Environmental Science and Policy Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | | | - William W Taylor
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Center for Systems Integration and Sustainability, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Marina Alberti
- Department of Urban Design and Planning, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Peter Deadman
- Department of Geography and Environmental Management, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Canada
| | - Charles Redman
- School of Sustainability, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
| | - Alice Pell
- College of Agriculture and Life Sciences & College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Carl Folke
- Beijer Institute of Ecological Economics, Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, Stockholm, Sweden
- Stockholm Resilience Centre, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Zhiyun Ouyang
- Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jane Lubchenco
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA
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39
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Brans KI, Almeida RA, Fajgenblat M. Genetic differentiation in pesticide resistance between urban and rural populations of a nontarget freshwater keystone interactor, Daphnia magna. Evol Appl 2021; 14:2541-2552. [PMID: 34745342 PMCID: PMC8549624 DOI: 10.1111/eva.13293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2021] [Revised: 07/01/2021] [Accepted: 08/03/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
There is growing evidence that urbanization drives adaptive evolution in response to thermal gradients. One such example is documented in the water flea Daphnia magna. However, organisms residing in urban lentic ecosystems are increasingly exposed to chemical pollutants such as pesticides through run-off and aerial transportation. The extent to which urbanization drives the evolution of pesticide resistance in aquatic organisms and whether this is impacted by warming and thermal adaptation remains limitedly studied. We performed a common garden rearing experiment using multiple clonal lineages originating from five replicated urban and rural D. magna populations, in which we implemented an acute toxicity test exposing neonates (<24h) to either a solvent control or the organophosphate pesticide chlorpyrifos. Pesticide exposures were performed at two temperatures (20°C vs. 24°C) to test for temperature-associated differences in urbanization-driven evolved pesticide resistance. We identified a strong overall effect of pesticide exposure on Daphnia survival probability (-72.8 percentage points). However, urban Daphnia genotypes showed higher survival probabilities compared to rural ones in the presence of chlorpyrifos (+29.7 percentage points). Our experiment did not reveal strong temperature x pesticide or temperature x pesticide x urbanization background effects on survival probability. The here observed evolution of resistance to an organophosphate pesticide is a first indication Daphnia likely also adapts to pesticide pollution in urban areas. Increased pesticide resistance could facilitate their population persistence in urban ponds, and feed back to ecosystem functions, such as top-down control of algae. In addition, adaptive evolution of nontarget organisms to pest control strategies and occupational pesticide use may modulate how pesticide applications affect genetic and species diversity in urban areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristien I. Brans
- Laboratory of Aquatic Ecology, Evolution, and ConservationKU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
| | - Rafaela A. Almeida
- Laboratory of Aquatic Ecology, Evolution, and ConservationKU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
| | - Maxime Fajgenblat
- Laboratory of Aquatic Ecology, Evolution, and ConservationKU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
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40
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Gámez S, Harris NC. Living in the concrete jungle: carnivore spatial ecology in urban parks. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2021; 31:e02393. [PMID: 34164878 PMCID: PMC9285087 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2020] [Revised: 11/23/2020] [Accepted: 01/15/2021] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
People and wildlife are living in an increasingly urban world, replete with unprecedented human densities, sprawling built environments, and altered landscapes. Such anthropogenic pressures can affect multiple processes within an ecological community, from spatial patterns to interspecific interactions. We tested two competing hypotheses, human shields vs. human competitors, to characterize how humans affect the carnivore community using multispecies occupancy models. From 2017 to 2020, we conducted the first camera survey of city parks in Detroit, Michigan, and collected spatial occurrence data of the local native carnivore community. Our 12,106-trap night survey captured detection data for coyotes (Canis latrans), red foxes (Vulpes vulpes), raccoons (Procyon lotor), and striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis). Overall occupancy varied across species (Ψcoyote = 0.40, Ψraccoon = 0.54, Ψred fox = 0.19, Ψstriped skunk = 0.09). Contrary to expectations, humans did not significantly affect individual occupancy for these urban carnivores. However, co-occurrence between coyote and skunk increased with human activity. The observed positive spatial association between an apex and subordinate pair supports the human shield hypothesis. Our findings demonstrate how urban carnivores can exploit spatial refugia and coexist with humans in the cityscape.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siria Gámez
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyUniversity of Michigan1101 North University AvenueAnn ArborMichigan48106USA
| | - Nyeema C. Harris
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyUniversity of Michigan1101 North University AvenueAnn ArborMichigan48106USA
- Applied Wildlife Ecology LabSchool of the EnvironmentYale University195 Prospect St.New HavenConnecticut06511USA
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41
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Abstract
The purpose of this case study is to examine the effects of climate change on agricultural life in rural Uganda. Based on primary data, the authors examine major themes related to climate change and disasters as conveyed by individuals in a small agricultural region in Eastern Uganda. Specifically, we focus on the effects of living in constant threat of flooding and landslides. Results show that water is a major source of loss for most people, ranging from crop loss to contaminated water. Findings also point to the chronic nature of dealing with water issues, as opposed to acute. Further, our results indicate that disasters are a great equalizer among affected populations, with only neighbors to depend on in the aftermath.
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42
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Extensive standing genetic variation from a small number of founders enables rapid adaptation in Daphnia. Nat Commun 2021; 12:4306. [PMID: 34262034 PMCID: PMC8280168 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-24581-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2020] [Accepted: 06/24/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
We lack a thorough understanding of the origin and maintenance of standing genetic variation that enables rapid evolutionary responses of natural populations. Whole genome sequencing of a resurrected Daphnia population shows that standing genetic variation in over 500 genes follows an evolutionary trajectory that parallels the pronounced and rapid adaptive evolution of multiple traits in response to predator-driven natural selection and its subsequent relaxation. Genetic variation carried by only five founding individuals from the regional genotype pool is shown to suffice at enabling the observed evolution. Our results provide insight on how natural populations can acquire the genomic variation, through colonization by a few regional genotypes, that fuels rapid evolution in response to strong selection pressures. While these evolutionary responses in our study population involved hundreds of genes, we observed no evidence of genetic erosion.
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43
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Stothart MR, Newman AEM. Shades of grey: host phenotype dependent effect of urbanization on the bacterial microbiome of a wild mammal. Anim Microbiome 2021; 3:46. [PMID: 34225812 PMCID: PMC8256534 DOI: 10.1186/s42523-021-00105-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2021] [Accepted: 05/31/2021] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Host-associated microbiota are integral to the ecology of their host and may help wildlife species cope with rapid environmental change. Urbanization is a globally replicated form of severe environmental change which we can leverage to better understand wildlife microbiomes. Does the colonization of separate cities result in parallel changes in the intestinal microbiome of wildlife, and if so, does within-city habitat heterogeneity matter? Using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing, we quantified the effect of urbanization (across three cities) on the microbiome of eastern grey squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis). Grey squirrels are ubiquitous in rural and urban environments throughout their native range, across which they display an apparent coat colour polymorphism (agouti, black, intermediate). RESULTS Grey squirrel microbiomes differed between rural and city environments; however, comparable variation was explained by habitat heterogeneity within cities. Our analyses suggest that operational taxonomic unit (OTU) community structure was more strongly influenced by local environmental conditions (rural and city forests versus human built habitats) than urbanization of the broader landscape (city versus rural). The bacterial genera characterizing the microbiomes of built-environment squirrels are thought to specialize on host-derived products and have been linked in previous research to low fibre diets. However, despite an effect of urbanization at fine spatial scales, phylogenetic patterns in the microbiome were coat colour phenotype dependent. City and built-environment agouti squirrels displayed greater phylogenetic beta-dispersion than those in rural or forest environments, and null modelling results indicated that the phylogenetic structure of urban agouti squirrels did not differ greatly from stochastic expectations. CONCLUSIONS Squirrel microbiomes differed between city and rural environments, but differences of comparable magnitude were observed between land classes at a within-city scale. We did not observe strong evidence that inter-environmental differences were the result of disparate selective pressures. Rather, our results suggest that microbiota dispersal and ecological drift are integral to shaping the inter-environmental differences we observed. However, these processes were partly mediated by squirrel coat colour phenotype. Given a well-known urban cline in squirrel coat colour melanism, grey squirrels provide a useful free-living system with which to study how host genetics mediate environment x microbiome interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mason R. Stothart
- Department of Ecosystem and Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, T2N 4Z6 Canada
| | - Amy E. M. Newman
- Department of Integrative Biology, College of Biological Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, N1G 2W1 Canada
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44
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Zepeda E, Payne E, Wurth A, Sih A, Gehrt S. Early life experience influences dispersal in coyotes ( Canis latrans). Behav Ecol 2021; 32:728-737. [PMID: 34421364 PMCID: PMC8374878 DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arab027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2020] [Revised: 02/21/2021] [Accepted: 03/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Natal dispersal plays an important role in connecting individual animal behavior with ecological processes at all levels of biological organization. As urban environments are rapidly increasing in extent and intensity, understanding how urbanization influences these long distance movements is critical for predicting the persistence of species and communities. There is considerable variation in the movement responses of individuals within a species, some of which is attributed to behavioral plasticity which interacts with experience to produce interindividual differences in behavior. For natal dispersers, much of this experience occurs in the natal home range. Using data collected from VHF collared coyotes (Canis latrans) in the Chicago Metropolitan Area we explored the relationship between early life experience with urbanization and departure, transience, and settlement behavior. Additionally, we looked at how early life experience with urbanization influenced survival to adulthood and the likelihood of experiencing a vehicle related mortality. We found that coyotes with more developed habitat in their natal home range were more likely to disperse and tended to disperse farther than individuals with more natural habitat in their natal home range. Interestingly, our analysis produced mixed results for the relationship between natal habitat and habitat selection during settlement. Finally, we found no evidence that early life experience with urbanization influenced survival to adulthood or the likelihood of experiencing vehicular mortality. Our study provides evidence that early life exposure influences dispersal behavior; however, it remains unclear how these differences ultimately affect fitness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Zepeda
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of California at Davis, 1 Shields Ave., Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Eric Payne
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of California at Davis, 1 Shields Ave., Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Ashley Wurth
- School of Environment and Natural Resources, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Andrew Sih
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of California at Davis, 1 Shields Ave., Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Stanley Gehrt
- School of Environment and Natural Resources, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
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45
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Thompson CL, Alberti M, Barve S, Battistuzzi FU, Drake JL, Goncalves GC, Govaert L, Partridge C, Yang Y. Back to the future: Reintegrating biology to understand how past eco-evolutionary change can predict future outcomes. Integr Comp Biol 2021; 61:2218-2232. [PMID: 33964141 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icab068] [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: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
During the last few decades, biologists have made remarkable progress in understanding the fundamental processes that shape life. But despite the unprecedented level of knowledge now available, large gaps still remain in our understanding of the complex interplay of eco-evolutionary mechanisms across scales of life. Rapidly changing environments on Earth provide a pressing need to understand the potential implications of eco-evolutionary dynamics, which can be achieved by improving existing eco-evolutionary models and fostering convergence among the sub-fields of biology. We propose a new, data-driven approach that harnesses our knowledge of the functioning of biological systems to expand current conceptual frameworks and develop corresponding models that can more accurately represent and predict future eco-evolutionary outcomes. We suggest a roadmap toward achieving this goal. This long-term vision will move biology in a direction that can wield these predictive models for scientific applications that benefit humanity and increase the resilience of natural biological systems. We identify short, medium, and long-term key objectives to connect our current state of knowledge to this long-term vision, iteratively progressing across three stages: 1) utilizing knowledge of biological systems to better inform eco-evolutionary models, 2) generating models with more accurate predictions, and 3) applying predictive models to benefit the biosphere. Within each stage, we outline avenues of investigation and scientific applications related to the timescales over which evolution occurs, the parameter space of eco-evolutionary processes, and the dynamic interactions between these mechanisms. The ability to accurately model, monitor, and anticipate eco-evolutionary changes would be transformational to humanity's interaction with the global environment, providing novel tools to benefit human health, protect the natural world, and manage our planet's biosphere.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Marina Alberti
- Department of Urban Design and Planning, University of Washington,
| | - Sahas Barve
- Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History,
| | | | - Jeana L Drake
- Department of Earth, Planetary, and Space Sciences, University of California Los Angeles,
| | | | - Lynn Govaert
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich; Department of Aquatic Ecology, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, URPP Global Change and Biodiversity, University of Zurich,
| | | | - Ya Yang
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of Minnesota,
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46
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Langen TA, Cannon CH, Blackburn DC, Morgan EL, Mera PE. Discovering and Applying the Urban Rules of Life to Design Sustainable and Healthy Cities. Integr Comp Biol 2021; 61:1237-1252. [PMID: 33956145 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icab065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
The city and its urban biome provides an extreme laboratory for studying fundamental biological questions and developing best practices for sustaining biodiverse and well-functioning ecological communities within anthropogenic built environments. We propose by studying urban organisms, urban biotic communities, the urban biome, and the interactions between the urban biome and peri-urban built and natural environments, we can (1) discover new 'rules of life' for the structure, function, interaction, and evolution of organisms;(2) use these discoveries to understand how novel emerging biotic communities affect and are affected by anthropogenic environmental changes in climate and other environmental factors; and (3) apply what we have learned to engage residents of the urban biome, and design cities that are more biologically diverse, are provided with more and better ecosystem services, and are more equitable and healthier places to live. The built environment of the urban biome is a place that reflects history, economics, technology, governance, culture, and values of the human residents; research on and applications of the rules of life in the urban biome can be used by all residents in making choices about the design of the cities where they live. Because inhabitants are directly invested in the environmental quality of their neighborhoods, research conducted in and about the urban environment provides a great opportunity to engage wide and diverse communities of people. Given the opportunity to engage a broad constituency - from basic researchers to teachers, civil engineers, landscape planners, and concerned citizens - studying the translation of the rules of life onto the urban environment will result in an integrative and cross-cutting set of questions and hypotheses, and will foster a dialogue among citizens about the focus of urban biome research and its application toward making more equitable, healthy, livable, sustainable, and biodiverse cities.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Eric L Morgan
- Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communications, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
| | - Paola E Mera
- Department of Microbiology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
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47
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Tassone EE, Miles LS, Dyer RJ, Rosenberg MS, Cowling RM, Verrelli BC. Evolutionary stability, landscape heterogeneity, and human land-usage shape population genetic connectivity in the Cape Floristic Region biodiversity hotspot. Evol Appl 2021; 14:1109-1123. [PMID: 33897824 PMCID: PMC8061270 DOI: 10.1111/eva.13185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2020] [Revised: 12/03/2020] [Accepted: 12/08/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
As human-induced change eliminates natural habitats, it impacts genetic diversity and population connectivity for local biodiversity. The South African Cape Floristic Region (CFR) is the most diverse extratropical area for plant biodiversity, and much of its habitat is protected as a UNESCO World Heritage site. There has long been great interest in explaining the underlying factors driving this unique diversity, especially as much of the CFR is endangered by urbanization and other anthropogenic activity. Here, we use a population and landscape genetic analysis of SNP data from the CFR endemic plant Leucadendron salignum or "common sunshine conebush" as a model to address the evolutionary and environmental factors shaping the vast CFR diversity. We found that high population structure, along with relatively deeper and older genealogies, is characteristic of the southwestern CFR, whereas low population structure and more recent lineage coalescence depict the eastern CFR. Population network analyses show genetic connectivity is facilitated in areas of lower elevation and higher seasonal precipitation. These population genetic signatures corroborate CFR species-level patterns consistent with high Pleistocene biome stability and landscape heterogeneity in the southwest, but with coincident instability in the east. Finally, we also find evidence of human land-usage as a significant gene flow barrier, especially in severely threatened lowlands where genetic connectivity has been historically the highest. These results help identify areas where conservation plans can prioritize protecting high genetic diversity threatened by contemporary human activities within this unique cultural UNESCO site.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lindsay S. Miles
- Center for the Study of Biological ComplexityVirginia Commonwealth UniversityRichmondVirginiaUSA
| | - Rodney J. Dyer
- Center for Environmental StudiesVirginia Commonwealth UniversityRichmondVirginiaUSA
| | - Michael S. Rosenberg
- School of Life SciencesArizona State UniversityTempeArizonaUSA
- Center for the Study of Biological ComplexityVirginia Commonwealth UniversityRichmondVirginiaUSA
| | - Richard M. Cowling
- African Centre for Coastal PalaeoscienceBotany DepartmentNelson Mandela UniversityPort ElizabethSouth Africa
| | - Brian C. Verrelli
- School of Life SciencesArizona State UniversityTempeArizonaUSA
- Center for the Study of Biological ComplexityVirginia Commonwealth UniversityRichmondVirginiaUSA
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48
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Kostanecki A, Gorton AJ, Moeller DA. An urban–rural spotlight: evolution at small spatial scales among urban and rural populations of common ragweed. JOURNAL OF URBAN ECOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.1093/jue/juab004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Urbanization produces similar environmental changes across cities relative to their neighboring rural environments. However, there may be high environmental heterogeneity across an urban–rural gradient. Previous research in Minneapolis, MN, USA, found mixed evidence that urban and rural plant populations of common ragweed have locally adapted and that urban populations exhibit greater among-population divergence in ecologically-important traits. To investigate whether there are parallel patterns of urban–rural trait divergence across different urban areas, we examined trait variation across an urban–rural gradient in a second city, St. Louis, MO, USA. We used growth chamber and greenhouse common environments to investigate variation in six traits within and among 16 populations of common ragweed (eight from each urban and rural area). Urban and rural plants diverged significantly in three of five traits, with rural plants having lower percent germination, greater height and lower leaf dissection index. We also found greater variance in plant height among urban compared to rural populations, potentially driven by heterogeneity in human management practices on urban populations. Patterns of urban-rural trait divergence (e.g. in flowering time) differ substantially from those found previously in the reciprocal transplant experiment in Minneapolis, contradicting the hypothesis of parallel evolution across different metropolitan areas. The results of this study suggest that there is considerable population variation in ecologically-important traits, but that urban populations do not consistently differ from neighboring rural populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam Kostanecki
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of Minnesota, 1479 Gortner Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA
| | - Amanda J Gorton
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, University of Minnesota, 1479 Gortner Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA
| | - David A Moeller
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of Minnesota, 1479 Gortner Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA
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Hassell JM, Bettridge JM, Ward MJ, Ogendo A, Imboma T, Muloi D, Fava F, Robinson TP, Begon M, Fèvre EM. Socio-ecological drivers of vertebrate biodiversity and human-animal interfaces across an urban landscape. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2021; 27:781-792. [PMID: 33263214 PMCID: PMC7983883 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2020] [Accepted: 10/10/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Urbanization can have profound impacts on the distributional ecology of wildlife and livestock, with implications for biodiversity conservation, ecosystem services and human health. A wealth of studies have assessed biotic responses to urbanization in North America and Europe, but there is little empirical evidence that directly links human activities to urban biodiversity in the tropics. Results from a large-scale field study conducted in Nairobi, Kenya, are used to explore the impact of human activities on the biodiversity of wildlife and livestock with which humans co-exist across the city. The structure of sympatric wildlife, livestock and human populations are characterized using unsupervised machine learning, and statistical modelling is used to relate compositional variation in these communities to socio-ecological drivers occurring across the city. By characterizing landscape-scale drivers acting on these interfaces, we demonstrate that socioeconomics, elevation and subsequent changes in habitat have measurable impacts upon the diversity, density and species assemblage of wildlife, livestock and humans. Restructuring of wildlife and livestock assemblages (both in terms of species diversity and composition) has important implications for the emergence of novel diseases at urban interfaces, and we therefore use our results to generate a set of testable hypotheses that explore the influence of urban change on microbial communities. These results provide novel insight into the impact of urbanization on biodiversity in the tropics. An understanding of associations between urban processes and the structure of human and animal populations is required to link urban development to conservation efforts and risks posed by disease emergence to human health, ultimately informing sustainable urban development policy.
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Affiliation(s)
- James M. Hassell
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological SciencesUniversity of LiverpoolLiverpoolUK
- International Livestock Research InstituteNairobiKenya
- Global Health ProgramSmithsonian Conservation Biology InstituteWashingtonDCUSA
| | - Judy M. Bettridge
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological SciencesUniversity of LiverpoolLiverpoolUK
- International Livestock Research InstituteNairobiKenya
- Natural Resources InstituteUniversity of GreenwichGreenwichUK
| | - Melissa J. Ward
- Centre for Immunity, Infection and EvolutionUniversity of EdinburghEdinburghUK
- Nuffield Department of Clinical MedicineUniversity of OxfordJohn Radcliffe HospitalOxfordUK
| | - Allan Ogendo
- International Livestock Research InstituteNairobiKenya
| | | | - Dishon Muloi
- International Livestock Research InstituteNairobiKenya
- Centre for Immunity, Infection and EvolutionUniversity of EdinburghEdinburghUK
- Usher Institute of Population Health Sciences & InformaticsUniversity of EdinburghEdinburghUK
| | | | | | - Michael Begon
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological SciencesUniversity of LiverpoolLiverpoolUK
| | - Eric M. Fèvre
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological SciencesUniversity of LiverpoolLiverpoolUK
- International Livestock Research InstituteNairobiKenya
- Global Health ProgramSmithsonian Conservation Biology InstituteWashingtonDCUSA
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Des Roches S, Brans KI, Lambert MR, Rivkin LR, Savage AM, Schell CJ, Correa C, De Meester L, Diamond SE, Grimm NB, Harris NC, Govaert L, Hendry AP, Johnson MTJ, Munshi‐South J, Palkovacs EP, Szulkin M, Urban MC, Verrelli BC, Alberti M. Socio-eco-evolutionary dynamics in cities. Evol Appl 2021; 14:248-267. [PMID: 33519968 PMCID: PMC7819562 DOI: 10.1111/eva.13065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2020] [Revised: 05/22/2020] [Accepted: 06/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Cities are uniquely complex systems regulated by interactions and feedbacks between nature and human society. Characteristics of human society-including culture, economics, technology and politics-underlie social patterns and activity, creating a heterogeneous environment that can influence and be influenced by both ecological and evolutionary processes. Increasing research on urban ecology and evolutionary biology has coincided with growing interest in eco-evolutionary dynamics, which encompasses the interactions and reciprocal feedbacks between evolution and ecology. Research on both urban evolutionary biology and eco-evolutionary dynamics frequently focuses on contemporary evolution of species that have potentially substantial ecological-and even social-significance. Still, little work fully integrates urban evolutionary biology and eco-evolutionary dynamics, and rarely do researchers in either of these fields fully consider the role of human social patterns and processes. Because cities are fundamentally regulated by human activities, are inherently interconnected and are frequently undergoing social and economic transformation, they represent an opportunity for ecologists and evolutionary biologists to study urban "socio-eco-evolutionary dynamics." Through this new framework, we encourage researchers of urban ecology and evolution to fully integrate human social drivers and feedbacks to increase understanding and conservation of ecosystems, their functions and their contributions to people within and outside cities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone Des Roches
- Department of Urban Design and PlanningUniversity of WashingtonSeattleWAUSA
| | - Kristien I. Brans
- Department of BiologyLaboratory of Aquatic Ecology, Evolution and ConservationKU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
| | - Max R. Lambert
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and ManagementUniversity of CaliforniaBerkeleyCAUSA
| | - L. Ruth Rivkin
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyUniversity of TorontoTorontoONCanada
- Department of BiologyUniversity of Toronto MississaugaMississaugaONCanada
- Centre for Urban EnvironmentsUniversity of Toronto MississaugaMississaugaONCanada
| | - Amy Marie Savage
- Department of BiologyCenter for Computational and Integrative BiologyRutgers UniversityCamdenNJUSA
| | - Christopher J. Schell
- School of Interdisciplinary Arts and SciencesUniversity of Washington TacomaTacomaWAUSA
| | - Cristian Correa
- Facultad de Ciencias Forestales y Recursos NaturalesInstituto de Conservación Biodiversidad y TerritorioUniversidad Austral de ChileValdiviaChile
- Centro de Humedales Río CrucesUniversidad Austral de ChileValdiviaChile
| | - Luc De Meester
- Department of BiologyLaboratory of Aquatic Ecology, Evolution and ConservationKU LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
- Institute of BiologyFreie UniversitätBerlinGermany
- Leibniz Institut für Gewasserökologie und BinnenfischereiBerlinGermany
| | - Sarah E. Diamond
- Department of BiologyCase Western Reserve UniversityClevelandOHUSA
| | - Nancy B. Grimm
- School of Life SciencesArizona State UniversityTempeAZUSA
| | - Nyeema C. Harris
- Applied Wildlife Ecology Lab, Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyUniversity of MichiganAnn ArborMIUSA
| | - Lynn Govaert
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental StudiesUniversity of ZurichZurichSwitzerland
- Department of Aquatic EcologySwiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and TechnologyDuebendorfSwitzerland
| | - Andrew P. Hendry
- Department of BiologyRedpath MuseumMcGill UniversityMontrealQCCanada
| | - Marc T. J. Johnson
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyUniversity of TorontoTorontoONCanada
- Department of BiologyUniversity of Toronto MississaugaMississaugaONCanada
- Centre for Urban EnvironmentsUniversity of Toronto MississaugaMississaugaONCanada
| | - Jason Munshi‐South
- Department of Biological Sciences and Louis Calder CenterFordham UniversityArmonkNYUSA
| | - Eric P. Palkovacs
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary BiologyUniversity of CaliforniaSanta CruzCAUSA
| | - Marta Szulkin
- Centre of New TechnologiesUniversity of WarsawWarsawPoland
| | - Mark C. Urban
- Center of Biological Risk and Department of Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyUniversity of ConnecticutStorrsCTUSA
| | - Brian C. Verrelli
- Center for Life Sciences EducationVirginia Commonwealth UniversityRichmondVAUSA
| | - Marina Alberti
- Department of Urban Design and PlanningUniversity of WashingtonSeattleWAUSA
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