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Blanchard TS, Earhart ML, Shatsky AK, Schulte PM. Intraspecific variation in thermal performance curves for early development in Fundulus heteroclitus. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY. PART A, ECOLOGICAL AND INTEGRATIVE PHYSIOLOGY 2024; 341:827-844. [PMID: 38769744 DOI: 10.1002/jez.2827] [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: 08/23/2023] [Revised: 04/04/2024] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
Thermal performance curves (TPCs) provide a framework for understanding the effects of temperature on ectotherm performance and fitness. TPCs are often used to test hypotheses regarding local adaptation to temperature or to develop predictions for how organisms will respond to climate warming. However, for aquatic organisms such as fishes, most TPCs have been estimated for adult life stages, and little is known about the shape of TPCs or the potential for thermal adaptation at sensitive embryonic life stages. To examine how latitudinal gradients shape TPCs at early life stages in fishes, we used two populations of Fundulus heteroclitus that have been shown to exhibit latitudinal variation along the thermal cline as adults. We exposed embryos from both northern and southern populations and their reciprocal crosses to eight different temperatures (15°C, 18°C, 21°C, 24°C, 27°C, 30°C, 33°C, and 36°C) until hatch and examined the effects of developmental temperature on embryonic and larval traits (shape of TPCs, heart rate, and body size). We found that the pure southern embryos had a right-shifted TPC (higher thermal optimum (Topt) for developmental rate, survival, and embryonic growth rate) whereas pure northern embryos had a vertically shifted TPC (higher maximum performance (Pmax) for developmental rate). Differences across larval traits and cross-type were also found, such that northern crosses hatched faster and hatched at a smaller size compared to the pure southern population. Overall, these observed differences in embryonic and larval traits are consistent with patterns of both local adaptation and countergradient variation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tessa S Blanchard
- Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Madison L Earhart
- Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Ariel K Shatsky
- Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Patricia M Schulte
- Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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2
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Gomez Isaza DF, Rodgers EM. Upper thermal limits are 'hard-wired' across body mass but not populations of an estuarine fish. J Therm Biol 2024; 125:103970. [PMID: 39312817 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2024.103970] [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: 05/21/2024] [Revised: 08/16/2024] [Accepted: 09/07/2024] [Indexed: 09/25/2024]
Abstract
Climate warming is seeing temperatures breach exceptional thresholds as the frequency and intensity of heat waves increase. Efforts to forecast species vulnerability to climate warming often focus on upper thermal limits threatening survival, overlooking the role of intraspecific variation in determining vulnerability. Using an estuarine fish (black bream, Acanthopagrus butcheri) as a model, we explore how intraspecific variation in body mass and among populations affects upper thermal tolerance. Upper thermal limits were quantified using critical thermal maxima (CTmax) of wild fish. We used a ∼500 g (mean = 52.4 g, range = 0.57-541 g) mass range to test the relationship between body mass and thermal tolerance. Four distinct black bream populations were chosen along a 5° latitudinal cline to explore population differences in thermal limits. Contrary to expectations, there was no effect of body mass on upper thermal limits. However, significant population differences in thermal tolerance were observed that correlate with mean habitat temperatures. Specifically, the southern population had a significantly lower CTmax (35.57 ± 0.43 °C) compared to northern (36.32 ± 0.70 °C) and mid-latitude (36.36 ± 1.15 °C) populations. These data underscore the importance of observing intraspecific variation in thermal limits to reveal the capabilities of individuals within a species to cope with climate warming and improve the management of at-risk life stages and populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel F Gomez Isaza
- Harry Butler Institute, Murdoch University, Murdoch, Western Australia, 6150, Australia.
| | - Essie M Rodgers
- Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Ecosystems, Harry Butler Institute, Murdoch University, 90 South Street, Murdoch, WA, 6150, Australia; School of Environmental and Conservation Sciences, College of Environmental and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, Western Australia, 6150, Australia
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3
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Cowan ZL, Green L, Clark TD, Blewett TA, De Bonville J, Gagnon T, Hoots E, Kuchenmüller L, Leeuwis RHJ, Navajas Acedo J, Rowsey LE, Scheuffele H, Skeeles MR, Silva-Garay L, Jutfelt F, Binning SA. Global change and premature hatching of aquatic embryos. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2024; 30:e17488. [PMID: 39238185 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.17488] [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: 05/16/2024] [Revised: 07/30/2024] [Accepted: 08/07/2024] [Indexed: 09/07/2024]
Abstract
Anthropogenically induced changes to the natural world are increasingly exposing organisms to stimuli and stress beyond that to which they are adapted. In aquatic systems, it is thought that certain life stages are more vulnerable than others, with embryos being flagged as highly susceptible to environmental stressors. Interestingly, evidence from across a wide range of taxa suggests that aquatic embryos can hatch prematurely, potentially as an adaptive response to external stressors, despite the potential for individual costs linked with underdeveloped behavioural and/or physiological functions. However, surprisingly little research has investigated the prevalence, causes and consequences of premature hatching, and no compilation of the literature exists. Here, we review what is known about premature hatching in aquatic embryos and discuss how this phenomenon is likely to become exacerbated with anthropogenically induced global change. Specifically, we (1) review the mechanisms of hatching, including triggers for premature hatching in experimental and natural systems; (2) discuss the potential implications of premature hatching at different levels of biological organisation from individuals to ecosystems; and (3) outline knowledge gaps and future research directions for understanding the drivers and consequences of premature hatching. We found evidence that aquatic embryos can hatch prematurely in response to a broad range of abiotic (i.e. temperature, oxygen, toxicants, light, pH, salinity) and biotic (i.e. predators, pathogens) stressors. We also provide empirical evidence that premature hatching appears to be a common response to rapid thermal ramping across fish species. We argue that premature hatching represents a fascinating yet untapped area of study, and the phenomenon may provide some additional resilience to aquatic communities in the face of ongoing global change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zara-Louise Cowan
- Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke), Oulu, Finland
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Leon Green
- Department of Biology and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Kristineberg Center, University of Gothenburg, Fiskebäckskil, Sweden
| | - Timothy D Clark
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia
| | - Tamzin A Blewett
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Jeremy De Bonville
- Département de Sciences Biologiques, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Thomas Gagnon
- Département de Sciences Biologiques, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Elizabeth Hoots
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia
| | - Luis Kuchenmüller
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia
| | - Robine H J Leeuwis
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | | | - Lauren E Rowsey
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of New Brunswick, Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada
| | - Hanna Scheuffele
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia
| | | | - Lorena Silva-Garay
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Fredrik Jutfelt
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Sandra A Binning
- Département de Sciences Biologiques, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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Ruthsatz K, Dahlke F, Alter K, Wohlrab S, Eterovick PC, Lyra ML, Gippner S, Cooke SJ, Peck MA. Acclimation capacity to global warming of amphibians and freshwater fishes: Drivers, patterns, and data limitations. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2024; 30:e17318. [PMID: 38771091 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.17318] [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: 12/23/2023] [Revised: 04/17/2024] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
Amphibians and fishes play a central role in shaping the structure and function of freshwater environments. These organisms have a limited capacity to disperse across different habitats and the thermal buffer offered by freshwater systems is small. Understanding determinants and patterns of their physiological sensitivity across life history is, therefore, imperative to predicting the impacts of climate change in freshwater systems. Based on a systematic literature review including 345 experiments with 998 estimates on 96 amphibian (Anura/Caudata) and 93 freshwater fish species (Teleostei), we conducted a quantitative synthesis to explore phylogenetic, ontogenetic, and biogeographic (thermal adaptation) patterns in upper thermal tolerance (CTmax) and thermal acclimation capacity (acclimation response ratio, ARR) as well as the influence of the methodology used to assess these thermal traits using a conditional inference tree analysis. We found globally consistent patterns in CTmax and ARR, with phylogeny (taxa/order), experimental methodology, climatic origin, and life stage as significant determinants of thermal traits. The analysis demonstrated that CTmax does not primarily depend on the climatic origin but on experimental acclimation temperature and duration, and life stage. Higher acclimation temperatures and longer acclimation times led to higher CTmax values, whereby Anuran larvae revealed a higher CTmax than older life stages. The ARR of freshwater fishes was more than twice that of amphibians. Differences in ARR between life stages were not significant. In addition to phylogenetic differences, we found that ARR also depended on acclimation duration, ramping rate, and adaptation to local temperature variability. However, the amount of data on early life stages is too small, methodologically inconsistent, and phylogenetically unbalanced to identify potential life cycle bottlenecks in thermal traits. We, therefore, propose methods to improve the robustness and comparability of CTmax/ARR data across species and life stages, which is crucial for the conservation of freshwater biodiversity under climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharina Ruthsatz
- Zoological Institute, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany
- Institute of Animal Cell and Systems Biology, Universität Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Flemming Dahlke
- Ecology of Living Marine Resources, Universität Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Katharina Alter
- Department of Coastal Systems, Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Den Burg, The Netherlands
| | - Sylke Wohlrab
- Alfred Wegner Institute Helmholtz Center for Polar and Marine Research, Bremerhaven, Germany
- Helmholtz Institute for Functional Marine Biodiversity at the University of Oldenburg (HIFMB), Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Paula C Eterovick
- Zoological Institute, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Mariana L Lyra
- New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
- Center for Research on Biodiversity Dynamics and Climate Change, State University of São Paulo-UNESP, Rio Claro, Brazil
| | - Sven Gippner
- Zoological Institute, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Steven J Cooke
- Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology and Institute of Environmental and Interdisciplinary Science, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Myron A Peck
- Department of Coastal Systems, Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Den Burg, The Netherlands
- Marine Animal Ecology Group, Department of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
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Oborová V, Šugerková M, Gvoždík L. Sensitivity of amphibian embryos to timing and magnitude of present and future thermal extremes. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY. PART A, ECOLOGICAL AND INTEGRATIVE PHYSIOLOGY 2024; 341:377-388. [PMID: 38327237 DOI: 10.1002/jez.2791] [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: 10/12/2023] [Revised: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
Ongoing climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of extreme temperature events. Unlike the gradual increase on average environmental temperatures, these short-term and unpredictable temperature extremes impact population dynamics of ectotherms through their effect on individual survival. While previous research has predominantly focused on the survival rate of terrestrial embryos under acute heat stress, less attention has been dedicated to the nonlethal effects of ecologically realistic timing and magnitude of temperature extremes on aquatic embryos. In this study, we investigated the influence of the timing and magnitude of current and projected temperature extremes on embryonic life history traits and hatchling behavior in the alpine newt, Ichthyosaura alpestris. Using a factorial experiment under controlled laboratory conditions, we exposed 3- or 10-day-old embryos to different regimes of extreme temperatures for 3 days. Our results show that exposure to different extreme temperature regimes led to a shortened embryonic development time and an increase in hatchling length, while not significantly affecting embryonic survival. The duration of development was sensitive to the timing of temperature extremes, as early exposure accelerated embryo development. Exposure to temperature extremes during embryonic development heightened the exploratory activity of hatched larvae. We conclude that the timing and magnitude of ecologically realistic temperature extremes during embryogenesis have nonlethal effects on life history and behavioral traits. This suggests that species' vulnerability to climate change might be determined by other ecophysiological traits beyond embryonic thermal tolerance in temperate pond-breeding amphibians.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentína Oborová
- Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Vertebrate Biology, Brno, Czech Republic
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Sciences, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Monika Šugerková
- Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Vertebrate Biology, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Lumír Gvoždík
- Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Vertebrate Biology, Brno, Czech Republic
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6
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De Bonville J, Côté A, Binning SA. Thermal tolerance and survival are modulated by a natural gradient of infection in differentially acclimated hosts. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2024; 12:coae015. [PMID: 38629117 PMCID: PMC11020239 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coae015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2023] [Revised: 02/03/2024] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024]
Abstract
Wild ectotherms are exposed to multiple stressors, including parasites, that can affect their responses to environmental change. Simultaneously, unprecedented warm temperatures are being recorded worldwide, increasing both the average and maximum temperatures experienced in nature. Understanding how ectotherms, such as fishes, will react to the combined stress of parasites and higher average temperatures can help predict the impact of extreme events such as heat waves on populations. The critical thermal method (CTM), which assesses upper (CTmax) and lower (CTmin) thermal tolerance, is often used in acclimated ectotherms to help predict their tolerance to various temperature scenarios. Despite the widespread use of the CTM across taxa, few studies have characterized the response of naturally infected fish to extreme temperature events or how acute thermal stress affects subsequent survival. We acclimated naturally infected pumpkinseed sunfish (Lepomis gibbosus) to four ecologically relevant temperatures (10, 15, 20 and 25°C) and one future warming scenario (30°C) for 3 weeks before measuring CTmax and CTmin. We also assessed individual survival the week following CTmax. Parasites were counted and identified following trials to relate infection intensity to thermal tolerance and survival. Interestingly, trematode parasites causing black spot disease were negatively related to CTmax, suggesting that heavily infected fish are less tolerant to acute warming. Moreover, fish infected with yellow grub parasites showed decreased survival in the days following CTmax implying that the infection load has negative survival consequences on sunfish during extreme warming events. Our findings indicate that, when combined, parasite infection and high prolonged average temperatures can affect fish thermal tolerance and survival, emphasizing the need to better understand the concomitant effects of stressors on health outcomes in wild populations. This is especially true given that some parasite species are expected to thrive in warming waters making host fish species especially at risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jérémy De Bonville
- Groupe de Recherche Interuniversitaire en Limnologie et en Environnement Aquatique (GRIL), Département de Sciences Biologiques, Université de Montréal, 1375 Av.Théres̀e-Lavoie-Roux, Montréal, QC, H2V 0B3, Canada
| | - Ariane Côté
- Groupe de Recherche Interuniversitaire en Limnologie et en Environnement Aquatique (GRIL), Département de Sciences Biologiques, Université de Montréal, 1375 Av.Théres̀e-Lavoie-Roux, Montréal, QC, H2V 0B3, Canada
| | - Sandra A Binning
- Groupe de Recherche Interuniversitaire en Limnologie et en Environnement Aquatique (GRIL), Département de Sciences Biologiques, Université de Montréal, 1375 Av.Théres̀e-Lavoie-Roux, Montréal, QC, H2V 0B3, Canada
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7
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Lechner ER, Stewart EMC, Wilson CC, Raby GD. CT max in brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) embryos shows an acclimation response to developmental temperatures but is more variable than in later life stages. JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY 2024; 104:901-905. [PMID: 37984381 DOI: 10.1111/jfb.15624] [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: 08/18/2023] [Revised: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
Critical thermal maximum (CTmax ) is widely used to measure upper thermal tolerance in fish but is rarely examined in embryos. Upper thermal limits generally depend on an individual's thermal history, which molds plasticity. We examined how thermal acclimation affects thermal tolerance of brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) embryos using a novel method to assess CTmax in embryos incubated under three thermal regimes. Warm acclimation was associated with an increase in embryonic upper thermal tolerance. However, CTmax variability was markedly higher than is typical for juvenile or adult salmonids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily R Lechner
- Environmental and Life Sciences Graduate Program, Trent University, Peterborough, Ontario, Canada
| | - Erin M C Stewart
- Environmental and Life Sciences Graduate Program, Trent University, Peterborough, Ontario, Canada
| | - Chris C Wilson
- Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, Aquatic Research and Monitoring Section, Trent University, Peterborough, Ontario, Canada
| | - Graham D Raby
- Environmental and Life Sciences Graduate Program, Trent University, Peterborough, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Biology, Trent University, Peterborough, Ontario, Canada
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