1
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Iglesias-Carrasco M, Zhang J, Noble DWA. Maternal investment and early thermal conditions affect performance and antipredator responses. Behav Ecol 2024; 35:arae035. [PMID: 38779594 PMCID: PMC11107847 DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arae035] [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: 09/21/2023] [Revised: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Exposure to increased temperatures during early development can lead to phenotypic plasticity in morphology, physiology, and behavior across a range of ectothermic animals. In addition, maternal effects are known to be important contributors to phenotypic variation in offspring. Whether the 2 factors interact to shape offspring morphology and behavior is rarely explored. This is critical because climate change is expected to impact both incubation temperature and maternal stress and resource allocation. Using a fully factorial design, and Bayesian multivariate mixed models, we explored how the manipulation of early thermal environment and yolk-quantity in eggs affected the morphology, performance, and antipredator behavior of 2 sympatric Australian skink species (Lampropholis delicata and L. guichenoti). We found that juveniles from the hot treatment were larger than those on the cold treatment in L. guichenoti but not L. delicata. Using repeated behavioral measures for individual lizards, we found an interaction between incubation temperature and maternal investment in performance, with running speed being affected in a species-specific way by the treatment. We predicted that changes in performance should influence antipredator responses. In support of this prediction, we found that maternal investment impacted antipredator behavior, with animals from the yolk-reduced and cold treatment resuming activity faster after a simulated predatory attack in L. delicata. However, the prediction was not supported in L. guichenoti. Our results highlight the importance of exploring the multifaceted role that environments play across generations to understand how different anthropogenic factors will impact wildlife in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maider Iglesias-Carrasco
- Evolution and Ecology of Sexual Interactions Group, Doñana Biological Station-CSIC, Seville, 41092, Spain
- Division of Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
| | - Jiayu Zhang
- Division of Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
| | - Daniel W A Noble
- Division of Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
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2
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Pruett JE, Hall JM, Tiatragul S, Warner DA. Nesting in Anolis Lizards: An Understudied Topic in a Well-Studied Clade. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.821115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Maternal nesting behavior in oviparous species strongly influences the environmental conditions their embryos experience during development. In turn, these early-life conditions have consequences for offspring phenotypes and many fitness components across an individual’s lifespan. Thus, identifying the evolutionary and ecological causes and effects of nesting behavior is a key goal of behavioral ecology. Studies of reptiles have contributed greatly to our understanding of how nesting behavior shapes offspring phenotypes. While some taxonomic groups have been used extensively to provide insights into this important area of biology, many groups remain poorly studied. For example, the squamate genus Anolis has served as a model to study behavior, ecology, and evolution, but research focused on Anolis nesting behavior and developmental plasticity is comparatively scarce. This dearth of empirical research may be attributed to logistical challenges (e.g., difficulty locating nests), biological factors (e.g., their single-egg clutches may hinder some experimental designs), and a historical focus on males in Anolis research. Although there is a gap in the literature concerning Anolis nesting behavior, interest in nesting ecology and developmental plasticity in this group has grown in recent years. In this paper, we (1) review existing studies of anole nesting ecology and developmental plasticity; (2) highlight areas of anole nesting ecology that are currently understudied and discuss how research in these areas can contribute to broader topics (e.g., maternal effects and global change biology); and (3) provide guidelines for studying anole nesting in the field. Overall, this review provides a foundation for establishing anoles as models to study nesting ecology and developmental plasticity.
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3
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Raynal RS, Noble DWA, Riley JL, Senior AM, Warner DA, While GM, Schwanz LE. Impact of fluctuating developmental temperatures on phenotypic traits in reptiles: a meta-analysis. J Exp Biol 2022; 225:274260. [PMID: 35258602 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.243369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2021] [Accepted: 11/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
During the vulnerable stages of early life, most ectothermic animals experience hourly and diel fluctuations in temperature as air temperatures change. While we know a great deal about how different constant temperatures impact the phenotypes of developing ectotherms, we know remarkably little about the impacts of temperature fluctuations on the development of ectotherms. In this study, we used a meta-analytic approach to compare the mean and variance of phenotypic outcomes from constant and fluctuating incubation temperatures across reptile species. We found that fluctuating temperatures provided a small benefit (higher hatching success and shorter incubation durations) at cool mean temperatures compared with constant temperatures, but had a negative effect at warm mean temperatures. In addition, more extreme temperature fluctuations led to greater reductions in embryonic survival compared with moderate temperature fluctuations. Within the limited data available from species with temperature-dependent sex determination, embryos had a higher chance of developing as female when developing in fluctuating temperatures compared with those developing in constant temperatures. With our meta-analytic approach, we identified average mean nest temperatures across all taxa where reptiles switch from receiving benefits to incurring costs when incubation temperatures fluctuate. More broadly, our study indicates that the impact of fluctuating developmental temperature on some phenotypes in ectothermic taxa are likely to be predictable via integration of developmental temperature profiles with thermal performance curves.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca S Raynal
- Evolution & Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Daniel W A Noble
- Division of Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2600, Australia
| | - Julia L Riley
- Department of Biology, Mount Allison University, Sackville, NB, Canada, E4L 1E2
| | - Alistair M Senior
- Charles Perkins Centre, Faculty of Science, School of Life and Environmental Sciences and School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Daniel A Warner
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Sciences and Mathematics, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
| | - Geoffrey M While
- School of Natural Sciences, University of Tasmania, Sandy Bay, Hobart, TAS 7001, Australia
| | - Lisa E Schwanz
- Evolution & Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
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4
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Sanger TJ, Harding L, Kyrkos J, Turnquist AJ, Epperlein L, Nunez SA, Lachance D, Dhindsa S, Stroud JT, Diaz RE, Czesny B. Environmental Thermal Stress Induces Neuronal Cell Death and Developmental Malformations in Reptiles. Integr Org Biol 2021; 3:obab033. [PMID: 34877473 PMCID: PMC8643577 DOI: 10.1093/iob/obab033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2021] [Revised: 09/25/2021] [Accepted: 11/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Every stage of organismal life history is being challenged by global warming. Many species are already experiencing temperatures approaching their physiological limits; this is particularly true for ectothermic species, such as lizards. Embryos are markedly sensitive to thermal insult. Here, we demonstrate that temperatures currently experienced in natural nesting areas can modify gene expression levels and induce neural and craniofacial malformations in embryos of the lizard Anolis sagrei. Developmental abnormalities ranged from minor changes in facial structure to significant disruption of anterior face and forebrain. The first several days of postoviposition development are particularly sensitive to this thermal insult. These results raise new concern over the viability of ectothermic species under contemporary climate change. Herein, we propose and test a novel developmental hypothesis that describes the cellular and developmental origins of those malformations: cell death in the developing forebrain and abnormal facial induction due to disrupted Hedgehog signaling. Based on similarities in the embryonic response to thermal stress among distantly related species, we propose that this developmental hypothesis represents a common embryonic response to thermal insult among amniote embryos. Our results emphasize the importance of adopting a broad, multidisciplinary approach that includes both lab and field perspectives when trying to understand the future impacts of anthropogenic change on animal development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas J Sanger
- Department of Biology, Loyola University Chicago, 1050 Sheridan Rd., Chicago, IL 60660, USA
| | - Laura Harding
- Department of Biology, Loyola University Chicago, 1050 Sheridan Rd., Chicago, IL 60660, USA
| | - Judith Kyrkos
- Department of Biology, Loyola University Chicago, 1050 Sheridan Rd., Chicago, IL 60660, USA
| | - Alexandrea J Turnquist
- Department of Biology, Loyola University Chicago, 1050 Sheridan Rd., Chicago, IL 60660, USA
| | - Lilian Epperlein
- Department of Biology, Loyola University Chicago, 1050 Sheridan Rd., Chicago, IL 60660, USA
| | - Sylvia A Nunez
- Department of Biology, Loyola University Chicago, 1050 Sheridan Rd., Chicago, IL 60660, USA
| | - Dryden Lachance
- Department of Biology, Loyola University Chicago, 1050 Sheridan Rd., Chicago, IL 60660, USA
| | - Seerat Dhindsa
- Department of Biology, Loyola University Chicago, 1050 Sheridan Rd., Chicago, IL 60660, USA
| | - James T Stroud
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, Campus Box 1137. One Brookings Drive St. Louis, MO 63130-4899, USA
| | - Raul E Diaz
- Department of Biological Sciences, California State University, Los Angeles, 5151 State University Dr., Los Angeles, CA 90032, USA
| | - Beata Czesny
- Department of Biology, Loyola University Chicago, 1050 Sheridan Rd., Chicago, IL 60660, USA
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5
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Muñoz MM, Feeley KJ, Martin PH, Farallo VR. The multidimensional (and contrasting) effects of environmental warming on a group of montane tropical lizards. Funct Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Martha M. Muñoz
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Yale University New Haven CT USA
| | | | - Patrick H. Martin
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Denver Denver CO USA
| | - Vincent R. Farallo
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Yale University New Haven CT USA
- Biology Department University of Scranton Scranton PA USA
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6
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Pruett JE, Warner DA. Spatial and temporal variation in phenotypes and fitness in response to developmental thermal environments. Funct Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Jenna E. Pruett
- Department of Biological Sciences Auburn University Auburn Alabama USA
| | - Daniel A. Warner
- Department of Biological Sciences Auburn University Auburn Alabama USA
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7
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Hall JM, Miracle J, Scruggs CD, Warner DA. Natural nest substrates influence squamate embryo physiology but have little effect on hatchling phenotypes. Integr Zool 2021; 17:550-566. [PMID: 34002932 DOI: 10.1111/1749-4877.12553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Vertebrate embryos require access to water; however, many species nest in terrestrial habitats that vary considerably in moisture content. Oviparous, non-avian reptiles have served as models to understand how environmental factors, like moisture availability, influence development because eggs are often exposed to prevailing environments in the absence of parental care. Though much research demonstrates the importance of water absorption by eggs, many ecological factors that influence moisture availability in natural nests have received little attention. For example, the type of substrate in which nests are constructed is understudied. We experimentally incubated eggs of the brown anole lizard (Anolis sagrei) in 2 naturally occurring nest substrates that were treated with varying amounts of water to determine how natural substrates influence development at different moisture concentrations. One substrate consisted of sand and crushed seashells and the other was mostly organic material (i.e. decayed plant material). Both are common nesting substrates at our field site. When controlling for water uptake by eggs, we found that egg survival and hatchling phenotypes were similar between substrates; however, embryos developed more quickly in the sand/shell substrate than the organic substrate, indicating substrate-specific effects on embryo physiology. These results demonstrate that different natural substrates can result in similar developmental outcomes if the water available to eggs is comparable; however, some aspects of development, like developmental rate, are affected by the type of substrate, independent of water availability. Further study is required to determine how natural substrates influence embryo physiology independent of water content.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua M Hall
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama, USA
| | - Jocelyn Miracle
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama, USA
| | - Cindy D Scruggs
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama, USA
| | - Daniel A Warner
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama, USA
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8
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Sanger TJ. Integrative developmental biology in the age of anthropogenic change. Evol Dev 2021; 23:320-332. [PMID: 33848387 DOI: 10.1111/ede.12377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2020] [Revised: 03/02/2021] [Accepted: 03/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Humans are changing and challenging nature in many ways. Conservation Biology seeks to limit human impacts on nature and preserve biological diversity. Traditionally, Developmental Biology and Conservation Biology have had nonoverlapping objectives, operating in distinct spheres of biological science. However, this chasm can and should be filled to help combat the emerging challenges of the 21st century. The means by which to accomplish this goal were already established within the conceptual framework of evo- and eco-devo and can be further expanded to address the ways that anthropogenic disturbance affect embryonic development. Herein, I describe ways that these approaches can be used to advance the study of reptilian embryos. More specifically, I explore the ways that a developmental perspective can advance ongoing studies of embryonic physiology in the context of global warming and chemical pollution, both of which are known stressors of reptilian embryos. I emphasize ways that these developmental perspectives can inform conservation biologists trying to develop management practices that will address the complexity of challenges facing reptilian embryos.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas J Sanger
- Department of Biology, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
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9
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Li S, Hao X, Sun B, Bi J, Zhang Y, DU W. Phenotypic consequences of maternally selected nests: a cross-fostering experiment in a desert lizard. Integr Zool 2020; 16:741-754. [PMID: 33190392 DOI: 10.1111/1749-4877.12505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Despite the importance of maternally selected nests in shaping offspring phenotypes, our understanding of how the nest environment affects embryonic development and offspring traits of most non-avian reptiles is rather limited largely due to the logistical difficulty in locating their nests. To identify the relative contributions of environmental (temporal [seasonal] and spatial [nest-site]) and intrinsic (clutch) factors on embryonic development and offspring traits, we conducted a cross-fostering experiment by swapping eggs between maternally-selected nests of the toad-headed agama (Phrynocephalus przewalskii) in the field. We found that nest environment explained a large proportion of variation in incubation duration, hatching success, and offspring size and growth. In contrast, clutch only explained a small proportion of variation in these embryonic and offspring traits. More significantly, compared with spatial effects, seasonal effects explained more phenotypic variation in both embryonic development and offspring traits. Eggs laid early in the nesting season had longer incubation durations and produced smaller hatchlings with higher post-hatching growth rates than did later-laid eggs. Consequently, hatchlings from early-laid eggs reached larger body sizes prior to winter. In addition, we found that female toad-headed agama did not select nests specific to reaction norms of their own offspring because hatchlings from original or translocated nests had similar phenotypic traits. Overall, our study demonstrates the importance of seasonal variation in nest environments in determining embryonic development and offspring phenotypes, which has not been widely appreciated at least in non-avian reptiles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuran Li
- College of Life and Environmental Science, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China.,International Society of Zoological Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xin Hao
- Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Baojun Sun
- Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Junhuai Bi
- College of Life Science, Inner Mongolia Normal University, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, China
| | - Yongpu Zhang
- College of Life and Environmental Science, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Weiguo DU
- Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,Center for Excellence in Animal Evolution and Genetics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
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10
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Hall JM, Warner DA. Ecologically relevant thermal fluctuations enhance offspring fitness: biological and methodological implications for studies of thermal developmental plasticity. J Exp Biol 2020; 223:jeb231902. [PMID: 32778564 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.231902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2020] [Accepted: 08/04/2020] [Indexed: 08/26/2023]
Abstract
Natural thermal environments are notably complex and challenging to mimic in controlled studies. Consequently, our understanding of the ecological relevance and underlying mechanisms of organismal responses to thermal environments is often limited. For example, studies of thermal developmental plasticity have provided key insights into the ecological consequences of temperature variation, but most laboratory studies use treatments that do not reflect natural thermal regimes. While controlling other important factors, we compared the effects of naturally fluctuating temperatures with those of commonly used laboratory regimes on development of lizard embryos and offspring phenotypes and survival. We incubated eggs in four treatments: three that followed procedures commonly used in the literature, and one that precisely mimicked naturally fluctuating nest temperatures. To explore context-dependent effects, we replicated these treatments across two seasonal regimes: relatively cool temperatures from nests constructed early in the season and warm temperatures from late-season nests. We show that natural thermal fluctuations have a relatively small effect on developmental variables but enhance hatchling performance and survival at cooler temperatures. Thus, natural thermal fluctuations are important for successful development and simpler approximations (e.g. repeated sine waves, constant temperatures) may poorly reflect natural systems under some conditions. Thus, the benefits of precisely replicating real-world temperatures in controlled studies may outweigh logistical costs. Although patterns might vary according to study system and research goals, our methodological approach demonstrates the importance of incorporating natural variation into controlled studies and provides biologists interested in thermal ecology with a framework for validating the effectiveness of commonly used methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua M Hall
- Auburn University, Department of Biological Sciences, 101 Rouse Life Sciences Building, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
| | - Daniel A Warner
- Auburn University, Department of Biological Sciences, 101 Rouse Life Sciences Building, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
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11
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Massey MD, Hutchings JA. Thermal variability during ectotherm egg incubation: A synthesis and framework. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY PART 2020; 335:59-71. [PMID: 32767534 DOI: 10.1002/jez.2400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2020] [Revised: 06/12/2020] [Accepted: 06/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Natural populations of ectothermic oviparous vertebrates typically experience thermal variability in their incubation environment. Yet an overwhelming number of laboratory studies incubate animals under constant thermal conditions that cannot capture natural thermal variability. Here, we systematically searched for studies that incubated eggs of ectothermic vertebrates, including both fishes and herpetofauna, under thermally variable regimes. We ultimately developed a compendium of 66 studies that used thermally variable conditions for egg incubation. In this review, we qualitatively discuss key findings from literature in the compendium, including the phenotypic effects resulting from different patterns of thermally variable incubation, as well as the ontogenetic persistence of these effects. We also describe a physiological framework for contextualizing some of these effects, based on thermal performance theory. Lastly, we highlight key gaps in our understanding of thermally variable incubation and offer suggestions for future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melanie D Massey
- Department of Biology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Jeffrey A Hutchings
- Department of Biology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.,Flødevigen Marine Research Station, Institute of Marine Research, Bergen, Norway.,Department of Natural Sciences, University of Agder, Kristiansand, Norway
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12
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DeSana A, Fargevieille A, Warner DA. Survival of lizard eggs varies with microhabitat in the presence of an invertebrate nest predator. Evol Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s10682-020-10058-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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13
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Pruett JE, Fargevieille A, Warner DA. Temporal variation in maternal nest choice and its consequences for lizard embryos. Behav Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/araa032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
AbstractMicrohabitat choice of nest sites is an important maternal effect that influences the survival and development of embryos in oviparous species. Embryos of many species display a high degree of plasticity in response to developmental environments, which places maternal nesting behavior under strong selective pressure, particularly in temporally changing environments. Nesting behavior varies widely across taxa that exhibit diverse reproductive strategies. The brown anole (Anolis sagrei), for example, lays one egg every 7–10 days across an extended reproductive season from April to October. This aspect of their reproduction provides an opportunity to examine temporal shifts in nesting behavior and its consequences on egg survival and offspring development under seasonally changing climatic conditions. We conducted a two-part study to quantify temporal variation in maternal nesting behavior and its effect on development of A. sagrei embryos. First, we measured nest micro-environments over the nesting season. Second, we “planted” eggs across the landscape at our field site to examine the influence of nest conditions on egg survival and hatchling phenotypes. We also incubated eggs inside chambers in the field to decouple effects of nest moisture from those of other environmental variables (e.g., temperature). Females chose nest sites with higher moisture and lower temperatures relative to what was generally available across the landscape during the nesting season. In addition, eggs exposed to relatively cool temperatures had higher hatching success, and high nest moisture increased egg survival and body condition of hatchlings. Overall, we provide evidence in the field that maternal nesting behavior facilitates offspring survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenna E Pruett
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Rouse Life Sciences, Auburn, AL, USA
| | - Amélie Fargevieille
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Rouse Life Sciences, Auburn, AL, USA
| | - Daniel A Warner
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Rouse Life Sciences, Auburn, AL, USA
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14
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Tiatragul S, Hall JM, Warner DA. Nestled in the city heat: urban nesting behavior enhances embryo development of an invasive lizard. JOURNAL OF URBAN ECOLOGY 2020. [DOI: 10.1093/jue/juaa001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Urbanization transforms many aspects of natural landscapes and poses many new challenges for individual survival and population persistence. Thus, urbanization provides an opportunity to examine how organisms deal with novel environmental change. Many studies provide evidence of phenotypic adaptation to urban environments, but few focus on responses during early life stages. Filling this information gap is important, because early life stages are particularly sensitive to abiotic factors, and no population is sustainable without successful embryo development. We tested the hypotheses that (i) embryos tolerate warmer temperature conditions of urbanized areas and (ii) maternal nesting behavior protects embryos from potentially lethal thermal conditions in urbanized habitats. We studied introduced populations of a subtropical lizard, Anolis cristatellus, in suburban and forested areas in Miami, Florida. In each habitat, we measured microenvironment variables for locations that females used for nesting vs. locations they did not use. We then incubated eggs from both populations under thermal conditions that mimicked used and unused sites. Nests in the suburban site were warmer than in the forest; however, in the suburban site, locations that females used were relatively cool compared with locations that were not used. We found no evidence that embryos are adapted to their respective suburban or forested thermal environments, but rather maternal nest-site choice enhanced embryo development in the suburban habitat. Maternal nesting behavior is likely an important factor for population persistence under major environmental changes, and a key contributor to the establishment and spread of invasive organisms across urbanized landscapes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarin Tiatragul
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
| | - Joshua M Hall
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
| | - Daniel A Warner
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
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15
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Prado-Irwin SR, Revell LJ, Winchell KM. Variation in tail morphology across urban and forest populations of the crested anole (Anolis cristatellus). Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2019. [DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blz111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Abstract
AbstractAnolis lizards are well known for their specialist ecomorphs characterized by the convergent evolution of suites of traits linked to the use of particular microhabitats. Many of these same traits evolve rapidly in response to novel selection pressures and have been very well studied. In contrast, the tail crest, a feature present in a subset of lineages, has been almost entirely overlooked. Variation in tail crest morphology within and among species remains largely unstudied, as does the function of the trait. Here, we use the natural experiment provided by urbanization to ask whether tail crest size differs between urban and forest populations of the crested anole (Anolis cristatellus) across the Caribbean island of Puerto Rico. We find that tail crest size differs primarily between regions; however, within regions, crests are invariably larger in urban than in forest environments. This difference in size is correlated with the hotter, drier conditions and sparser distribution of perches that typify urban sites, leading to the intriguing possibility that the tail crest might be under differential natural selection for signalling and/or because of the thermoregulatory challenge of urban habitats. Further study is required to shed light on the functional significance and evolution of this under-studied trait.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sofia R Prado-Irwin
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Liam J Revell
- Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, MA, USA
- Departamento de Ecología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Kristin M Winchell
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, MO, USA
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16
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The influence of maternal nesting behaviour on offspring survival: evidence from correlational and cross-fostering studies. Anim Behav 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2019.04.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
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17
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Velázquez-Rodríguez AS, García-Cruz A, Burggren W, Rodríguez-Romero FDJ. Physical and Chemical Variables Promote Successful Nesting in High Mountain Sceloporus Lizards in Central México. HERPETOLOGICA 2019. [DOI: 10.1655/d-18-00022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Alma Socorro Velázquez-Rodríguez
- Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, El Cerrillo Piedras Blancas, km 15.5 carretera Toluca-Ixtlahuaca, Toluca Estado de México 50200, México
| | - Aleida García-Cruz
- Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, El Cerrillo Piedras Blancas, km 15.5 carretera Toluca-Ixtlahuaca, Toluca Estado de México 50200, México
| | - Warren Burggren
- Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, El Cerrillo Piedras Blancas, km 15.5 carretera Toluca-Ixtlahuaca, Toluca Estado de México 50200, México
| | - Felipe De Jesús Rodríguez-Romero
- Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, El Cerrillo Piedras Blancas, km 15.5 carretera Toluca-Ixtlahuaca, Toluca Estado de México 50200, México
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18
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Pearson PR, Warner DA. Early hatching enhances survival despite beneficial phenotypic effects of late-season developmental environments. Proc Biol Sci 2019. [PMID: 29540523 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2018.0256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Seasonal shifts in environmental conditions provide predictable cues to which organisms can respond in adaptive ways. For example, seasonal changes in temperature can induce phenotypes at different times of the year that have season-specific fitness benefits. Here, we tested the hypothesis that embryo responses to seasonal changes in thermal environments are adaptively matched to the timing of reproduction (environmental-matching hypothesis). We collected eggs of the brown anole lizard (Anolis sagrei) from early and late seasons, and exposed them to early and late thermal regimes that mimic nest temperatures. After measuring offspring morphology and performance, we quantified their survival in the field. Females had higher fecundity, but produced smaller eggs, early in the season compared with late in the season. Late-season eggs exposed to late thermal regimes had relatively high survival, but early-season eggs exposed to early thermal regimes had similar survival rates to those exposed to mismatched conditions. Late-season nest temperatures and late-season eggs produced offspring that were relatively large and fast runners. However, despite phenotypic benefits of late-season conditions, early-season hatchlings had greater survival in the field. Our results do not fully support the environmental-matching hypothesis but suggest that selection favours seasonal shifts in reproductive investment of mothers (high early-season fecundity) over plastic responses of embryos to seasonal environmental changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- P R Pearson
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA .,Department of Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - D A Warner
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA.,Department of Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
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19
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Tiatragul S, Hall JM, Pavlik NG, Warner DA. Lizard nest environments differ between suburban and forest habitats. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2019. [DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/bly204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
AbstractNesting success is critical for oviparous species to maintain viable populations. Many species often do not provide parental care (e.g. oviparous reptiles), so embryos are left to develop in the prevailing conditions of the nest. For species that occupy diverse habitats, embryos must be able to complete development across a broad range of environmental conditions. Although much research has investigated how environmental conditions influence embryo development, we know little about how nest conditions differ between diverse habitats. Anolis lizards are commonly found in various habitats including those heavily modified by humans (e.g. cities). We describe nest sites of anoles in two different habitat types: a suburban area and a nearby forest. The suburban area had less total nesting habitat but a greater variety of microenvironment conditions for females to use for nesting, compared to the forest. Suburban nests were warmer and drier with greater thermal variance compared to forest nests. Finally, we use data from the literature to predict how nest conditions may influence development. Our study provides the first quantitative assessment of anole nest sites in human-modified environments and shows how suburban habitats may generate variation in developmental rate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarin Tiatragul
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA
| | - Joshua M Hall
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA
| | | | - Daniel A Warner
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA
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20
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Phenotypic Consequences of Embryonic Responses to Developmental Temperatures in Two Latitudinally Separated Populations of Asian Yellow Pond Turtles. J HERPETOL 2018. [DOI: 10.1670/17-149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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21
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Sun B, Ma L, Li S, Williams CM, Wang Y, Hao X, Du W. Phenology and the physiological niche are co‐adapted in a desert‐dwelling lizard. Funct Ecol 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Bao‐Jun Sun
- Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
- Department of Integrative Biology University of California Berkeley California
| | - Liang Ma
- Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
| | - Shu‐Ran Li
- Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
| | | | - Yang Wang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
| | - Xin Hao
- Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
| | - Wei‐Guo Du
- Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
- Center for Excellence in Animal Evolution and Genetics Chinese Academy of SciencesKunming China
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22
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Hall JM, Warner DA. Thermal spikes from the urban heat island increase mortality and alter physiology of lizard embryos. J Exp Biol 2018; 221:221/14/jeb181552. [DOI: 10.1242/jeb.181552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2018] [Accepted: 05/15/2018] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
ABSTRACT
Effects of global change (i.e. urbanization, climate change) on adult organisms are readily used to predict the persistence of populations. However, effects on embryo survival and patterns of development are less studied, even though embryos are particularly sensitive to abiotic conditions that are altered by global change (e.g. temperature). In reptiles, relatively warm incubation temperatures increase developmental rate and often enhance fitness-relevant phenotypes, but extremely high temperatures cause death. Due to the urban heat island effect, human-altered habitats (i.e. cities) potentially create unusually warm nest conditions that differ from adjacent natural areas in both mean and extreme temperatures. Such variation may exert selection pressures on embryos. To address this, we measured soil temperatures in places where the Puerto Rican crested anole lizard (Anolis cristatellus) nests in both city and forest habitats. We bred anoles in the laboratory and subjected their eggs to five incubation treatments that mimicked temperature regimes from the field, three of which included brief exposure to extremely high temperatures (i.e. thermal spikes) measured in the city. We monitored growth and survival of hatchlings in the laboratory for 3 months and found that warmer, city temperatures increase developmental rate, but brief, thermal spikes reduce survival. Hatchling growth and survival were unaffected by incubation treatment. The urban landscape can potentially create selection pressures that influence organisms at early (e.g. embryo) and late life stages. Thus, research aimed at quantifying the impacts of urbanization on wildlife populations must include multiple life stages to gain a comprehensive understanding of this important aspect of global change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua M. Hall
- Auburn University, Department of Biological Sciences, 101 Rouse Life Sciences Building, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
| | - Daniel A. Warner
- Auburn University, Department of Biological Sciences, 101 Rouse Life Sciences Building, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
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23
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Booth DT. Incubation temperature induced phenotypic plasticity in oviparous reptiles: Where to next? JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY PART 2018; 329:343-350. [DOI: 10.1002/jez.2195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2018] [Revised: 05/17/2018] [Accepted: 05/18/2018] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- David T. Booth
- School of Biological Sciences; The University of Queensland; Queensland Australia
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24
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Sanger TJ, Kyrkos J, Lachance DJ, Czesny B, Stroud JT. The effects of thermal stress on the early development of the lizard Anolis sagrei. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY PART 2018; 329:244-251. [DOI: 10.1002/jez.2185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2018] [Revised: 04/20/2018] [Accepted: 04/26/2018] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Thomas J. Sanger
- Department of Biology; Loyola University Chicago; Chicago Illinois
| | - Judith Kyrkos
- Department of Biology; Loyola University Chicago; Chicago Illinois
| | | | - Beata Czesny
- Department of Biology; Loyola University Chicago; Chicago Illinois
| | - James T. Stroud
- Dept. of Biological Sciences; Florida International University; Miami Florida
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25
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While GM, Noble DW, Uller T, Warner DA, Riley JL, Du W, Schwanz LE. Patterns of developmental plasticity in response to incubation temperature in reptiles. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY PART 2018; 329:162-176. [DOI: 10.1002/jez.2181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2018] [Revised: 04/16/2018] [Accepted: 05/07/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Geoffrey M. While
- School of Biological Sciences University of Tasmania Hobart Australia
| | - Daniel W.A. Noble
- Evolution & Ecology Research Centre School of Biological, Earth, and Environmental Sciences University of New South Wales Sydney Australia
| | - Tobias Uller
- Department of Biology Lund University Lund Sweden
| | - Daniel A. Warner
- Department of Biological Sciences Auburn University Auburn Alabama
| | - Julia L. Riley
- Evolution & Ecology Research Centre School of Biological, Earth, and Environmental Sciences University of New South Wales Sydney Australia
- Department of Biological Sciences Macquarie University Sydney Australia
| | - Wei‐Guo Du
- Institute of Zoology Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
| | - Lisa E. Schwanz
- Evolution & Ecology Research Centre School of Biological, Earth, and Environmental Sciences University of New South Wales Sydney Australia
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26
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Cunningham GD, Fitzpatrick LJ, While GM, Wapstra E. Plastic rates of development and the effect of thermal extremes on offspring fitness in a cold-climate viviparous lizard. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY PART 2018; 329:262-270. [PMID: 29791071 DOI: 10.1002/jez.2167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2018] [Revised: 04/16/2018] [Accepted: 04/20/2018] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Populations at the climatic margins of a species' distribution can be exposed to conditions that cause developmental stress, resulting in developmental abnormalities. Even within the thermal range of normal development, phenotypes often vary with developmental temperature (i.e., thermal phenotypic plasticity). These effects can have significant consequences for organismal fitness and, thus, population persistence. Reptiles, as ectotherms, are particularly vulnerable to thermal effects on development and are, therefore, considered to be at comparatively high risk from changing climates. Understanding the extent and direction of thermal effects on phenotypes and their fitness consequences is crucial if we are to make meaningful predictions of how populations and species will respond as climates warm. Here, we experimentally manipulated the thermal conditions experienced by females from a high-altitude, cold-adapted population of the viviparous skink, Niveoscincus ocellatus, to examine the consequences of thermal conditions at the margins of this population's normal temperature range. We found strong effects of thermal conditions on the development of key phenotypic traits that have implications for fitness. Specifically, we found that offspring born earlier as a result of high temperatures during gestation had increased growth over the first winter of life, but there was no effect on offspring survival, nor was there an effect of developmental temperature on the incidence of developmental abnormalities. Combined, our results suggest that advancing birth dates that result from warming climates may have positive effects in this population via increased growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- George D Cunningham
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Luisa J Fitzpatrick
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Geoffrey M While
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Erik Wapstra
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
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27
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Hulbert AC, Mitchell TS, Hall JM, Guiffre CM, Douglas DC, Warner DA. The effects of incubation temperature and experimental design on heart rates of lizard embryos. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY PART 2017; 327:466-476. [DOI: 10.1002/jez.2135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2017] [Accepted: 11/15/2017] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Austin C. Hulbert
- Department of Biological Sciences; Auburn University; Auburn Alabama
| | | | - Joshua M. Hall
- Department of Biological Sciences; Auburn University; Auburn Alabama
| | - Cassia M. Guiffre
- Department of Biological Sciences; Auburn University; Auburn Alabama
| | | | - Daniel A. Warner
- Department of Biological Sciences; Auburn University; Auburn Alabama
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28
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Hall JM, Warner DA. Body size and reproduction of a non-native lizard are enhanced in an urban environment. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2017. [DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blx109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
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