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French CM, Bertola LD, Carnaval AC, Economo EP, Kass JM, Lohman DJ, Marske KA, Meier R, Overcast I, Rominger AJ, Staniczenko PPA, Hickerson MJ. Global determinants of insect mitochondrial genetic diversity. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5276. [PMID: 37644003 PMCID: PMC10465557 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-40936-0] [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: 01/20/2022] [Accepted: 08/15/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding global patterns of genetic diversity is essential for describing, monitoring, and preserving life on Earth. To date, efforts to map macrogenetic patterns have been restricted to vertebrates, which comprise only a small fraction of Earth's biodiversity. Here, we construct a global map of predicted insect mitochondrial genetic diversity from cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 sequences, derived from open data. We calculate the mitochondrial genetic diversity mean and genetic diversity evenness of insect assemblages across the globe, identify their environmental correlates, and make predictions of mitochondrial genetic diversity levels in unsampled areas based on environmental data. Using a large single-locus genetic dataset of over 2 million globally distributed and georeferenced mtDNA sequences, we find that mitochondrial genetic diversity evenness follows a quadratic latitudinal gradient peaking in the subtropics. Both mitochondrial genetic diversity mean and evenness positively correlate with seasonally hot temperatures, as well as climate stability since the last glacial maximum. Our models explain 27.9% and 24.0% of the observed variation in mitochondrial genetic diversity mean and evenness in insects, respectively, making an important step towards understanding global biodiversity patterns in the most diverse animal taxon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Connor M French
- Biology Department, City College of New York, New York, NY, USA.
- Biology Ph.D. Program, Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Laura D Bertola
- Biology Department, City College of New York, New York, NY, USA
- Section for Computational and RNA Biology, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, N 2200, Denmark
| | - Ana C Carnaval
- Biology Department, City College of New York, New York, NY, USA
- Biology Ph.D. Program, Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York, NY, USA
| | - Evan P Economo
- Biodiversity and Biocomplexity Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Onna, Okinawa, Japan
| | - Jamie M Kass
- Biodiversity and Biocomplexity Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Onna, Okinawa, Japan
- Macroecology Laboratory, Graduate School of Life Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan
| | - David J Lohman
- Biology Department, City College of New York, New York, NY, USA
- Biology Ph.D. Program, Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York, NY, USA
- Entomology Section, National Museum of Natural History, Manila, Philippines
| | | | - Rudolf Meier
- Institut für Biologie, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Center for Integrative Biodiversity Discovery, Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Museum für Naturkunde Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Isaac Overcast
- Biology Ph.D. Program, Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York, NY, USA
- Institut de Biologie de l'Ecole Normale Superieure, Paris, France
- Department of Vertebrate Zoology, American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY, USA
| | - Andrew J Rominger
- School of Biology and Ecology, University of Maine, Orono, ME, USA
- Maine Center for Genetics in the Environment, University of Maine, Orono, ME, USA
| | | | - Michael J Hickerson
- Biology Department, City College of New York, New York, NY, USA
- Biology Ph.D. Program, Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York, NY, USA
- Division of Invertebrate Zoology, American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY, USA
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2
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Faillace CA, Grunberg RL, Morin PJ. Historical contingency and the role of post-invasion evolution in alternative community states. Ecology 2022; 103:e3711. [PMID: 35362167 PMCID: PMC9287070 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.3711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2021] [Revised: 01/06/2022] [Accepted: 02/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Historical contingency has long figured prominently in the conceptual frameworks of evolutionary biology and community ecology. Evolutionary biologists typically consider the effects of chance mutation and historical contingency in driving divergence and convergence of traits in populations, whereas ecologists instead are often interested in the role of historical contingency in community assembly and succession. Although genetic differences among individuals in populations can influence community interactions, variability among populations of the same species has received relatively little attention for its potential role in community assembly and succession. We used a community‐level study of experimental evolution in two compositionally different assemblages of protists and rotifers to explore whether initial differences in species abundances among communities attributed to differences in evolutionary history, persisted as species that continued to evolve over time. In each assemblage, we observed significant convergence between two invaded treatments initially differing in evolutionary history over an observation period equal to ~40–80 generations for most species. Nonetheless, community structure failed to converge completely across all invaded treatments within an assemblage to a single structure. This suggests that whereas the species in the assemblage represent a common selective regime, differences in populations reflecting their evolutionary history can produce long‐lasting transient alternative community states. In one assemblage, we also observed increasing within‐treatment variability among replicate communities over time, suggesting that ecological drift may be another factor contributing to community change. Although subtle, these transient alternative states, in which communities differed in the abundance of interacting species, could nonetheless have important functional consequences, suggesting that the role of evolution in driving these states deserves greater attention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cara A Faillace
- Graduate Program in Ecology and Evolution, Dept. of Ecology, Evolution, and Natural Resources, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Environmental & Natural Resources Building, 14 College Farm Road, New Brunswick, NJ
| | - Rita L Grunberg
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC
| | - Peter J Morin
- Graduate Program in Ecology and Evolution, Dept. of Ecology, Evolution, and Natural Resources, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Environmental & Natural Resources Building, 14 College Farm Road, New Brunswick, NJ
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3
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Shuster SM, Keith AR, Whitham TG. Simulating selection and evolution at the community level using common garden data. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e8696. [PMID: 35342594 PMCID: PMC8928883 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2021] [Revised: 01/29/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
A key issue in evolutionary biology is whether selection acting at levels higher than the individual can cause evolutionary change. If it can, then conceptual and empirical studies must consider how selection operates at multiple levels of biological organization. Here, we test the hypothesis that estimates of broad‐sense community heritability, HC2, can be used to predict the evolutionary response by community‐level phenotypes when community‐level selection is imposed. Using an approach informed by classic quantitative genetics, we made three predictions. First, when we imposed community‐level selection, we expected a significant change in the average phenotype of arthropod communities associated with individual tree genotypes [we imposed selection by favoring high and low NMDS (nonmetric multidimensional scaling) scores that reflected differences in arthropod species richness, abundance and composition]. Second, we expected HC2 to predict the magnitude of the community‐level response. Third, we expected no significant change in average NMDS scores with community‐level selection imposed at random. We tested these hypotheses using three years of common garden data for 102 species comprising the arthropod communities, associated with nine clonally replicated Populus angustifolia genotypes. Each of our predictions were met. We conclude that estimates of HC2 account for the resemblance among communities sharing common ancestry, the persistence of community composition over time, and the outcome of selection when it occurs at the community level. Our results provide a means for exploring how this process leads to large‐scale community evolutionary change, and they identify the circumstances in which selection may routinely act at the community level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen M. Shuster
- Department of Biological Sciences Northern Arizona University Flagstaff Arizona USA
- Center for Adaptable Western Landscapes Northern Arizona University Flagstaff Arizona USA
| | - Arthur R. Keith
- Department of Biological Sciences Northern Arizona University Flagstaff Arizona USA
- Center for Adaptable Western Landscapes Northern Arizona University Flagstaff Arizona USA
| | - Thomas G. Whitham
- Department of Biological Sciences Northern Arizona University Flagstaff Arizona USA
- Center for Adaptable Western Landscapes Northern Arizona University Flagstaff Arizona USA
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Guo J, Richards CL, Holsinger KE, Fox GA, Zhang Z, Zhou C. Genetic structure in patchy populations of a candidate foundation plant: a case study of Leymus chinensis using genetic and clonal diversity. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY 2021; 108:2371-2387. [PMID: 34636406 DOI: 10.1002/ajb2.1771] [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: 06/04/2021] [Accepted: 09/16/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
PREMISE The distribution of genetic diversity on the landscape has critical ecological and evolutionary implications. This may be especially the case on a local scale for foundation plant species because they create and define ecological communities, contributing disproportionately to ecosystem function. METHODS We examined the distribution of genetic diversity and clones, which we defined first as unique multilocus genotypes (MLG), and then by grouping similar MLGs into multilocus lineages. We used 186 markers from inter-simple sequence repeats (ISSR) across 358 ramets from 13 patches of the foundation grass Leymus chinensis. We examined the relationship between genetic and clonal diversities, their variation with patch size, and the effect of the number of markers used to evaluate genetic diversity and structure in this species. RESULTS Every ramet had a unique MLG. Almost all patches consisted of individuals belonging to a single multilocus lineages. We confirmed this with a clustering algorithm to group related genotypes. The predominance of a single lineage within each patch could be the result of the accumulation of somatic mutations, limited dispersal, some sexual reproduction with partners mainly restricted to the same patch, or a combination of all three. CONCLUSIONS We found strong genetic structure among patches of L. chinensis. Consistent with previous work on the species, the clustering of similar genotypes within patches suggests that clonal reproduction combined with somatic mutation, limited dispersal, and some degree of sexual reproduction among neighbors causes individuals within a patch to be more closely related than among patches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian Guo
- School of Life Science, Liaoning University, Shenyang, 110036, P.R. China
- School of Environmental Engineering, Xuzhou University of Technology, Xuzhou, 221018, P.R. China
| | - Christina L Richards
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, 33620, USA
- Plant Evolutionary Ecology group, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, D-72076, Germany
| | - Kent E Holsinger
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Connecticut, U-3043, Storrs, Connecticut, 06269, USA
| | - Gordon A Fox
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, 33620, USA
- Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA
| | - Zhuo Zhang
- School of Life Science and Bioengineering, Shenyang University, Shenyang, 110044, P.R. China
| | - Chan Zhou
- School of Life Science, Liaoning University, Shenyang, 110036, P.R. China
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Reese Naesborg R, Lau MK, Michalet R, Williams CB, Whitham TG. Tree genotypes affect rock lichens and understory plants: examples of trophic-independent interactions. Ecology 2021; 103:e03589. [PMID: 34787902 PMCID: PMC9285738 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.3589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2021] [Revised: 07/29/2021] [Accepted: 08/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Genetic variation in foundation tree species can strongly influence communities of trophic‐dependent organisms, such as herbivorous insects, pollinators, and mycorrhizal fungi. However, the extent and manner in which this variation results in unexpected interactions that reach trophic‐independent organisms remains poorly understood, even though these interactions are essential to understanding complex ecosystems. In pinyon–juniper woodland at Sunset Crater (Arizona, USA), we studied pinyon (Pinus edulis) that were either resistant or susceptible to stem‐boring moths (Dioryctria albovittella). Moth herbivory alters the architecture of susceptible trees, thereby modifying the microhabitat beneath their crowns. We tested the hypothesis that this interaction between herbivore and tree genotype extends to affect trophic‐independent communities of saxicolous (i.e., growing on rocks) lichens and bryophytes and vascular plants beneath their crowns. Under 30 pairs of moth‐resistant and moth‐susceptible trees, we estimated percent cover of lichens, bryophytes, and vascular plants. We also quantified the cover of leaf litter and rocks as well as light availability. Four major findings emerged. (1) Compared to moth‐resistant trees, which exhibited monopodial architecture, the microhabitat under the shrub‐like susceptible trees was 60% darker and had 21% more litter resulting in 68% less rock exposure. (2) Susceptible trees had 56% and 87% less cover, 42% and 80% less richness, and 38% and 92% less diversity of saxicolous and plant communities, respectively, compared to resistant trees. (3) Both saxicolous and plant species accumulated at a slower rate beneath susceptible trees, suggesting an environment that might inhibit colonization and/or growth. (4) Both saxicolous and plant communities were negatively affected by the habitat provided by susceptible trees. The results suggest that herbivory of moth‐susceptible trees generated litter at high enough rates to reduce rock substrate availability, thereby suppressing the saxicolous communities. However, our results did not provide a causal pathway explaining the suppression of vascular plants. Nonetheless, the cascading effects of genetic variation in pinyon appear to extend beyond trophic‐dependent moths to include trophic‐independent saxicolous and vascular plant communities that are affected by specific tree–herbivore interactions that modify the local environment. We suggest that such genetically based interactions are common in nature and contribute to the evolution of complex communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rikke Reese Naesborg
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, 86011, USA
| | - Matthew K Lau
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, 86011, USA
| | - Richard Michalet
- UMR 5805 EPOC, University of Bordeaux, Avenue des Facultés, Talence Cedax, 33405, France
| | - Cameron B Williams
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, 86011, USA
| | - Thomas G Whitham
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, 86011, USA.,Center for Adaptable Western Landscapes, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, 86011, USA
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Hoban S, Bruford MW, Funk WC, Galbusera P, Griffith MP, Grueber CE, Heuertz M, Hunter ME, Hvilsom C, Stroil BK, Kershaw F, Khoury CK, Laikre L, Lopes-Fernandes M, MacDonald AJ, Mergeay J, Meek M, Mittan C, Mukassabi TA, O'Brien D, Ogden R, Palma-Silva C, Ramakrishnan U, Segelbacher G, Shaw RE, Sjögren-Gulve P, Veličković N, Vernesi C. Global Commitments to Conserving and Monitoring Genetic Diversity Are Now Necessary and Feasible. Bioscience 2021; 71:964-976. [PMID: 34475806 PMCID: PMC8407967 DOI: 10.1093/biosci/biab054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Global conservation policy and action have largely neglected protecting and monitoring genetic diversity—one of the three main pillars of biodiversity. Genetic diversity (diversity within species) underlies species’ adaptation and survival, ecosystem resilience, and societal innovation. The low priority given to genetic diversity has largely been due to knowledge gaps in key areas, including the importance of genetic diversity and the trends in genetic diversity change; the perceived high expense and low availability and the scattered nature of genetic data; and complicated concepts and information that are inaccessible to policymakers. However, numerous recent advances in knowledge, technology, databases, practice, and capacity have now set the stage for better integration of genetic diversity in policy instruments and conservation efforts. We review these developments and explore how they can support improved consideration of genetic diversity in global conservation policy commitments and enable countries to monitor, report on, and take action to maintain or restore genetic diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean Hoban
- The Morton Arboretum, Center for Tree Science, Lisle, Illinois, United States
| | | | - W Chris Funk
- Department of Biology, Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States
| | - Peter Galbusera
- Royal Zoological Society of Antwerp, Centre for Research and Conservation, Antwerp, Belgium
| | | | - Catherine E Grueber
- University of Sydney's School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Myriam Heuertz
- INRAE, and the University of Bordeaux, Biogeco, Cestas, France
| | - Margaret E Hunter
- US Geological Survey's Wetland and Aquatic Research Center, Gainesville, Florida, United States
| | | | - Belma Kalamujic Stroil
- University of Sarajevo Institute for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Laboratory for Molecular Genetics of Natural Resources, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
| | - Francine Kershaw
- Natural Resources Defense Council, New York, New York, United States
| | - Colin K Khoury
- International Center for Tropical Agriculture, Cali, Colombia
| | - Linda Laikre
- Department of Zoology, Division of Population Genetics, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | - Anna J MacDonald
- Australian National University, John Curtin School of Medical Research and Research School of Biology, Canberra, Australia
| | - Joachim Mergeay
- Research Institute for Nature and Forest, Geraardsbergen, Belgium
| | - Mariah Meek
- Michigan State University Department of Integrative Biology, AgBio Research, Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior Program, East Lansing, Michigan, United States
| | - Cinnamon Mittan
- Cornell University's Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Ithaca, New York, United States
| | - Tarek A Mukassabi
- University of Benghazi Department of Botany, Faculty of Sciences, Benghazi, Libya
| | | | - Rob Ogden
- Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies and with the Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush Campus, Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom
| | | | - Uma Ramakrishnan
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, National Centre for Biological Sciences, Bangalore, India
| | - Gernot Segelbacher
- Chair of wildlife ecology and management, University Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Robyn E Shaw
- Department of Environmental and Conservation Sciences, Murdoch University, Perth, Australia
| | - Per Sjögren-Gulve
- Wildlife Analysis Unit, Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Nevena Veličković
- University of Novi Sad's Faculty of Sciences, Department of Biology and Ecology, Novi Sad, Serbia
| | - Cristiano Vernesi
- Forest Ecology and Biogeochemical Fluxes Unit, Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione Edmund Mach, San Michele all' Adige, Italy
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Govaert L, Altermatt F, De Meester L, Leibold MA, McPeek MA, Pantel JH, Urban MC. Integrating fundamental processes to understand eco‐evolutionary community dynamics and patterns. Funct Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Lynn Govaert
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies University of Zurich Zurich Switzerland
- Department of Aquatic Ecology Eawag: Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology Dübendorf Switzerland
- URPP Global Change and BiodiversityUniversity of Zurich Zurich Switzerland
- Leibniz Institut für Gewässerökologie und Binnenfischerei (IGB) Berlin Germany
| | - Florian Altermatt
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies University of Zurich Zurich Switzerland
- Department of Aquatic Ecology Eawag: Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology Dübendorf Switzerland
- URPP Global Change and BiodiversityUniversity of Zurich Zurich Switzerland
| | - Luc De Meester
- Leibniz Institut für Gewässerökologie und Binnenfischerei (IGB) Berlin Germany
- Laboratory of Aquatic Ecology, Evolution and Conservation KU Leuven Leuven Belgium
- Institute of Biology Freie Universität Berlin Berlin Germany
| | | | - Mark A. McPeek
- Department of Biological Sciences Dartmouth College Hanover NH USA
| | - Jelena H. Pantel
- Department of Computer Science, Mathematics, and Environmental Science The American University of Paris Paris France
| | - Mark C. Urban
- Center of Biological Risk and Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of Connecticut Storrs CT USA
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Heterozygous Trees Rebound the Fastest after Felling by Beavers to Positively Affect Arthropod Community Diversity. FORESTS 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/f12060694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Although genetic diversity within stands of trees is known to have community-level consequences, whether such effects are present at an even finer genetic scale is unknown. We examined the hypothesis that genetic variability (heterozygosity) within an individual plant would affect its dependent community, which adds a new dimension to the importance of genetic diversity. Our study contrasted foliar arthropod community diversity and microsatellite marker-derived measures of genetic diversity of cottonwood (Populus fremontii) trees that had been felled by beavers (Castor canadensis) and were resprouting, relative to adjacent standing, unfelled trees. Three patterns emerged: 1. Productivity (specific leaf area), phytochemical defenses (salicortin), and arthropod community richness, abundance, and diversity were positively correlated with the heterozygosity of individual felled trees, but not with that of unfelled trees; 2. These relationships were not explained by population substructure, genetic relatedness of the trees, or hybridization; 3. The underlying mechanism appears to be that beaver herbivory stimulates increased productivity (i.e., 2× increase from the most homozygous to the most heterozygous tree) that is the greatest in more heterozygous trees. Salicortin defenses in twigs were also expressed at higher concentrations in more heterozygous trees (i.e., 3× increase from the most homozygous to the most heterozygous tree), which suggests that this compound may dissuade further herbivory by beavers, as has been found for other mammalian herbivores. We suggest that high stress to trees as a consequence of felling reveals a heterozygosity–productivity linkage, which in turn is attractive to arthropods. Although experiments are required to demonstrate causality, these results link the genetic diversity of individual trees to community diversity, supporting the hypothesis that interactions among foundation species (beavers and trees) have community-level effects, and underscores the importance of genetic diversity for biodiversity, conservation, and restoration.
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Carvalho RL, Anjos DV, Fagundes R, Luna P, Ribeiro SP. Similar topologies of individual‐based plant‐herbivorous networks in forest interior and anthropogenic edges. AUSTRAL ECOL 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/aec.13001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Raquel L Carvalho
- Departamento de Biodiversidade Evolução e Meio Ambiente Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto Ouro Preto Minas GeraisC.P. 35400‐000Brazil
- Instituto de Biologia Universidade Federal de Uberlândia Uberlândia Minas GeraisC.P. 38400‐902Brazil
| | - Diego V Anjos
- Instituto de Biologia Universidade Federal de Uberlândia Uberlândia Minas GeraisC.P. 38400‐902Brazil
| | - Roberth Fagundes
- Universidade da Integração Internacional da Lusofonia Afro‐Brasileira Redenção CearáC.P. 62790‐000Brazil
| | - Pedro Luna
- Red de Ecoetología Instituto de Ecología AC Xalapa VeracruzC.P. 91070Mexico
| | - Sérvio Pontes Ribeiro
- Departamento de Biodiversidade Evolução e Meio Ambiente Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto Ouro Preto Minas GeraisC.P. 35400‐000Brazil
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10
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Bothwell HM, Evans LM, Hersch-Green EI, Woolbright SA, Allan GJ, Whitham TG. Genetic data improves niche model discrimination and alters the direction and magnitude of climate change forecasts. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2021; 31:e02254. [PMID: 33159398 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2020] [Revised: 07/17/2020] [Accepted: 08/17/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Ecological niche models (ENMs) have classically operated under the simplifying assumptions that there are no barriers to gene flow, species are genetically homogeneous (i.e., no population-specific local adaptation), and all individuals share the same niche. Yet, these assumptions are violated for most broadly distributed species. Here, we incorporate genetic data from the widespread riparian tree species narrowleaf cottonwood (Populus angustifolia) to examine whether including intraspecific genetic variation can alter model performance and predictions of climate change impacts. We found that (1) P. angustifolia is differentiated into six genetic groups across its range from México to Canada and (2) different populations occupy distinct climate niches representing unique ecotypes. Comparing model discriminatory power, (3) all genetically informed ecological niche models (gENMs) outperformed the standard species-level ENM (3-14% increase in AUC; 1-23% increase in pROC). Furthermore, (4) gENMs predicted large differences among ecotypes in both the direction and magnitude of responses to climate change and (5) revealed evidence of niche divergence, particularly for the Eastern Rocky Mountain ecotype. (6) Models also predicted progressively increasing fragmentation and decreasing overlap between ecotypes. Contact zones are often hotspots of diversity that are critical for supporting species' capacity to respond to present and future climate change, thus predicted reductions in connectivity among ecotypes is of conservation concern. We further examined the generality of our findings by comparing our model developed for a higher elevation Rocky Mountain species with a related desert riparian cottonwood, P. fremontii. Together our results suggest that incorporating intraspecific genetic information can improve model performance by addressing this important source of variance. gENMs bring an evolutionary perspective to niche modeling and provide a truly "adaptive management" approach to support conservation genetic management of species facing global change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helen M Bothwell
- Environmental Genetics & Genomics Facility, Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, 617 South Beaver Street, PO Box 5640, Flagstaff, Arizona, 86011, USA
| | - Luke M Evans
- Environmental Genetics & Genomics Facility, Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, 617 South Beaver Street, PO Box 5640, Flagstaff, Arizona, 86011, USA
| | - Erika I Hersch-Green
- Environmental Genetics & Genomics Facility, Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, 617 South Beaver Street, PO Box 5640, Flagstaff, Arizona, 86011, USA
| | - Scott A Woolbright
- Environmental Genetics & Genomics Facility, Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, 617 South Beaver Street, PO Box 5640, Flagstaff, Arizona, 86011, USA
| | - Gerard J Allan
- Environmental Genetics & Genomics Facility, Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, 617 South Beaver Street, PO Box 5640, Flagstaff, Arizona, 86011, USA
- Merriam-Powell Center for Environmental Research, Northern Arizona University, 800 South Beaver Street, PO Box 6077, Flagstaff, Arizona, 86011, USA
| | - Thomas G Whitham
- Environmental Genetics & Genomics Facility, Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, 617 South Beaver Street, PO Box 5640, Flagstaff, Arizona, 86011, USA
- Merriam-Powell Center for Environmental Research, Northern Arizona University, 800 South Beaver Street, PO Box 6077, Flagstaff, Arizona, 86011, USA
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11
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Whitham TG, Allan GJ, Cooper HF, Shuster SM. Intraspecific Genetic Variation and Species Interactions Contribute to Community Evolution. ANNUAL REVIEW OF ECOLOGY EVOLUTION AND SYSTEMATICS 2020. [DOI: 10.1146/annurev-ecolsys-011720-123655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Evolution has been viewed as occurring primarily through selection among individuals. We present a framework based on multilevel selection for evaluating evolutionary change from individuals to communities, with supporting empirical evidence. Essential to this evaluation is the role that interspecific indirect genetic effects play in shaping community organization, in generating variation among community phenotypes, and in creating community heritability. If communities vary in phenotype, and those phenotypes are heritable and subject to selection at multiple levels, then a community view of evolution must be merged with mainstream evolutionary theory. Rapid environmental change during the Anthropocene will require a better understanding of these evolutionary processes, especially selection acting at the community level, which has the potential to eliminate whole communities while favoring others.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas G. Whitham
- Department of Biological Sciences and Center for Adaptable Western Landscapes, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona 86011, USA
| | - Gerard J. Allan
- Department of Biological Sciences and Center for Adaptable Western Landscapes, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona 86011, USA
| | - Hillary F. Cooper
- Department of Biological Sciences and Center for Adaptable Western Landscapes, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona 86011, USA
| | - Stephen M. Shuster
- Department of Biological Sciences and Center for Adaptable Western Landscapes, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona 86011, USA
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12
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Wooley SC, Smith DS, Lonsdorf EV, Brown SC, Whitham TG, Shuster SM, Lindroth RL. Local adaptation and rapid evolution of aphids in response to genetic interactions with their cottonwood hosts. Ecol Evol 2020; 10:10532-10542. [PMID: 33072278 PMCID: PMC7548174 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.6709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2020] [Revised: 07/28/2020] [Accepted: 07/29/2020] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Several studies have demonstrated the ecological consequences of genetic variation within a single plant species. For example, these studies show that individual plant genotypes support unique composition of the plants' associated arthropod community. By contrast, fewer studies have explored how plant genetic variation may influence evolutionary dynamics in the plant's associated species. Here, we examine how aphids respond evolutionarily to genetic variation in their host plant. We conducted two experiments to examine local adaptation and rapid evolution of the free‐feeding aphid Chaitophorus populicola across genetic variants of its host plant, Populus angustifolia. To test for local adaptation, we collected tree cuttings and aphid colonies from three sites along an elevation/climate gradient and conducted a reciprocal transplant experiment. In general, home aphids (aphids transplanted onto trees from the same site) produced 1.7–3.4 times as many offspring as foreign aphids (aphids transplanted onto trees from different sites). To test for rapid evolution, we used 4 clonally replicated aphid genotypes and transplanted each onto 5 clonally replicated P. angustifolia genotypes. Each tree genotype started with the same aphid genotype composition. After 21 days (~two aphid generations), aphid genotype composition changed (i.e., aphids evolved) and some tree genotypes supported unique evolutionary trajectories of aphids. These results suggest that plant evolution in response to human perturbation, such as climate change and invasive species, will also result in evolutionary responses in strongly interacting species that could cascade to affect whole communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stuart C. Wooley
- Department of Entomology University of Wisconsin‐Madison Madison Wisconsin USA
- Department of Biological Sciences California State University Turlock California USA
| | - David Solance Smith
- Department of Biological Sciences Northern Arizona University Flagstaff Arizona USA
- Biology Department California State University San Bernardino San Bernardino California USA
| | - Eric V. Lonsdorf
- Alexander Center for Population Biology Conservation and Science Lincoln Park Zoo Chicago Illinois USA
- Urban Wildlife Institute Conservation and Science Lincoln Park Zoo Chicago Illinois USA
| | - Sarah C. Brown
- Department of Entomology University of Wisconsin‐Madison Madison Wisconsin USA
| | - Thomas G. Whitham
- Department of Biological Sciences Northern Arizona University Flagstaff Arizona USA
- Center for Adaptable Western Landscapes Northern Arizona University Flagstaff Arizona USA
| | - Stephen M. Shuster
- Department of Biological Sciences Northern Arizona University Flagstaff Arizona USA
| | - Richard L. Lindroth
- Department of Entomology University of Wisconsin‐Madison Madison Wisconsin USA
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13
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Hultine KR, Allan GJ, Blasini D, Bothwell HM, Cadmus A, Cooper HF, Doughty CE, Gehring CA, Gitlin AR, Grady KC, Hull JB, Keith AR, Koepke DF, Markovchick L, Corbin Parker JM, Sankey TT, Whitham TG. Adaptive capacity in the foundation tree species Populus fremontii: implications for resilience to climate change and non-native species invasion in the American Southwest. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2020; 8:coaa061. [PMID: 32685164 PMCID: PMC7359000 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coaa061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2020] [Revised: 05/28/2020] [Accepted: 06/14/2020] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
Populus fremontii (Fremont cottonwood) is recognized as one of the most important foundation tree species in the southwestern USA and northern Mexico because of its ability to structure communities across multiple trophic levels, drive ecosystem processes and influence biodiversity via genetic-based functional trait variation. However, the areal extent of P. fremontii cover has declined dramatically over the last century due to the effects of surface water diversions, non-native species invasions and more recently climate change. Consequently, P. fremontii gallery forests are considered amongst the most threatened forest types in North America. In this paper, we unify four conceptual areas of genes to ecosystems research related to P. fremontii's capacity to survive or even thrive under current and future environmental conditions: (i) hydraulic function related to canopy thermal regulation during heat waves; (ii) mycorrhizal mutualists in relation to resiliency to climate change and invasion by the non-native tree/shrub, Tamarix; (iii) phenotypic plasticity as a mechanism for coping with rapid changes in climate; and (iv) hybridization between P. fremontii and other closely related Populus species where enhanced vigour of hybrids may preserve the foundational capacity of Populus in the face of environmental change. We also discuss opportunities to scale these conceptual areas from genes to the ecosystem level via remote sensing. We anticipate that the exploration of these conceptual areas of research will facilitate solutions to climate change with a foundation species that is recognized as being critically important for biodiversity conservation and could serve as a model for adaptive management of arid regions in the southwestern USA and around the world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin R Hultine
- Department of Research, Conservation and Collections, Desert Botanical Garden, 1201 North Galvin Parkway, Phoenix, AZ 85008, USA
| | - Gerard J Allan
- Department of Biological Sciences and Merriam-Powell Center for Environmental Research, Northern Arizona University, 617 South Beaver Drive, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA
| | - Davis Blasini
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, 427 East Tyler Mall, Tempe, AZ 85281, USA
| | - Helen M Bothwell
- Research School of Biology, Australian National University, 134 Linnaeus Way, Canberra ACT2601, Australia
| | - Abraham Cadmus
- Department of Biological Sciences and Merriam-Powell Center for Environmental Research, Northern Arizona University, 617 South Beaver Drive, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA
| | - Hillary F Cooper
- Department of Biological Sciences and Merriam-Powell Center for Environmental Research, Northern Arizona University, 617 South Beaver Drive, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA
| | - Chris E Doughty
- School of Informatics, Computing, and Cyber Systems, Northern Arizona University, 1295 South Knoles Drive, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA
| | - Catherine A Gehring
- Department of Biological Sciences and Merriam-Powell Center for Environmental Research, Northern Arizona University, 617 South Beaver Drive, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA
| | - Alicyn R Gitlin
- Sierra Club – Grand Canyon Chapter, 514 West Roosevelt Street, Phoenix, AZ 85003, USA
| | - Kevin C Grady
- School of Forestry, Northern Arizona University, East Pine Knoll Drive, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA
| | - Julia B Hull
- Department of Biological Sciences and Merriam-Powell Center for Environmental Research, Northern Arizona University, 617 South Beaver Drive, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA
| | - Arthur R Keith
- Department of Biological Sciences and Merriam-Powell Center for Environmental Research, Northern Arizona University, 617 South Beaver Drive, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA
| | - Dan F Koepke
- Department of Research, Conservation and Collections, Desert Botanical Garden, 1201 North Galvin Parkway, Phoenix, AZ 85008, USA
| | - Lisa Markovchick
- Department of Biological Sciences and Merriam-Powell Center for Environmental Research, Northern Arizona University, 617 South Beaver Drive, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA
| | - Jackie M Corbin Parker
- Department of Biological Sciences and Merriam-Powell Center for Environmental Research, Northern Arizona University, 617 South Beaver Drive, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA
| | - Temuulen T Sankey
- School of Informatics, Computing, and Cyber Systems, Northern Arizona University, 1295 South Knoles Drive, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA
| | - Thomas G Whitham
- Department of Biological Sciences and Merriam-Powell Center for Environmental Research, Northern Arizona University, 617 South Beaver Drive, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA
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14
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Generalists are more specialized in low-resource habitats, increasing stability of ecological network structure. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:2043-2048. [PMID: 31932445 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1820143117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Linking mechanistic processes to the stability of ecological networks is a key frontier in ecology. In trophic networks, "modules"-groups of species that interact more with each other than with other members of the community-confer stability, mitigating effects of species loss or perturbation. Modularity, in turn, is shaped by the interplay between species' diet breadth traits and environmental influences, which together dictate interaction structure. Despite the importance of network modularity, variation in this emergent property is poorly understood in complex natural systems. Using two years of field data, we quantified interactions between a rich community of lepidopteran herbivores and their host plants across a mosaic of low-resource serpentine and high-resource nonserpentine soils. We used literature and our own observations to categorize herbivore species as generalists (feeding on more than one plant family) or specialists (feeding on one plant family). In both years, the plant-herbivore network was more modular on serpentine than on nonserpentine soils-despite large differences in herbivore assemblage size across years. This structural outcome was primarily driven by reduction in the breadth of host plant use by generalist species, rather than by changes in the composition of species with different fundamental diet breadths. Greater modularity-and thus greater stability-reflects environmental conditions and plastic responses by generalist herbivores to low host plant quality. By considering the dual roles of species traits and ecological processes, we provide a deeper mechanistic understanding of network modularity, and suggest a role for resource availability in shaping network persistence.
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15
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Barker HL, Riehl JF, Bernhardsson C, Rubert-Nason KF, Holeski LM, Ingvarsson PK, Lindroth RL. Linking plant genes to insect communities: Identifying the genetic bases of plant traits and community composition. Mol Ecol 2019; 28:4404-4421. [PMID: 31233634 DOI: 10.1111/mec.15158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2019] [Revised: 05/31/2019] [Accepted: 06/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Community genetics aims to understand the effects of intraspecific genetic variation on community composition and diversity, thereby connecting community ecology with evolutionary biology. Thus far, research has shown that plant genetics can underlie variation in the composition of associated communities (e.g., insects, lichen and endophytes), and those communities can therefore be considered as extended phenotypes. This work, however, has been conducted primarily at the plant genotype level and has not identified the key underlying genes. To address this gap, we used genome-wide association mapping with a population of 445 aspen (Populus tremuloides) genets to identify the genes governing variation in plant traits (defence chemistry, bud phenology, leaf morphology, growth) and insect community composition. We found 49 significant SNP associations in 13 Populus genes that are correlated with chemical defence compounds and insect community traits. Most notably, we identified an early nodulin-like protein that was associated with insect community diversity and the abundance of interacting foundation species (ants and aphids). These findings support the concept that particular plant traits are the mechanistic link between plant genes and the composition of associated insect communities. In putting the "genes" into "genes to ecosystems ecology", this work enhances understanding of the molecular genetic mechanisms that underlie plant-insect associations and the consequences thereof for the structure of ecological communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hilary L Barker
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Jennifer F Riehl
- Department of Entomology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | | | | | - Liza M Holeski
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, USA
| | - Pär K Ingvarsson
- Department of Plant Biology, Uppsala BioCenter, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Richard L Lindroth
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.,Department of Entomology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
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16
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Body MJA, Zinkgraf MS, Whitham TG, Lin CH, Richardson RA, Appel HM, Schultz JC. Heritable Phytohormone Profiles of Poplar Genotypes Vary in Resistance to a Galling Aphid. MOLECULAR PLANT-MICROBE INTERACTIONS : MPMI 2019; 32:654-672. [PMID: 30520677 DOI: 10.1094/mpmi-11-18-0301-r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Insect galls are highly specialized structures arising from atypical development of plant tissue induced by insects. Galls provide the insect enhanced nutrition and protection against natural enemies and environmental stresses. Galls are essentially plant organs formed by an intimate biochemical interaction between the gall-inducing insect and its host plant. Because galls are plant organs, their development is likely to be governed by phytohormones involved in normal organogenesis. We characterized concentrations of both growth and defensive phytohormones in ungalled control leaves and galls induced by the aphid Pemphigus betae on narrowleaf cottonwood Populus angustifolia that differ genotypically in resistance to this insect. We found that susceptible trees differed from resistant trees in constitutive concentrations of both growth and defense phytohormones. Susceptible trees were characterized by significantly higher constitutive cytokinin concentrations in leaves, significantly greater ability of aphids to elicit cytokinin increases, and significantly lower constitutive defense phytohormone concentrations than observed in resistant trees. Phytohormone concentrations in both constitutive and induced responses in galled leaves exhibited high broad-sense heritability that, respectively, ranged from 0.39 to 0.93 and from 0.28 to 0.66, suggesting that selection can act upon these traits and that they might vary across the landscape. Increased cytokinin concentrations may facilitate forming strong photosynthate sinks in the galls, a requirement for galling insect success. By characterizing for the first time the changes in 15 phytohormones belonging to five different classes, this study offers a better overview of the signaling alteration occurring in galls that has likely been important for their ecology and evolution. Copyright © 2019 The Author(s). This is an open-access article distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license .
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Affiliation(s)
- Mélanie J A Body
- 1 Division of Plant Sciences, Christopher S. Bond Life Sciences Center, 1201 Rollins Street, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, U.S.A
| | - Matthew S Zinkgraf
- 2 Department of Biological Sciences and Merriam-Powell Center for Environmental Research, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, U.S.A.; and
| | - Thomas G Whitham
- 2 Department of Biological Sciences and Merriam-Powell Center for Environmental Research, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, U.S.A.; and
| | - Chung-Ho Lin
- 3 School of Natural Resources, 203 Anheuser-Busch Natural Resources Building, 1111 Rollins Street, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65201, U.S.A
| | - Ryan A Richardson
- 1 Division of Plant Sciences, Christopher S. Bond Life Sciences Center, 1201 Rollins Street, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, U.S.A
| | - Heidi M Appel
- 1 Division of Plant Sciences, Christopher S. Bond Life Sciences Center, 1201 Rollins Street, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, U.S.A
| | - Jack C Schultz
- 1 Division of Plant Sciences, Christopher S. Bond Life Sciences Center, 1201 Rollins Street, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, U.S.A
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17
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Ellison AM. Foundation Species, Non-trophic Interactions, and the Value of Being Common. iScience 2019; 13:254-268. [PMID: 30870783 PMCID: PMC6416672 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2019.02.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2018] [Revised: 01/27/2019] [Accepted: 02/21/2019] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Foundation species define ecosystems, control the biological diversity of associated species, modulate critical ecosystem processes, and often have important cultural values and resonance. This review summarizes current understanding of the characteristics and traits of foundation species and how to distinguish them from other “important” species in ecological systems (e.g., keystone, dominant, and core species); illustrates how analysis of the structure and function of ecological networks can be improved and enriched by explicit incorporation of foundation species and their non-trophic interactions; discusses the importance of pro-active identification and management of foundation species as a cost-effective and efficient method of sustaining valuable ecosystem processes and services and securing populations of associated rare, threatened, or endangered species; and suggests broader engagement of citizen-scientists and non-specialists in the identification and study of foundation species and their biological and cultural values.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaron M Ellison
- Harvard Forest, Harvard University, Petersham, MA 01366, USA.
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18
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Takahashi Y, Tanaka R, Yamamoto D, Noriyuki S, Kawata M. Balanced genetic diversity improves population fitness. Proc Biol Sci 2019; 285:rspb.2017.2045. [PMID: 29343595 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2017.2045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2017] [Accepted: 12/18/2017] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Although genetic diversity within a population is suggested to improve population-level fitness and productivity, the existence of these effects is controversial because empirical evidence for an ecological effect of genetic diversity and the underlying mechanisms is scarce and incomplete. Here, we show that the natural single-gene behavioural polymorphism (Rover and sitter) in Drosophila melanogaster has a positive effect on population fitness. Our simple numerical model predicted that the fitness of a polymorphic population would be higher than that expected with two monomorphic populations, but only under balancing selection. Moreover, this positive diversity effect of genetic polymorphism was attributable to a complementarity effect, rather than to a selection effect. Our empirical tests using the behavioural polymorphism in D. melanogaster clearly supported the model predictions. These results provide direct evidence for an ecological effect of genetic diversity on population fitness and its condition dependence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuma Takahashi
- Frontier Research Institute for Interdisciplinary Sciences, Tohoku University, Miyagi, Japan .,Graduate School of Life Sciences, Tohoku University, Miyagi, Japan
| | - Ryoya Tanaka
- Graduate School of Life Sciences, Tohoku University, Miyagi, Japan
| | - Daisuke Yamamoto
- Graduate School of Life Sciences, Tohoku University, Miyagi, Japan
| | - Suzuki Noriyuki
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA.,Center for Geo-Environmental Science, Rissho University, Saitama, Japan
| | - Masakado Kawata
- Graduate School of Life Sciences, Tohoku University, Miyagi, Japan
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19
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Stone AC, Gehring CA, Cobb NS, Whitham TG. Genetic-Based Susceptibility of a Foundation Tree to Herbivory Interacts With Climate to Influence Arthropod Community Composition, Diversity, and Resilience. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2018; 9:1831. [PMID: 30619404 PMCID: PMC6298196 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2018.01831] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2018] [Accepted: 11/26/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Understanding how genetic-based traits of plants interact with climate to affect associated communities will help improve predictions of climate change impacts on biodiversity. However, few community-level studies have addressed such interactions. Pinyon pine (Pinus edulis) in the southwestern U.S. shows genetic-based resistance and susceptibility to pinyon needle scale (Matsucoccus acalyptus). We sought to determine if susceptibility to scale herbivory influenced the diversity and composition of the extended community of 250+ arthropod species, and if this influence would be consistent across consecutive years, an extreme drought year followed by a moderate drought year. Because scale insects alter the architecture of susceptible trees, it is difficult to separate the direct influences of susceptibility on arthropod communities from the indirect influences of scale-altered tree architecture. To separate these influences, scales were experimentally excluded from susceptible trees for 15 years creating susceptible trees with the architecture of resistant trees, hereafter referred to as scale-excluded trees. Five patterns emerged. (1) In both years, arthropod abundance was 3-4X lower on susceptible trees compared to resistant and scale-excluded trees. (2) Species accumulation curves show that alpha and gamma diversity were 2-3X lower on susceptible trees compared to resistant and scale-excluded trees. (3) Reaction norms of arthropod richness and abundance on individual tree genotypes across years showed genotypic variation in the community response to changes in climate. (4) The genetic-based influence of susceptibility on arthropod community composition is climate dependent. During extreme drought, community composition on scale-excluded trees resembled susceptible trees indicating composition was strongly influenced by tree genetics independent of tree architecture. However, under moderate drought, community composition on scale-excluded trees resembled resistant trees indicating traits associated with tree architecture became more important. (5) One year after extreme drought, the arthropod community rebounded sharply. However, there was a much greater rebound in richness and abundance on resistant compared to susceptible trees suggesting that reduced resiliency in the arthropod community is associated with susceptibility. These results argue that individual genetic-based plant-herbivore interactions can directly and indirectly impact community-level diversity, which is modulated by climate. Understanding such interactions is important for assessing the impacts of climate change on biodiversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrian C. Stone
- Department of Biology, Metropolitan State University, Denver, CO, United States
| | - Catherine A. Gehring
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, United States
- Merriam-Powell Center for Environmental Research, Flagstaff, AZ, United States
| | - Neil S. Cobb
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, United States
- Merriam-Powell Center for Environmental Research, Flagstaff, AZ, United States
| | - Thomas G. Whitham
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, United States
- Merriam-Powell Center for Environmental Research, Flagstaff, AZ, United States
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20
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Woolbright SA, Rehill BJ, Lindroth RL, DiFazio SP, Martinsen GD, Zinkgraf MS, Allan GJ, Keim P, Whitham TG. Large effect quantitative trait loci for salicinoid phenolic glycosides in Populus: Implications for gene discovery. Ecol Evol 2018; 8:3726-3737. [PMID: 29686853 PMCID: PMC5901179 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.3932] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2017] [Revised: 01/11/2018] [Accepted: 01/23/2018] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Genomic studies have been used to identify genes underlying many important plant secondary metabolic pathways. However, genes for salicinoid phenolic glycosides (SPGs)—ecologically important compounds with significant commercial, cultural, and medicinal applications—remain largely undescribed. We used a linkage map derived from a full‐sib population of hybrid cottonwoods (Populus spp.) to search for quantitative trait loci (QTL) for the SPGs salicortin and HCH‐salicortin. SSR markers and primer sequences were used to anchor the map to the V3.0 P. trichocarpa genome. We discovered 21 QTL for the two traits, including a major QTL for HCH‐salicortin (R2 = .52) that colocated with a QTL for salicortin on chr12. Using the V3.0 Populus genome sequence, we identified 2,983 annotated genes and 1,480 genes of unknown function within our QTL intervals. We note ten candidate genes of interest, including a BAHD‐type acyltransferase that has been potentially linked to PopulusSPGs. Our results complement other recent studies in Populus with implications for gene discovery and the evolution of defensive chemistry in a model genus. To our knowledge, this is the first study to use a full‐sib mapping population to identify QTL intervals and gene lists associated with SPGs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott A Woolbright
- Department of Biology University of Arkansas at Little Rock Little Rock AR USA
| | - Brian J Rehill
- Department of Chemistry US Naval Academy Annapolis MD USA
| | | | | | - Gregory D Martinsen
- Environmental Genetics and Genomics Laboratory (EnGGen) Department of Biological Sciences Merriam-Powell Center for Environmental Research Northern Arizona University Flagstaff AZ USA
| | | | - Gerard J Allan
- Environmental Genetics and Genomics Laboratory (EnGGen) Department of Biological Sciences Merriam-Powell Center for Environmental Research Northern Arizona University Flagstaff AZ USA
| | - Paul Keim
- Department of Biological Sciences Pathogen and Microbe Institute Northern Arizona University Flagstaff AZ USA
| | - Thomas G Whitham
- Environmental Genetics and Genomics Laboratory (EnGGen) Department of Biological Sciences Merriam-Powell Center for Environmental Research Northern Arizona University Flagstaff AZ USA
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21
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Keith AR, Bailey JK, Lau MK, Whitham TG. Genetics-based interactions of foundation species affect community diversity, stability and network structure. Proc Biol Sci 2018; 284:rspb.2016.2703. [PMID: 28490623 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2016.2703] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2016] [Accepted: 04/05/2017] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
We examined the hypothesis that genetics-based interactions between strongly interacting foundation species, the tree Populus angustifolia and the aphid Pemphigus betae, affect arthropod community diversity, stability and species interaction networks of which little is known. In a 2-year experimental manipulation of the tree and its aphid herbivore four major findings emerged: (i) the interactions of these two species determined the composition of an arthropod community of 139 species; (ii) both tree genotype and aphid presence significantly predicted community diversity; (iii) the presence of aphids on genetically susceptible trees increased the stability of arthropod communities across years; and (iv) the experimental removal of aphids affected community network structure (network degree, modularity and tree genotype contribution to modularity). These findings demonstrate that the interactions of foundation species are genetically based, which in turn significantly contributes to community diversity, stability and species interaction networks. These experiments provide an important step in understanding the evolution of Darwin's 'entangled bank', a metaphor that characterizes the complexity and interconnectedness of communities in the wild.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arthur R Keith
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA
| | - Joseph K Bailey
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
| | - Matthew K Lau
- Harvard University, Harvard Forest, 324 North Main Street, Petersham, MA 01366, USA
| | - Thomas G Whitham
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA .,Merriam-Powell Center for Environmental Research, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA
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