1
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Cheron M, Brischoux F. Exposure to Low Concentrations of AMPA Influences Morphology and Decreases Survival During Larval Development in a Widespread Amphibian Species. ARCHIVES OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION AND TOXICOLOGY 2023:10.1007/s00244-023-01008-y. [PMID: 37468648 DOI: 10.1007/s00244-023-01008-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2022] [Accepted: 06/02/2023] [Indexed: 07/21/2023]
Abstract
Glyphosate's primary metabolite, AMPA (aminomethylphosphonic acid), is one of the most widely detected anthropogenic substance in surface waters worldwide. However, ecotoxicological studies on the potential effects of this metabolite at environmental concentrations on wildlife are scarce. Yet, due to its chemical properties, AMPA is likely to affect non-target species. In this study, we investigated sublethal effects of environmental concentrations of AMPA on the larval development of a widespread amphibian species, the spined toad Bufo spinosus. We performed a factorial experiment to study the effect of concentration and the timing of exposure (during embryonic development, larval development or both) to AMPA on the morphology, rate of development and survival of tadpoles. AMPA and timing of exposure interactively affected tadpole size (individuals exposed to AMPA after hatching were transitorily smaller, while individuals exposed to AMPA before hatching were longer), but not duration of development. Most of these effects were linked to exposure during embryonic development. Such effects in individuals exposed during embryonic development solely were long-lasting and persisted until the latest larval stages. Finally, we found that exposure to AMPA after hatching (during the larval stage) increased mortality. Exposure to low environmental concentrations of AMPA could have long-lasting consequences on fitness and population persistence. These findings are especially important to take into account at a time when multiple threats can interact to affect wildlife.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marion Cheron
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, CEBC-CNRS UMR 7372, 79360, Villiers en Bois, France
| | - François Brischoux
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, CEBC-CNRS UMR 7372, 79360, Villiers en Bois, France.
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2
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Monroe DJ, Barny LA, Wu A, Minbiole KPC, Gabor CR. An integrated physiological perspective on anthropogenic stressors in the Gulf coast toad (Incilius nebulifer). Front Ecol Evol 2023. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2023.1112982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Anthropogenic environmental change, including climate change and urbanization, results in warmer temperatures in both terrestrial and aquatic habitats and changes in community assemblages including invasive species introductions, among many other alterations. Anurans are particularly susceptible to these changes because generally they have a biphasic lifecycle and rely on aquatic and terrestrial habitats for survival. Changes such as warmer water temperature can result in direct and carryover effects, after metamorphosis that decrease fitness. However, Gulf Coast toads (Incilius (Bufo) nebulifer) are expanding their range, including into anthropogenically disturbed areas. We hypothesize that I. nebulifer copes with warmer water, reduced water levels, and invasive species by altering their physiology and/or behavior. Corticosterone is the primary glucocorticoid in amphibians, and it modulates many aspects of physiology and behavior, potentially including lipid storage and hop performance, during unpredictable (stressful) events. As a true toad, I. nebulifer also produces bufadienolide toxins that aid in its antipredator defense and may have tradeoffs with corticosterone. In a fully factorial design, we measured baseline corticosterone levels in tadpoles in response to two treatments: decreased water levels and increased water temperatures. After metamorphosis, we measured the corticosterone profile and other associated responses to exposure to the predatory red imported fire ant (Solenopsis invicta; RIFA). We found that tadpoles had elevated baseline corticosterone release rates when reared in warmer water and reduced water levels. Toadlets also had elevated baseline corticosterone release rates when exposed to any combination of two of the three treatments but when exposed to all three treatments toadlets instead showed elevated magnitude of their stress response. Predator avoidance (as measured by hop performance) was reduced after exposure to RIFA. Tadpoles from warmer water developed more quickly and were smaller in mass after metamorphosis. Toadlets had reduced production of two of the three detected bufadienolides and increased energy storage (lipids) after exposure to warmer water and reduced growth after exposure to reduced water levels. We found direct and carryover effects of common anthropogenic changes in I. nebulifer that may aid in their ability to persist despite these changes.
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3
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Kásler A, Ujszegi J, Holly D, Üveges B, Móricz ÁM, Herczeg D, Hettyey A. Metamorphic common toads keep chytrid infection under control, but at a cost. J Zool (1987) 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/jzo.12974] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- A. Kásler
- Lendület Evolutionary Ecology Research Group Centre for Agricultural Research Plant Protection Institute Eötvös Loránd Research Network Budapest Hungary
- Doctoral School of Biology Institute of Biology ELTE Eötvös Loránd University Budapest Hungary
| | - J. Ujszegi
- Lendület Evolutionary Ecology Research Group Centre for Agricultural Research Plant Protection Institute Eötvös Loránd Research Network Budapest Hungary
- Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology Institute of Biology ELTE Eötvös Loránd University Budapest Hungary
| | - D. Holly
- Lendület Evolutionary Ecology Research Group Centre for Agricultural Research Plant Protection Institute Eötvös Loránd Research Network Budapest Hungary
- Doctoral School of Biology Institute of Biology ELTE Eötvös Loránd University Budapest Hungary
| | - B. Üveges
- Lendület Evolutionary Ecology Research Group Centre for Agricultural Research Plant Protection Institute Eötvös Loránd Research Network Budapest Hungary
- Molecular Ecology and Evolution at Bangor School of Natural Sciences Bangor University Bangor UK
| | - Á. M. Móricz
- Department of Pathophysiology Centre for Agricultural Research Plant Protection Institute Eötvös Loránd Research Network Budapest Hungary
| | - D. Herczeg
- Lendület Evolutionary Ecology Research Group Centre for Agricultural Research Plant Protection Institute Eötvös Loránd Research Network Budapest Hungary
| | - A. Hettyey
- Lendület Evolutionary Ecology Research Group Centre for Agricultural Research Plant Protection Institute Eötvös Loránd Research Network Budapest Hungary
- Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology Institute of Biology ELTE Eötvös Loránd University Budapest Hungary
- Department of Ecology University of Veterinary Medicine Budapest Hungary
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4
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Zamora-Camacho FJ. Sex and habitat differences in size and coloration of an amphibian's poison glands match differential predator pressures. Integr Zool 2021; 17:764-776. [PMID: 34599787 DOI: 10.1111/1749-4877.12597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Chemical defenses are frequently accompanied by salient color patterns actively avoided by predators, a phenomenon referred to as aposematism. However, the production of both chemical defenses and pigments is costly, and is thus expected to be reduced under mild predator pressure. In this work, I compared the size and coloration of parotoid glands (2 dorsal, external swollen structures that secrete toxins in toads) of male and female Epidalea calamita toads from agrosystems and from pine groves. I also quantified the predator attacks received by plasticine toad models, whose "parotoid glands" differed in size and color conspicuousness, exposed in each habitat. Predators avoided models with large and conspicuous parotoid glands, but models in agrosystems were more often attacked. Concerning actual toads, agrosystem and male individuals had larger parotoid glands, presumably implying greater production of chemical defenses than in pine grove and female conspecifics. These findings are aligned with previous research suggesting that both agrosystem toads and males in this system are subjected to a more intense predator pressure. Difference between parotoid gland and dorsum coloration was greater in agrosystem toads. A marked internal pattern could function as an aposematic signal, which could counteract increased predator pressure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco Javier Zamora-Camacho
- Department of Phisical, Chemical and Natural Systems, Pablo de Olavide University, Seville, Spain.,Department of Biodiversity, Ecology and Evolution, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
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5
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da Silva PR, Borges-Martins M, Oliveira GT. Melanophryniscus admirabilis tadpoles' responses to sulfentrazone and glyphosate-based herbicides: an approach on metabolism and antioxidant defenses. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2021; 28:4156-4172. [PMID: 32935212 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-020-10654-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2019] [Accepted: 08/26/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Melanophryniscus admirabilis is a frog endemic to the southern Atlantic Forest (Brazil), with restricted distribution and considered as critically endangered. The aim of this study was to evaluate possible alterations in biomarkers of metabolism (glycogen, proteins, and uric acid) and oxidative balance (superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione S-transferase, and lipoperoxidation) of tadpoles of Melanophryniscus admirabilis exposed to commercial herbicide formulations containing sulfentrazone (Boral® 500 SC: 130 and 980 μg a.i./L) and glyphosate (Roundup® Original: 234 and 2340 μg a.i./L). Mortality was not observed in any of the groups studied. Our results show that a 96-h exposure to the herbicides decreased glycogen levels, indicating increased energy demand for xenobiotic metabolism. Protein levels increased in the Boral group but decreased in the higher concentration of Roundup, and uric acid levels did not change significantly between the experimental groups. Lipoperoxidation decreased in the Boral group and in the higher concentration of Roundup. Decreased levels of superoxide dismutase in both treatments and of catalase in the lowest concentration of the herbicides were observed. Glutathione S-transferase activity increased in the Roundup group; this enzyme seems to be crucial in the metabolization of the herbicides and in the survival of the tadpoles. Our results suggest that M. admirabilis has a high antioxidant capacity, which guaranteed the survival of tadpoles. Nevertheless, exposure to pesticides could impose a serious risk to this species, especially considering its restricted distribution, habitat specificity, and high physiological demand to metabolize xenobiotics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrícia Rodrigues da Silva
- Laboratório de Fisiologia da Conservação, Departamento de Ciências Morfológicas, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia e Evolução da Biodiversidade, Escola de Ciências da Saúde e da Vida, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Márcio Borges-Martins
- Laboratório de Herpetologia, Departamento de Zoologia, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Animal, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Guendalina Turcato Oliveira
- Laboratório de Fisiologia da Conservação, Departamento de Ciências Morfológicas, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia e Evolução da Biodiversidade, Escola de Ciências da Saúde e da Vida, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, Brazil.
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6
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DE Meester G, Šunje E, Prinsen E, Verbruggen E, VAN Damme R. Toxin variation among salamander populations: discussing potential causes and future directions. Integr Zool 2020; 16:336-353. [PMID: 32965720 DOI: 10.1111/1749-4877.12492] [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
Amphibians produce defensive chemicals which provide protection against both predators and infections. Within species, populations can differ considerably in the composition and amount of these chemical defenses. Studying intraspecific variation in toxins and linking it to environmental variables may help us to identify the selective drivers of toxin evolution, such as predation pressure and infection risk. Recently, there has been a renewed interest in the unique toxins produced by salamanders from the genus Salamandra: the samandarines. Despite this attention, intraspecific variation has largely been ignored within Salamandra-species. The aim of this study was to investigate whether geographic variation in profiles of samandarines exists, by sampling 4 populations of Salamandra atra over its range in the Dinaric Alps. In addition, we preliminary explored whether potential variation could be explained by predation (counting the number of snake species) and infection risk (cultivation and genomic analyses of collected soil samples). Salamanders from the 4 populations differed in toxin composition and in the size of their poison glands, although not in overall toxin quantity. Nor predation nor infection risk could explain this variation, as populations barely differed in these variables. Sampling over a much broader geographic range, using better estimators for predation and infection risk, will contribute to an improved understanding of how environment may shape variation in chemical defenses. Nevertheless, as the 4 populations of S. atra did differ in their toxin profiles, we propose that this species provides an interesting opportunity for further ecological and evolutionary studies on amphibian toxins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gilles DE Meester
- Department of Biology, Functional Morphology Group, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Emina Šunje
- Department of Biology, Functional Morphology Group, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium.,Department of Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Sarajevo, Sarajevo, Bosnia-Hercegovina.,Herpetological Association in Bosnia and Herzegovina: BHHU: ATRA, Sarajevo, Bosnia-Hercegovina
| | - Els Prinsen
- Department of Biology, Impress, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Erik Verbruggen
- Department of Biology, Plant and Ecosystems, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Raoul VAN Damme
- Department of Biology, Functional Morphology Group, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium
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7
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Bókony V, Verebélyi V, Ujhegyi N, Mikó Z, Nemesházi E, Szederkényi M, Orf S, Vitányi E, Móricz ÁM. Effects of two little-studied environmental pollutants on early development in anurans. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2020; 260:114078. [PMID: 32041031 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2020.114078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2019] [Revised: 12/13/2019] [Accepted: 01/23/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Despite intensive ecotoxicological research, we still know relatively little about the ecological impacts of many environmental contaminants. Filling these knowledge gaps is particularly important regarding amphibians, because they play significant roles in freshwater and terrestrial ecosystems, and their populations are declining worldwide. In this study, we investigated two pollutants that have been poorly studied in ecotoxicology despite their widespread occurrence in surface waters: the herbicide terbuthylazine and the pharmaceutical drug carbamazepine. We exposed two anuran species throughout their larval development to each of two environmentally relevant concentrations of each pollutant, and recorded mortality and 17 sub-lethal endpoints up to several months after exposure. Mortality was low and unrelated to treatment. In agile frogs (Rana dalmatina), we found that treatment with 0.3 μg/L terbuthylazine decreased tadpole activity and reduced fat bodies in juveniles, whereas treatment with 50 μg/L carbamazepine decreased spleen size and increased spleen pigmentation. In common toads (Bufo bufo), treatment with 0.003 μg/L terbuthylazine increased body mass at metamorphosis, treatment with 0.3 μg/L terbuthylazine increased the size of optic tecta, and treatment with 0.5 μg/L carbamazepine decreased hypothalamus size. Treatment with 50 μg/L carbamazepine reduced the feeding activity of toad tadpoles, decreased their production of anti-predatory bufadienolide toxins, and increased their body mass at metamorphosis; juvenile toads in this treatment group had reduced spleen pigmentation. Neither treatments affected the time to metamorphosis, post-metamorphic body mass, or sex ratios significantly. These results show that environmental levels of both terbuthylazine and carbamazepine can have several sub-lethal effects on anurans, which may be detrimental to individual fitness and population persistence in natural conditions. Our findings further highlight that toxic effects cannot be generalized between chemicals of similar structure, because the terbuthylazine effects we found do not conform with previously reported effects of atrazine, a related and extensively studied herbicide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronika Bókony
- Lendület Evolutionary Ecology Research Group, Plant Protection Institute, Centre for Agricultural Research, Herman Ottó út 15, 1022 Budapest, Hungary.
| | - Viktória Verebélyi
- Lendület Evolutionary Ecology Research Group, Plant Protection Institute, Centre for Agricultural Research, Herman Ottó út 15, 1022 Budapest, Hungary; Institute for Biology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Rottenbiller u. 50, 1077 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Nikolett Ujhegyi
- Lendület Evolutionary Ecology Research Group, Plant Protection Institute, Centre for Agricultural Research, Herman Ottó út 15, 1022 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Zsanett Mikó
- Lendület Evolutionary Ecology Research Group, Plant Protection Institute, Centre for Agricultural Research, Herman Ottó út 15, 1022 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Edina Nemesházi
- Lendület Evolutionary Ecology Research Group, Plant Protection Institute, Centre for Agricultural Research, Herman Ottó út 15, 1022 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Márk Szederkényi
- Lendület Evolutionary Ecology Research Group, Plant Protection Institute, Centre for Agricultural Research, Herman Ottó út 15, 1022 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Stephanie Orf
- Behavioural Ecology Group, Institute of Biology, Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology, Eötvös Loránd University, Pázmány Péter sétány 1/c, 1117 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Evelin Vitányi
- Institue for Environmental Engineering, Szent István University, Páter Károly u. 1, 2100 Gödöllő, Hungary
| | - Ágnes M Móricz
- Department of Pathophysiology, Plant Protection Institute, Centre for Agricultural Research, Herman Ottó út 15, 1022 Budapest, Hungary
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8
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Hettyey A, Üveges B, Móricz ÁM, Drahos L, Capon RJ, Van Buskirk J, Tóth Z, Bókony V. Predator-induced changes in the chemical defence of a vertebrate. J Anim Ecol 2019; 88:1925-1935. [PMID: 31408536 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2019] [Accepted: 07/21/2019] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
1. Inducible defences are ubiquitous in the animal kingdom, but little is known about facultative changes in chemical defences in response to predators, especially so in vertebrates. 2. We tested for predator-induced changes in toxin production of larval common toads (Bufo bufo), which are known to synthesize bufadienolide compounds. 3. The experiment included larvae originating from three permanent and three temporary ponds reared in the presence or absence of chemical cues of three predators: dragonfly larvae, newts or fish. 4. Tadpoles raised with chemical cues of predation risk produced higher numbers of bufadienolide compounds and larger total bufadienolide quantities than predator-naive conspecifics. Further, the increase in intensity of chemical defence was greatest in response to fish, weakest to newts and intermediate to dragonfly larvae. Tadpoles originating from temporary and permanent ponds did not differ in their baseline toxin content or in the magnitude of their induced chemical responses. 5. These results provide the first compelling evidence for predator-induced changes in chemical defence of a vertebrate that may have evolved to enhance survival under predation risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Attila Hettyey
- Lendület Evolutionary Ecology Research Group, Plant Protection Institute, Centre for Agricultural Research, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Bálint Üveges
- Lendület Evolutionary Ecology Research Group, Plant Protection Institute, Centre for Agricultural Research, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Ágnes M Móricz
- Department of Pathophysiology, Plant Protection Institute, Centre for Agricultural Research, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
| | - László Drahos
- MS Proteomics Research Group, Institute of Organic Chemistry, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Robert J Capon
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld, Australia
| | - Josh Van Buskirk
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Zoltán Tóth
- Lendület Evolutionary Ecology Research Group, Plant Protection Institute, Centre for Agricultural Research, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary.,Department of Zoology, Plant Protection Institute, Centre for Agricultural Research, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Veronika Bókony
- Lendület Evolutionary Ecology Research Group, Plant Protection Institute, Centre for Agricultural Research, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
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9
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Üveges B, Szederkényi M, Mahr K, Móricz ÁM, Krüzselyi D, Bókony V, Hoi H, Hettyey A. Chemical defense of toad tadpoles under risk by four predator species. Ecol Evol 2019; 9:6287-6299. [PMID: 31236221 PMCID: PMC6580299 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.5202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2018] [Revised: 03/06/2019] [Accepted: 04/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Many organisms use inducible defenses as protection against predators. In animals, inducible defenses may manifest as changes in behavior, morphology, physiology, or life history, and prey species can adjust their defensive responses based on the dangerousness of predators. Analogously, prey may also change the composition and quantity of defensive chemicals when they coexist with different predators, but such predator-induced plasticity in chemical defenses remains elusive in vertebrates. In this study, we investigated whether tadpoles of the common toad (Bufo bufo) adjust their chemical defenses to predation risk in general and specifically to the presence of different predator species; furthermore, we assessed the adaptive value of the induced defense. We reared tadpoles in the presence or absence of one of four caged predator species in a mesocosm experiment, analyzed the composition and quantity of their bufadienolide toxins, and exposed them to free-ranging predators. We found that toad tadpoles did not respond to predation risk by upregulating their bufadienolide synthesis. Fishes and newts consumed only a small percentage of toad tadpoles, suggesting that bufadienolides provided protection against vertebrate predators, irrespective of the rearing environment. Backswimmers consumed toad tadpoles regardless of treatment. Dragonfly larvae were the most voracious predators and consumed more predator-naïve toad tadpoles than tadpoles raised in the presence of dragonfly cues. These results suggest that tadpoles in our experiment had high enough toxin levels for an effective defense against vertebrate predators even in the absence of predator cues. The lack of predator-induced phenotypic plasticity in bufadienolide synthesis may be due to local adaptation for constantly high chemical defense against fishes in the study population and/or due to the high density of conspecifics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bálint Üveges
- Lendület Evolutionary Ecology Research Group, Plant Protection Institute, Centre for Agricultural ResearchHungarian Academy of SciencesBudapestHungary
- Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology, Department of Integrative Biology and EvolutionUniversity of Veterinary Medicine ViennaViennaAustria
| | - Márk Szederkényi
- Lendület Evolutionary Ecology Research Group, Plant Protection Institute, Centre for Agricultural ResearchHungarian Academy of SciencesBudapestHungary
- Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology, Department of Integrative Biology and EvolutionUniversity of Veterinary Medicine ViennaViennaAustria
| | - Katharina Mahr
- Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology, Department of Integrative Biology and EvolutionUniversity of Veterinary Medicine ViennaViennaAustria
- Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human BiologyUniversity of DebrecenDebrecenHungary
| | - Ágnes M. Móricz
- Department of Pathophysiology, Plant Protection Institute, Centre for Agricultural ResearchHungarian Academy of SciencesBudapestHungary
| | - Dániel Krüzselyi
- Department of Pathophysiology, Plant Protection Institute, Centre for Agricultural ResearchHungarian Academy of SciencesBudapestHungary
| | - Veronika Bókony
- Lendület Evolutionary Ecology Research Group, Plant Protection Institute, Centre for Agricultural ResearchHungarian Academy of SciencesBudapestHungary
| | - Herbert Hoi
- Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology, Department of Integrative Biology and EvolutionUniversity of Veterinary Medicine ViennaViennaAustria
| | - Attila Hettyey
- Lendület Evolutionary Ecology Research Group, Plant Protection Institute, Centre for Agricultural ResearchHungarian Academy of SciencesBudapestHungary
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10
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Gabor CR, Perkins HR, Heitmann AT, Forsburg ZR, Aspbury AS. Roundup™ With Corticosterone Functions as an Infodisruptor to Antipredator Response in Tadpoles. Front Ecol Evol 2019. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2019.00114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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11
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Müller T, Gesing MA, Segeler M, Müller C. Sublethal insecticide exposure of an herbivore alters the response of its predator. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2019; 247:39-45. [PMID: 30654252 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2018.12.040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2018] [Revised: 12/13/2018] [Accepted: 12/13/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Sublethal insecticide exposure poses risks for many non-target organisms and is a challenge for successful implementation of integrated pest management (IPM) programs. Next to detrimental effects of short-term insecticide exposure on fitness-related traits of organisms, also properties such as chemical signaling traits can be altered, which mediate intra- and interspecific communication. We investigated the effects of different durations of larval sublethal exposure to the pyrethroid lambda-cyhalothrin on performance traits of larvae and adults of the herbivorous mustard leaf beetle, Phaedon cochleariae. Moreover, by applying a direct contact and olfactometer bioassays, we determined the reaction of a generalist predator, the ant Myrmica rubra, towards insecticide-exposed and unexposed herbivore larvae and their secretions. Already short-term sublethal insecticide exposure of a few days caused a prolonged larval development and a reduced adult body mass of males. These effects may result from an insecticide-induced reduction in energy reserves. Furthermore, ants responded more frequently to insecticide-exposed than to unexposed larvae of P. cochleariae and their secretions. This increased responsiveness of ants towards insecticide-exposed larvae may be due to an insecticide-induced change in synthesis of chrysomelidial and epichrysomelidial, the dominant compounds of the larval secretion, which act defensive against various generalist predators. In conclusion, the results highlight that short-term insecticide exposure can impair the fitness of an herbivorous species due to both direct toxic effects and an increased responsiveness of predators. Consequently, exposure of single non-target species can have consequences for ecological communities in both natural habitats and IPM programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thorben Müller
- Department of Chemical Ecology, Bielefeld University, Universitätsstr. 25, 33615, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Matthias Alexander Gesing
- Department of Chemical Ecology, Bielefeld University, Universitätsstr. 25, 33615, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Markus Segeler
- Department of Chemical Ecology, Bielefeld University, Universitätsstr. 25, 33615, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Caroline Müller
- Department of Chemical Ecology, Bielefeld University, Universitätsstr. 25, 33615, Bielefeld, Germany.
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12
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Tóth Z, Kurali A, Móricz ÁM, Hettyey A. Changes in Toxin Quantities Following Experimental Manipulation of Toxin Reserves in Bufo bufo Tadpoles. J Chem Ecol 2019; 45:253-263. [PMID: 30684072 PMCID: PMC6477007 DOI: 10.1007/s10886-019-01045-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2018] [Revised: 10/25/2018] [Accepted: 01/06/2019] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Possessing toxins can contribute to an efficient defence against various threats in nature. However, we generally know little about the energy- and time-demands of developing toxicity in animals, which determines the efficiency of chemical defence and its trade-off with other risk-induced phenotypic responses. In this study we examined how immersion into norepinephrine solution inducing the release of stored toxins, administration of mild stress mimicking predator attack or simple handling during experimental procedure affected the quantity and number of toxin compounds present in common toad (Bufo bufo) tadpoles as compared to undisturbed control individuals, and investigated how fast toxin reserves were restored. We found that total bufadienolide quantity (TBQ) significantly decreased only in the norepinephrine treatment group immediately after treatment compared to the control, but this difference disappeared after 12 h; there were no consistent differences in TBQ between treatments at later samplings. Interestingly, in the norepinephrine treatment approximately half of the compounds characterized by >700 m/z values showed the same changes in time as TBQ, but several bufadienolides characterized by <600 m/z values showed the opposite pattern: they were present in higher quantities immediately after treatment. The number of bufadienolide compounds was not affected by any treatments, but was positively related to TBQ. Our study represents the first experimental evidence that toxin quantities returned to the original level following induced toxin release within a very short period of time in common toad tadpoles and provide additional insights into the physiological background of chemical defence in this model vertebrate species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zoltán Tóth
- Lendület Evolutionary Ecology Research Group, Plant Protection Institute, Centre for Agricultural Research, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Herman Ottó Str. 15, Budapest, H-1022, Hungary.
| | - Anikó Kurali
- Lendület Evolutionary Ecology Research Group, Plant Protection Institute, Centre for Agricultural Research, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Herman Ottó Str. 15, Budapest, H-1022, Hungary
| | - Ágnes M Móricz
- Department of Pathophysiology, Plant Protection Institute, Centre for Agricultural Research, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Herman Ottó Str. 15, Budapest, H-1022, Hungary
| | - Attila Hettyey
- Lendület Evolutionary Ecology Research Group, Plant Protection Institute, Centre for Agricultural Research, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Herman Ottó Str. 15, Budapest, H-1022, Hungary
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Toads phenotypically adjust their chemical defences to anthropogenic habitat change. Sci Rep 2019; 9:3163. [PMID: 30816222 PMCID: PMC6395641 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-39587-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2018] [Accepted: 01/23/2019] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite the well-documented effects of human-induced environmental changes on the morphology, physiology, behaviour and life history of wild animals, next to nothing is known about how anthropogenic habitats influence anti-predatory chemical defence, a crucial fitness component of many species. We investigated the amount and composition of defensive toxins in adult common toads (Bufo bufo) captured in natural, agricultural and urban habitats, and in their offspring raised in a common-garden experiment. We found that, compared to toads captured from natural habitats, adults from both types of anthropogenic habitats had larger toxin glands (parotoids) and their toxin secretion contained higher concentrations of bufagenins, the more potent class of bufadienolide toxins. Furthermore, urban toads had lower concentrations of bufotoxins, the compounds with lower toxicity. None of these differences were present in the captive-raised juveniles; instead, toadlets originating from agricultural habitats had smaller parotoids and lower bufotoxin concentrations. These results suggest that toads' chemical defences respond to the challenges of anthropogenic environments via phenotypic plasticity. These responses may constitute non-adaptive consequences of pollution by endocrine-disrupting chemicals as well as adaptive adjustments to the altered predator assemblages of urban and agricultural habitats.
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14
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Janssens L, Verberk W, Stoks R. A widespread morphological antipredator mechanism reduces the sensitivity to pesticides and increases the susceptibility to warming. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2018; 626:1230-1235. [PMID: 29898530 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.01.179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2017] [Revised: 01/18/2018] [Accepted: 01/18/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Pollution and predation are two omnipresent stressors in aquatic systems that can interact in multiple ways, thereby challenging accurate assessment of the effects of pollutants in natural systems. Despite the widespread occurrence of morphological antipredator mechanisms, no studies have tested how these can affect the sensitivity of prey to pesticides. Sensitivity to pesticides is typically measured via reductions in growth rates and survival, but also reductions in heat tolerance are to be expected and are becoming increasingly important in a warming world. We investigated how autotomy, a widespread morphological antipredator mechanism where animals sacrifice a body part (here the caudal lamellae) to escape when attacked by a predator, modified the sensitivity to the insecticide chlorpyrifos in larvae of the damselfly Coenagrion puella. Exposure to chlorpyrifos reduced the growth rate and heat tolerance (measured as CTmax). A key finding was that the pesticide had a greater impact on growth rates of intact animals, i.e. those that retained their lamellae. This reduced sensitivity to chlorpyrifos in animals without lamellae can be explained by the reduced outer surface area which is expected to result in a lower uptake of the pesticide. Larvae that underwent autotomy exhibited a lower heat tolerance, which may also be explained by the reduced surface area and the associated reduction in oxygen uptake. There is a wide diversity of morphological antipredator mechanisms, suggesting that there will be more examples where these mechanisms affect the vulnerability to pollutants. Given the importance of pollution and predation as structuring forces in aquatic food webs, exploring the potential interactions between morphological antipredator mechanisms and sensitivity to pollutants will be crucial for risk assessment of pollutants in aquatic systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lizanne Janssens
- Evolutionary Stress Ecology and Ecotoxicology, University of Leuven, Debériotstraat 32, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Wilco Verberk
- Animal Ecology and Physiology, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525, AJ, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
| | - Robby Stoks
- Evolutionary Stress Ecology and Ecotoxicology, University of Leuven, Debériotstraat 32, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.
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15
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Bókony V, Üveges B, Móricz ÁM, Hettyey A. Competition induces increased toxin production in toad larvae without allelopathic effects on heterospecific tadpoles. Funct Ecol 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.12994] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Veronika Bókony
- Lendület Evolutionary Ecology Research GroupPlant Protection InstituteCentre for Agricultural ResearchHungarian Academy of Sciences Budapest Hungary
| | - Bálint Üveges
- Lendület Evolutionary Ecology Research GroupPlant Protection InstituteCentre for Agricultural ResearchHungarian Academy of Sciences Budapest Hungary
| | - Ágnes M. Móricz
- Department of PathophysiologyPlant Protection InstituteCentre for Agricultural ResearchHungarian Academy of Sciences Budapest Hungary
| | - Attila Hettyey
- Lendület Evolutionary Ecology Research GroupPlant Protection InstituteCentre for Agricultural ResearchHungarian Academy of Sciences Budapest Hungary
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