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Caizergues AE, Santangelo JS, Ness RW, Angeoletto F, Anstett DN, Anstett J, Baena-Diaz F, Carlen EJ, Chaves JA, Comerford MS, Dyson K, Falahati-Anbaran M, Fellowes MDE, Hodgins KA, Hood GR, Iñiguez-Armijos C, Kooyers NJ, Lázaro-Lobo A, Moles AT, Munshi-South J, Paule J, Porth IM, Santiago-Rosario LY, Whitney KS, Tack AJM, Johnson MTJ. Does urbanisation lead to parallel demographic shifts across the world in a cosmopolitan plant? Mol Ecol 2024; 33:e17311. [PMID: 38468155 DOI: 10.1111/mec.17311] [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: 08/15/2023] [Revised: 12/08/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
Urbanisation is occurring globally, leading to dramatic environmental changes that are altering the ecology and evolution of species. In particular, the expansion of human infrastructure and the loss and fragmentation of natural habitats in cities is predicted to increase genetic drift and reduce gene flow by reducing the size and connectivity of populations. Alternatively, the 'urban facilitation model' suggests that some species will have greater gene flow into and within cities leading to higher diversity and lower differentiation in urban populations. These alternative hypotheses have not been contrasted across multiple cities. Here, we used the genomic data from the GLobal Urban Evolution project (GLUE), to study the effects of urbanisation on non-adaptive evolutionary processes of white clover (Trifolium repens) at a global scale. We found that white clover populations presented high genetic diversity and no evidence of reduced Ne linked to urbanisation. On the contrary, we found that urban populations were less likely to experience a recent decrease in effective population size than rural ones. In addition, we found little genetic structure among populations both globally and between urban and rural populations, which showed extensive gene flow between habitats. Interestingly, white clover displayed overall higher gene flow within urban areas than within rural habitats. Our study provides the largest comprehensive test of the demographic effects of urbanisation. Our results contrast with the common perception that heavily altered and fragmented urban environments will reduce the effective population size and genetic diversity of populations and contribute to their isolation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aude E Caizergues
- Centre for Urban Environments, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
| | - James S Santangelo
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - Rob W Ness
- Centre for Urban Environments, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
| | - Fabio Angeoletto
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Gestão e Tecnologia Ambiental da Universidade Federal de Rondonópolis, Rondonópolis, Brasil
| | - Daniel N Anstett
- Department of Plant Biology, Department of Entomology, Plant Resilience Institute, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
| | - Julia Anstett
- Genomic Sciences and Technology Program, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | | | - Elizabeth J Carlen
- Living Earth Collaborative, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Jaime A Chaves
- Universidad San Francisco de Quito, Ecuador, Quito
- San Francisco State University, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Mattheau S Comerford
- Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | | | | | | | - Kathryn A Hodgins
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Glen Ray Hood
- Department of Biological Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Carlos Iñiguez-Armijos
- Laboratorio de Ecología Tropical y Servicios Ecosistémicos (EcoSs-Lab), Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja, Loja, Ecuador
| | | | - Adrián Lázaro-Lobo
- Biodiversity Research Institute (IMIB), CSIC-University of Oviedo-Principality of Asturias, Mieres, Spain
| | - Angela T Moles
- Evolution & Ecology Research Centre, UNSW-University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Jason Munshi-South
- Department of Biology and Louis Calder Center, Fordham University, New York City, New York, USA
| | - Juraj Paule
- Botanischer Garten und Botanisches Museum Berlin, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Ilga M Porth
- Institut de biologie intégrative et des systèmes, Université Laval, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
| | - Luis Y Santiago-Rosario
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA
| | - Kaitlin Stack Whitney
- Science, Technology & Society Department, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, New York, USA
| | - Ayko J M Tack
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant Sciences, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Marc T J Johnson
- Centre for Urban Environments, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
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2
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Kardum Hjort C, Paris JR, Smith HG, Dudaniec RY. Selection despite low genetic diversity and high gene flow in a rapid island invasion of the bumblebee, Bombus terrestris. Mol Ecol 2024; 33:e17212. [PMID: 37990959 DOI: 10.1111/mec.17212] [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: 07/21/2023] [Revised: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/23/2023]
Abstract
Invasive species are predicted to adjust their morphological, physiological and life-history traits to adapt to their non-native environments. Although a loss of genetic variation during invasion may restrict local adaptation, introduced species often thrive in novel environments. Despite being founded by just a few individuals, Bombus terrestris (Hymenoptera: Apidae) has in less than 30 years successfully spread across the island of Tasmania (Australia), becoming abundant and competitive with native pollinators. We use RADseq to investigate what neutral and adaptive genetic processes associated with environmental and morphological variation allow B. terrestris to thrive as an invasive species in Tasmania. Given the widespread abundance of B. terrestris, we expected little genetic structure across Tasmania and weak signatures of environmental and morphological selection. We found high gene flow with low genetic diversity, although with significant isolation-by-distance and spatial variation in effective migration rates. Restricted migration was evident across the mid-central region of Tasmania, corresponding to higher elevations, pastural land, low wind speeds and low precipitation seasonality. Tajima's D indicated a recent population expansion extending from the south to the north of the island. Selection signatures were found for loci in relation to precipitation, wind speed and wing loading. Candidate loci were annotated to genes with functions related to cuticle water retention and insect flight muscle stability. Understanding how a genetically impoverished invasive bumblebee has rapidly adapted to a novel island environment provides further understanding about the evolutionary processes that determine successful insect invasions, and the potential for invasive hymenopteran pollinators to spread globally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cecilia Kardum Hjort
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
- School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Josephine R Paris
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Marche Polytechnic University, Ancona, Italy
| | - Henrik G Smith
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
- Centre for Environmental and Climate Science, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Rachael Y Dudaniec
- School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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3
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Wang J, Bourke AFG. Parentage exclusion of close relatives in haplodiploid species. Theor Popul Biol 2023; 154:40-50. [PMID: 37640113 DOI: 10.1016/j.tpb.2023.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Revised: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
Parentage exclusion probability is usually calculated to evaluate the informativeness of a set of markers for, and the statistical power of, a parentage analysis. Equations for parentage exclusion probability have been derived in various scenarios such as paternity exclusion when maternity is known or unknown or when candidate males are unrelated or loosely related (being from the same subpopulation) to the father. All previous work assumes a diploid species. Although marker-based parentage analyses have been conducted in haploidiploid species (such as ants, bees and wasps) for diploid offspring at the individual level or haploid offspring at the class level, rigorously derived formulations of parentage exclusion probability for haploid offspring at the individual level are lacking, which prevents the precise evaluation of the informativeness for and the statistical power of a parentage analysis. In this study we derive equations for the exclusion probability of maternity of a haploid male when multiple mother candidates (workers or queens) are unrelated or fullsibs to the mother. The usefulness of the equations is exemplified by numerical examples, and the results are discussed in the context of the study of worker reproductivity in eusocial haplodiploid species. The results are especially valuable for an optimal experimental design in determining sampling intensities (e.g. number of markers and number of individuals) to achieve satisfactory statistical power of a parentage analysis in investigating workers' reproductivity in eusocial haplodiploid species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinliang Wang
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, London NW1 4RY, United Kingdom.
| | - Andrew F G Bourke
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, United Kingdom
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4
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Babik W, Dudek K, Marszałek M, Palomar G, Antunes B, Sniegula S. The genomic response to urbanization in the damselfly Ischnura elegans. Evol Appl 2023; 16:1805-1818. [PMID: 38029064 PMCID: PMC10681423 DOI: 10.1111/eva.13603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The complex and rapid environmental changes brought about by urbanization pose significant challenges to organisms. The multifaceted effects of urbanization often make it difficult to define and pinpoint the very nature of adaptive urban phenotypes. In such situations, scanning genomes for regions differentiated between urban and non-urban populations may be an attractive approach. Here, we investigated the genomic signatures of adaptation to urbanization in the damselfly Ischnura elegans sampled from 31 rural and urban localities in three geographic regions: southern and northern Poland, and southern Sweden. Genome-wide variation was assessed using more than 370,000 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) genotyped by ddRADseq. Associations between SNPs and the level of urbanization were tested using two genetic environment association methods: Latent Factors Mixed Models and BayPass. While we found numerous candidate SNPs and a highly significant overlap between candidates identified by the two methods within the geographic regions, there was a distinctive lack of repeatability between the geographic regions both at the level of individual SNPs and of genomic regions. However, we found "synapse organization" at the top of the functional categories enriched among the genes located in the proximity of the candidate urbanization SNPs. Interestingly, the overall significance of "synapse organization" was built up by the accretion of different genes associated with candidate SNPs in different geographic regions. This finding is consistent with the highly polygenic nature of adaptation, where the response may be achieved through a subtle adjustment of allele frequencies in different genes that contribute to adaptive phenotypes. Taken together, our results point to a polygenic adaptive response in the nervous system, specifically implicating genes involved in synapse organization, which mirrors the findings from several genomic and behavioral studies of adaptation to urbanization in other taxa.
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Affiliation(s)
- W. Babik
- Faculty of Biology, Institute of Environmental SciencesJagiellonian UniversityKrakówPoland
| | - K. Dudek
- Faculty of Biology, Institute of Environmental SciencesJagiellonian UniversityKrakówPoland
| | - M. Marszałek
- Faculty of Biology, Institute of Environmental SciencesJagiellonian UniversityKrakówPoland
| | - G. Palomar
- Faculty of Biology, Institute of Environmental SciencesJagiellonian UniversityKrakówPoland
- Department of Genetics, Physiology and Microbiology, Faculty of Biological SciencesComplutense University of MadridMadridSpain
| | - B. Antunes
- Faculty of Biology, Institute of Environmental SciencesJagiellonian UniversityKrakówPoland
| | - S. Sniegula
- Department of Ecosystem Conservation, Institute of Nature ConservationPolish Academy of SciencesKrakówPoland
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Minias P. The effects of urban life on animal immunity: Adaptations and constraints. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 895:165085. [PMID: 37379938 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165085] [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: 04/03/2023] [Revised: 06/21/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 06/30/2023]
Abstract
Land transformation, including urbanization, is a dominant form of anthropogenic change to the global environment at the dawn of the Anthropocene epoch. More and more species are brought into direct contact with humans, being either required to develop broad-scale adaptations to urban environment or filtered out from urbanized areas. While behavioural or physiological adaptations are at the forefront of urban biology research, there is accumulating evidence for divergent pathogen pressure across urbanization gradients, requiring adjustments in host immune function. At the same time, host immunity may be constrained by unfavourable components of an urban environment, such as poor-quality food resources, disturbance, or pollution. Here, I reviewed existing evidence for adaptations and constrains in the immune system of urban animals, focusing on the recent implementation of metabarcoding, genomic, transcriptomic, and epigenomic approaches in urban biology research. I show that spatial variation in pathogen pressure across urban and non-urban landscapes is highly complex and may be context-dependent, but there is solid evidence for pathogen-driven immunostimulation in urban-dwelling animals. I also show that genes coding for molecules directly involved in interactions with pathogens are the prime candidates for immunogenetic adaptations to urban life. Evidence emerging from landscape genomics and transcriptomics show that immune adaptations to urban life may have a polygenic nature, but immune traits may not be among the key biological functions experiencing broad-scale microevolutionary changes in response to urbanization. Finally, I provided recommendations for future research, including i) a better integration of different 'omic' approaches to obtain a more complete picture of immune adaptations to urban life in non-model animal taxa, ii) quantification of fitness landscapes for immune phenotypes and genotypes across urbanization gradient, and iii) much broader taxonomic coverage (including invertebrates) necessary to draw more robust conclusions on how general (or taxa-specific) are immune responses of animals to urbanization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Piotr Minias
- Department of Biodiversity Studies and Bioeducation, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Łódź, Banacha 1/3, 90-237 Łódź, Poland.
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6
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Mascarenhas R, Meirelles PM, Batalha-Filho H. Urbanization drives adaptive evolution in a Neotropical bird. Curr Zool 2023; 69:607-619. [PMID: 37637315 PMCID: PMC10449428 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zoac066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2022] [Accepted: 08/16/2022] [Indexed: 08/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Urbanization has dramatic impacts on natural habitats and such changes may potentially drive local adaptation of urban populations. Behavioral change has been specifically shown to facilitate the fast adaptation of birds to changing environments, but few studies have investigated the genetic mechanisms of this process. Such investigations could provide insights into questions about both evolutionary theory and management of urban populations. In this study, we investigated whether local adaptation has occurred in urban populations of a Neotropical bird species, Coereba flaveola, specifically addressing whether observed behavioral adaptations are correlated to genetic signatures of natural selection. To answer this question, we sampled 24 individuals in urban and rural environments, and searched for selected loci through a genome-scan approach based on RADseq genomic data, generated and assembled using a reference genome for the species. We recovered 46 loci as putative selection outliers, and 30 of them were identified as associated with biological processes possibly related to urban adaptation, such as the regulation of energetic metabolism, regulation of genetic expression, and changes in the immunological system. Moreover, genes involved in the development of the nervous system showed signatures of selection, suggesting a link between behavioral and genetic adaptations. Our findings, in conjunction with similar results in previous studies, support the idea that cities provide a similar selective pressure on urban populations and that behavioral plasticity may be enhanced through genetic changes in urban populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rilquer Mascarenhas
- National Institute of Science and Technology in Interdisciplinary and Transdisciplinary Studies in Ecology and Evolution (INCT IN-TREE), Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal da Bahia, 40170-115 Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
| | - Pedro Milet Meirelles
- National Institute of Science and Technology in Interdisciplinary and Transdisciplinary Studies in Ecology and Evolution (INCT IN-TREE), Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal da Bahia, 40170-115 Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
| | - Henrique Batalha-Filho
- National Institute of Science and Technology in Interdisciplinary and Transdisciplinary Studies in Ecology and Evolution (INCT IN-TREE), Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal da Bahia, 40170-115 Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
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7
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Chau KD, Samad-Zada F, Kelemen EP, Rehan SM. Integrative population genetics and metagenomics reveals urbanization increases pathogen loads and decreases connectivity in a wild bee. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2023; 29:4193-4211. [PMID: 37173859 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2022] [Revised: 04/27/2023] [Accepted: 04/30/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
As urbanization continues to increase, it is expected that two-thirds of the human population will reside in cities by 2050. Urbanization fragments and degrades natural landscapes, threatening wildlife including economically important species such as bees. In this study, we employ whole genome sequencing to characterize the population genetics, metagenome and microbiome, and environmental stressors of a common wild bee, Ceratina calcarata. Population genomic analyses revealed the presence of low genetic diversity and elevated levels of inbreeding. Through analyses of isolation by distance, resistance, and environment across urban landscapes, we found that green spaces including shrubs and scrub were the most optimal pathways for bee dispersal, and conservation efforts should focus on preserving these land traits to maintain high connectivity across sites for wild bees. Metagenomic analyses revealed landscape sites exhibiting urban heat island effects, such as high temperatures and development but low precipitation and green space, had the highest taxa alpha diversity across all domains even when isolating for potential pathogens. Notably, the integration of population and metagenomic data showed that reduced connectivity in urban areas is not only correlated with lower relatedness among individuals but is also associated with increased pathogen diversity, exposing vulnerable urban bees to more pathogens. Overall, our combined population and metagenomic approach found significant environmental variation in bee microbiomes and nutritional resources even in the absence of genetic differentiation, as well as enabled the potential early detection of stressors to bee health.
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8
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Samad‐zada F, Kelemen EP, Rehan SM. The impact of geography and climate on the population structure and local adaptation in a wild bee. Evol Appl 2023; 16:1154-1168. [PMID: 37360027 PMCID: PMC10286232 DOI: 10.1111/eva.13558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2022] [Revised: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Deciphering processes that contribute to genetic differentiation and divergent selection of natural populations is useful for evaluating the adaptive potential and resilience of organisms faced with various anthropogenic stressors. Insect pollinator species, including wild bees, provide critical ecosystem services but are highly susceptible to biodiversity declines. Here, we use population genomics to infer the genetic structure and test for evidence of local adaptation in an economically important native pollinator, the small carpenter bee (Ceratina calcarata). Using genome-wide SNP data (n = 8302), collected from specimens across the species' entire distribution, we evaluated population differentiation and genetic diversity and identified putative signatures of selection in the context of geographic and environmental variation. Results of the analyses of principal component and Bayesian clustering were concordant with the presence of two to three genetic clusters, associated with landscape features and inferred phylogeography of the species. All populations examined in our study demonstrated a heterozygote deficit, along with significant levels of inbreeding. We identified 250 robust outlier SNPs, corresponding to 85 annotated genes with known functional relevance to thermoregulation, photoperiod, and responses to various abiotic and biotic stressors. Taken together, these data provide evidence for local adaptation in a wild bee and highlight genetic responses of native pollinators to landscape and climate features.
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Brasil SNR, Kelemen EP, Rehan SM. Historic DNA uncovers genetic effects of climate change and landscape alteration in two wild bee species. CONSERV GENET 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s10592-022-01488-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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10
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Fukano Y, Uchida K, Tachiki Y. Urban-rural gradients: how landscape changes drive adaptive evolution of plant competitive traits. Evol Ecol 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s10682-022-10215-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
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11
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Hart AF, Verbeeck J, Ariza D, Cejas D, Ghisbain G, Honchar H, Radchenko VG, Straka J, Ljubomirov T, Lecocq T, Dániel-Ferreira J, Flaminio S, Bortolotti L, Karise R, Meeus I, Smagghe G, Vereecken N, Vandamme P, Michez D, Maebe K. Signals of adaptation to agricultural stress in the genomes of two European bumblebees. Front Genet 2022; 13:993416. [PMID: 36276969 PMCID: PMC9579324 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.993416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2022] [Accepted: 09/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Human-induced environmental impacts on wildlife are widespread, causing major biodiversity losses. One major threat is agricultural intensification, typically characterised by large areas of monoculture, mechanical tillage, and the use of agrochemicals. Intensification leads to the fragmentation and loss of natural habitats, native vegetation, and nesting and breeding sites. Understanding the adaptability of insects to these changing environmental conditions is critical to predicting their survival. Bumblebees, key pollinators of wild and cultivated plants, are used as model species to assess insect adaptation to anthropogenic stressors. We investigated the effects of agricultural pressures on two common European bumblebees, Bombus pascuorum and B. lapidarius. Restriction-site Associated DNA Sequencing was used to identify loci under selective pressure across agricultural-natural gradients over 97 locations in Europe. 191 unique loci in B. pascuorum and 260 in B. lapidarius were identified as under selective pressure, and associated with agricultural stressors. Further investigation suggested several candidate proteins including several neurodevelopment, muscle, and detoxification proteins, but these have yet to be validated. These results provide insights into agriculture as a stressor for bumblebees, and signal for conservation action in light of ongoing anthropogenic changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex F. Hart
- Ghent University, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Department of Plants and Crops, Lab of Agrozoology, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Jaro Verbeeck
- Ghent University, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Department of Plants and Crops, Lab of Agrozoology, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Daniel Ariza
- Ghent University, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Department of Plants and Crops, Lab of Agrozoology, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Diego Cejas
- Laboratory of Zoology, Research Institute for Biosciences, University of Mons, Mons, Belgium
| | - Guillaume Ghisbain
- Laboratory of Zoology, Research Institute for Biosciences, University of Mons, Mons, Belgium
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Gamboa, Panama
| | - Hanna Honchar
- Institute for Evolutionary Ecology, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - Vladimir G. Radchenko
- Institute for Evolutionary Ecology, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - Jakub Straka
- Charles University, Faculty of Science, Department of Zoology, Praha, Czech Republic
| | - Toshko Ljubomirov
- Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research—Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Thomas Lecocq
- Université de Lorraine, INRAE, URAFPA, Nancy, France
| | | | - Simone Flaminio
- Council for Agricultural Research and Economics, Research Centre for Agriculture and Environment, Bologna, Italy
| | - Laura Bortolotti
- Council for Agricultural Research and Economics, Research Centre for Agriculture and Environment, Bologna, Italy
| | - Reet Karise
- Estonian University of Life Sciences, Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Ivan Meeus
- Ghent University, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Department of Plants and Crops, Lab of Agrozoology, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Guy Smagghe
- Ghent University, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Department of Plants and Crops, Lab of Agrozoology, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Nicolas Vereecken
- Agroecology Lab, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Peter Vandamme
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Denis Michez
- Laboratory of Zoology, Research Institute for Biosciences, University of Mons, Mons, Belgium
| | - Kevin Maebe
- Ghent University, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Department of Plants and Crops, Lab of Agrozoology, Ghent, Belgium
- *Correspondence: Kevin Maebe,
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12
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Piñeros VJ, Del R Pedraza-Marrón C, Betancourt-Resendes I, Calderón-Cortés N, Betancur-R R, Domínguez-Domínguez O. Genome-wide species delimitation analyses of a silverside fish species complex in central Mexico indicate taxonomic over-splitting. BMC Ecol Evol 2022; 22:108. [PMID: 36104671 PMCID: PMC9472351 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-022-02063-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Delimiting species across a speciation continuum is a complex task, as the process of species origin is not generally instantaneous. The use of genome-wide data provides unprecedented resolution to address convoluted species delimitation cases, often unraveling cryptic diversity. However, because genome-wide approaches based on the multispecies coalescent model are known to confound population structure with species boundaries, often resulting in taxonomic over-splitting, it has become increasingly evident that species delimitation research must consider multiple lines of evidence. In this study, we used phylogenomic, population genomic, and coalescent-based species delimitation approaches, and examined those in light of morphological and ecological information, to investigate species numbers and boundaries comprising the Chirostoma "humboltianum group" (family Atherinidae). The humboltianum group is a taxonomically controversial species complex where previous morphological and mitochondrial studies produced conflicting species delimitation outcomes. We generated ddRADseq data for 77 individuals representing the nine nominal species in the group, spanning their distribution range in the central Mexican plateau. RESULTS Our results conflict with the morphospecies and ecological delimitation hypotheses, identifying four independently evolving lineages organized in three geographically cohesive clades: (i) chapalae and sphyraena groups in Lake Chapala, (ii) estor group in Lakes Pátzcuaro and Zirahuén, and (iii) humboltianum sensu stricto group in Lake Zacapu and Lerma river system. CONCLUSIONS Overall, our study provides an atypical example where genome-wide analyses delineate fewer species than previously recognized on the basis of morphology. It also highlights the influence of the geological history of the Chapala-Lerma hydrological system in driving allopatric speciation in the humboltianum group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victor Julio Piñeros
- Laboratorio de Ecología Molecular, Escuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores Unidad Morelia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Antigua Carretera a Pátzcuaro 8701, Ex-Hacienda de San José de La Huerta, 58190, Morelia, Michoacán, Mexico
| | | | - Isaí Betancourt-Resendes
- Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, Avenida de Las Ciencias S/N Juriquilla, Delegación Santa Rosa Jáuregui, 76230, Querétaro, Mexico
| | - Nancy Calderón-Cortés
- Laboratorio de Ecología Molecular, Escuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores Unidad Morelia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Antigua Carretera a Pátzcuaro 8701, Ex-Hacienda de San José de La Huerta, 58190, Morelia, Michoacán, Mexico.
| | - Ricardo Betancur-R
- Department of Biology, The University of Oklahoma, 730 Van Vleet Oval, Norman, OK, 73019, USA
| | - Omar Domínguez-Domínguez
- Laboratorio de Biología Acuática, Facultad de Biología, Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, Edificio "R" Planta Baja, Ciudad Universitaria, 58030, Morelia, Michoacán, Mexico.
- Laboratorio Nacional de Análisis y Síntesis Ecológica Para la Conservación de Recursos Genéticos de México, Escuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores, Unidad Morelia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Apartado Postal 27-3 (Xangari), 58089, Michoacán, Morelia, Mexico.
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13
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Su T, He B, Zhao F, Jiang K, Lin G, Huang Z. Population genomics and phylogeography of
Colletes gigas
, a wild bee specialized on winter flowering plants. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e8863. [PMID: 35494503 PMCID: PMC9035574 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8863] [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: 03/30/2022] [Accepted: 04/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Diet specialization may affect the population genetic structure of pollinators by reducing gene flow and driving genetic differentiation, especially in pollen‐specialist bees. Colletes gigas is a pollen‐specialist pollinator of Camellia oleifera, one of the most important staple oil crops in China. Ca. oleifera blooms in cold climates and contains special compounds that make it an unusable pollen source to other pollinators. Thus, C. gigas undoubtedly plays a key role as the main pollinator of Ca. oleifera, with biological and economic significance. Here, we use a population genomic approach to analyze the roles of geography and climate on the genetic structure, genetic diversity, and demographic history of C. gigas. A total of 1,035,407 SNPs were identified from a 582.77 Gb dataset. Clustering and phylogenetic analyses revealed a marked genetic structure, with individuals grouped into nine local clusters. A significant isolation by distance was detected by both the Mantel test (R = .866, p = .008) and linear regression (R2 = .616, p < .001). Precipitation and sunshine duration were positively and significantly (R ≥ .765, p ≤ .016) correlated with observed heterozygosity (Ho) and expected heterozygosity (He). These results showed that C. gigas populations had a distinct phylogeographic pattern determined by geographical distance and environmental factors (precipitation and sunshine duration). In addition, an analysis of paleogeographic dynamics indicated that C. gigas populations exhibited patterns of glacial expansion and interglacial contraction, likely resulting from post‐glacial habitat contraction and fragmentation. Our results indicated that the peculiar phylogeographic patterns in C. gigas populations may be related to their specialization under long‐term adaptation to host plants. This work improves our understanding of the population genetics in pollen‐specialist bees. The distinct genetic clusters identified in this study should be taken into consideration for the protection and utilization of this specialized crop pollinator.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianjuan Su
- School of Life Sciences Jinggangshan University Ji'an China
| | - Bo He
- School of Life Sciences Jinggangshan University Ji'an China
- College of Life Sciences Anhui Normal University Wuhu China
| | - Fang Zhao
- School of Life Sciences Jinggangshan University Ji'an China
| | - Kai Jiang
- School of Life Sciences Jinggangshan University Ji'an China
| | - Gonghua Lin
- School of Life Sciences Jinggangshan University Ji'an China
| | - Zuhao Huang
- School of Life Sciences Jinggangshan University Ji'an China
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14
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Caizergues AE, Le Luyer J, Grégoire A, Szulkin M, Senar J, Charmantier A, Perrier C. Epigenetics and the city: Non-parallel DNA methylation modifications across pairs of urban-forest Great tit populations. Evol Appl 2022; 15:149-165. [PMID: 35126653 PMCID: PMC8792475 DOI: 10.1111/eva.13334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2021] [Revised: 11/23/2021] [Accepted: 12/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Identifying the molecular mechanisms involved in rapid adaptation to novel environments and determining their predictability are central questions in evolutionary biology and pressing issues due to rapid global changes. Complementary to genetic responses to selection, faster epigenetic variations such as modifications of DNA methylation may play a substantial role in rapid adaptation. In the context of rampant urbanization, joint examinations of genomic and epigenomic mechanisms are still lacking. Here, we investigated genomic (SNP) and epigenomic (CpG methylation) responses to urban life in a passerine bird, the Great tit (Parus major). To test whether urban evolution is predictable (i.e. parallel) or involves mostly nonparallel molecular processes among cities, we analysed both SNP and CpG methylation variations across three distinct pairs of city and forest Great tit populations in Europe. Our analyses reveal a polygenic response to urban life, with both many genes putatively under weak divergent selection and multiple differentially methylated regions (DMRs) between forest and city great tits. DMRs mainly overlapped transcription start sites and promotor regions, suggesting their importance in modulating gene expression. Both genomic and epigenomic outliers were found in genomic regions enriched for genes with biological functions related to the nervous system, immunity, or behavioural, hormonal and stress responses. Interestingly, comparisons across the three pairs of city-forest populations suggested little parallelism in both genetic and epigenetic responses. Our results confirm, at both the genetic and epigenetic levels, hypotheses of polygenic and largely nonparallel mechanisms of rapid adaptation in novel environments such as urbanized areas.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jeremy Le Luyer
- Ifremer, IRD, Institut Louis‐MalardéUniv Polynésie Française, EIOTaravaoFrench Polynesia
| | | | - Marta Szulkin
- Centre of New TechnologiesUniversity of WarsawWarsawPoland
| | | | | | - Charles Perrier
- CBGP, INRAe, CIRAD, IRD, Montpellier SupAgroUniv. MontpellierMontpellierFrance
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15
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Abstract
Although research performed in cities will not uncover new evolutionary mechanisms, it could provide unprecedented opportunities to examine the interplay of evolutionary forces in new ways and new avenues to address classic questions. However, while the variation within and among cities affords many opportunities to advance evolutionary biology research, careful alignment between how cities are used and the research questions being asked is necessary to maximize the insights that can be gained. In this review, we develop a framework to help guide alignment between urban evolution research approaches and questions. Using this framework, we highlight what has been accomplished to date in the field of urban evolution and identify several up-and-coming research directions for further expansion. We conclude that urban environments can be used as evolutionary test beds to tackle both new and long-standing questions in evolutionary biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah E. Diamond
- Department of Biology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106, USA;,
| | - Ryan A. Martin
- Department of Biology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106, USA;,
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16
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Pikus E, Włodarczyk R, Jedlikowski J, Minias P. Urbanization processes drive divergence at the major histocompatibility complex in a common waterbird. PeerJ 2021; 9:e12264. [PMID: 34707940 PMCID: PMC8500109 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.12264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2021] [Accepted: 09/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Urban sprawl is one of the most common landscape alterations occurring worldwide, and there is a growing list of species that are recognised to have adapted to urban life. To be successful, processes of urban colonization by wildlife require a broad spectrum of phenotypic (e.g., behavioural or physiological) adjustments, but evidence for genetic adaptations is much scarcer. One hypothesis proposes that different pathogen-driven selective pressures between urban and non-urban landscapes leads to adaptations in host immune genes. Here, we examined urbanization-related differentiation at the key pathogen-recognition genes of vertebrate adaptive immunity-the major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-in a common waterbird, the Eurasian coot (Fulica atra). Samples were collected from an old urban population (established before the 1950s), a new urban population (established in the 2000s), and two rural populations from central Poland. We found strong significant divergence (as measured with Jost's D) at the MHC class II between the old urban population and the remaining (new urban and rural) populations. Also, there was a moderate, but significant divergence at the MHC between the new urban population and two rural populations, while no divergence was found between the two rural populations. The total number of MHC alleles and the number of private (population-specific) MHC alleles was lower in old urban populations, as compared to the rural ones. These patterns of differentiation at the MHC were not consistent with patterns found for neutral genetic markers (microsatellites), which showed few differences between the populations. Our results indicate that MHC allele composition depended on the level of anthropogenic disturbance and the time which passed since urban colonization, possibly due to the processes of genotype sorting and local adaptation. As such, our study contributes to the understanding of genetic mechanisms associated with urbanization processes in wildlife.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ewa Pikus
- Department of Biodiversity Studies and Bioeducation, University of Łódź, Łódź, Poland
| | - Radosław Włodarczyk
- Department of Biodiversity Studies and Bioeducation, University of Łódź, Łódź, Poland
| | - Jan Jedlikowski
- Biological and Chemical Research Centre, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Piotr Minias
- Department of Biodiversity Studies and Bioeducation, University of Łódź, Łódź, Poland
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17
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Maebe K, Hart AF, Marshall L, Vandamme P, Vereecken NJ, Michez D, Smagghe G. Bumblebee resilience to climate change, through plastic and adaptive responses. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2021; 27:4223-4237. [PMID: 34118096 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2021] [Accepted: 05/19/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Bumblebees are ubiquitous, cold-adapted eusocial bees found worldwide from subarctic to tropical regions of the world. They are key pollinators in most temperate and boreal ecosystems, and both wild and managed populations are significant contributors to agricultural pollination services. Despite their broad ecological niche at the genus level, bumblebee species are threatened by climate change, particularly by rising average temperatures, intensifying seasonality and the increasing frequency of extreme weather events. While some temperature extremes may be offset at the individual or colony level through temperature regulation, most bumblebees are expected to exhibit specific plastic responses, selection in various key traits, and/or range contractions under even the mildest climate change. In this review, we provide an in-depth and up-to-date review on the various ways by which bumblebees overcome the threats associated with current and future global change. We use examples relevant to the fields of bumblebee physiology, morphology, behaviour, phenology, and dispersal to illustrate and discuss the contours of this new theoretical framework. Furthermore, we speculate on the extent to which adaptive responses to climate change may be influenced by bumblebees' capacity to disperse and track suitable climate conditions. Closing the knowledge gap and improving our understanding of bumblebees' adaptability or avoidance behaviour to different climatic circumstances will be necessary to improve current species climate response models. These models are essential to make correct predictions of species vulnerability in the face of future climate change and human-induced environmental changes to unfold appropriate future conservation strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Maebe
- Laboratory of Agrozoology, Department Plants and Crops, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Alex F Hart
- Laboratory of Agrozoology, Department Plants and Crops, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Leon Marshall
- Agroecology Lab, Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Brussels, Belgium
- Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Peter Vandamme
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | | | - Denis Michez
- Laboratory of Zoology, Research Institute for Biosciences, University of Mons, Mons, Belgium
| | - Guy Smagghe
- Laboratory of Agrozoology, Department Plants and Crops, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
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18
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Kelemen EP, Rehan SM. Conservation insights from wild bee genetic studies: Geographic differences, susceptibility to inbreeding, and signs of local adaptation. Evol Appl 2021; 14:1485-1496. [PMID: 34178099 PMCID: PMC8210791 DOI: 10.1111/eva.13221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2020] [Revised: 02/19/2021] [Accepted: 03/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Conserving bees are critical both ecologically and economically. Genetic tools are valuable for monitoring these vital pollinators since tracking these small, fast-flying insects by traditional means is difficult. By surveying the current state of the literature, this review discusses how recent advances in landscape genetic and genomic research are elucidating how wild bees respond to anthropogenic threats. Current literature suggests that there may be geographic differences in the vulnerability of bee species to landscape changes. Populations of temperate bee species are becoming more isolated and more genetically depauperate as their landscape becomes more fragmented, but tropical bee species appear unaffected. These differences may be an artifact of historical differences in land-use, or it suggests that different management plans are needed for temperate and tropical bee species. Encouragingly, genetic studies on invasive bee species indicate that low levels of genetic diversity may not lead to rapid extinction in bees as once predicted. Additionally, next-generation sequencing has given researchers the power to identify potential genes under selection, which are likely critical to species' survival in their rapidly changing environment. While genetic studies provide insights into wild bee biology, more studies focusing on a greater phylogenetic and life-history breadth of species are needed. Therefore, caution should be taken when making broad conservation decisions based on the currently few species examined.
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19
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Bucking the trend of pollinator decline: the population genetics of a range expanding bumblebee. Evol Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s10682-021-10111-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
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20
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Spotswood EN, Beller EE, Grossinger R, Grenier JL, Heller NE, Aronson MFJ. The Biological Deserts Fallacy: Cities in Their Landscapes Contribute More than We Think to Regional Biodiversity. Bioscience 2021; 71:148-160. [PMID: 33613128 PMCID: PMC7882369 DOI: 10.1093/biosci/biaa155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Cities are both embedded within and ecologically linked to their surrounding landscapes. Although urbanization poses a substantial threat to biodiversity, cities also support many species, some of which have larger populations, faster growth rates, and higher productivity in cities than outside of them. Despite this fact, surprisingly little attention has been paid to the potentially beneficial links between cities and their surroundings. We identify five pathways by which cities can benefit regional ecosystems by releasing species from threats in the larger landscape, increasing regional habitat heterogeneity and genetic diversity, acting as migratory stopovers, preadapting species to climate change, and enhancing public engagement and environmental stewardship. Increasing recognition of these pathways could help cities identify effective strategies for supporting regional biodiversity conservation and could provide a science-based platform for incorporating biodiversity alongside other urban greening goals.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Erin E Beller
- San Francisco Estuary Institute San Francisco, California in the United States. Erin E. Beller is the Urban Ecology Program manager for the Real Estate and Workplace Services Sustainability Team at Google, Mountain View, California, in the United States
| | - Robin Grossinger
- San Francisco Estuary Institute San Francisco, California in the United States. Erin E. Beller is the Urban Ecology Program manager for the Real Estate and Workplace Services Sustainability Team at Google, Mountain View, California, in the United States
| | - J Letitia Grenier
- San Francisco Estuary Institute San Francisco, California in the United States. Erin E. Beller is the Urban Ecology Program manager for the Real Estate and Workplace Services Sustainability Team at Google, Mountain View, California, in the United States
| | - Nicole E Heller
- Carnegie Museum of Natural History, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
| | - Myla F J Aronson
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Natural Resources, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, United States
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21
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Richardson JL, Michaelides S, Combs M, Djan M, Bisch L, Barrett K, Silveira G, Butler J, Aye TT, Munshi‐South J, DiMatteo M, Brown C, McGreevy TJ. Dispersal ability predicts spatial genetic structure in native mammals persisting across an urbanization gradient. Evol Appl 2021; 14:163-177. [PMID: 33519963 PMCID: PMC7819555 DOI: 10.1111/eva.13133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2020] [Accepted: 08/17/2020] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
As the rate of urbanization continues to increase globally, a growing body of research is emerging that investigates how urbanization shapes the movement-and consequent gene flow-of species in cities. Of particular interest are native species that persist in cities, either as small relict populations or as larger populations of synanthropic species that thrive alongside humans in new urban environments. In this study, we used genomic sequence data (SNPs) and spatially explicit individual-based analyses to directly compare the genetic structure and patterns of gene flow in two small mammals with different dispersal abilities that occupy the same urbanized landscape to evaluate how mobility impacts genetic connectivity. We collected 215 white-footed mice (Peromyscus leucopus) and 380 big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus) across an urban-to-rural gradient within the Providence, Rhode Island (U.S.A.) metropolitan area (population =1,600,000 people). We found that mice and bats exhibit clear differences in their spatial genetic structure that are consistent with their dispersal abilities, with urbanization having a stronger effect on Peromyscus mice. There were sharp breaks in the genetic structure of mice within the Providence urban core, as well as reduced rates of migration and an increase in inbreeding with more urbanization. In contrast, bats showed very weak genetic structuring across the entire study area, suggesting a near-panmictic gene pool likely due to the ability to disperse by flight. Genetic diversity remained stable for both species across the study region. Mice also exhibited a stronger reduction in gene flow between island and mainland populations than bats. This study represents one of the first to directly compare multiple species within the same urban-to-rural landscape gradient, an important gap to fill for urban ecology and evolution. Moreover, here we document the impacts of dispersal capacity on connectivity for native species that have persisted as the urban landscape matrix expands.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sozos Michaelides
- Department of Natural Resources ScienceUniversity of Rhode IslandKingstonRIUSA
| | - Matthew Combs
- Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology DepartmentColumbia UniversityNew YorkNYUSA
| | - Mihajla Djan
- Department of Natural Resources ScienceUniversity of Rhode IslandKingstonRIUSA
- Department of Biology and EcologyFaculty of SciencesUniversity of Novi SadNovi SadSerbia
| | - Lianne Bisch
- Department of BiologyProvidence CollegeProvidenceRIUSA
| | - Kerry Barrett
- Department of BiologyProvidence CollegeProvidenceRIUSA
| | | | - Justin Butler
- Department of BiologyUniversity of RichmondRichmondVAUSA
| | - Than Thar Aye
- Department of BiologyUniversity of RichmondRichmondVAUSA
| | | | - Michael DiMatteo
- State Health LaboratoryRhode Island Department of HealthProvidenceRIUSA
| | - Charles Brown
- Division of Fish & WildlifeRhode Island Department of Environmental ManagementWest KingstonRIUSA
| | - Thomas J. McGreevy
- Department of Natural Resources ScienceUniversity of Rhode IslandKingstonRIUSA
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22
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Theodorou P, Baltz LM, Paxton RJ, Soro A. Urbanization is associated with shifts in bumblebee body size, with cascading effects on pollination. Evol Appl 2021; 14:53-68. [PMID: 33519956 PMCID: PMC7819558 DOI: 10.1111/eva.13087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2020] [Revised: 07/29/2020] [Accepted: 07/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Urbanization is a global phenomenon with major effects on species, the structure of community functional traits and ecological interactions. Body size is a key species trait linked to metabolism, life-history and dispersal as well as a major determinant of ecological networks. Here, using a well-replicated urban-rural sampling design in Central Europe, we investigate the direction of change of body size in response to urbanization in three common bumblebee species, Bombus lapidarius, Bombus pascuorum and Bombus terrestris, and potential knock-on effects on pollination service provision. We found foragers of B. terrestris to be larger in cities and the body size of all species to be positively correlated with road density (albeit at different, species-specific scales); these are expected consequences of habitat fragmentation resulting from urbanization. High ambient temperature at sampling was associated with both a small body size and an increase in variation of body size in all three species. At the community level, the community-weighted mean body size and its variation increased with urbanization. Urbanization had an indirect positive effect on pollination services through its effects not only on flower visitation rate but also on community-weighted mean body size and its variation. We discuss the eco-evolutionary implications of the effect of urbanization on body size, and the relevance of these findings for the key ecosystem service of pollination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Panagiotis Theodorou
- General ZoologyInstitute of BiologyMartin Luther University Halle‐WittenbergHalle (Saale)Germany
| | - Lucie M. Baltz
- General ZoologyInstitute of BiologyMartin Luther University Halle‐WittenbergHalle (Saale)Germany
| | - Robert J. Paxton
- General ZoologyInstitute of BiologyMartin Luther University Halle‐WittenbergHalle (Saale)Germany
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle‐Jena‐LeipzigLeipzigGermany
| | - Antonella Soro
- General ZoologyInstitute of BiologyMartin Luther University Halle‐WittenbergHalle (Saale)Germany
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23
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Theodorou P, Herbst SC, Kahnt B, Landaverde-González P, Baltz LM, Osterman J, Paxton RJ. Urban fragmentation leads to lower floral diversity, with knock-on impacts on bee biodiversity. Sci Rep 2020; 10:21756. [PMID: 33303909 PMCID: PMC7730174 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-78736-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2020] [Accepted: 11/26/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Bees and flowering plants are two closely interacting groups of organisms. Habitat loss and fragmentation associated with urbanisation are major threats to both partners. Yet how and why bee and floral richness and diversity co-vary within the urban landscape remain unclear. Here, we sampled bees and flowering plants in urban green spaces to investigate how bee and flowering plant species richness, their phylogenetic diversity and pollination-relevant functional trait diversity influence each other in response to urban fragmentation. As expected, bee abundance and richness were positively related to flowering plant richness, with bee body size (but not bee richness and diversity) increasing with nectar-holder depth of flowering plants. Causal modelling indicated that bottom-up effects dictated patterns of bee-flower relationships, with urban fragmentation diminishing flowering plants richness and thereby indirectly reducing bee species richness and abundance. The close relationship between bees and flowering plants highlights the risks of their parallel declines in response to land-use change within the urban landscape.
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Affiliation(s)
- Panagiotis Theodorou
- General Zoology, Institute for Biology, Martin-Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Hoher Weg 8, 06120, Halle (Saale), Germany.
| | - Sarah-Christine Herbst
- General Zoology, Institute for Biology, Martin-Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Hoher Weg 8, 06120, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Belinda Kahnt
- General Zoology, Institute for Biology, Martin-Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Hoher Weg 8, 06120, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Patricia Landaverde-González
- General Zoology, Institute for Biology, Martin-Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Hoher Weg 8, 06120, Halle (Saale), Germany
- Unidad para el Conocimiento, Uso y Valoración de la Biodiversidad, Centro de Estudios Conservacionistas-CECON-, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas y Farmacia, Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala, Avenida La Reforma 0-63 zona 10, 01010, Ciudad de Guatemala, Guatemala
| | - Lucie M Baltz
- General Zoology, Institute for Biology, Martin-Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Hoher Weg 8, 06120, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Julia Osterman
- General Zoology, Institute for Biology, Martin-Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Hoher Weg 8, 06120, Halle (Saale), Germany
- Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ Leipzig, ESCALATE, Department of Computational Landscape Ecology, Permoserstrasse 15, 04318, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Robert J Paxton
- General Zoology, Institute for Biology, Martin-Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Hoher Weg 8, 06120, Halle (Saale), Germany
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Deutscher Platz 5e, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
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24
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Harpak A, Garud N, Rosenberg NA, Petrov DA, Combs M, Pennings PS, Munshi-South J. Genetic Adaptation in New York City Rats. Genome Biol Evol 2020; 13:5991490. [PMID: 33211096 PMCID: PMC7851592 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evaa247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/17/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Brown rats (Rattus norvegicus) thrive in urban environments by navigating the anthropocentric environment and taking advantage of human resources and by-products. From the human perspective, rats are a chronic problem that causes billions of dollars in damage to agriculture, health, and infrastructure. Did genetic adaptation play a role in the spread of rats in cities? To approach this question, we collected whole-genome sequences from 29 brown rats from New York City (NYC) and scanned for genetic signatures of adaptation. We tested for 1) high-frequency, extended haplotypes that could indicate selective sweeps and 2) loci of extreme genetic differentiation between the NYC sample and a sample from the presumed ancestral range of brown rats in northeast China. We found candidate selective sweeps near or inside genes associated with metabolism, diet, the nervous system, and locomotory behavior. Patterns of differentiation between NYC and Chinese rats at putative sweep loci suggest that many sweeps began after the split from the ancestral population. Together, our results suggest several hypotheses on adaptation in rats living in proximity to humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arbel Harpak
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University
| | - Nandita Garud
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles
| | | | | | - Matthew Combs
- Department of Biological Sciences, Fordham University.,Department of Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology, Columbia University
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25
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Garroway CJ, Schmidt C. Genomic evidence for parallel adaptation to cities. Mol Ecol 2020; 29:3397-3399. [PMID: 32772443 DOI: 10.1111/mec.15589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2020] [Accepted: 07/31/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Urban evolutionary biology is the study of rapid evolutionary change in response to humans and our uses of land to support city dwellers. Because cities are relatively modern additions to the natural world, research on urban evolution tends to focus on microevolutionary change that has happened across a few to many hundreds of generations. These questions still fall under the broad purview of evolutionary ecology. However, the severity, rapidity and replication of environmental changes that drive evolution in this context make it worthy of specific attention. Urban evolution provides the opportunity to study the earliest stages of evolution in a context that is scientifically interesting and societally important. The newness of urban populations and their proximity to natural populations also creates challenges when trying to detect population genetic change. In a From the Cover article in this issue of Molecular Ecology, Mueller et al. use whole genome resequencing data to address some of these challenges while exploring genetic changes associated with urbanization in three replicate urban-rural burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia) populations. Combining multiple approaches across these sample sites Mueller et al. find evidence for selection on genes whose function is related to synapses, neuron projections, brain connectivity and cognitive function in general. That selection was parallel suggests that phenotypes related to brain processes were probably particularly important for urban adaptation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colin J Garroway
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Chloé Schmidt
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
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26
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Mueller JC, Carrete M, Boerno S, Kuhl H, Tella JL, Kempenaers B. Genes acting in synapses and neuron projections are early targets of selection during urban colonization. Mol Ecol 2020; 29:3403-3412. [DOI: 10.1111/mec.15451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2019] [Accepted: 04/08/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Jakob C. Mueller
- Department of Behavioural Ecology & Evolutionary Genetics Max Planck Institute for Ornithology Seewiesen Germany
| | - Martina Carrete
- Department of Conservation Biology Estación Biológica de Doñana – CSIC Sevilla Spain
- Department of Physical, Chemical and Natural Systems University Pablo de Olavide Sevilla Spain
| | - Stefan Boerno
- Sequencing Core Facility Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics Berlin Germany
| | - Heiner Kuhl
- Sequencing Core Facility Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics Berlin Germany
- Department of Ecophysiology and Aquaculture Leibniz‐Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries Berlin Germany
| | - José L. Tella
- Department of Conservation Biology Estación Biológica de Doñana – CSIC Sevilla Spain
| | - Bart Kempenaers
- Department of Behavioural Ecology & Evolutionary Genetics Max Planck Institute for Ornithology Seewiesen Germany
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27
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Liker A. Biologia Futura: adaptive changes in urban populations. Biol Futur 2020; 71:1-8. [DOI: 10.1007/s42977-020-00005-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2019] [Accepted: 02/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
AbstractCities represent novel environments where altered ecological conditions can generate strong selection pressures leading to the evolution of specific urban phenotypes. Is there evidence for such adaptive changes in urban populations which have colonized their new environments relatively recently? A growing number of studies suggest that rapid adaptations may be widespread in wild urban populations, including increased tolerance to various anthropogenic stressors, and physiological, morphological and behavioural changes in response to the altered resources and predation risk. Some of these adaptive changes are based on genetic differentiation, although other mechanisms, such as phenotypic plasticity and epigenetic effects, are also frequently involved.
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28
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Ziege M, Theodorou P, Jüngling H, Merker S, Plath M, Streit B, Lerp H. Population genetics of the European rabbit along a rural-to-urban gradient. Sci Rep 2020; 10:2448. [PMID: 32051442 PMCID: PMC7015939 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-57962-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2018] [Accepted: 12/24/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) is declining in large parts of Europe but populations in some German cities remained so far unaffected by this decline. The question arises of how urbanization affects patterns of population genetic variation and differentiation in German rabbit populations, as urban habitat fragmentation may result in altered meta-population dynamics. To address this question, we used microsatellite markers to genotype rabbit populations occurring along a rural-to-urban gradient in and around the city of Frankfurt, Germany. We found no effect of urbanization on allelic richness. However, the observed heterozygosity was significantly higher in urban than rural populations and also the inbreeding coefficients were lower, most likely reflecting the small population sizes and possibly on-going loss of genetic diversity in structurally impoverished rural areas. Global FST and G'ST-values suggest moderate but significant differentiation between populations. Multiple matrix regression with randomization ascribed this differentiation to isolation-by-environment rather than isolation-by-distance. Analyses of migration rates revealed asymmetrical gene flow, which was higher from rural into urban populations than vice versa and may again reflect intensified agricultural land-use practices in rural areas. We discuss that populations inhabiting urban areas will likely play an important role in the future distribution of European rabbits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madlen Ziege
- University of Potsdam, Plant Ecology and Nature Conservation, Am Mühlenberg 3, D-14476, Potsdam, Golm, Germany.
- University of Frankfurt, Department of Ecology & Evolution, Max-von-Laue-Str. 13, D-60438, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
| | - Panagiotis Theodorou
- Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Institute of Biology, General Zoology, Hoher Weg 8, D-06120, Halle, Saale, Germany
| | - Hannah Jüngling
- Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung, Clamecystraße 12, D-63571, Gelnhausen, Germany
| | - Stefan Merker
- State Museum of Natural History Stuttgart, Department of Zoology, Rosenstein 1, D-70191, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Martin Plath
- Northwest A&F University, College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China
| | - Bruno Streit
- University of Frankfurt, Department of Ecology & Evolution, Max-von-Laue-Str. 13, D-60438, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Hannes Lerp
- Museum Wiesbaden, Natural History Collections, Friedrich-Ebert-Allee 2, D-65185, Wiesbaden, Germany
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29
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Janjic A. Assisted Evolution in Astrobiology-Convergence of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology within the Context of Planetary Colonization. ASTROBIOLOGY 2019; 19:1410-1417. [PMID: 31657949 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2019.2061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
In ecology and conservation biology, the concept of assisted evolution aims at the optimization of the resilience of organisms and populations to changing environmental conditions. What has hardly been considered so far is that this concept is also relevant for future astrobiological research, since in artificial extraterrestrial habitats (e.g., plants and insects in martian greenhouses) novel environmental conditions will also affect the survival and performance of organisms. The question therefore arises whether and how space-relevant organisms can be artificially adapted to the desired circumstances in advance. Based on several adaptation and acclimatization strategies in wild ecosystems of Earth, I discuss which methods can be considered for assisted evolution in the context of astrobiological research. This includes enhanced selective breeding, induction of epigenetic inheritance, and genetic engineering, as well as possible problems of these applications. This short overview article aims to stimulate an emerging discussion as to whether humans, which are already prominent drivers of Earth's evolution, should consider such interventions for future planetary colonization as well.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleksandar Janjic
- Technical University of Munich, School of Life Sciences Weihenstephan, Freising, Germany
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30
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Selmoni O, Vajana E, Guillaume A, Rochat E, Joost S. Sampling strategy optimization to increase statistical power in landscape genomics: A simulation-based approach. Mol Ecol Resour 2019; 20:154-169. [PMID: 31550072 PMCID: PMC6972490 DOI: 10.1111/1755-0998.13095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2019] [Revised: 09/05/2019] [Accepted: 09/18/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
An increasing number of studies are using landscape genomics to investigate local adaptation in wild and domestic populations. Implementation of this approach requires the sampling phase to consider the complexity of environmental settings and the burden of logistical constraints. These important aspects are often underestimated in the literature dedicated to sampling strategies. In this study, we computed simulated genomic data sets to run against actual environmental data in order to trial landscape genomics experiments under distinct sampling strategies. These strategies differed by design approach (to enhance environmental and/or geographical representativeness at study sites), number of sampling locations and sample sizes. We then evaluated how these elements affected statistical performances (power and false discoveries) under two antithetical demographic scenarios. Our results highlight the importance of selecting an appropriate sample size, which should be modified based on the demographic characteristics of the studied population. For species with limited dispersal, sample sizes above 200 units are generally sufficient to detect most adaptive signals, while in random mating populations this threshold should be increased to 400 units. Furthermore, we describe a design approach that maximizes both environmental and geographical representativeness of sampling sites and show how it systematically outperforms random or regular sampling schemes. Finally, we show that although having more sampling locations (between 40 and 50 sites) increase statistical power and reduce false discovery rate, similar results can be achieved with a moderate number of sites (20 sites). Overall, this study provides valuable guidelines for optimizing sampling strategies for landscape genomics experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oliver Selmoni
- Laboratory of Geographic Information Systems (LASIG), School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering (ENAC), Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Elia Vajana
- Laboratory of Geographic Information Systems (LASIG), School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering (ENAC), Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Annie Guillaume
- Laboratory of Geographic Information Systems (LASIG), School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering (ENAC), Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Estelle Rochat
- Laboratory of Geographic Information Systems (LASIG), School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering (ENAC), Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Stéphane Joost
- Laboratory of Geographic Information Systems (LASIG), School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering (ENAC), Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
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31
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Miles LS, Rivkin LR, Johnson MTJ, Munshi‐South J, Verrelli BC. Gene flow and genetic drift in urban environments. Mol Ecol 2019; 28:4138-4151. [DOI: 10.1111/mec.15221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2019] [Revised: 08/02/2019] [Accepted: 08/13/2019] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Lindsay S. Miles
- Integrative Life Sciences Doctoral Program Virginia Commonwealth University Richmond VA USA
- Department of Biology University of Toronto Mississauga Mississauga ON Canada
| | - L. Ruth Rivkin
- Department of Biology University of Toronto Mississauga Mississauga ON Canada
- Centre for Urban Environments University of Toronto Mississauga Mississauga ON Canada
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of Toronto Toronto ON Canada
| | - Marc T. J. Johnson
- Department of Biology University of Toronto Mississauga Mississauga ON Canada
- Centre for Urban Environments University of Toronto Mississauga Mississauga ON Canada
| | - Jason Munshi‐South
- Louis Calder Center—Biological Field Station Fordham University Armonk NY USA
| | - Brian C. Verrelli
- Center for Life Sciences Education Virginia Commonwealth University Richmond VA USA
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32
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Eggenberger H, Frey D, Pellissier L, Ghazoul J, Fontana S, Moretti M. Urban bumblebees are smaller and more phenotypically diverse than their rural counterparts. J Anim Ecol 2019; 88:1522-1533. [PMID: 31233621 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2019] [Revised: 05/09/2019] [Accepted: 05/17/2019] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
With urbanization identified as being one of the key drivers of change in global land use, and the rapid expansion of urban areas world-wide, it is relevant to evaluate how novel ecological conditions in cities shape species functional traits, which are essential for how species interact with their environments and with each other. Despite the many comparative studies on organisms living in urban and non-urban areas, our knowledge on species responses to urban environments remains limited. For one, much of the ecological research has assumed that the environment changes in a linear fashion from the city core to the city edges, whereas in reality the environments within the cities are highly heterogeneous. Furthermore, studies on species responses to these highly variable ecosystems are often based on interspecific mean trait values, which ignore the potential for high levels of intraspecific variation among individuals in key functional traits. The current study investigated intraspecific functional trait differences for four functional traits associated with body size, mobility and resource selection among rural and urban populations of two common bumblebee species, Bombus pascuorum and Bombus lapidarius, in urban centres and adjacent rural areas in Switzerland. We document shifts in functional traits towards smaller individuals and higher multidimensional trait variation in urban populations compared to rural conspecifics of both species. This shows that urban individuals for both species are on average smaller sized but populations are distinctively different from rural population by increasing their trait richness and diversifying their trait combinations. In addition, we found bimodality in tongue length within urban B. pascuorum populations. Our results suggest that urban and rural populations possibly experience differential selection pressures resulting in trait differences across and among populations. We argue that variations in the respective foraging landscapes in cities leads to smaller sized but phenotypically more diverse populations, and drive functional trait divergence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helen Eggenberger
- Biodiversity and Conservation Biology, Swiss Federal Research Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape (WSL), Birmensdorf, Switzerland
| | - David Frey
- Biodiversity and Conservation Biology, Swiss Federal Research Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape (WSL), Birmensdorf, Switzerland.,Ecosystem Management, Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Loïc Pellissier
- Landscape Ecology, Department of Environmental System Science, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland.,Landscape Dynamics, Swiss Federal Research Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape (WSL), Birmensdorf, Switzerland
| | - Jaboury Ghazoul
- Ecosystem Management, Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland.,Prince Bernhard Chair for International Nature Conservation, Ecology and Biodiversity, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Simone Fontana
- Biodiversity and Conservation Biology, Swiss Federal Research Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape (WSL), Birmensdorf, Switzerland
| | - Marco Moretti
- Biodiversity and Conservation Biology, Swiss Federal Research Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape (WSL), Birmensdorf, Switzerland
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33
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Jaffé R, Veiga JC, Pope NS, Lanes ÉCM, Carvalho CS, Alves R, Andrade SCS, Arias MC, Bonatti V, Carvalho AT, de Castro MS, Contrera FAL, Francoy TM, Freitas BM, Giannini TC, Hrncir M, Martins CF, Oliveira G, Saraiva AM, Souza BA, Imperatriz‐Fonseca VL. Landscape genomics to the rescue of a tropical bee threatened by habitat loss and climate change. Evol Appl 2019; 12:1164-1177. [PMID: 31293629 PMCID: PMC6597871 DOI: 10.1111/eva.12794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2018] [Revised: 03/14/2019] [Accepted: 03/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Habitat degradation and climate change are currently threatening wild pollinators, compromising their ability to provide pollination services to wild and cultivated plants. Landscape genomics offers powerful tools to assess the influence of landscape modifications on genetic diversity and functional connectivity, and to identify adaptations to local environmental conditions that could facilitate future bee survival. Here, we assessed range-wide patterns of genetic structure, genetic diversity, gene flow, and local adaptation in the stingless bee Melipona subnitida, a tropical pollinator of key biological and economic importance inhabiting one of the driest and hottest regions of South America. Our results reveal four genetic clusters across the species' full distribution range. All populations were found to be under a mutation-drift equilibrium, and genetic diversity was not influenced by the amount of reminiscent natural habitats. However, genetic relatedness was spatially autocorrelated and isolation by landscape resistance explained range-wide relatedness patterns better than isolation by geographic distance, contradicting earlier findings for stingless bees. Specifically, gene flow was enhanced by increased thermal stability, higher forest cover, lower elevations, and less corrugated terrains. Finally, we detected genomic signatures of adaptation to temperature, precipitation, and forest cover, spatially distributed in latitudinal and altitudinal patterns. Taken together, our findings shed important light on the life history of M. subnitida and highlight the role of regions with large thermal fluctuations, deforested areas, and mountain ranges as dispersal barriers. Conservation actions such as restricting long-distance colony transportation, preserving local adaptations, and improving the connectivity between highlands and lowlands are likely to assure future pollination services.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodolfo Jaffé
- Instituto Tecnológico ValeBelémBrazil
- Departamento de EcologiaUniversidade de São PauloSão PauloBrazil
- Departamento de BiociênciasUniversidade Federal Rural do Semi‐ÁridoMossoróBrazil
| | - Jamille C. Veiga
- Instituto de Ciências BiológicasUniversidade Federal do ParáBelémBrazil
| | | | | | | | | | - Sónia C. S. Andrade
- Departamento de Genética e Biologia EvolutivaUniversidade de São PauloSão PauloBrazil
| | - Maria C. Arias
- Departamento de Genética e Biologia EvolutivaUniversidade de São PauloSão PauloBrazil
| | - Vanessa Bonatti
- Departamento de Genética, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão PretoUniversidade de São PauloRibeirão PretoBrazil
| | - Airton T. Carvalho
- Unidade Acadêmica de Serra TalhadaUniversidade Federal Rural de PernambucoSerra TalhadaBrazil
| | - Marina S. de Castro
- Centro de Agroecologia Rio SecoUniversidade Estadual de Feira de SantanaAmélia RodriguesBrazil
| | | | - Tiago M. Francoy
- Departamento de Genética, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão PretoUniversidade de São PauloRibeirão PretoBrazil
| | - Breno M. Freitas
- Departamento de ZootecniaUniversidade Federal do CearáFortalezaBrazil
| | | | - Michael Hrncir
- Departamento de BiociênciasUniversidade Federal Rural do Semi‐ÁridoMossoróBrazil
| | - Celso F. Martins
- Departamento de Sistemática e EcologiaUniversidade Federal da ParaíbaJoão PessoaBrazil
| | | | - Antonio M. Saraiva
- Escola Politécnica da Universidade de São PauloUniversidade de São PauloSão PauloBrazil
| | | | - Vera L. Imperatriz‐Fonseca
- Instituto Tecnológico ValeBelémBrazil
- Departamento de EcologiaUniversidade de São PauloSão PauloBrazil
- Departamento de BiociênciasUniversidade Federal Rural do Semi‐ÁridoMossoróBrazil
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34
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Rivkin LR, Santangelo JS, Alberti M, Aronson MFJ, de Keyzer CW, Diamond SE, Fortin M, Frazee LJ, Gorton AJ, Hendry AP, Liu Y, Losos JB, MacIvor JS, Martin RA, McDonnell MJ, Miles LS, Munshi‐South J, Ness RW, Newman AEM, Stothart MR, Theodorou P, Thompson KA, Verrelli BC, Whitehead A, Winchell KM, Johnson MTJ. A roadmap for urban evolutionary ecology. Evol Appl 2019; 12:384-398. [PMID: 30828362 PMCID: PMC6383741 DOI: 10.1111/eva.12734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 111] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2018] [Revised: 10/29/2018] [Accepted: 11/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Urban ecosystems are rapidly expanding throughout the world, but how urban growth affects the evolutionary ecology of species living in urban areas remains largely unknown. Urban ecology has advanced our understanding of how the development of cities and towns change environmental conditions and alter ecological processes and patterns. However, despite decades of research in urban ecology, the extent to which urbanization influences evolutionary and eco-evolutionary change has received little attention. The nascent field of urban evolutionary ecology seeks to understand how urbanization affects the evolution of populations, and how those evolutionary changes in turn influence the ecological dynamics of populations, communities, and ecosystems. Following a brief history of this emerging field, this Perspective article provides a research agenda and roadmap for future research aimed at advancing our understanding of the interplay between ecology and evolution of urban-dwelling organisms. We identify six key questions that, if addressed, would significantly increase our understanding of how urbanization influences evolutionary processes. These questions consider how urbanization affects nonadaptive evolution, natural selection, and convergent evolution, in addition to the role of urban environmental heterogeneity on species evolution, and the roles of phenotypic plasticity versus adaptation on species' abundance in cities. Our final question examines the impact of urbanization on evolutionary diversification. For each of these six questions, we suggest avenues for future research that will help advance the field of urban evolutionary ecology. Lastly, we highlight the importance of integrating urban evolutionary ecology into urban planning, conservation practice, pest management, and public engagement.
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35
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DeCandia AL, Brzeski KE, Heppenheimer E, Caro CV, Camenisch G, Wandeler P, Driscoll C, vonHoldt BM. Urban colonization through multiple genetic lenses: The city-fox phenomenon revisited. Ecol Evol 2019; 9:2046-2060. [PMID: 30847091 PMCID: PMC6392345 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.4898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2018] [Revised: 12/11/2018] [Accepted: 12/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Urbanization is driving environmental change on a global scale, creating novel environments for wildlife to colonize. Through a combination of stochastic and selective processes, urbanization is also driving evolutionary change. For instance, difficulty in traversing human-modified landscapes may isolate newly established populations from rural sources, while novel selective pressures, such as altered disease risk, toxicant exposure, and light pollution, may further diverge populations through local adaptation. Assessing the evolutionary consequences of urban colonization and the processes underlying them is a principle aim of urban evolutionary ecology. In the present study, we revisited the genetic effects of urbanization on red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) that colonized Zurich, Switzerland. Through use of genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphisms and microsatellite markers linked to the major histocompatibility complex (MHC), we expanded upon a previous neutral microsatellite study to assess population structure, characterize patterns of genetic diversity, and detect outliers associated with urbanization. Our results indicated the presence of one large evolutionary cluster, with substructure evident between geographic sampling areas. In urban foxes, we observed patterns of neutral and functional diversity consistent with founder events and reported increased differentiation between populations separated by natural and anthropogenic barriers. We additionally reported evidence of selection acting on MHC-linked markers and identified outlier loci with putative gene functions related to energy metabolism, behavior, and immunity. We concluded that demographic processes primarily drove patterns of diversity, with outlier tests providing preliminary evidence of possible urban adaptation. This study contributes to our overall understanding of urban colonization ecology and emphasizes the value of combining datasets when examining evolutionary change in an increasingly urban world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra L. DeCandia
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyPrinceton UniversityPrincetonNew Jersey
| | - Kristin E. Brzeski
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyPrinceton UniversityPrincetonNew Jersey
- School of Forest Resources and Environmental ScienceMichigan Technological UniversityHoughtonMichigan
| | | | - Catherine V. Caro
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyPrinceton UniversityPrincetonNew Jersey
| | - Glauco Camenisch
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental StudiesUniversity of ZurichZurichSwitzerland
| | | | - Carlos Driscoll
- Laboratory of Comparative Behavioral GenomicsNational Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of HealthRockvilleMaryland
| | - Bridgett M. vonHoldt
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyPrinceton UniversityPrincetonNew Jersey
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36
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Kahnt B, Theodorou P, Soro A, Hollens-Kuhr H, Kuhlmann M, Pauw A, Paxton RJ. Small and genetically highly structured populations in a long-legged bee, Rediviva longimanus, as inferred by pooled RAD-seq. BMC Evol Biol 2018; 18:196. [PMID: 30567486 PMCID: PMC6300007 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-018-1313-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2018] [Accepted: 11/28/2018] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Adaptation to local host plants may impact a pollinator's population genetic structure by reducing gene flow and driving population genetic differentiation, representing an early stage of ecological speciation. South African Rediviva longimanus bees exhibit elongated forelegs, a bizarre adaptation for collecting oil from floral spurs of their Diascia hosts. Furthermore, R. longimanus foreleg length (FLL) differs significantly among populations, which has been hypothesised to result from selection imposed by inter-population variation in Diascia floral spur length. Here, we used a pooled restriction site-associated DNA sequencing (pooled RAD-seq) approach to investigate the population genetic structure of R. longimanus and to test if phenotypic differences in FLL translate into increased genetic differentiation (i) between R. longimanus populations and (ii) between phenotypes across populations. We also inferred the effects of demographic processes on population genetic structure and tested for genetic markers underpinning local adaptation. RESULTS: Populations showed marked genetic differentiation (average FST = 0.165), though differentiation was not statistically associated with differences between populations in FLL. All populations exhibited very low genetic diversity and were inferred to have gone through recent bottleneck events, suggesting extremely low effective population sizes. Genetic differentiation between samples pooled by leg length (short versus long) rather than by population of origin was even higher (FST = 0.260) than between populations, suggesting reduced interbreeding between long and short-legged individuals. Signatures of selection were detected in 1119 (3.8%) of a total of 29,721 SNP markers, CONCLUSIONS: Populations of R. longimanus appear to be small, bottlenecked and isolated. Though we could not detect the effect of local adaptation (FLL in response to floral spurs of host plants) on population genetic differentiation, short and long legged bees appeared to be partially differentiated, suggesting incipient ecological speciation. To test this hypothesis, greater resolution through the use of individual-based whole-genome analyses is now needed to quantify the degree of reproductive isolation between long and short legged bees between and even within populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Belinda Kahnt
- General Zoology, Institute of Biology, Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Hoher Weg 8, 06120, Halle (Saale), Germany.
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Deutscher Platz 5e, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.
| | - Panagiotis Theodorou
- General Zoology, Institute of Biology, Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Hoher Weg 8, 06120, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Antonella Soro
- General Zoology, Institute of Biology, Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Hoher Weg 8, 06120, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Hilke Hollens-Kuhr
- Institute of Landscape Ecology, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, Heisenbergstraße 2, 48149, Münster, Germany
| | - Michael Kuhlmann
- Zoological Museum, Kiel University, Hegewischstr. 3, 24105, Kiel, Germany
- Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London, SW7 5BD, UK
| | - Anton Pauw
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Stellenbosch University, Matieland, 7602, South Africa
| | - Robert J Paxton
- General Zoology, Institute of Biology, Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Hoher Weg 8, 06120, Halle (Saale), Germany.
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Deutscher Platz 5e, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.
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37
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Santangelo JS, Rivkin LR, Johnson MTJ. The evolution of city life. Proc Biol Sci 2018; 285:rspb.2018.1529. [PMID: 30111603 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2018.1529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2018] [Accepted: 07/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Urbanization represents a dominant and growing form of disturbance to Earth's natural ecosystems, affecting biodiversity and ecosystem services on a global scale. While decades of research have illuminated the effects of urban environmental change on the structure and function of ecological communities in cities, only recently have researchers begun exploring the effects of urbanization on the evolution of urban populations. The 15 articles in this special feature represent the leading edge of urban evolutionary biology and address existing gaps in our knowledge. These gaps include: (i) the absence of theoretical models examining how multiple evolutionary mechanisms interact to affect evolution in urban environments; (ii) a lack of data on how urbanization affects natural selection and local adaptation; (iii) poor understanding of whether urban areas consistently affect non-adaptive and adaptive evolution in similar ways across multiple cities; (iv) insufficient data on the genetic and especially genomic signatures of urban evolutionary change; and (v) limited understanding of the evolutionary processes underlying the origin of new human commensals. Using theory, observations from natural populations, common gardens, genomic data and cutting-edge population genomic and landscape genetic tools, the papers in this special feature address these gaps and highlight the power of urban evolutionary biology as a globally replicated 'experiment' that provides a powerful approach for understanding how human altered environments affect evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- James S Santangelo
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada L5L 1C6 .,Centre for Urban Environments, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada L5L 1C6.,Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 3B2
| | - L Ruth Rivkin
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada L5L 1C6 .,Centre for Urban Environments, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada L5L 1C6.,Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 3B2
| | - Marc T J Johnson
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada L5L 1C6 .,Centre for Urban Environments, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada L5L 1C6.,Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 3B2
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Johnson MTJ, Prashad CM, Lavoignat M, Saini HS. Contrasting the effects of natural selection, genetic drift and gene flow on urban evolution in white clover ( Trifolium repens). Proc Biol Sci 2018; 285:20181019. [PMID: 30051843 PMCID: PMC6083247 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2018.1019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2018] [Accepted: 06/21/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Urbanization is a global phenomenon with profound effects on the ecology and evolution of organisms. We examined the relative roles of natural selection, genetic drift and gene flow in influencing the evolution of white clover (Trifolium repens), which thrives in urban and rural areas. Trifolium repens exhibits a Mendelian polymorphism for the production of hydrogen cyanide (HCN), a potent antiherbivore defence. We quantified the relative frequency of HCN in 490 populations sampled along urban-rural transects in 20 cities. We also characterized genetic variation within 120 populations in eight cities using 16 microsatellite loci. HCN frequency increased by 0.6% for every kilometre from an urban centre, and the strength of this relationship did not significantly vary between cities. Populations did not exhibit changes in genetic diversity with increasing urbanization, indicating that genetic drift is unlikely to explain urban-rural clines in HCN frequency. Populations frequently exhibited isolation-by-distance and extensive gene flow along most urban-rural transects, with the exception of a single city that exhibited genetic differentiation between urban and rural populations. Our results show that urbanization repeatedly drives parallel evolution of an ecologically important trait across many cities that vary in size, and this evolution is best explained by urban-rural gradients in natural selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marc T J Johnson
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada L5L 1C6
- Centre for Urban Environments, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada L5L 1C6
| | - Cindy M Prashad
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada L5L 1C6
| | | | - Hargurdeep S Saini
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada L5L 1C6
- University of Canberra, Bruce, Australian Territory 2617, Australia
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