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Krueger-Hadfield SA, Blakeslee AMH, Fowler AE. Incorporating Ploidy Diversity into Ecological and Community Genetics. JOURNAL OF PHYCOLOGY 2019; 55:1198-1207. [PMID: 31349373 DOI: 10.1111/jpy.12906] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2019] [Accepted: 07/11/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Studies in ecological and community genetics have advanced our understanding of the role of intraspecific diversity in structuring communities and ecosystems. However, in near-shore marine communities, these studies have mostly been restricted to seagrasses, marsh plants, and oysters. Yet, macroalgae are critically important ecosystem engineers in these communities. Greater intraspecific diversity in a macroalgal ecosystem engineer should result in higher primary and secondary production and community resilience. The paucity of studies investigating the consequences of macroalgal intraspecific genetic variation might be due, in part, to the complexity of macroalgal life cycles. The majority of macroalgae have seemingly subtle, but in actuality, profoundly different life cycles than the more typical animal and angiosperm models. Here, we develop a novel genetic diversity metric, PHD , that incorporates the ratio of gametophytic to sporophytic thalli in natural populations. This metric scales from 0 to 1 like many common genetic diversity metrics, such as genotypic richness, enabling comparisons among metrics. We discuss PHD and examples from the literature, with specific reference to the widespread, red seaweed Agarophyton vermiculophyllum. We also discuss a sex diversity metric, PFM , which also scales from 0 to 1, but fewer studies have identified males and females in natural populations. Nevertheless, by incorporating these novel metrics into the repertoire of diversity metrics, we can explore the role of genetic diversity in community and ecosystem dynamics with an emphasis on the unique biology of many macroalgae, as well as other haplodiplontic taxa such as ferns, foraminiferans, and some fungi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stacy A Krueger-Hadfield
- Department of Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1300 University Blvd CH464, Birmingham, Alabama, 35294, USA
| | - April M H Blakeslee
- Department of Biology, East Carolina University, E 10th Street, Greenville, North Carolina, 27858, USA
| | - Amy E Fowler
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, George Mason University, 4400 University Dr, Fairfax, Virginia, 22030, USA
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Zytynska SE, Guenay Y, Sturm S, Clancy MV, Senft M, Schnitzler JP, Dilip Pophaly S, Wurmser C, Weisser WW. Effect of plant chemical variation and mutualistic ants on the local population genetic structure of an aphid herbivore. J Anim Ecol 2019; 88:1089-1099. [PMID: 30980387 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.12995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2018] [Accepted: 03/11/2019] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Plants exhibit impressive genetic and chemical diversity, not just between species but also within species, and the importance of plant intraspecific variation for structuring ecological communities is well known. When there is variation at the local population level, this can create a spatially heterogeneous habitat for specialised herbivores potentially leading to non-random distribution of individuals across host plants. Plant variation can affect herbivores directly and indirectly via a third species, resulting in variable herbivore growth rates across different host plants. Herbivores also exhibit within-species variation, with some genotypes better adapted to some plant variants than others. We genotyped aphids collected across 2 years from a field site containing ~200 patchily distributed host plants that exhibit high chemical diversity. The distribution of aphid genotypes, their ant mutualists, and other predators was assessed across the plants. We present evidence that the local distribution of aphid (Metopeurum fuscoviride) genotypes across host-plant individuals is associated with variation in the plant volatiles (chemotypes) and non-volatile metabolites (metabotypes) of their host plant tansy (Tanacetum vulgare). Furthermore, these interactions in the field were influenced by plant-host preferences of aphid-mutualist ants. Our results emphasise that plant intraspecific variation can structure ecological communities not only at the species level but also at the genetic level within species and that this effect can be enhanced through indirect interactions with a third species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sharon E Zytynska
- Terrestrial Ecology Research Group, Department of Ecology and Ecosystem Management, School of Life Sciences Weihenstephan, Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany
| | - Yasemin Guenay
- Terrestrial Ecology Research Group, Department of Ecology and Ecosystem Management, School of Life Sciences Weihenstephan, Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany
| | - Sarah Sturm
- Terrestrial Ecology Research Group, Department of Ecology and Ecosystem Management, School of Life Sciences Weihenstephan, Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany
| | - Mary V Clancy
- Research Unit Environmental Simulation (EUS), Institute of Bio chemical Plant Pathology, Helmholtz Zentrum München GmbH, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Matthias Senft
- Terrestrial Ecology Research Group, Department of Ecology and Ecosystem Management, School of Life Sciences Weihenstephan, Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany
| | - Jörg-Peter Schnitzler
- Research Unit Environmental Simulation (EUS), Institute of Bio chemical Plant Pathology, Helmholtz Zentrum München GmbH, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Saurabh Dilip Pophaly
- Population Genetics Research Group, Department of Plant Sciences, School of Life Sciences Weihenstephan, Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany
| | - Christine Wurmser
- Animal Breeding Research Group, Department of Animal Sciences, School of Life Sciences Weihenstephan, Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany
| | - Wolfgang W Weisser
- Terrestrial Ecology Research Group, Department of Ecology and Ecosystem Management, School of Life Sciences Weihenstephan, Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany
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Lau MK, Ellison AM, Nguyen A, Penick C, DeMarco B, Gotelli NJ, Sanders NJ, Dunn RR, Helms Cahan S. Draft Aphaenogaster genomes expand our view of ant genome size variation across climate gradients. PeerJ 2019; 7:e6447. [PMID: 30881761 PMCID: PMC6417409 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.6447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2018] [Accepted: 01/10/2019] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Given the abundance, broad distribution, and diversity of roles that ants play in many ecosystems, they are an ideal group to serve as ecosystem indicators of climatic change. At present, only a few whole-genome sequences of ants are available (19 of >16,000 species), mostly from tropical and sub-tropical species. To address this limited sampling, we sequenced genomes of temperate-latitude species from the genus Aphaenogaster, a genus with important seed dispersers. In total, we sampled seven colonies of six species: Aphaenogaster ashmeadi, Aphaenogaster floridana, Aphaenogaster fulva, Aphaenogaster miamiana, Aphaenogaster picea, and Aphaenogaster rudis. The geographic ranges of these species collectively span eastern North America from southern Florida to southern Canada, which encompasses a latitudinal gradient in which many climatic variables are changing rapidly. For the six genomes, we assembled an average of 271,039 contigs into 47,337 scaffolds. The Aphaenogaster genomes displayed high levels of completeness with 96.1% to 97.6% of Hymenoptera BUSCOs completely represented, relative to currently sequenced ant genomes which ranged from 88.2% to 98.5%. Additionally, the mean genome size was 370.5 Mb, ranging from 310.3 to 429.7, which is comparable to that of other sequenced ant genomes (212.8-396.0 Mb) and flow cytometry estimates (210.7-690.4 Mb). In an analysis of currently sequenced ant genomes and the new Aphaenogaster sequences, we found that after controlling for both spatial autocorrelation and phylogenetics ant genome size was marginally correlated with sample site climate similarity. Of all examined climate variables, minimum temperature, and annual precipitation had the strongest correlations with genome size, with ants from locations with colder minimum temperatures and higher levels of precipitation having larger genomes. These results suggest that climate extremes could be a selective force acting on ant genomes and point to the need for more extensive sequencing of ant genomes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Andrew Nguyen
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
- Department of Biology, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, USA
| | - Clint Penick
- The Biomimicry Center, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
| | | | | | - Nathan J. Sanders
- Environmental Program, Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, USA
| | - Robert R. Dunn
- Department of Applied Ecology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Sara Helms Cahan
- Department of Biology, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, USA
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Qian X, Duan T, Sun X, Zheng Y, Wang Y, Hu M, Yao H, Ji N, Lv P, Chen L, Shi M, Guo L, Zhang D. Host genotype strongly influences phyllosphere fungal communities associated with Mussaenda pubescens var. alba (Rubiaceae). FUNGAL ECOL 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.funeco.2018.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
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Lue CH, Borowy D, Buffington ML, Leips J. Geographic and Seasonal Variation in Species Diversity and Community Composition of Frugivorous Drosophila (Diptera: Drosophilidae) and their Leptopilina (Hymenoptera: Figitidae) Parasitoids. ENVIRONMENTAL ENTOMOLOGY 2018; 47:1096-1106. [PMID: 30169767 DOI: 10.1093/ee/nvy114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2018] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Many studies have investigated species diversity patterns across space and time, but few have explored patterns of coexistence of tightly interacting species. We documented species diversity patterns in a host-parasitoid system across broad geographic location and seasons. We calculated species diversity (H and eH ') and compared the relationship between community similarity and geographic distances of frugivorous Drosophila host (Diptera: Drosophilidae) and Leptopilina parasitoid (Hymenoptera: Figitidae) communities across Eastern North America, from New Hampshire to Florida, at two time points during the breeding season. We also analyzed the influence of environmental factors on species assemblages via constrained correspondence analysis and lastly calculated cluster dendrograms to identify potential host-parasitoid interactions. We found that the composition of Drosophila-Leptopilina communities varied significantly with latitude. Interestingly, diversity increased with increasing latitude, a trend counter to latitudinal patterns of diversity observed in many other taxa. We also found seasonal effects of monthly temperature range and precipitation on host biodiversity patterns across geographic locations. Cluster dendrograms nominated potential parasitoid-hosts and competitive interactions to be validated in the future studies. The present study fills an important gap of knowledge in North American Drosophila-Leptopilina species diversity patterns and lays the groundwork for future ecological and evolutionary studies in this system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chia-Hua Lue
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Maryland-Baltimore County, Hilltop Circle, Baltimore, MD
- Systematic Entomology Laboratory, ARS/USDA c/o Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History, 10th & Constitution Ave, NW, Washington DC
| | - Dorothy Borowy
- Department of Geography and Environmental Systems, University of Maryland - Baltimore County, Hilltop Circle, Baltimore, MD
| | - Matthew L Buffington
- Systematic Entomology Laboratory, ARS/USDA c/o Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History, 10th & Constitution Ave, NW, Washington DC
| | - Jeff Leips
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Maryland-Baltimore County, Hilltop Circle, Baltimore, MD
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Khudr MS, Purkiss SA, Hager R. Indirect ecological effects interact with community genetic effects in a host-parasite system and dramatically reduce parasite burden. Proc Biol Sci 2018; 285:rspb.2018.0891. [PMID: 30185645 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2018.0891] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2018] [Accepted: 08/09/2018] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Community genetic (CG) effects and ecological factors create a complex set of interactions that are key drivers of evolutionary dynamics in ecological systems. To date, most studies investigating trait variation have focused on either effects of intraspecific genetic variation or on genotype by environment (GxE) interactions in isolation. Poorly investigated but very important are the interactions between CGs and indirect ecological effects (IEEs) that are caused by plant-soil interactions. Here, we tested how CGs in a cabbage host and its aphid parasite depended on the ecological conditions under which the host was grown. We established microcosms of different cabbage cultivars and aphid genotypes on soils inoculated with samples of other soils previously trained with onion. We hypothesized that such IEEs will have significantly different outcomes for ecosystems than predicted from simpler CG or GxE studies. Our analysis demonstrated a large IEE that differed by context and aphid genotype causing reduced parasite population sizes by up to 90%. The IEE is induced by insect-repellent properties and the microbiome of the onion. Our results highlight the importance of interacting IEEs and CGs for ecosystems dynamics showing that IEEs offer sustainable solutions by dramatically reducing parasite burden on cash crops.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mouhammad Shadi Khudr
- Evolution and Genomic Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Michael Smith Building, Manchester M13 9PT, UK
| | - Samuel Alexander Purkiss
- Evolution and Genomic Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Michael Smith Building, Manchester M13 9PT, UK
| | - Reinmar Hager
- Evolution and Genomic Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Michael Smith Building, Manchester M13 9PT, UK
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Eisen KE, Geber MA. Ecological sorting and character displacement contribute to the structure of communities of Clarkia species. J Evol Biol 2018; 31:1440-1458. [PMID: 30099807 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.13365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2018] [Revised: 07/10/2018] [Accepted: 08/06/2018] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Despite long-standing interest in the evolutionary ecology of plants that share pollinators, few studies have explored how these interactions may affect communities during both community assembly (ecological sorting) and through ongoing, in situ evolution (character displacement), and how the effects of these interactions may change with community context. To determine if communities display patterns consistent with ecological sorting, we assessed the frequency of co-occurrence of four species of Clarkia in the southern Sierra foothills (Kern County, CA, USA). To investigate potential character displacement, we measured pollination-related traits on plants grown in a greenhouse common garden from seed collected in communities with one, two or four Clarkia species. Among the four species of Clarkia in this region, the two species that are often found in multi-species communities also co-occur with one another more frequently than expected under a null model. This pattern is consistent with ecological sorting, although further investigation is needed to determine the role of pollinators in shaping community assembly. Patterns of trait variation in a common garden suggest that these two species have diverged in floral traits and converged in flowering time where they co-occur, which is consistent with character displacement. Trait variation across community types also suggests that the process and outcome of character displacement may vary with community context. Because community context appears to affect both the direction and magnitude of character displacement, change in more species-rich communities may not be predictable from patterns of change in simpler communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine E Eisen
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Monica A Geber
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
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Stevenson CR, Davies C, Rowntree JK. Biodiversity in agricultural landscapes: The effect of apple cultivar on epiphyte diversity. Ecol Evol 2017; 7:1250-1258. [PMID: 28303193 PMCID: PMC5306003 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.2683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2016] [Revised: 10/19/2016] [Accepted: 11/20/2016] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
In natural systems, extended phenotypes of trees can be important in determining the species composition and diversity of associated communities. Orchards are productive systems where trees dominate, and can be highly biodiverse, but few studies have considered the importance of tree genetic background in promoting associated biodiversity. We tested the effect of apple cultivar (plant genetic background) on the diversity and composition of the associated epiphytic bryophyte community across a total of seven cultivars in five productive East Anglian orchards where each orchard contained two cultivars. Data were collected from 617 individual trees, over 5 years. Species richness and community composition were significantly influenced by both orchard and cultivar. Differences among orchards explained 16% of the variation in bryophyte community data, while cultivar explained 4%. For 13 of the 41 bryophyte species recorded, apple cultivar was an important factor in explaining their distribution. While the effects of cultivar were small, we were able to detect them at multiple levels of analysis. We provide evidence that extended phenotypes act in productive as well as natural systems. With issues of food security ranking high on the international agenda, it is important to understand the impact of production regimes on associated biodiversity. Our results can inform mitigation of this potential conflict.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Jennifer K Rowntree
- Centre for the Genetics of Ecosystem Services Faculty of Life Sciences University of Manchester Manchester UK
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Sands RJ, Rowntree JK. Interactions between the Bumblebee Bombus pascuorum and Red Clover (Trifolium pratense) Are Mediated by Plant Genetic Background. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0161327. [PMID: 27552193 PMCID: PMC4995044 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0161327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2015] [Accepted: 08/03/2016] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Wildflower mixes are often planted around field margins to provide forage for pollinators. Although seed for these mixtures is often wild-sourced, for species where agricultural cultivars are available, for example red clover (Trifolium pratense), cultivars can also be included. Previous evidence suggests that plant genetic background can have a strong influence on plant-arthropod interactions and therefore the provenance and genetic background of the plants included in wildflower mixes could impact plant-pollinator interactions. We tested the performance of five individual T. pratense cultivars against two commercially available wild-sourced T. pratense populations in terms of their ability to attract potential pollinator species (focusing on bumblebees) and their floral traits using greenhouse and garden experiments. The main bumblebee observed interacting with T. pratense was Bombus pascuorum and we found no difference in the absolute number of B. pascuorum visiting the cultivars or wild populations. However, we found variation among cultivars and between wild populations in their ability to attract bumblebees, which seems to be related to their relative investment in different floral traits. There was a positive relationship between biomass and number of inflorescences produced by the wild populations of T. pratense, which was not apparent for the cultivars. This suggests that artificial selection on the cultivars has changed the G-matrix of correlated traits. We show that agricultural cultivars of T. pratense can be as effective as wild populations at attracting pollinators such as bumblebees, but that the genetic background of both cultivars and wild populations can have a significant impact on the attractiveness of the plant to pollinators. We also show divergence in the correlated traits of T. pratense cultivars and wild populations that could lead to outbreeding depression if the plants interbreed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard J. Sands
- Centre for the Genetics of Ecosystem Services, Faculty of Life Sciences, The University of Manchester, Michael Smith Building, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Jennifer K. Rowntree
- Centre for the Genetics of Ecosystem Services, Faculty of Life Sciences, The University of Manchester, Michael Smith Building, Manchester, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
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Lau MK, Keith AR, Borrett SR, Shuster SM, Whitham TG. Genotypic variation in foundation species generates network structure that may drive community dynamics and evolution. Ecology 2016. [DOI: 10.1890/15-0600.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Matthew K. Lau
- Department of Biological Sciences and Merriam‐Powell Center for Environmental Research Northern Arizona University Flagstaff Arizona 86011 USA
| | - Arthur R. Keith
- Department of Biological Sciences and Merriam‐Powell Center for Environmental Research Northern Arizona University Flagstaff Arizona 86011 USA
| | - Stuart R. Borrett
- Department of Biology and Marine Biology University of North Carolina Wilmington North Carolina 28403 USA
- Duke Network Analysis Center Social Science Research Institute Duke University Durham North Carolina 27708 USA
| | - Stephen M. Shuster
- Department of Biological Sciences and Merriam‐Powell Center for Environmental Research Northern Arizona University Flagstaff Arizona 86011 USA
| | - Thomas G. Whitham
- Department of Biological Sciences and Merriam‐Powell Center for Environmental Research Northern Arizona University Flagstaff Arizona 86011 USA
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Interspecific diversity reduces and functionally substitutes for intraspecific variation in biofilm communities. ISME JOURNAL 2015; 10:846-57. [PMID: 26405829 DOI: 10.1038/ismej.2015.159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2015] [Revised: 07/21/2015] [Accepted: 07/28/2015] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Diversity has a key role in the dynamics and resilience of communities and both interspecific (species) and intraspecific (genotypic) diversity can have important effects on community structure and function. However, a critical and unresolved question for understanding the ecology of a community is to what extent these two levels of diversity are functionally substitutable? Here we show, for a mixed-species biofilm community composed of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, P. protegens and Klebsiella pneumoniae, that increased interspecific diversity reduces and functionally substitutes for intraspecific diversity in mediating tolerance to stress. Biofilm populations generated high percentages of genotypic variants, which were largely absent in biofilm communities. Biofilms with either high intra- or interspecific diversity were more tolerant to SDS stress than biofilms with no or low diversity. Unexpectedly, genotypic variants decreased the tolerance of biofilm communities when experimentally introduced into the communities. For example, substituting P. protegens wild type with its genotypic variant within biofilm communities decreased SDS tolerance by twofold, apparently due to perturbation of interspecific interactions. A decrease in variant frequency was also observed when biofilm populations were exposed to cell-free effluents from another species, suggesting that extracellular factors have a role in selection against the appearance of intraspecific variants. This work demonstrates the functional substitution of inter- and intraspecific diversity for an emergent property of biofilms. It also provides a potential explanation for a long-standing paradox in microbiology, in which morphotypic variants are common in laboratory grown biofilm populations, but are rare in diverse, environmental biofilm communities.
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Rebar D, Rodríguez RL. Insect mating signal and mate preference phenotypes covary among host plant genotypes. Evolution 2015; 69:602-10. [PMID: 25611556 DOI: 10.1111/evo.12604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2014] [Accepted: 01/06/2015] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Sexual selection acting on small initial differences in mating signals and mate preferences can enhance signal-preference codivergence and reproductive isolation during speciation. However, the origin of initial differences in sexual traits remains unclear. We asked whether biotic environments, a source of variation in sexual traits, may provide a general solution to this problem. Specifically, we asked whether genetic variation in biotic environments provided by host plants can result in signal-preference phenotypic covariance in a host-specific, plant-feeding insect. We used a member of the Enchenopa binotata species complex of treehoppers (Hemiptera: Membracidae) to assess patterns of variation in male mating signals and female mate preferences induced by genetic variation in host plants. We employed a novel implementation of a quantitative genetics method, rearing field-collected treehoppers on a sample of naturally occurring replicated host plant clone lines. We found remarkably high signal-preference covariance among host plant genotypes. Thus, genetic variation in biotic environments influences the sexual phenotypes of organisms living on those environments in a way that promotes assortative mating among environments. This consequence arises from conditions likely to be common in nature (phenotypic plasticity and variation in biotic environments). It therefore offers a general answer to how divergent sexual selection may begin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darren Rebar
- Behavioral and Molecular Ecology Group, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Lapham Hall, 3209 North Maryland Avenue, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 53201; Current Address: Institut de Recherche sur la Biologie de l'Insecte (IRBI), UMR 7261, Faculté de Sciences et Techniques, Avenue Monge, Parc Grandmont, 37200, Tours, France.
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Bálint M, Bartha L, O'Hara RB, Olson MS, Otte J, Pfenninger M, Robertson AL, Tiffin P, Schmitt I. Relocation, high-latitude warming and host genetic identity shape the foliar fungal microbiome of poplars. Mol Ecol 2014; 24:235-48. [DOI: 10.1111/mec.13018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2014] [Accepted: 11/19/2014] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Miklós Bálint
- Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre; Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung; Senckenberganlage 25 60325 Frankfurt Germany
| | - László Bartha
- Laboratory of Molecular Environmental Biology; Institute for Interdisciplinary Research in Bio-Nano Sciences; Babe-Bolyai University; Treboniu Laurian 42 400271 Cluj Romania
| | - Robert B. O'Hara
- Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre; Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung; Senckenberganlage 25 60325 Frankfurt Germany
| | - Matthew S. Olson
- Department of Biological Sciences; Texas Tech University; P.O. Box 43131 Lubbock TX 79409-3131 USA
- Institute of Arctic Biology; University of Alaska Fairbanks; P.O. Box 757000 Fairbanks AK 99775 USA
| | - Jürgen Otte
- Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre; Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung; Senckenberganlage 25 60325 Frankfurt Germany
| | - Markus Pfenninger
- Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre; Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung; Senckenberganlage 25 60325 Frankfurt Germany
- Institut für Ökologie, Evolution und Diversität; Goethe Universität; Max-von-Laue-Str. 9 60438 Frankfurt am Main Germany
| | - Amanda L. Robertson
- Institute of Arctic Biology; University of Alaska Fairbanks; P.O. Box 757000 Fairbanks AK 99775 USA
- Science Applications; U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service; 101 12th Avenue Fairbanks AK 99701 USA
| | - Peter Tiffin
- Department of Plant Biology; University of Minnesota; 1445 Gortner Avenue St. Paul MN 55108 USA
| | - Imke Schmitt
- Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre; Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung; Senckenberganlage 25 60325 Frankfurt Germany
- Institut für Ökologie, Evolution und Diversität; Goethe Universität; Max-von-Laue-Str. 9 60438 Frankfurt am Main Germany
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14
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Singh A, Braun J, Decker E, Hans S, Wagner A, Weisser WW, Zytynska SE. Plant genetic variation mediates an indirect ecological effect between belowground earthworms and aboveground aphids. BMC Ecol 2014; 14:25. [PMID: 25331082 PMCID: PMC4209454 DOI: 10.1186/s12898-014-0025-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2014] [Accepted: 09/25/2014] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Interactions between aboveground and belowground terrestrial communities are often mediated by plants, with soil organisms interacting via the roots and aboveground organisms via the shoots and leaves. Many studies now show that plant genetics can drive changes in the structure of both above and belowground communities; however, the role of plant genetic variation in mediating aboveground-belowground interactions is still unclear. We used an earthworm-plant-aphid model system with two aphid species (Aphis fabae and Acyrthosiphon pisum) to test the effect of host-plant (Vicia faba) genetic variation on the indirect interaction between the belowground earthworms (Eisenia veneta) on the aboveground aphid populations. RESULTS Our data shows that host-plant variety mediated an indirect ecological effect of earthworms on generalist black bean aphids (A. fabae), with earthworms increasing aphid growth rate in three plant varieties but decreasing it in another variety. We found no effect of earthworms on the second aphid species, the pea aphid (A. pisum), and no effect of competition between the aphid species. Plant biomass was increased when earthworms were present, and decreased when A. pisum was feeding on the plant (mediated by plant variety). Although A. fabae aphids were influenced by the plants and worms, they did not, in turn, alter plant biomass. CONCLUSIONS Previous work has shown inconsistent effects of earthworms on aphids, but we suggest these differences could be explained by plant genetic variation and variation among aphid species. This study demonstrates that the outcome of belowground-aboveground interactions can be mediated by genetic variation in the host-plant, but depends on the identity of the species involved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akanksha Singh
- Terrestrial Ecology Research Group, Department for Ecology and Ecosystem Management, Centre for Food and Life Sciences Weihenstephan, Technische Universität München, Hans-Carl-von-Carlowitz-Platz 2, Freising, 85354, Germany.
| | - Julia Braun
- Terrestrial Ecology Research Group, Department for Ecology and Ecosystem Management, Centre for Food and Life Sciences Weihenstephan, Technische Universität München, Hans-Carl-von-Carlowitz-Platz 2, Freising, 85354, Germany.
| | - Emilia Decker
- Terrestrial Ecology Research Group, Department for Ecology and Ecosystem Management, Centre for Food and Life Sciences Weihenstephan, Technische Universität München, Hans-Carl-von-Carlowitz-Platz 2, Freising, 85354, Germany.
| | - Sarah Hans
- Terrestrial Ecology Research Group, Department for Ecology and Ecosystem Management, Centre for Food and Life Sciences Weihenstephan, Technische Universität München, Hans-Carl-von-Carlowitz-Platz 2, Freising, 85354, Germany.
| | - Agnes Wagner
- Terrestrial Ecology Research Group, Department for Ecology and Ecosystem Management, Centre for Food and Life Sciences Weihenstephan, Technische Universität München, Hans-Carl-von-Carlowitz-Platz 2, Freising, 85354, Germany.
| | - Wolfgang W Weisser
- Terrestrial Ecology Research Group, Department for Ecology and Ecosystem Management, Centre for Food and Life Sciences Weihenstephan, Technische Universität München, Hans-Carl-von-Carlowitz-Platz 2, Freising, 85354, Germany.
| | - Sharon E Zytynska
- Terrestrial Ecology Research Group, Department for Ecology and Ecosystem Management, Centre for Food and Life Sciences Weihenstephan, Technische Universität München, Hans-Carl-von-Carlowitz-Platz 2, Freising, 85354, Germany.
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15
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Rebar D, Rodríguez RL. Genetic Variation in Host Plants Influences the Mate Preferences of a Plant-Feeding Insect. Am Nat 2014; 184:489-99. [DOI: 10.1086/677751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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16
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Rowntree JK, Zytynska SE, Frantz L, Hurst B, Johnson A, Preziosi RF. The genetics of indirect ecological effects-plant parasites and aphid herbivores. Front Genet 2014; 5:72. [PMID: 24782886 PMCID: PMC3986559 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2014.00072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2013] [Accepted: 03/20/2014] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
When parasitic plants and aphid herbivores share a host, both direct and indirect ecological effects (IEEs) can influence evolutionary processes. We used a hemiparasitic plant (Rhinanthus minor), a grass host (Hordeum vulgare) and a cereal aphid (Sitobion avenae) to investigate the genetics of IEEs between the aphid and the parasitic plant, and looked to see how these might affect or be influenced by the genetic diversity of the host plants. Survival of R. minor depended on the parasite's population of origin, the genotypes of the aphids sharing the host and the genetic diversity in the host plant community. Hence the indirect effects of the aphids on the parasitic plants depended on the genetic environment of the system. Here, we show that genetic variation can be important in determining the outcome of IEEs. Therefore, IEEs have the potential to influence evolutionary processes and the continuity of species interactions over time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer K. Rowntree
- Environment and Ecology Research Group, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of ManchesterManchester, UK
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17
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Morris M, Rogers SM. Integrating phenotypic plasticity within an Ecological Genomics framework: recent insights from the genomics, evolution, ecology, and fitness of plasticity. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2014; 781:73-105. [PMID: 24277296 DOI: 10.1007/978-94-007-7347-9_5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
E.B. Ford's 1964 book Ecological Genetics was a call for biologists to engage in multidisciplinary work in order to elucidate the link between genotype, phenotype, and fitness for ecologically relevant traits. In this review, we argue that the integration of an ecological genomics framework in studies of phenotypic plasticity is a promising approach to elucidate the causal links between genes and the environment, particularly during colonization of novel environments, environmental change, and speciation. This review highlights some of the questions and hypotheses generated from a mechanistic, evolutionary, and ecological perspective, in order to direct the continued and future use of genomic tools in the study of phenotypic plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Morris
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada,
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18
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Khudr MS, Potter T, Rowntree J, Preziosi RF. Community Genetic and Competition Effects in a Model Pea Aphid System. ADV ECOL RES 2014. [DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-801374-8.00007-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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19
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Angelini C, Silliman BR. Secondary foundation species as drivers of trophic and functional diversity: evidence from a tree–epiphyte system. Ecology 2014; 95:185-96. [DOI: 10.1890/13-0496.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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20
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Moya-Laraño J, Bilbao-Castro JR, Barrionuevo G, Ruiz-Lupión D, Casado LG, Montserrat M, Melián CJ, Magalhães S. Eco-Evolutionary Spatial Dynamics. ADV ECOL RES 2014. [DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-801374-8.00003-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
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21
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Rebar D, Rodríguez RL. Trees to treehoppers: genetic variation in host plants contributes to variation in the mating signals of a plant-feeding insect. Ecol Lett 2013; 17:203-10. [DOI: 10.1111/ele.12220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2013] [Revised: 10/11/2013] [Accepted: 10/18/2013] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Darren Rebar
- Behavioral and Molecular Ecology Group; Department of Biological Sciences; University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee; Lapham Hall 3209 N Maryland Ave Milwaukee WI 53201 USA
| | - Rafael L. Rodríguez
- Behavioral and Molecular Ecology Group; Department of Biological Sciences; University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee; Lapham Hall 3209 N Maryland Ave Milwaukee WI 53201 USA
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22
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Zytynska SE, Frantz L, Hurst B, Johnson A, Preziosi RF, Rowntree JK. Host-plant genotypic diversity and community genetic interactions mediate aphid spatial distribution. Ecol Evol 2013; 4:121-31. [PMID: 24558568 PMCID: PMC3925376 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2013] [Revised: 10/31/2013] [Accepted: 11/04/2013] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Genetic variation in plants can influence the community structure of associated species, through both direct and indirect interactions. Herbivorous insects are known to feed on a restricted range of plants, and herbivore preference and performance can vary among host plants within a species due to genetically based traits of the plant (e.g., defensive compounds). In a natural system, we expect to find genetic variation within both plant and herbivore communities and we expect this variation to influence species interactions. Using a three-species plant-aphid model system, we investigated the effect of genetic diversity on genetic interactions among the community members. Our system involved a host plant (Hordeum vulgare) that was shared by an aphid (Sitobion avenae) and a hemi-parasitic plant (Rhinanthus minor). We showed that aphids cluster more tightly in a genetically diverse host-plant community than in a genetic monoculture, with host-plant genetic diversity explaining up to 24% of the variation in aphid distribution. This is driven by differing preferences of the aphids to the different plant genotypes and their resulting performance on these plants. Within the two host-plant diversity levels, aphid spatial distribution was influenced by an interaction among the aphid's own genotype, the genotype of a competing aphid, the origin of the parasitic plant population, and the host-plant genotype. Thus, the overall outcome involves both direct (i.e., host plant to aphid) and indirect (i.e., parasitic plant to aphid) interactions across all these species. These results show that a complex genetic environment influences the distribution of herbivores among host plants. Thus, in genetically diverse systems, interspecific genetic interactions between the host plant and herbivore can influence the population dynamics of the system and could also structure local communities. We suggest that direct and indirect genotypic interactions among species can influence community structure and processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sharon E Zytynska
- Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester Michael Smith Building, Manchester, M13 9PT, U.K
| | - Laurent Frantz
- Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester Michael Smith Building, Manchester, M13 9PT, U.K
| | - Ben Hurst
- Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester Michael Smith Building, Manchester, M13 9PT, U.K
| | - Andrew Johnson
- Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester Michael Smith Building, Manchester, M13 9PT, U.K
| | - Richard F Preziosi
- Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester Michael Smith Building, Manchester, M13 9PT, U.K
| | - Jennifer K Rowntree
- Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester Michael Smith Building, Manchester, M13 9PT, U.K
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23
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DeWoody J, Viger M, Lakatos F, Tuba K, Taylor G, Smulders MJM. Insight into the genetic components of community genetics: QTL mapping of insect association in a fast-growing forest tree. PLoS One 2013; 8:e79925. [PMID: 24260320 PMCID: PMC3833894 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0079925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2013] [Accepted: 09/30/2013] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Identifying genetic sequences underlying insect associations on forest trees will improve the understanding of community genetics on a broad scale. We tested for genomic regions associated with insects in hybrid poplar using quantitative trait loci (QTL) analyses conducted on data from a common garden experiment. The F2 offspring of a hybrid poplar (Populus trichocarpa x P. deltoides) cross were assessed for seven categories of insect leaf damage at two time points, June and August. Positive and negative correlations were detected among damage categories and between sampling times. For example, sap suckers on leaves in June were positively correlated with sap suckers on leaves (P<0.001) but negatively correlated with skeletonizer damage (P<0.01) in August. The seven forms of leaf damage were used as a proxy for seven functional groups of insect species. Significant variation in insect association occurred among the hybrid offspring, including transgressive segregation of susceptibility to damage. NMDS analyses revealed significant variation and modest broad-sense heritability in insect community structure among genets. QTL analyses identified 14 genomic regions across 9 linkage groups that correlated with insect association. We used three genomics tools to test for putative mechanisms underlying the QTL. First, shikimate-phenylpropanoid pathway genes co-located to 9 of the 13 QTL tested, consistent with the role of phenolic glycosides as defensive compounds. Second, two insect association QTL corresponded to genomic hotspots for leaf trait QTL as identified in previous studies, indicating that, in addition to biochemical attributes, leaf morphology may influence insect preference. Third, network analyses identified categories of gene models over-represented in QTL for certain damage types, providing direction for future functional studies. These results provide insight into the genetic components involved in insect community structure in a fast-growing forest tree.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer DeWoody
- Centre for Biological Sciences, Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
- Current address: USDA Forest Service, National Forest Genetics Lab, 2480 Carson Road, Placerville, California, United States of America
| | - Maud Viger
- Centre for Biological Sciences, Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Ferenc Lakatos
- Institute of Silviculture and Forest Protection, University of West-Hungary, Sopron, Hungary
| | - Katalin Tuba
- Institute of Silviculture and Forest Protection, University of West-Hungary, Sopron, Hungary
| | - Gail Taylor
- Centre for Biological Sciences, Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
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24
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Bailey JK, Genung MA, Ware I, Gorman C, Van Nuland ME, Long H, Schweitzer JA. Indirect genetic effects: an evolutionary mechanism linking feedbacks, genotypic diversity and coadaptation in a climate change context. Funct Ecol 2013. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.12154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Joseph K. Bailey
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology; University of Tennessee; 569 Dabney Hall Knoxville TN 37996-0001 USA
| | - Mark A. Genung
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology; University of Tennessee; 569 Dabney Hall Knoxville TN 37996-0001 USA
| | - Ian Ware
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology; University of Tennessee; 569 Dabney Hall Knoxville TN 37996-0001 USA
| | - Courtney Gorman
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology; University of Tennessee; 569 Dabney Hall Knoxville TN 37996-0001 USA
| | - Michael E. Van Nuland
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology; University of Tennessee; 569 Dabney Hall Knoxville TN 37996-0001 USA
| | - Hannah Long
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology; University of Tennessee; 569 Dabney Hall Knoxville TN 37996-0001 USA
| | - Jennifer A. Schweitzer
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology; University of Tennessee; 569 Dabney Hall Knoxville TN 37996-0001 USA
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25
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Odling-Smee J, Erwin DH, Palkovacs EP, Feldman MW, Laland KN. Niche construction theory: a practical guide for ecologists. QUARTERLY REVIEW OF BIOLOGY 2013; 88:4-28. [PMID: 23653966 DOI: 10.1086/669266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 162] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Niche construction theory (NCT) explicitly recognizes environmental modication by organisms ("niche construction") and their legacy overtime ("ecological inheritance") to be evolutionary processes in their own right. Here we illustrate how niche construction theory provides usedl conceptual tools and theoretical insights for integrating ecosystem ecology and evolutionary theory. We begin by briefly describing NCT, and illustrating how it deifers from conventional evolutionary approaches. We then distinguish between two aspects ofniche construction--environment alteration and subsequent evolution in response to constructed environments--equating the first of these with "ecosystem engineering." We describe some of the ecological and evolutionary impacts on ecosystems of niche construction, ecosystem engineering and ecological inheritance, and illustrate how these processes trigger ecological and evolutionary feedbacks and leave detectable ecological signatures that are open to investigation. FIinally, we provide a practical guide to how NCT could be deployed by ecologists and evolutionary biologists to aeplore ecoeoolutionay dynamics. We suggest that, by highlighting the ecological and evolutionay ramifications of changes that organisms bring about in ecosystems, NCT helps link ecosystem ecology to evolutionary biology, potentially leading to a deeper understanding of how ecosystems change over time.
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26
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Gugerli F, Brandl R, Castagneyrol B, Franc A, Jactel H, Koelewijn HP, Martin F, Peter M, Pritsch K, Schröder H, Smulders MJM, Kremer A, Ziegenhagen B. Community genetics in the time of next-generation molecular technologies. Mol Ecol 2013; 22:3198-207. [DOI: 10.1111/mec.12300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2011] [Revised: 01/30/2013] [Accepted: 02/16/2013] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Felix Gugerli
- WSL Swiss Federal Research Institute; 8903 Birmensdorf Switzerland
| | - Roland Brandl
- Fachbereich Biologie; Philipps-Universität Marburg; 35032 Marburg Germany
| | - Bastien Castagneyrol
- UMR1202 Biodiversity, Genes & Communities; INRA Pierroton; 33612 Cestas Cedex France
| | - Alain Franc
- UMR1202 Biodiversity, Genes & Communities; INRA Pierroton; 33612 Cestas Cedex France
| | - Hervé Jactel
- UMR1202 Biodiversity, Genes & Communities; INRA Pierroton; 33612 Cestas Cedex France
| | - Hans-Peter Koelewijn
- ALTERRA Centre for Ecosystem Studies; Wageningen UR; 6700 AA Wageningen The Netherlands
| | - Francis Martin
- UMR “Interactions Arbres/Micro-Organismes”; INRA Nancy; 54280 Champenoux France
| | - Martina Peter
- WSL Swiss Federal Research Institute; 8903 Birmensdorf Switzerland
| | - Karin Pritsch
- Institute of Soil Ecology; Helmholtz Zentrum München; 85764 Neuherberg Germany
| | - Hilke Schröder
- Institute for Forest Genetics; Johann Heinrich von Thuenen-Institute; 22927 Grosshansdorf Germany
| | | | - Antoine Kremer
- UMR1202 Biodiversity, Genes & Communities; INRA Pierroton; 33612 Cestas Cedex France
| | - Birgit Ziegenhagen
- Fachbereich Biologie; Philipps-Universität Marburg; 35032 Marburg Germany
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27
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Trubenová B, Hager R. Phenotypic and evolutionary consequences of social behaviours: interactions among individuals affect direct genetic effects. PLoS One 2012; 7:e46273. [PMID: 23226195 PMCID: PMC3511512 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0046273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2012] [Accepted: 08/30/2012] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Traditional quantitative genetics assumes that an individual's phenotype is determined by both genetic and environmental factors. For many animals, part of the environment is social and provided by parents and other interacting partners. When expression of genes in social partners affects trait expression in a focal individual, indirect genetic effects occur. In this study, we explore the effects of indirect genetic effects on the magnitude and range of phenotypic values in a focal individual in a multi-member model analyzing three possible classes of interactions between individuals. We show that social interactions may not only cause indirect genetic effects but can also modify direct genetic effects. Furthermore, we demonstrate that both direct and indirect genetic effects substantially alter the range of phenotypic values, particularly when a focal trait can influence its own expression via interactions with traits in other individuals. We derive a function predicting the relative importance of direct versus indirect genetic effects. Our model reveals that both direct and indirect genetic effects can depend to a large extent on both group size and interaction strength, altering group mean phenotype and variance. This may lead to scenarios where between group variation is much higher than within group variation despite similar underlying genetic properties, potentially affecting the level of selection. Our analysis highlights key properties of indirect genetic effects with important consequences for trait evolution, the level of selection and potentially speciation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbora Trubenová
- Computational and Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom.
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28
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Wolf M, Weissing FJ. Animal personalities: consequences for ecology and evolution. Trends Ecol Evol 2012; 27:452-61. [PMID: 22727728 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2012.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 717] [Impact Index Per Article: 59.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2012] [Revised: 05/02/2012] [Accepted: 05/06/2012] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
Personality differences are a widespread phenomenon throughout the animal kingdom. Past research has focused on the characterization of such differences and a quest for their proximate and ultimate causation. However, the consequences of these differences for ecology and evolution received much less attention. Here, we strive to fill this gap by providing a comprehensive inventory of the potential implications of personality differences, ranging from population growth and persistence to species interactions and community dynamics, and covering issues such as social evolution, the speed of evolution, evolvability, and speciation. The emerging picture strongly suggests that personality differences matter for ecological and evolutionary processes (and their interaction) and, thus, should be considered a key dimension of ecologically and evolutionarily relevant intraspecific variation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Max Wolf
- Department of Biology and Ecology of Fishes, Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Mueggelseedamm 310, 12587 Berlin, Germany
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29
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Zytynska SE, Khudr MS, Harris E, Preziosi RF. Genetic effects of tank-forming bromeliads on the associated invertebrate community in a tropical forest ecosystem. Oecologia 2012; 170:467-75. [PMID: 22466862 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-012-2310-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2011] [Accepted: 03/13/2012] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Within the area of community genetics there is an expanding volume of literature demonstrating how within-species genetic variation in temperate trees can have important effects on structuring animal and plant communities. The influence of intraspecific genetic variation on associated communities in relatively more complex ecosystems is only starting to be appreciated. Within tropical forests, epiphytic bromeliad plants often grow high in the canopy and create unique nutrient-rich microhabitats on which many invertebrate and vertebrate species depend. We investigated the influence of within-species genetic variation in the bromeliad Aechmea bracteata on the invertebrate microhabitat community. We found that more genetically similar bromeliad plants were host to more similar communities of juvenile-stage invertebrates, but not adult invertebrates. We discuss possible mechanisms for this, including differential survival and active female oviposition choice. Our work shows that the impact of within-species genetic variation on associated ecological communities may be more general than previously considered. These results agree with recent research suggesting that within-species genetic variation may perform a supporting ecosystem service for maintaining community and ecological processes.
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31
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Hersch-Green EI, Turley NE, Johnson MTJ. Community genetics: what have we accomplished and where should we be going? Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2011; 366:1453-60. [PMID: 21444318 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2010.0331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 102] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Research in community genetics seeks to understand how the dynamic interplay between ecology and evolution shapes simple and complex communities and ecosystems. A community genetics perspective, however, may not be necessary or informative for all studies and systems. To better understand when and how intraspecific genetic variation and microevolution are important in community and ecosystem ecology, we suggest future research should focus on three areas: (i) determining the relative importance of intraspecific genetic variation compared with other ecological factors in mediating community and ecosystem properties; (ii) understanding the importance of microevolution in shaping ecological dynamics in multi-trophic communities; and (iii) deciphering the phenotypic and associated genetic mechanisms that drive community and ecosystem processes. Here, we identify key areas of research that will increase our understanding of the ecology and evolution of complex communities but that are currently missing in community genetics. We then suggest experiments designed to meet these current gaps.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erika I Hersch-Green
- Department of Plant Biology, North Carolina State University, PO Box 7612, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA.
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