1
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Tamian A, Viblanc VA, Dobson FS, Saraux C. Population density and vegetation resources influence demography in a hibernating herbivorous mammal. Oecologia 2024:10.1007/s00442-024-05583-2. [PMID: 38981874 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-024-05583-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2023] [Accepted: 06/18/2024] [Indexed: 07/11/2024]
Abstract
Demography of herbivorous mammal populations may be affected by changes in predation, population density, harvesting, and climate. Whereas numerous studies have focused on the effect of single environmental variables on individual demographic processes, attempts to integrate the consequences of several environmental variables on numerous functional traits and demographic rates are rare. Over a 32-year period, we examined how forage availability (vegetation assessed through NDVI) and population density affected the functional traits and demographic rates of a population of Columbian ground squirrels (Urocitellus columbianus), a herbivorous hibernating rodent. We focused on mean population phenology, body mass, breeding success, and survival. We found a negative effect of population density on demographic rates, including on breeding success and pup and adult survival to the next year. We found diverging effects of vegetation phenology on demographic rates: positive effects of a later start of the growing season on adult and yearling female survival, and juvenile survival, but no clear effect on male survival. Interestingly, neither population density nor vegetation affected population phenology or body condition in the following year. Vegetative growth rate had a positive influence on female mass gain (somatic investment) over a season, but both vegetative growth rate and biomass, surprisingly, had negative effects on the survival of young through their first hibernation. Thus, ground squirrels appeared to benefit more from later timing of vegetation than increases in vegetative biomass per se. Our study provides evidence for complex ecological effects of vegetation and population density on functional traits and demographic rates of small mammal populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anouch Tamian
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC UMR 7178, F-67000, Strasbourg, France
| | - Vincent A Viblanc
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC UMR 7178, F-67000, Strasbourg, France
| | - F Stephen Dobson
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC UMR 7178, F-67000, Strasbourg, France
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, 36849, AL, USA
| | - Claire Saraux
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC UMR 7178, F-67000, Strasbourg, France.
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2
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Chmura HE, Duncan C, Burrell G, Barnes BM, Buck CL, Williams CT. Climate change is altering the physiology and phenology of an arctic hibernator. Science 2023; 380:846-849. [PMID: 37228197 DOI: 10.1126/science.adf5341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Climate warming is rapid in the Arctic, yet impacts to biological systems are unclear because few long-term studies linking biophysiological processes with environmental conditions exist for this data-poor region. In our study spanning 25 years in the Alaskan Arctic, we demonstrate that climate change is affecting the timing of freeze-thaw cycles in the active layer of permafrost soils and altering the physiology of arctic ground squirrels (Urocitellus parryii). Soil freeze has been delayed and, in response, arctic ground squirrels have delayed when they up-regulate heat production during torpor to prevent freezing. Further, the termination of hibernation in spring has advanced 4 days per decade in females but not males. Continued warming and phenological shifts will alter hibernation energetics, change the seasonal availability of this important prey species, and potentially disrupt intraspecific interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helen E Chmura
- Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK 99775, USA
- Rocky Mountain Research Station, United States Forest Service, Missoula, MT 59801, USA
| | - Cassandra Duncan
- Department of Biology and Wildlife, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK 99775, USA
| | - Grace Burrell
- Department of Biology and Wildlife, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK 99775, USA
| | - Brian M Barnes
- Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK 99775, USA
| | - C Loren Buck
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA
| | - Cory T Williams
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
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3
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Findlay‐Robinson R, Deecke VB, Weatherall A, Hill DL. Effects of climate change on life‐history traits in hibernating mammals. Mamm Rev 2023. [DOI: 10.1111/mam.12308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Findlay‐Robinson
- Institute of Science and the Environment, University of Cumbria, Ambleside Cumbria LA22 9BB UK
- School of Biodiversity, One Health and Veterinary Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences University of Glasgow Glasgow G12 8QQ UK
| | - Volker B. Deecke
- Institute of Science and the Environment, University of Cumbria, Ambleside Cumbria LA22 9BB UK
| | - Andrew Weatherall
- Institute of Science and the Environment, University of Cumbria, Ambleside Cumbria LA22 9BB UK
| | - Davina L. Hill
- School of Biodiversity, One Health and Veterinary Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences University of Glasgow Glasgow G12 8QQ UK
- School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences University of the Witwatersrand Private Bag 3, Wits 2050 Johannesburg South Africa
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4
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Ferrari C, Cerri J, Rolando A, Bassano B, Hardenberg AV, Bertolino S. See you in spring: overwinter survival is higher than post summer in the Alpine marmot. ETHOL ECOL EVOL 2023. [DOI: 10.1080/03949370.2022.2157891] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Caterina Ferrari
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
- Alpine Wildlife Research Centre, Gran Paradiso National Park, Aosta, Italy
| | - Jacopo Cerri
- Department of Biodiversity, University of Primorska, Primorska, Slovenia
| | - Antonio Rolando
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Bruno Bassano
- Alpine Wildlife Research Centre, Gran Paradiso National Park, Aosta, Italy
| | - Achaz von Hardenberg
- Conservation Biology Research Group, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Chester, Chester, UK
| | - Sandro Bertolino
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
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5
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Reusch C, Scheuerlein A, Grosche L, Meier F, Gampe J, Dammhahn M, van Schaik J, Kerth G. The risk faced by the early bat: individual plasticity and mortality costs of the timing of spring departure after hibernation. OIKOS 2023. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.09654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Christine Reusch
- Applied Zoology and Nature Conservation, Zoological Inst. and Museum, Univ. of Greifswald Greifswald Germany
- Dept of Evolutionary Ecology, Leibniz Inst. for Zoo and Wildlife Research Berlin Germany
| | - Alexander Scheuerlein
- Applied Zoology and Nature Conservation, Zoological Inst. and Museum, Univ. of Greifswald Greifswald Germany
| | - Leo Grosche
- Applied Zoology and Nature Conservation, Zoological Inst. and Museum, Univ. of Greifswald Greifswald Germany
| | - Frauke Meier
- Applied Zoology and Nature Conservation, Zoological Inst. and Museum, Univ. of Greifswald Greifswald Germany
| | - Jutta Gampe
- Laboratory of Statistical Demography, Max‐Planck Inst. for Demographic Research Rostock Germany
| | - Melanie Dammhahn
- Behavioural Biology, Inst. for Neurobiology and Univ. of Münster Münster Germany
| | - Jaap van Schaik
- Applied Zoology and Nature Conservation, Zoological Inst. and Museum, Univ. of Greifswald Greifswald Germany
| | - Gerald Kerth
- Applied Zoology and Nature Conservation, Zoological Inst. and Museum, Univ. of Greifswald Greifswald Germany
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6
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Forti A, Partel P, Orsingher MJ, Volcan G, Dorigatti E, Pedrotti L, Corlatti L. A comparison of capture-mark-recapture and camera-based mark-resight to estimate abundance of Alpine marmot (Marmota marmota). JOURNAL OF VERTEBRATE BIOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.25225/jvb.22023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Forti
- Ente Parco Naturale Paneveggio-Pale di San Martino, Villa Welsperg, Primiero San Martino di Castrozza (TN), Italy; e-mail: , , , ,
| | - Piergiovanni Partel
- Ente Parco Naturale Paneveggio-Pale di San Martino, Villa Welsperg, Primiero San Martino di Castrozza (TN), Italy; e-mail: , , , ,
| | - Michel J. Orsingher
- Ente Parco Naturale Paneveggio-Pale di San Martino, Villa Welsperg, Primiero San Martino di Castrozza (TN), Italy; e-mail: , , , ,
| | - Gilberto Volcan
- Ente Parco Naturale Paneveggio-Pale di San Martino, Villa Welsperg, Primiero San Martino di Castrozza (TN), Italy; e-mail: , , , ,
| | - Enrico Dorigatti
- Ente Parco Naturale Paneveggio-Pale di San Martino, Villa Welsperg, Primiero San Martino di Castrozza (TN), Italy; e-mail: , , , ,
| | - Luca Pedrotti
- Stelvio National Park – Ersaf Lombardia, Bormio, SO, Italy; e-mail: ,
| | - Luca Corlatti
- Stelvio National Park – Ersaf Lombardia, Bormio, SO, Italy; e-mail: ,
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7
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Aubry LM, Williams CT. Vertebrate Phenological Plasticity: from Molecular Mechanisms to Ecological and Evolutionary Implications. Integr Comp Biol 2022; 62:958-971. [PMID: 35867980 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icac121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2022] [Revised: 03/28/2022] [Accepted: 04/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Seasonal variation in the availability of essential resources is one of the most important drivers of natural selection on the phasing and duration of annually recurring life-cycle events. Shifts in seasonal timing are among the most commonly reported responses to climate change and the capacity of organisms to adjust their timing, either through phenotypic plasticity or evolution, is a critical component of resilience. Despite growing interest in documenting and forecasting the impacts of climate change on phenology, our ability to predict how individuals, populations, and species might alter their seasonal timing in response to their changing environments is constrained by limited knowledge regarding the cues animals use to adjust timing, the endogenous genetic and molecular mechanisms that transduce cues into neural and endocrine signals, and the inherent capacity of animals to alter their timing and phasing within annual cycles. Further, the fitness consequences of phenological responses are often due to biotic interactions within and across trophic levels, rather than being simple outcomes of responses to changes in the abiotic environment. Here, we review the current state of knowledge regarding the mechanisms that control seasonal timing in vertebrates, as well as the ecological and evolutionary consequences of individual, population, and species-level variation in phenological responsiveness. Understanding the causes and consequences of climate-driven phenological shifts requires combining ecological, evolutionary, and mechanistic approaches at individual, populational, and community scales. Thus, to make progress in forecasting phenological responses and demographic consequences, we need to further develop interdisciplinary networks focused on climate change science.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lise M Aubry
- Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University, 1474 Campus Delivery, Fort Collins, CO, 80523, USA
| | - Cory T Williams
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University, 1878 Campus Delivery Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
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8
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Alpine marmot (Marmota marmota) distribution evolution under climate change: The use of species distribution models at a local scale in the western Pyrenees massif (France). ECOL INFORM 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoinf.2022.101646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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9
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Carrier B, Hamel S, Garel M, Côté SD. Coping with seasonality: dynamics of adult body mass and survival in an alpine hibernator. OIKOS 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.09043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Béatrice Carrier
- Dépt de Biologie and Centre d'Études Nordiques, Univ. Laval Québec QC Canada
| | | | - Mathieu Garel
- Office Français de la Biodiversité, Unité Ongulés Sauvages Gières France
| | - Steeve D. Côté
- Dépt de Biologie and Centre d'Études Nordiques, Univ. Laval Québec QC Canada
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10
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Dupont P, Allainé D, Ferrandiz-Rovira M, Pradel R. Efficient spatial multi-state capture-recapture model to study natal dispersal: An application to the Alpine marmot. J Anim Ecol 2021; 91:266-278. [PMID: 34743354 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2021] [Accepted: 10/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Studying natal dispersal in natural populations using capture-recapture data is challenging as an unknown proportion of individuals leaves the study area when dispersing and are never recaptured. Most dispersal (and survival) estimates from capture-recapture studies are thus biased and only reflect what happens within the study area, not the population. Here, we elaborate on recent methodological advances to build a spatially explicit multi-state capture-recapture model to study natal dispersal in a territorial mammal while accounting for imperfect detection and movement in and out of the study area. We validate our model using a simulation study where we compare it to a non-spatial multi-state capture-recapture model. We then apply it to a long-term individual-based dataset on Alpine marmot Marmota marmota. Our model was able to accurately estimate natal dispersal and survival probabilities, as well as mean dispersal distance for a large range of dispersal patterns. By contrast, the non-spatial multi-state estimates underestimated both survival and natal dispersal even for short dispersal distances relative to the study area size. We discuss the application of our approach to other species and monitoring setups. We estimated higher inheritance probabilities of female Alpine marmots, which suggests higher levels of philopatry, although the probability to become dominant after dispersal did not differ between sexes. Nonetheless, the lower survival of young adult males suggests higher costs of dispersal for males. We further discuss the implications of our findings in light of the life history of the species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pierre Dupont
- Université de Lyon, Université Lyon 1, CNRS, UMR 5558, Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Évolutive, Villeurbanne, France.,Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway
| | - Dominique Allainé
- Université de Lyon, Université Lyon 1, CNRS, UMR 5558, Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Évolutive, Villeurbanne, France
| | - Mariona Ferrandiz-Rovira
- CREAF, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Catalonia, Spain.,BABVE, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Roger Pradel
- CEFE, CNRS, University of Montpellier, University of Paul Valéry Montpellier 3, EPHE, IRD, Montpellier, France
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11
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Ebensperger LA, Quirici V, Bunster V, León C, Ramírez‐Estrada J, Hayes LD. Effects of Radio‐Collars are not Contingent on Socioecological Conditions in Degus. J Wildl Manage 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.22098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Luis A. Ebensperger
- Departamento de Ecología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile Santiago Chile
| | - Verónica Quirici
- Centro de Investigación para la Sustentabilidad Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andrés Bello, República 440 Santiago Chile
| | - Valentina Bunster
- Departamento de Ecología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile Santiago Chile
| | - Cecilia León
- Departamento de Ecología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile Santiago Chile
| | - Juan Ramírez‐Estrada
- Departamento de Ecología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile Santiago Chile
| | - Loren D. Hayes
- Department of Biology, Geology, and Environmental Sciences University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Chattanooga 37403 TN USA
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12
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Moss JB, While GM. The thermal environment as a moderator of social evolution. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2021; 96:2890-2910. [PMID: 34309173 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2020] [Revised: 07/09/2021] [Accepted: 07/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Animal sociality plays a crucial organisational role in evolution. As a result, understanding the factors that promote the emergence, maintenance, and diversification of animal societies is of great interest to biologists. Climate is among the foremost ecological factors implicated in evolutionary transitions in social organisation, but we are only beginning to unravel the possible mechanisms and specific climatic variables that underlie these associations. Ambient temperature is a key abiotic factor shaping the spatio-temporal distribution of individuals and has a particularly strong influence on behaviour. Whether such effects play a broader role in social evolution remains to be seen. In this review, we develop a conceptual framework for understanding how thermal effects integrate into pathways that mediate the opportunities, nature, and context of social interactions. We then implement this framework to discuss the capacity for temperature to initiate organisational changes across three broad categories of social evolution: group formation, group maintenance, and group elaboration. For each category, we focus on pivotal traits likely to have underpinned key social transitions and explore the potential for temperature to affect changes in these traits by leveraging empirical examples from the literature on thermal and behavioural ecology. Finally, we discuss research directions that should be prioritised to understand the potentially constructive and/or destructive effects of future warming on the origins, maintenance, and diversification of animal societies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeanette B Moss
- School of Natural Sciences, University of Tasmania, Sandy Bay, TAS, 7005, Australia
| | - Geoffrey M While
- School of Natural Sciences, University of Tasmania, Sandy Bay, TAS, 7005, Australia
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13
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Goldberg AR, Conway CJ. Hibernation behavior of a federally threatened ground squirrel: climate change and habitat selection implications. J Mammal 2021. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyab021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Hibernation is an adaptation to survive periods of stress, from food limitation or harsh thermal conditions. A key question in contemporary ecology is whether rare, range-restricted species can change their behavior in response to climate change (i.e., through behavioral plasticity). The northern Idaho ground squirrel, Urocitellus brunneus (A. H. Howell, 1928), is a federally threatened species that hibernates for approximately 8 months per year within the bounds of its small range in central Idaho, USA. Changes in temperature, snow accumulation, and summer precipitation, all brought about as a result of climate change, may reduce survival or fecundity of northern Idaho ground squirrels if they cannot adapt to these climate changes. Hibernating species can respond to climate-change-induced thermal challenges in two ways: change their hibernation physiology and behavior (i.e., emergence date or number of torpor bouts) or alter their environment (i.e., change hibernacula depth or location). We explored a suite of intrinsic and extrinsic factors to document the extent to which they influenced hibernation behavior of northern Idaho ground squirrels. Emergence date was positively associated with snowpack and negatively associated with mean winter temperature. Mean minimum skin temperature was negatively associated with canopy closure and slope of a squirrel’s hibernaculum. Duration of the heterothermal period, number of euthermic bouts, and total time spent euthermic were positively associated with body mass. Immergence date and duration of the longest torpor bout were negatively associated with body mass. Warmer temperatures and less snow accumulation in the winter—caused by climate change—likely will cause altered emergence dates. Our results suggest that any future climate-induced changes in snowfall, ambient temperature, food availability, or habitat likely will impact survival of this rare ground squirrel, because such changes will cause changes in hibernation behavior, percent mass loss during hibernation, and duration of the active season when small mammals are more susceptible to predation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda R Goldberg
- Idaho Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Fish & Wildlife Sciences, University of Idaho, 875 Perimeter Drive, MS 1141, Moscow, ID 83844, USA
| | - Courtney J Conway
- U.S. Geological Survey, Idaho Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, University of Idaho, 875 Perimeter Drive, MS 1141, Moscow, ID 83844, USA
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14
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Johnston AN, Christophersen RG, Beever EA, Ransom JI. Freezing in a warming climate: Marked declines of a subnivean hibernator after a snow drought. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:1264-1279. [PMID: 33598129 PMCID: PMC7863385 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2020] [Revised: 10/20/2020] [Accepted: 10/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent snow droughts associated with unusually warm winters are predicted to increase in frequency and affect species dependent upon snowpack for winter survival. Changes in populations of some cold-adapted species have been attributed to heat stress or indirect effects on habitat from unusually warm summers, but little is known about the importance of winter weather to population dynamics and how responses to snow drought vary among sympatric species. We evaluated changes in abundance of hoary marmots (Marmota caligata) over a period that included a year of record-low snowpack to identify mechanisms associated with weather and snowpack. To consider interspecies comparisons, our analysis used the same a priori model set as a concurrent study that evaluated responses of American pikas (Ochotona princeps) to weather and snowpack in the same study area of North Cascades National Park, Washington, USA. We hypothesized that marmot abundance reflected mechanisms related to heat stress, cold stress, cold exposure without an insulating snowpack, snowpack duration, atmospheric moisture, growing-season precipitation, or select combinations of these mechanisms. Changes in marmot abundances included a 74% decline from 2007 to 2016 and were best explained by an interaction of chronic dryness with exposure to acute cold without snowpack in winter. Physiological stress during hibernation from exposure to cold, dry air appeared to be the most likely mechanism of change in marmot abundance. Alternative mechanisms associated with changes to winter weather, including early emergence from hibernation or altered vegetation dynamics, had less support. A post hoc assessment of vegetative phenology and productivity did not support vegetation dynamics as a primary driver of marmot abundance across years. Although marmot and pika abundances were explained by strikingly similar models over periods of many years, details of the mechanisms involved likely differ between species because pika abundances increased in areas where marmots declined. Such differences may lead to diverging geographic distributions of these species as global change continues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaron N. Johnston
- U. S. Geological SurveyNorthern Rocky Mountain Science CenterBozemanMTUSA
- School of Environmental and Forest SciencesUniversity of WashingtonSeattleWAUSA
| | | | - Erik A. Beever
- U. S. Geological SurveyNorthern Rocky Mountain Science CenterBozemanMTUSA
- Department of EcologyMontana State UniversityBozemanMTUSA
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15
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Plard F, Chamiot-Clerc B, Cohas A. Influences of climatic and social environment on variable maternal allocation among offspring in Alpine marmots. J Anim Ecol 2020; 90:471-482. [PMID: 33155282 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2020] [Accepted: 10/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
In an environment with limited resources, parents may trade-off the number of offspring produced against offspring mass. To maximize fitness under unpredictable environments, females must not only maximize mean annual reproductive success but also minimize between-year variation in reproductive success. Thus, preferred strategies of maternal allocation might be to maximize the mass of their offspring or to produce a number of offspring of variable body masses. Many social species have evolved in variable and unpredictable environments where only the social environment can be predicted. If mothers seem to alter their total reproductive allocation to offspring depending on their social environment, how the total expenditure is allocated between the different offspring is still unknown. Here, we analysed how climatic and social environments influence strategies of maternal allocation and how these strategies impact pup first-year survival in a wild population of Alpine marmots monitored between 1990 and 2016. We found that females acted as income breeders using resources immediately available for reproduction. Our results showed that the proportion of maternal mass allocated to offspring varied mainly with litter size. However, how maternal allocation is shared between pups depended on climatic and social environments. In general, mothers tended to have litters of greater average mass and small variability in favourable social environments or when resources are abundant and lighter average pup mass but high variability in unfavourable social environments or when resources are scarce. This variable allocation could correspond to dynamic bet-hedging such that mothers influence the variance of pup mass within the litter in response to poor current environmental conditions. Our analysis of first-year survival showed that females should maximize the body mass of their young whatever the conditions will be because pups of higher mass have higher survival, regardless of environmental conditions. When resources are scarce, this strategy might not be achievable for all pups so that mothers produced variable pups. In large litters, this strategy increased first-year survival. Because pup variability affects parental fitness, differential allocation between pups of the same litter could have large consequences on fitness and thus on reproductive strategies of social species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Floriane Plard
- UMR CNRS 5558 Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive, Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard (Lyon I), Villeurbanne, France
| | - Benoit Chamiot-Clerc
- UMR CNRS 5558 Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive, Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard (Lyon I), Villeurbanne, France.,Department of Aquaculture and Fish Biology, Hólar University, Sauðrkrókur, Iceland
| | - Aurélie Cohas
- UMR CNRS 5558 Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive, Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard (Lyon I), Villeurbanne, France.,Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), Paris, France
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16
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Wagner B, Baker PJ, Stewart SB, Lumsden LF, Nelson JL, Cripps JK, Durkin LK, Scroggie MP, Nitschke CR. Climate change drives habitat contraction of a nocturnal arboreal marsupial at its physiological limits. Ecosphere 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Wagner
- School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences The University of Melbourne 500 Yarra Boulevard Richmond Victoria 3121 Australia
| | - Patrick J. Baker
- School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences The University of Melbourne 500 Yarra Boulevard Richmond Victoria 3121 Australia
| | - Stephen B. Stewart
- School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences The University of Melbourne 500 Yarra Boulevard Richmond Victoria 3121 Australia
- CSIRO Land and Water College Road Sandy Bay Tasmania 7005 Australia
| | - Linda F. Lumsden
- Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research (ARI) P.O. Box 137 Heidelberg Victoria 3084 Australia
| | - Jenny L. Nelson
- Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research (ARI) P.O. Box 137 Heidelberg Victoria 3084 Australia
| | - Jemma K. Cripps
- Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research (ARI) P.O. Box 137 Heidelberg Victoria 3084 Australia
| | - Louise K. Durkin
- Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research (ARI) P.O. Box 137 Heidelberg Victoria 3084 Australia
| | - Michael P. Scroggie
- Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research (ARI) P.O. Box 137 Heidelberg Victoria 3084 Australia
- School of Biosciences The University of Melbourne Parkville Victoria 3010 Australia
| | - Craig R. Nitschke
- School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences The University of Melbourne 500 Yarra Boulevard Richmond Victoria 3121 Australia
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18
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Contrasting effects of climate change on seasonal survival of a hibernating mammal. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:18119-18126. [PMID: 32631981 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1918584117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Seasonal environmental conditions shape the behavior and life history of virtually all organisms. Climate change is modifying these seasonal environmental conditions, which threatens to disrupt population dynamics. It is conceivable that climatic changes may be beneficial in one season but result in detrimental conditions in another because life-history strategies vary between these time periods. We analyzed the temporal trends in seasonal survival of yellow-bellied marmots (Marmota flaviventer) and explored the environmental drivers using a 40-y dataset from the Colorado Rocky Mountains (USA). Trends in survival revealed divergent seasonal patterns, which were similar across age-classes. Marmot survival declined during winter but generally increased during summer. Interestingly, different environmental factors appeared to drive survival trends across age-classes. Winter survival was largely driven by conditions during the preceding summer and the effect of continued climate change was likely to be mainly negative, whereas the likely outcome of continued climate change on summer survival was generally positive. This study illustrates that seasonal demographic responses need disentangling to accurately forecast the impacts of climate change on animal population dynamics.
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19
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Gossmann TI, Ralser M. Marmota marmota. Trends Genet 2020; 36:383-384. [PMID: 32029288 DOI: 10.1016/j.tig.2020.01.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2020] [Accepted: 01/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Toni I Gossmann
- Department of Animal Behaviour, Bielefeld University, 33501 Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Markus Ralser
- Molecular Biology of Metabolism Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, NW1 1AT, UK; Department of Biochemistry, Charité, 10117, Berlin, Germany.
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20
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McCain CM. Assessing the risks to United States and Canadian mammals caused by climate change using a trait-mediated model. J Mammal 2019. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyz155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
A set of 182 populations of 76 mammal species in the United States and Canada, examined in natural conditions with minimized disturbances or management effects, shows that responses to climate change include negative responses, such as elevational range contractions, upward shifts and decreases in abundance, positive responses, such as range expansions, and no detectable responses. Responses vary among and within mammal species but many are correlated with species traits, particularly the responses linked to high extinction risks (= climate change risk: decreases in population sizes, range contractions, local extirpations). The traits showing the strongest links to differential responses to climate change are 1) body size—large mammals respond more often and most negatively to climate change, 2) activity times—few mammals with flexible active times respond to climate change, and 3) spatial distribution—high-latitude and high-elevation mammals responded more often to climate change. Using these traits and two approaches to trait weighting, I modeled the relative climate change risk for all 328 terrestrial, nonvolant mammal species in the United States and Canada across 10 levels of risk (low = 1–2, moderate = 3–4, moderate-high = 5–6, high = 7–8, very high = 9–10). The models predicted that 15% of these mammalian species are in the high- and very high-risk categories, including species from most orders. Many mammal populations and species listed as of conservation concern due to other human impacts by national or international agencies are also predicted by my models to be in the higher categories of climate change risk. My intention for these models is to clarify for managers and researchers which, where, and how mammals are responding to climate change relatively independent of other anthropogenic stressors (e.g., large-scale habitat change, overhunting) and to provide a preliminary assessment of species most in need of careful monitoring for climate change impacts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christy M McCain
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology and CU Museum of Natural History, 265 UCB, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
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21
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Chiffard J, Delestrade A, Yoccoz NG, Loison A, Besnard A. Warm temperatures during cold season can negatively affect adult survival in an alpine bird. Ecol Evol 2019; 9:12531-12543. [PMID: 31788195 PMCID: PMC6875669 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.5715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2019] [Revised: 09/05/2019] [Accepted: 09/09/2019] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Climate seasonality is a predominant constraint on the lifecycles of species in alpine and polar biomes. Assessing the response of these species to climate change thus requires taking into account seasonal constraints on populations. However, interactions between seasonality, weather fluctuations, and population parameters remain poorly explored as they require long-term studies with high sampling frequency. This study investigated the influence of environmental covariates on the demography of a corvid species, the alpine chough Pyrrhocorax graculus, in the highly seasonal environment of the Mont Blanc region. In two steps, we estimated: (1) the seasonal survival of categories of individuals based on their age, sex, etc., (2) the effect of environmental covariates on seasonal survival. We hypothesized that the cold season-and more specifically, the end of the cold season (spring)-would be a critical period for individuals, and we expected that weather and individual covariates would influence survival variation during critical periods. We found that while spring was a critical season for adult female survival, it was not for males. This is likely because females are dominated by males at feeding sites during snowy seasons (winter and spring), and additionally must invest energy in egg production. When conditions were not favorable, which seemed to happen when the cold season was warmer than usual, females probably reached their physiological limits. Surprisingly, adult survival was higher at the beginning of the cold season than in summer, which may result from adaptation to harsh weather in alpine and polar vertebrates. This hypothesis could be confirmed by testing it with larger sets of populations. This first seasonal analysis of individual survival over the full life cycle in a sedentary alpine bird shows that including seasonality in demographic investigations is crucial to better understand the potential impacts of climate change on cold ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jules Chiffard
- Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes (EPHE)Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive (CEFE)UMR 5175Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)PSL Research UniversityMontpellierFrance
| | - Anne Delestrade
- Centre de Recherches sur les Ecosystèmes d'Altitude (CREA)Observatoire du Mont BlancChamonixFrance
- Laboratoire d'Ecologie Alpine (LECA)CNRSUniversité Grenoble AlpesUniversité Savoie Mont BlancGrenobleFrance
| | - Nigel Gilles Yoccoz
- Centre de Recherches sur les Ecosystèmes d'Altitude (CREA)Observatoire du Mont BlancChamonixFrance
- Department of Arctic and Marine BiologyUiT The Arctic University of NorwayTromsøNorway
| | - Anne Loison
- Laboratoire d'Ecologie Alpine (LECA)CNRSUniversité Grenoble AlpesUniversité Savoie Mont BlancGrenobleFrance
| | - Aurélien Besnard
- Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes (EPHE)Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive (CEFE)UMR 5175Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)PSL Research UniversityMontpellierFrance
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22
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Thévenin C. Reintroduction efficiency: a stepping stone approach to reintroduction success? Anim Conserv 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/acv.12501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Charles Thévenin
- Institute of Ecology and Environmental Sciences Sorbonne Université Paris France
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23
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Falvo CA, Koons DN, Aubry LM. Seasonal climate effects on the survival of a hibernating mammal. Ecol Evol 2019; 9:3756-3769. [PMID: 31015964 PMCID: PMC6468137 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.5000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2018] [Revised: 01/06/2019] [Accepted: 01/16/2019] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Global climate change and associated regional climate variability is impacting the phenology of many species, ultimately altering individual fitness and population dynamics. Yet, few studies have considered the effects of pertinent seasonal climate variability on phenology and fitness. Hibernators may be particularly susceptible to changes in seasonal climate since they have a relatively short active season in which to reproduce and gain enough mass to survive the following winter. To understand whether and how seasonal climate variability may be affecting hibernator fitness, we estimated survival from historical (1964-1968) and contemporary (2014-2017) mark-recapture data collected from the same population of Uinta ground squirrels (UGS, Urocitellus armatus), a hibernator endemic to the western United States. Despite a locally warming climate, the phenology of UGS did not change over time, yet season-specific climate variables were important in regulating survival rates. Specifically, older age classes experienced lower survival when winters or the following springs were warm, while juveniles benefited from warmer winter temperatures. Although metabolic costs decrease with decreasing temperature in the hibernacula, arousal costs increase with decreasing temperature. Our results suggest that this trade-off is experienced differently by immature and mature individuals. We also observed an increase in population density during that time period, suggesting resources are less limited today than they used to be. Cheatgrass is now dominating the study site and may provide a better food source to UGS than native plants did historically.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caylee A. Falvo
- Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation BiologyColorado State UniversityFort CollinsColorado
- Graduate Degree Program in EcologyColorado State UniversityFort CollinsColorado
| | - David N. Koons
- Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation BiologyColorado State UniversityFort CollinsColorado
- Graduate Degree Program in EcologyColorado State UniversityFort CollinsColorado
| | - Lise M. Aubry
- Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation BiologyColorado State UniversityFort CollinsColorado
- Graduate Degree Program in EcologyColorado State UniversityFort CollinsColorado
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24
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Bichet C, Lepetit D, Cohas A. Extrinsic and intrinsic constraints interact to drive extra-pair paternities in the Alpine marmot. J Evol Biol 2018; 31:1794-1802. [PMID: 30216586 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.13374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2018] [Revised: 08/20/2018] [Accepted: 09/09/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
To reproduce, animals have to form pairs and large variations in the degree of mate switching are observed. Extrinsic and intrinsic factors can constrain individual's mate switching. Among intrinsic factors, genes involved in pair-bonding, such as Avpr-1a, receive increasing attention. The length of microsatellites present in the regulatory region of Avpr-1a determines the neural densities and distributions of the vasopressin receptors known to impact pair-bonding behaviours. For the first time, we investigated whether and how the genetic makeup at Avpr-1a, an intrinsic factor, and the social context, an extrinsic factor, experienced by wild Alpine marmot (Marmota marmota) females affect the proportion of extra-pair young. This proportion was positively correlated with the length of their Avpr-1a regulatory region but only when the social constraints were relaxed, that is when mature male subordinates were present. When ignoring the interactive effect between the length of their Avpr-1a regulatory region and the social constraints, the genetic makeup at Avpr-1a was not associated with the proportion of extra-pair young. Under natural conditions, the genetic regulation of pair-bonding could be hidden by extrinsic factors constraining mate choice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Coraline Bichet
- UMR-CNRS 5558, Laboratoire Biométrie et Biologie Évolutive, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Villeurbanne, France.,Institut für Vogelforschung, 'Vogelwarte Helgoland' (Institute of Avian Research), Wilhelmshaven, Germany
| | - David Lepetit
- UMR-CNRS 5558, Laboratoire Biométrie et Biologie Évolutive, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Villeurbanne, France
| | - Aurélie Cohas
- UMR-CNRS 5558, Laboratoire Biométrie et Biologie Évolutive, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Villeurbanne, France
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25
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Turnock BY, Litt AR, Vore JM, Hammond CAM. Habitat characteristics of the hoary marmot: assessing distribution limitations in Montana. Ecosphere 2017. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.1977] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- B. Y. Turnock
- Department of Ecology; Montana State University; Bozeman Montana 59717 USA
| | - A. R. Litt
- Department of Ecology; Montana State University; Bozeman Montana 59717 USA
| | - J. M. Vore
- Montana Fish; Wildlife and Parks; Helena Montana 59620 USA
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26
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Scheffers BR, De Meester L, Bridge TCL, Hoffmann AA, Pandolfi JM, Corlett RT, Butchart SHM, Pearce-Kelly P, Kovacs KM, Dudgeon D, Pacifici M, Rondinini C, Foden WB, Martin TG, Mora C, Bickford D, Watson JEM. The broad footprint of climate change from genes to biomes to people. Science 2017; 354:354/6313/aaf7671. [PMID: 27846577 DOI: 10.1126/science.aaf7671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 483] [Impact Index Per Article: 69.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Most ecological processes now show responses to anthropogenic climate change. In terrestrial, freshwater, and marine ecosystems, species are changing genetically, physiologically, morphologically, and phenologically and are shifting their distributions, which affects food webs and results in new interactions. Disruptions scale from the gene to the ecosystem and have documented consequences for people, including unpredictable fisheries and crop yields, loss of genetic diversity in wild crop varieties, and increasing impacts of pests and diseases. In addition to the more easily observed changes, such as shifts in flowering phenology, we argue that many hidden dynamics, such as genetic changes, are also taking place. Understanding shifts in ecological processes can guide human adaptation strategies. In addition to reducing greenhouse gases, climate action and policy must therefore focus equally on strategies that safeguard biodiversity and ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brett R Scheffers
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611-0430, USA.
| | - Luc De Meester
- Laboratory of Aquatic Ecology, Evolution and Conservation, KU Leuven, Ch. De Beriotstraat 32, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Tom C L Bridge
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville QLD 4811, Australia.,Queensland Museum, Townsville, Queensland 4810, Australia
| | - Ary A Hoffmann
- Bio21 Institute, School of Biosciences, University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - John M Pandolfi
- School of Biological Sciences and the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Richard T Corlett
- Center for Integrative Conservation, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Gardens, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yunnan 666303, China
| | - Stuart H M Butchart
- BirdLife International, David Attenborough Building, Pembroke Street, Cambridge CB2 3QZ, UK.,Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK
| | | | - Kit M Kovacs
- Norwegian Polar Institute, FRAM Centre, 9296 Tromsø, Norway
| | - David Dudgeon
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Michela Pacifici
- Global Mammal Assessment Program, Department of Biology and Biotechnologies, Sapienza Università di Roma, Viale dell'Università 32, I-00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Carlo Rondinini
- Global Mammal Assessment Program, Department of Biology and Biotechnologies, Sapienza Università di Roma, Viale dell'Università 32, I-00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Wendy B Foden
- Department of Botany and Zoology, University of Stellenbosch, P/Bag X1, Matieland, 7602 Stellenbosch, South Africa
| | - Tara G Martin
- Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Camilo Mora
- Department of Geography, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA
| | - David Bickford
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 14 Science Drive 4, 117543, Singapore
| | - James E M Watson
- School of Geography, Planning and Environmental Management, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia.,Global Conservation Program, Wildlife Conservation Society, 2300 Southern Boulevard, Bronx, NY 10460, USA
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27
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Bichet C, Allainé D, Sauzet S, Cohas A. Faithful or not: direct and indirect effects of climate on extra-pair paternities in a population of Alpine marmots. Proc Biol Sci 2016; 283:20162240. [PMID: 28003452 PMCID: PMC5204170 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2016.2240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2016] [Accepted: 11/18/2016] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite being identified an area that is poorly understood regarding the effects of climate change, behavioural responses to climatic variability are seldom explored. Climatic variability is likely to cause large inter-annual variation in the frequency of extra-pair litters produced, a widespread alternative mating tactic to help prevent, correct or minimize the negative consequences of sub-optimal mate choice. In this study, we investigated how climatic variability affects the inter-annual variation in the proportion of extra-pair litters in a wild population of Alpine marmots. During 22 years of monitoring, the annual proportion of extra-pair litters directly increased with the onset of earlier springs and indirectly with increased snow in winters. Snowier winters resulted in a higher proportion of families with sexually mature male subordinates and thus, created a social context within which extra-pair paternity was favoured. Earlier spring snowmelt could create this pattern by relaxing energetic, movement and time constraints. Further, deeper snow in winter could also contribute by increasing litter size and juvenile survival. Optimal mate choice is particularly relevant to generate adaptive genetic diversity. Understanding the influence of environmental conditions and the capacity of the individuals to cope with them is crucial within the context of rapid climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Coraline Bichet
- Laboratoire Biométrie et Biologie Évolutive, Université de Lyon, CNRS, UMR 5558, Université Lyon 1, 69622, Villeurbanne, Lyon 69000, France
- Institut für Vogelforschung 'Vogelwarte Helgoland' (Institute of Avian Research), Wilhelmshaven 26386, Germany
| | - Dominique Allainé
- Laboratoire Biométrie et Biologie Évolutive, Université de Lyon, CNRS, UMR 5558, Université Lyon 1, 69622, Villeurbanne, Lyon 69000, France
| | - Sandrine Sauzet
- Laboratoire Biométrie et Biologie Évolutive, Université de Lyon, CNRS, UMR 5558, Université Lyon 1, 69622, Villeurbanne, Lyon 69000, France
| | - Aurélie Cohas
- Laboratoire Biométrie et Biologie Évolutive, Université de Lyon, CNRS, UMR 5558, Université Lyon 1, 69622, Villeurbanne, Lyon 69000, France
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28
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Canale CI, Ozgul A, Allainé D, Cohas A. Differential plasticity of size and mass to environmental change in a hibernating mammal. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2016; 22:3286-3303. [PMID: 26994312 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.13286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2015] [Revised: 02/23/2016] [Accepted: 02/29/2016] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Morphological changes following changes in species' distribution and phenology have been suggested to be the third universal response to global environmental change. Although structural size and body mass result from different genetic, physiological, and ecological mechanisms, they are used interchangeably in studies evaluating population responses to environmental change. Using a 22-year (1991-2013) dataset including 1768 individuals, we investigated the coupled dynamics of size and mass in a hibernating mammal, the Alpine marmot (Marmota marmota), in response to local environmental conditions. We (i) quantified temporal trends in both traits, (ii) determined the environmental drivers of trait dynamics, and (iii) identified the life-history processes underlying the observed changes. Both phenotypic traits were followed through life: we focused on the initial trait value (juvenile size and mass) and later-life development (annual change in size [Δsize] and mass [Δmass]). First, we demonstrated contrasting dynamics between size and mass over the study period. Juvenile size and subsequent Δsize showed significant declines, whereas juvenile mass and subsequent Δmass remained constant. As a consequence of smaller size associated with a similar mass, individuals were in better condition in recent years. Second, size and mass showed different sensitivities to environmental variables. Both traits benefited from early access to resources in spring, whereas Δmass, particularly in early life, also responded to summer and winter conditions. Third, the interannual variation in both traits was caused by changes in early life development. Our study supports the importance of considering the differences between size and mass responses to the environment when evaluating the mechanisms underlying population dynamics. The current practice of focusing on only one trait in population modeling can lead to misleading conclusions when evaluating species' resilience to contemporary climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cindy I Canale
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, CH-8057, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Arpat Ozgul
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, CH-8057, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Dominique Allainé
- UMR-CNRS 5558, Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive, Université Claude Bernard, Lyon 1, 43 Bd. du 11 novembre 1918, F-69622, Villeurbanne Cedex, France
| | - Aurelie Cohas
- UMR-CNRS 5558, Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive, Université Claude Bernard, Lyon 1, 43 Bd. du 11 novembre 1918, F-69622, Villeurbanne Cedex, France
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