1
|
Fisher AM, Knell RJ, Price TAR, Bonsall MB. Sex ratio distorting microbes exacerbate arthropod extinction risk in variable environments. Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e11216. [PMID: 38571791 PMCID: PMC10985368 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.11216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2024] [Revised: 03/14/2024] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Maternally-inherited sex ratio distorting microbes (SRDMs) are common among arthropod species. Typically, these microbes cause female-biased sex ratios in host broods, either by; killing male offspring, feminising male offspring, or inducing parthenogenesis. As a result, infected populations can experience drastic ecological and evolutionary change. The mechanism by which SRDMs operate is likely to alter their impact on host evolutionary ecology; despite this, the current literature is heavily biased towards a single mechanism of sex ratio distortion, male-killing. Furthermore, amidst the growing concerns surrounding the loss of arthropod diversity, research into the impact of SRDMs on the viability of arthropod populations is generally lacking. In this study, using a theoretical approach, we model the epidemiology of an understudied mechanism of microbially-induced sex ratio distortion-feminisation-to ask an understudied question-how do SRDMs impact extinction risk in a changing environment? We constructed an individual-based model and measured host population extinction risk under various environmental and epidemiological scenarios. We also used our model to identify the precise mechanism modulating extinction. We find that the presence of feminisers increases host population extinction risk, an effect that is exacerbated in highly variable environments. We also identified transmission rate as the dominant epidemiological trait responsible for driving extinction. Finally, our model shows that sex ratio skew is the mechanism driving extinction. We highlight feminisers and, more broadly, SRDMs as important determinants of the resilience of arthropod populations to environmental change.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Adam M. Fisher
- School of Biological and Behavioural SciencesQueen Mary University of LondonLondonUK
| | | | - Tom A. R. Price
- Department of Evolution, Ecology and BehaviourUniversity of LiverpoolLiverpoolUK
| | | |
Collapse
|
2
|
Auguste A, Ris N, Belgaidi Z, Kremmer L, Mouton L, Fauvergue X. Insect population dynamics under Wolbachia-induced cytoplasmic incompatibility: Puzzle more than buzz in Drosophila suzukii. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0300248. [PMID: 38470882 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0300248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
In theory, the introduction of individuals infected with an incompatible strain of Wolbachia pipientis into a recipient host population should result in the symbiont invasion and reproductive failures caused by cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI). Modelling studies combining Wolbachia invasion and host population dynamics show that these two processes could interact to cause a transient population decline and, in some conditions, extinction. However, these effects could be sensitive to density dependence, with the Allee effect increasing the probability of extinction, and competition reducing the demographic impact of CI. We tested these predictions with laboratory experiments in the fruit fly Drosophila suzukii and the transinfected Wolbachia strain wTei. Surprisingly, the introduction of wTei into D. suzukii populations at carrying capacity did not result in the expected wTei invasion and transient population decline. In parallel, we found no Allee effect but strong negative density dependence. From these results, we propose that competition interacts in an antagonistic way with Wolbachia-induced cytoplasmic incompatibility on insect population dynamics. If future models and data support this hypothesis, pest management strategies using Wolbachia-induced CI should target populations with negligible competition but a potential Allee effect, for instance at the beginning of the reproductive season.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Nicolas Ris
- ISA, INRAE, Université Côte d'Azur, Sophia Antipolis, France
| | - Zainab Belgaidi
- UMR 5558, Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive, CNRS, VetAgro Sup, Université de Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Villeurbanne, France
| | - Laurent Kremmer
- ISA, INRAE, Université Côte d'Azur, Sophia Antipolis, France
| | - Laurence Mouton
- UMR 5558, Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive, CNRS, VetAgro Sup, Université de Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Villeurbanne, France
| | | |
Collapse
|
3
|
Fisher AM, Knell RJ, Price TAR, Bonsall MB. The impact of intrinsic and extrinsic factors on the epidemiology of male‐killing bacteria. OIKOS 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.09392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Adam M. Fisher
- School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary Univ. of London London UK
| | - Robert J. Knell
- School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary Univ. of London London UK
| | - Tom A. R. Price
- Dept of Evolution, Ecology and Behaviour, Univ. of Liverpool Liverpool UK
| | | |
Collapse
|
4
|
Queffelec J, Postma A, Allison JD, Slippers B. Remnants of horizontal transfers of Wolbachia genes in a Wolbachia-free woodwasp. BMC Ecol Evol 2022; 22:36. [PMID: 35346038 PMCID: PMC8962096 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-022-01995-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2021] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Wolbachia is a bacterial endosymbiont of many arthropod and nematode species. Due to its capacity to alter host biology, Wolbachia plays an important role in arthropod and nematode ecology and evolution. Sirex noctilio is a woodwasp causing economic loss in pine plantations of the Southern Hemisphere. An investigation into the genome of this wasp revealed the presence of Wolbachia sequences. Due to the potential impact of Wolbachia on the populations of this wasp, as well as its potential use as a biological control agent against invasive insects, this discovery warranted investigation.
Results In this study we first investigated the presence of Wolbachia in S. noctilio and demonstrated that South African populations of the wasp are unlikely to be infected. We then screened the full genome of S. noctilio and found 12 Wolbachia pseudogenes. Most of these genes constitute building blocks of various transposable elements originating from the Wolbachia genome. Finally, we demonstrate that these genes are distributed in all South African populations of the wasp.
Conclusions Our results provide evidence that S. noctilio might be compatible with a Wolbachia infection and that the bacteria could potentially be used in the future to regulate invasive populations of the wasp. Understanding the mechanisms that led to a loss of Wolbachia infection in S. noctilio could indicate which host species or host population should be sampled to find a Wolbachia strain that could be used as a biological control against S. noctilio. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12862-022-01995-x.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joséphine Queffelec
- Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute, University of Pretoria, Lunnon Road, Pretoria, 0002, South Africa. .,Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa.
| | - Alisa Postma
- Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute, University of Pretoria, Lunnon Road, Pretoria, 0002, South Africa.,Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Jeremy D Allison
- Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute, University of Pretoria, Lunnon Road, Pretoria, 0002, South Africa.,Great Lakes Forestry Center, Natural Resources Canada, Canadian Forest Service, Sault St Marie, Canada.,Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Bernard Slippers
- Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute, University of Pretoria, Lunnon Road, Pretoria, 0002, South Africa.,Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Beaghton PJ, Burt A. Gene drives and population persistence vs elimination: The impact of spatial structure and inbreeding at low density. Theor Popul Biol 2022; 145:109-125. [PMID: 35247370 DOI: 10.1016/j.tpb.2022.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2021] [Revised: 02/15/2022] [Accepted: 02/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Synthetic gene drive constructs are being developed to control disease vectors, invasive species, and other pest species. In a well-mixed random mating population a sufficiently strong gene drive is expected to eliminate a target population, but it is not clear whether the same is true when spatial processes play a role. In species with an appropriate biology it is possible that drive-induced reductions in density might lead to increased inbreeding, reducing the efficacy of drive, eventually leading to suppression rather than elimination, regardless of how strong the drive is. To investigate this question we analyse a series of explicitly solvable stochastic models considering a range of scenarios for the relative timing of mating, reproduction, and dispersal and analyse the impact of two different types of gene drive, a Driving Y chromosome and a homing construct targeting an essential gene. We find in all cases a sufficiently strong Driving Y will go to fixation and the population will be eliminated, except in the one life history scenario (reproduction and mating in patches followed by dispersal) where low density leads to increased inbreeding, in which case the population persists indefinitely, tending to either a stable equilibrium or a limit cycle. These dynamics arise because Driving Y males have reduced mating success, particularly at low densities, due to having fewer sisters to mate with. Increased inbreeding at low densities can also prevent a homing construct from eliminating a population. For both types of drive, if there is strong inbreeding depression, then the population cannot be rescued by inbreeding and it is eliminated. These results highlight the potentially critical role that low-density-induced inbreeding and inbreeding depression (and, by extension, other sources of Allee effects) can have on the eventual impact of a gene drive on a target population.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- P J Beaghton
- Institute for Security Science and Technology, South Kensington Campus, Imperial College London, London, UK; Department of Computing, South Kensington Campus, Imperial College London, London, UK.
| | - Austin Burt
- Department of Life Sciences, Silwood Park Campus, Imperial College London, Ascot, UK
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Lampert A, Liebhold AM. Combining multiple tactics over time for cost-effective eradication of invading insect populations. Ecol Lett 2020; 24:279-287. [PMID: 33169526 DOI: 10.1111/ele.13640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2020] [Revised: 09/21/2020] [Accepted: 10/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Because of the profound ecological and economic impacts of many non-native insect species, early detection and eradication of newly founded, isolated populations is a high priority for preventing damages. Though successful eradication is often challenging, the effectiveness of several treatment methods/tactics is enhanced by the existence of Allee dynamics in target populations. Historically, successful eradication has often relied on the application of two or more tactics. Here, we examine how to combine three treatment tactics in the most cost-effective manner, either simultaneously or sequentially in a multiple-annum process. We show that each tactic is most efficient across a specific range of population densities. Furthermore, we show that certain tactics inhibit the efficiency of other tactics and should therefore not be used simultaneously; but since each tactic is effective at specific densities, different combinations of tactics should be applied sequentially through time when a multiple-annum eradication programme is needed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Adam Lampert
- School of Human Evolution and Social Change, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85287, USA.,Simon A. Levin Mathematical, Computational and Modeling Science Center, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85287, USA
| | - Andrew M Liebhold
- USDA Forest Service Northern Research Station, Morgantown, WV, 26505, USA.,Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Suchdol, 165 21 Praha 6, Czech Republic
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Lester PJ, Beggs JR. Invasion Success and Management Strategies for Social Vespula Wasps. ANNUAL REVIEW OF ENTOMOLOGY 2019; 64:51-71. [PMID: 30256668 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-ento-011118-111812] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Three species of Vespula have become invasive in Australia, Hawai'i, New Zealand, and North and South America and continue to spread. These social wasp species can achieve high nest densities, and their behavioral plasticity has led to substantial impacts on recipient communities. Ecologically, they affect all trophic levels, restructuring communities and altering resource flows. Economically, their main negative effect is associated with pollination and the apicultural industry. Climate change is likely to exacerbate their impacts in many regions. Introduced Vespula spp. likely experience some degree of enemy release from predators or parasites, although they are exposed to a wide range of microbial pathogens in both their native and introduced range. Toxic baits have been significantly improved over the last decade, enabling effective landscape-level control. Although investigated extensively, no effective biological control agents have yet been found. Emerging technologies such as gene drives are under consideration.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Philip J Lester
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington 6140, New Zealand;
| | - Jacqueline R Beggs
- Centre for Biodiversity and Biosecurity, School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland 1072, New Zealand;
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Affiliation(s)
| | - Luděk Berec
- Department of EcologyInstitute of EntomologyBiology Centre CAS České Budějovice Czech Republic
| | - John M. Drake
- Odum School of EcologyUniversity of Georgia Athens GA USA
| |
Collapse
|