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Quan PQ, Guo PL, He J, Liu XD. Heat-stress memory enhances the acclimation of a migratory insect pest to global warming. Mol Ecol 2024; 33:e17493. [PMID: 39132714 DOI: 10.1111/mec.17493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2024] [Revised: 07/18/2024] [Accepted: 08/02/2024] [Indexed: 08/13/2024]
Abstract
In the face of rising global temperatures, the mechanisms behind an organism's ability to acclimate to heat stress remain enigmatic. The rice leaf folder, Cnaphalocrocis medinalis, traditionally viewed as temperature-sensitive, paradoxically exhibits robust larval acclimation to heat stress. This study used the heat-acclimated strain HA39, developed through multigenerational exposure to 39°C during the larval stage, and the unacclimated strain HA27 reared at 27°C to unravel the transgenerational effects of heat acclimation and its regulatory mechanisms. Heat acclimation for larvae incurred a fitness cost in pupae when exposed to high temperature, yet a significant transgenerational effect surfaced, revealing heightened fitness benefit in pupae from HA39, even without additional heat exposure during larval recovery at 27°C. This transgenerational effect exhibited a short-term memory, diminishing after two recovery generations. Moreover, the effect correlated with increased superoxide dismutase (SOD) enzyme activity and expression levels of oxidoreductase genes, representing physiological and molecular foundations of heat acclimation. Heat-acclimated larvae displayed elevated DNA methylation levels, while pupae from HA39, in recovery generations, exhibited decreased methylation indicated by the upregulation of a demethylase gene and downregulation of two methyltransferase genes at high temperatures. In summary, heat acclimation induces DNA methylation, orchestrating heat-stress memory and influencing the expression levels of oxidoreductase genes and SOD activity. Heat-stress memory enhances the acclimation of the migratory insect pest to global warming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng-Qi Quan
- Department of Entomology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Pan-Long Guo
- Department of Entomology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jing He
- Department of Entomology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xiang-Dong Liu
- Department of Entomology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
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2
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Mirón-Gatón JM, Velasco J, Pallarés S, García-Meseguer AJ, Millán A, Bilton DT. Testing metabolic cold adaptation and the climatic variability hypothesis in two latitudinally distant populations of a supratidal water beetle. J Therm Biol 2024; 123:103934. [PMID: 39111060 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2024.103934] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2024] [Revised: 07/02/2024] [Accepted: 07/21/2024] [Indexed: 08/23/2024]
Abstract
Temperature significantly impacts ectotherm physiology, with thermal tolerance and metabolic traits typically varying with latitude across species ranges. The drivers of this variation remain unclear, however, despite obvious consequences for population persistence and conservation in the face of ongoing global change. This study explored local adaptation and phenotypic plasticity of metabolic rates and thermal limits in the supratidal rockpool beetle Ochthebius lejolisii. Using populations from localities at different ends of the species range that experience contrasting thermal variability, we simultaneously tested two of the major paradigms of spatial physiological ecology: metabolic cold adaptation (MCA) and the climatic variability hypothesis (CVH). Reciprocal acclimation was conducted under spring temperature regimes of both localities, incorporating local diurnal variation. Metabolic rates were measured by closed respirometry, and thermal tolerance limits estimated through thermography. In line with MCA, the higher-latitude population (colder climate) showed higher metabolic rates and temperature coefficients (Q10s) at lower temperatures than the lower-latitude population. As predicted by the CVH, the lower-latitude population (more variable climate) showed higher upper thermal tolerance but only the higher-latitude population was able to acclimate upper thermal limits. This result suggests trade-offs between physiological thermal limits and thermal plasticity in this species. A limited acclimation capacity could make populations on Mediterranean coasts especially vulnerable in the face of projected increases in extreme temperatures under ongoing climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- J M Mirón-Gatón
- Department of Ecology and Hydrology, University of Murcia, Spain.
| | - J Velasco
- Department of Ecology and Hydrology, University of Murcia, Spain
| | - S Pallarés
- Department of Zoology, University of Seville, Spain
| | | | - A Millán
- Department of Ecology and Hydrology, University of Murcia, Spain
| | - D T Bilton
- Marine Biology and Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth, Drake Circus, Plymouth, PL4 8AA, UK; Department of Zoology, University of Johannesburg, PO Box 524, Auckland Park, 2006, Johannesburg, South Africa
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3
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Pallarés S, Garoffolo D, Rodríguez B, Sánchez-Fernández D. Role of climatic variability in shaping intraspecific variation of thermal tolerance in Mediterranean water beetles. INSECT SCIENCE 2024; 31:285-298. [PMID: 37370260 DOI: 10.1111/1744-7917.13241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Revised: 05/19/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023]
Abstract
The climatic variability hypothesis (CVH) predicts that organisms in more thermally variable environments have wider thermal breadths and higher thermal plasticity than those from more stable environments. However, due to evolutionary trade-offs, taxa with greater absolute thermal limits may have little plasticity of such limits (trade-off hypothesis). The CVH assumes that climatic variability is the ultimate driver of thermal tolerance variation across latitudinal and altitudinal gradients, but average temperature also varies along such gradients. We explored intraspecific variation of thermal tolerance in three typical Mediterranean saline water beetles (families Hydrophilidae and Dytiscidae). For each species, we compared two populations where the species coexist, with similar annual mean temperature but contrasting thermal variability (continental vs. coastal population). We estimated thermal limits of adults from each population, previously acclimated at 17, 20, or 25 °C. We found species-specific patterns but overall, our results agree with the CVH regarding thermal ranges, which were wider in the continental (more variable) population. In the two hydrophilid species, this came at the cost of losing plasticity of the upper thermal limit in this population, supporting the trade-off hypothesis, but not in the dytiscid one. Our results support the role of local adaptation to thermal variability and trade-offs between basal tolerance and physiological plasticity in shaping thermal tolerance in aquatic ectotherms, but also suggest that intraspecific variation of thermal tolerance does not fit a general pattern among aquatic insects. Overlooking such intraspecific variation could lead to inaccurate predictions of the vulnerability of aquatic insects to global warming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susana Pallarés
- Department of Zoology, University of Seville, Seville, Spain
| | - David Garoffolo
- Faculty of Biology, Department of Ecology and Hydrology, University of Murcia, Campus Espinardo, Murcia, Spain
| | - Belén Rodríguez
- Faculty of Biology, Department of Ecology and Hydrology, University of Murcia, Campus Espinardo, Murcia, Spain
| | - David Sánchez-Fernández
- Faculty of Biology, Department of Ecology and Hydrology, University of Murcia, Campus Espinardo, Murcia, Spain
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4
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Garcia-Cardenas EE, Burciaga LM, Alcaraz G. Thermal threshold and interspecific competition help explain intertidal hermit crab assemblages. J Therm Biol 2023; 118:103728. [PMID: 37897842 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2023.103728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2023] [Revised: 10/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/30/2023]
Abstract
Habitat heterogeneity promotes species diversity by providing a variety of abiotic and biotic conditions, whose impact on performance varies among species. Then, mobile species would be expected to move to areas whose conditions maximize their fitness. However, biotic pressures such as interspecific competition can push subordinate species into suboptimal areas, impeding this matching. The tropical hermit crab Clibanarius albidigitus occupies mostly upper intertidal sites where they can experience extreme environmental conditions. Meanwhile, its stronger agonistic competitor, Calcinus californiensis, mostly inhabits more moderate conditions at the mid intertidal. We estimated the avoidance threshold of the two hermit crab species to increasing water temperatures to help explain their intertidal distribution. We also compared the avoidance threshold of Cli. albidigitus to rising temperatures when presented alone and in the presence of chemical cues of its competitor to assess potential competitive niche exclusion. The avoidance threshold was measured in experimental tanks with a ramp that led from the water to an air-exposed platform; the threshold was defined as the temperature at which individuals emerged and remained air-exposed. Clibanarius albidigitus emerged at a higher temperature than its competitor, showing a higher thermal tolerance and potentially explaining its distribution in the upper intertidal. In the presence of Cal. californiensis, Cli. albidigitus emerged at lower temperature than when alone, likely as a strategy to reduce competition with stronger agonistic competitors, even at the cost of coping with harsh conditions. Our results support the hypothesis that competitive habitat exclusion contributes to explaining hermit crab assemblages.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Luis M Burciaga
- Departamento de Ecología y Recursos Naturales, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, 04510, Mexico
| | - Guillermina Alcaraz
- Departamento de Ecología y Recursos Naturales, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, 04510, Mexico.
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5
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Medina MJ, Antić D, Borges PAV, Borko Š, Fišer C, Lauritzen SE, Martín JL, Oromí P, Pavlek M, Premate E, Puliafico KP, Sendra A, Reboleira ASPS. Temperature variation in caves and its significance for subterranean ecosystems. Sci Rep 2023; 13:20735. [PMID: 38007573 PMCID: PMC10676404 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-48014-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 11/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Climate change affects all ecosystems, but subterranean ecosystems are repeatedly neglected from political and public agendas. Cave habitats are home to unknown and endangered species, with low trait variability and intrinsic vulnerability to recover from human-induced disturbances. We studied the annual variability and cyclicity of temperatures in caves vis-à-vis surface in different climatic areas. We hypothesize that cave temperatures follow the average temperature pattern at the surface for each location with a slight delay in the signal, but we found three different thermal patterns occurring in caves: (1) high positive correlation and a similar thermal pattern to the surface, (2) low correlation and a slight thermal delay of the signal from the surface, and (3) high negative correlation with an extreme delay from the surface. We found daily thermal cycles in some caves, which may potentially control the circadian rhythms of cave organisms. Our results show that caves had lower thermal amplitude than the surface, and that thermal averages within caves approximately correspond to the to the annual average of surface temperature. Caves buffer external temperature and act as refugia for biota in extreme climatic events. Likewise, temperature increases at surface will lead to increment in caves, threatening subterranean biota and ecosystem services.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria J Medina
- Departamento de Biologia Animal, and Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (cE3c) & CHANGE-Institute for Global Change and Sustainability, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, 1749-016, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Dragan Antić
- Faculty of Biology, Institute of Zoology, University of Belgrade, Studentski Trg 16, 11 000, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Paulo A V Borges
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture and Environment, Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (cE3c)/Azorean Biodiversity Group & CHANGE-Institute for Global Change and Sustainability, Universidade dos Açores, 9700-042, Angra do Heroísmo, Açores, Portugal
| | - Špela Borko
- Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, SubBioLab, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Cene Fišer
- Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, SubBioLab, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Stein-Erik Lauritzen
- Department of Earth Science, University of Bergen, Allegt. 41, 5007, Bergen, Norway
- Department of Biosciences, Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis (CEES), University of Oslo, 0316, Oslo, Norway
| | - Jose L Martín
- Parque Nacional del Teide, C/Dr. Sixto Perera González, 25. La Orotava, Tenerife, Spain
| | - Pedro Oromí
- Department of Animal Biology, University of La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain
| | - Martina Pavlek
- Ruđer Bošković Institute, Zagreb, Croatia
- Croatian Biospeleological Society, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Ester Premate
- Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, SubBioLab, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Ken P Puliafico
- Center for Environmental Management of Military Lands, Colorado State University, Asan, Guam
| | - Alberto Sendra
- Colecciones Entomológicas Torres-Sala, Servei de Patrimoni Històric, Ajuntament de València, Passeig de La Petxina, 15, 46008, València, Spain
- Departament de Didàctica de Les Cièncias Experimentals I Socials, Facultat de Magisteri, Universitat de València, Avda. Tarongers 4, 46022, València, Spain
| | - Ana Sofia P S Reboleira
- Departamento de Biologia Animal, and Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (cE3c) & CHANGE-Institute for Global Change and Sustainability, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, 1749-016, Lisbon, Portugal.
- Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, 2100, Copenhagen, Denmark.
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6
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Di Cicco M, Di Lorenzo T, Fiasca B, Galmarini E, Vaccarelli I, Cerasoli F, Tabilio Di Camillo A, Galassi DMP. Some like it hot: Thermal preference of the groundwater amphipod Niphargus longicaudatus (Costa, 1851) and climate change implications. J Therm Biol 2023; 116:103654. [PMID: 37478581 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2023.103654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2023] [Revised: 06/21/2023] [Accepted: 06/29/2023] [Indexed: 07/23/2023]
Abstract
Groundwater is a crucial resource for humans and the environment, but its global human demand currently exceeds available volumes by 3.5 times. Climate change is expected to exacerbate this situation by increasing the frequency of droughts along with human impacts on groundwater ecosystems. Despite prior research on the quantitative effects of climate change on groundwater, the direct impacts on groundwater biodiversity, especially obligate groundwater species, remain largely unexplored. Therefore, investigating the potential impacts of climate change, including groundwater temperature changes, is crucial for the survival of obligate groundwater species. This study aimed to determine the thermal niche breadth of the crustacean amphipod species Niphargus longicaudatus by using the chronic method. We found that N. longicaudatus has a wide thermal niche with a natural performance range of 7-9 °C, which corresponds to the thermal regime this species experiences within its distribution range in Italy. The observed range of preferred temperature (PT) was different from the mean annual temperature of the sites from which the species has been collected, challenging the idea that groundwater species are only adapted to narrow temperature ranges. Considering the significant threats of climate change to groundwater ecosystems, these findings provide crucial information for the conservation of obligate groundwater species, suggesting that some of them may be more resilient to temperature changes than previously thought. Understanding the fundamental thermal niche of these species can inform conservation efforts and management strategies to protect groundwater ecosystems and their communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mattia Di Cicco
- Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L'Aquila, Via Vetoio, 67100 L'Aquila, Italy.
| | - Tiziana Di Lorenzo
- National Biodiversity Future Center, Palermo, Italy; IRET-CNR, Istituto di Ricerca Sugli Ecosistemi Terrestri Del CNR, Florence, Italy; Racovitza Institute of Speleology, Romanian Academy, Clinicilor 400006 Cluj Napoca, Romania; Departamento de Biologia Animal, Faculdade de Ciências, Centre for, Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (cE3c) & CHANGE - Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, 1749-016 Lisbon, Portugal. 4 Natural History Museum of Denmark
| | - Barbara Fiasca
- Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L'Aquila, Via Vetoio, 67100 L'Aquila, Italy
| | - Emma Galmarini
- Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L'Aquila, Via Vetoio, 67100 L'Aquila, Italy
| | - Ilaria Vaccarelli
- Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L'Aquila, Via Vetoio, 67100 L'Aquila, Italy; University Institute of Higher Studies in Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Francesco Cerasoli
- Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L'Aquila, Via Vetoio, 67100 L'Aquila, Italy
| | - Agostina Tabilio Di Camillo
- Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L'Aquila, Via Vetoio, 67100 L'Aquila, Italy; IRET-CNR, Istituto di Ricerca Sugli Ecosistemi Terrestri Del CNR, Florence, Italy
| | - Diana Maria Paola Galassi
- Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L'Aquila, Via Vetoio, 67100 L'Aquila, Italy
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7
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Marsh JR, Milner SJ, Shaw M, Stempel AJ, Harvey MS, Rix MG. A Case for Below-Ground Dispersal? Insights into the Biology, Ecology and Conservation of Blind Cave Spiders in the Genus Troglodiplura (Mygalomorphae: Anamidae). INSECTS 2023; 14:insects14050449. [PMID: 37233077 DOI: 10.3390/insects14050449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2023] [Revised: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Previously described from only fragments of exoskeleton and juvenile specimens, the cave spider genus Troglodiplura (Araneae: Anamidae), endemic to the Nullarbor Plain, is the only troglomorphic member of the infraorder Mygalomorphae recorded from Australia. We investigated the distribution of Troglodiplura in South Australia, collecting and observing the first (intact) mature specimens, widening the number of caves it has been recorded in, and documenting threats to conservation. Phylogenetic analyses support the placement of Troglodiplura as an independent lineage within the subfamily Anaminae (the 'Troglodiplura group') and provide unequivocal evidence that populations from apparently isolated cave systems are conspecifics of T. beirutpakbarai Harvey & Rix, 2020, with extremely low or negligible inter-population mitochondrial divergences. This is intriguing evidence for recent or contemporary subterranean dispersal of these large, troglomorphic spiders. Observations of adults and juvenile spiders taken in the natural cave environment, and supported by observations in captivity, revealed the use of crevices within caves as shelters, but no evidence of silk use for burrow construction, contrasting with the typical burrowing behaviours seen in other Anamidae. We identify a range of threats posed to the species and to the fragile cave ecosystem, and provide recommendations for further research to better define the distribution of vulnerable taxa within caves and identify actions needed to protect them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica R Marsh
- Harry Butler Institute, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA 6150, Australia
- Biological Sciences, South Australian Museum, GPO Box 234, Adelaide, SA 5001, Australia
- Invertebrates Australia, Osborne Park, WA 6017, Australia
| | - Steven J Milner
- School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, Engineering and Technology, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia
| | - Matthew Shaw
- Biological Sciences, South Australian Museum, GPO Box 234, Adelaide, SA 5001, Australia
| | | | - Mark S Harvey
- Collections & Research, Western Australian Museum, 49 Kew Street, Welshpool, WA 6106, Australia
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia
| | - Michael G Rix
- Collections & Research, Western Australian Museum, 49 Kew Street, Welshpool, WA 6106, Australia
- Biodiversity and Geosciences Program, Queensland Museum Collections & Research Centre, Hendra, QLD 4011, Australia
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8
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Di Lorenzo T, Reboleira ASPS. Thermal acclimation and metabolic scaling of a groundwater asellid in the climate change scenario. Sci Rep 2022; 12:17938. [PMID: 36289260 PMCID: PMC9605946 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-20891-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Metabolic rate has long been used in animal adaptation and performance studies, and individual oxygen consumption is used as proxy of metabolic rate. Stygofauna are organisms adapted to groundwater with presumably lower metabolic rates than their surface relatives. How stygofauna will cope with global temperature increase remains unpredictable. We studied the thermal acclimation and metabolic scaling with body mass of a stygobitic crustacean, Proasellus lusitanicus, in the climate change scenario. We measured oxygen consumption rates in a thermal ramp-up experiment over four assay temperatures and tested two hypotheses: (i) P. lusitanicus exhibits narrow thermal plasticity, inadequate for coping with a fast-increasing thermal regime; and (ii) oxygen consumption rates scale with the body mass by a factor close to 0.75, as commonly observed in other animals. Our results show that P. lusitanicus has low thermal plasticity in a fast-increasing thermal regime. Our data also suggest that oxygen consumption rates of this species do not follow mass-dependent scaling, potentially representing a new trait of metabolic optimization in groundwater habitats, which are often limited in food and oxygen. Species with limited dispersal capacities and rigid metabolic guilds face extinction risk due to climate change and omitting groundwater ecosystems from climate change agendas emphasizes the unprotected status of stygofauna.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiziana Di Lorenzo
- Research Institute on Terrestrial Ecosystems of the National Research Council, Via Madonna del Piano 10, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Firenze Italy ,grid.418333.e0000 0004 1937 1389Emil Racovita Institute of Speleology, Romanian Academy, Clinicilor 5, 400006 Cluj Napoca, Romania ,grid.9983.b0000 0001 2181 4263Departamento de Biologia Animal, Faculdade de Ciências, Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (cE3c) & CHANGE – Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, 1749-016 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Ana Sofia P. S. Reboleira
- grid.9983.b0000 0001 2181 4263Departamento de Biologia Animal, Faculdade de Ciências, Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (cE3c) & CHANGE – Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, 1749-016 Lisbon, Portugal ,grid.5254.60000 0001 0674 042XNatural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
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9
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Differential transcriptomic responses to heat stress in surface and subterranean diving beetles. Sci Rep 2022; 12:16194. [PMID: 36171221 PMCID: PMC9519976 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-20229-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2022] [Accepted: 09/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Subterranean habitats are generally very stable environments, and as such evolutionary transitions of organisms from surface to subterranean lifestyles may cause considerable shifts in physiology, particularly with respect to thermal tolerance. In this study we compared responses to heat shock at the molecular level in a geographically widespread, surface-dwelling water beetle to a congeneric subterranean species restricted to a single aquifer (Dytiscidae: Hydroporinae). The obligate subterranean beetle Paroster macrosturtensis is known to have a lower thermal tolerance compared to surface lineages (CTmax 38 °C cf. 42–46 °C), but the genetic basis of this physiological difference has not been characterized. We experimentally manipulated the thermal environment of 24 individuals to demonstrate that both species can mount a heat shock response at high temperatures (35 °C), as determined by comparative transcriptomics. However, genes involved in these responses differ between species and a far greater number were differentially expressed in the surface taxon, suggesting it can mount a more robust heat shock response; these data may underpin its higher thermal tolerance compared to subterranean relatives. In contrast, the subterranean species examined not only differentially expressed fewer genes in response to increasing temperatures, but also in the presence of the experimental setup employed here alone. Our results suggest P. macrosturtensis may be comparatively poorly equipped to respond to both thermally induced stress and environmental disturbances more broadly. The molecular findings presented here have conservation implications for P. macrosturtensis and contribute to a growing narrative concerning weakened thermal tolerances in obligate subterranean organisms at the molecular level.
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Mammola S, Meierhofer MB, Borges PA, Colado R, Culver DC, Deharveng L, Delić T, Di Lorenzo T, Dražina T, Ferreira RL, Fiasca B, Fišer C, Galassi DMP, Garzoli L, Gerovasileiou V, Griebler C, Halse S, Howarth FG, Isaia M, Johnson JS, Komerički A, Martínez A, Milano F, Moldovan OT, Nanni V, Nicolosi G, Niemiller ML, Pallarés S, Pavlek M, Piano E, Pipan T, Sanchez‐Fernandez D, Santangeli A, Schmidt SI, Wynne JJ, Zagmajster M, Zakšek V, Cardoso P. Towards evidence-based conservation of subterranean ecosystems. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2022; 97:1476-1510. [PMID: 35315207 PMCID: PMC9545027 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12851] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2021] [Revised: 02/22/2022] [Accepted: 03/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Subterranean ecosystems are among the most widespread environments on Earth, yet we still have poor knowledge of their biodiversity. To raise awareness of subterranean ecosystems, the essential services they provide, and their unique conservation challenges, 2021 and 2022 were designated International Years of Caves and Karst. As these ecosystems have traditionally been overlooked in global conservation agendas and multilateral agreements, a quantitative assessment of solution-based approaches to safeguard subterranean biota and associated habitats is timely. This assessment allows researchers and practitioners to understand the progress made and research needs in subterranean ecology and management. We conducted a systematic review of peer-reviewed and grey literature focused on subterranean ecosystems globally (terrestrial, freshwater, and saltwater systems), to quantify the available evidence-base for the effectiveness of conservation interventions. We selected 708 publications from the years 1964 to 2021 that discussed, recommended, or implemented 1,954 conservation interventions in subterranean ecosystems. We noted a steep increase in the number of studies from the 2000s while, surprisingly, the proportion of studies quantifying the impact of conservation interventions has steadily and significantly decreased in recent years. The effectiveness of 31% of conservation interventions has been tested statistically. We further highlight that 64% of the reported research occurred in the Palearctic and Nearctic biogeographic regions. Assessments of the effectiveness of conservation interventions were heavily biased towards indirect measures (monitoring and risk assessment), a limited sample of organisms (mostly arthropods and bats), and more accessible systems (terrestrial caves). Our results indicate that most conservation science in the field of subterranean biology does not apply a rigorous quantitative approach, resulting in sparse evidence for the effectiveness of interventions. This raises the important question of how to make conservation efforts more feasible to implement, cost-effective, and long-lasting. Although there is no single remedy, we propose a suite of potential solutions to focus our efforts better towards increasing statistical testing and stress the importance of standardising study reporting to facilitate meta-analytical exercises. We also provide a database summarising the available literature, which will help to build quantitative knowledge about interventions likely to yield the greatest impacts depending upon the subterranean species and habitats of interest. We view this as a starting point to shift away from the widespread tendency of recommending conservation interventions based on anecdotal and expert-based information rather than scientific evidence, without quantitatively testing their effectiveness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefano Mammola
- Laboratory for Integrative Biodiversity Research (LIBRe)Finnish Museum of Natural History (LUOMUS), University of HelsinkiPohjoinen Rautatiekatu 13Helsinki00100Finland
- Molecular Ecology Group (dark‐MEG)Water Research Institute (IRSA), National Research Council (CNR)Largo Tonolli, 50Verbania‐Pallanza28922Italy
| | - Melissa B. Meierhofer
- BatLab Finland, Finnish Museum of Natural History Luomus (LUOMUS)University of HelsinkiPohjoinen Rautatiekatu 13Helsinki00100Finland
| | - Paulo A.V. Borges
- cE3c—Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes / Azorean Biodiversity Group / CHANGE – Global Change and Sustainability InstituteUniversity of Azores, Faculty of Agrarian Sciences and Environment (FCAA), Rua Capitão João d'ÀvilaPico da Urze, 9700‐042 Angra do HeroísmoAzoresPortugal
| | - Raquel Colado
- Departament of Ecology and HidrologyUniversity of MurciaMurcia30100Spain
| | - David C. Culver
- Department of Environmental ScienceAmerican University4400 Massachusetts Avenue, N.WWashingtonDC20016U.S.A.
| | - Louis Deharveng
- Institut de Systématique, Evolution, Biodiversité (ISYEB), CNRS UMR 7205, MNHN, UPMC, EPHEMuseum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Sorbonne UniversitéParisFrance
| | - Teo Delić
- SubBio Lab, Department of Biology, Biotechnical FacultyUniversity of LjubljanaJamnikarjeva 101Ljubljana1000Slovenia
| | - Tiziana Di Lorenzo
- Research Institute on Terrestrial Ecosystems (IRET‐CNR), National Research CouncilVia Madonna del Piano 10, 50019 Sesto FiorentinoFlorenceItaly
| | - Tvrtko Dražina
- Division of Zoology, Department of BiologyFaculty of Science, University of ZagrebRooseveltov Trg 6Zagreb10000Croatia
- Croatian Biospeleological SocietyRooseveltov Trg 6Zagreb10000Croatia
| | - Rodrigo L. Ferreira
- Center of Studies in Subterranean Biology, Biology Department, Federal University of LavrasCampus universitário s/n, Aquenta SolLavrasMG37200‐900Brazil
| | - Barbara Fiasca
- Department of Life, Health and Environmental SciencesUniversity of L'AquilaVia Vetoio 1, CoppitoL'Aquila67100Italy
| | - Cene Fišer
- SubBio Lab, Department of Biology, Biotechnical FacultyUniversity of LjubljanaJamnikarjeva 101Ljubljana1000Slovenia
| | - Diana M. P. Galassi
- Department of Life, Health and Environmental SciencesUniversity of L'AquilaVia Vetoio 1, CoppitoL'Aquila67100Italy
| | - Laura Garzoli
- Molecular Ecology Group (dark‐MEG)Water Research Institute (IRSA), National Research Council (CNR)Largo Tonolli, 50Verbania‐Pallanza28922Italy
| | - Vasilis Gerovasileiou
- Department of Environment, Faculty of EnvironmentIonian University, M. Minotou‐Giannopoulou strPanagoulaZakynthos29100Greece
- Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (HCMR), Institute of Marine BiologyBiotechnology and Aquaculture (IMBBC)Thalassocosmos, GournesCrete71500Greece
| | - Christian Griebler
- Department of Functional and Evolutionary Ecology, Division of LimnologyUniversity of ViennaDjerassiplatz 1Vienna1030Austria
| | - Stuart Halse
- Bennelongia Environmental Consultants5 Bishop StreetJolimontWA6014Australia
| | | | - Marco Isaia
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems BiologyUniversity of TurinVia Accademia Albertina, 13TorinoI‐10123Italy
| | - Joseph S. Johnson
- Department of Biological SciencesOhio University57 Oxbow TrailAthensOH45701U.S.A.
| | - Ana Komerički
- Croatian Biospeleological SocietyRooseveltov Trg 6Zagreb10000Croatia
| | - Alejandro Martínez
- Molecular Ecology Group (dark‐MEG)Water Research Institute (IRSA), National Research Council (CNR)Largo Tonolli, 50Verbania‐Pallanza28922Italy
| | - Filippo Milano
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems BiologyUniversity of TurinVia Accademia Albertina, 13TorinoI‐10123Italy
| | - Oana T. Moldovan
- Emil Racovita Institute of SpeleologyClinicilor 5Cluj‐Napoca400006Romania
- Romanian Institute of Science and TechnologySaturn 24‐26Cluj‐Napoca400504Romania
| | - Veronica Nanni
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems BiologyUniversity of TurinVia Accademia Albertina, 13TorinoI‐10123Italy
| | - Giuseppe Nicolosi
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems BiologyUniversity of TurinVia Accademia Albertina, 13TorinoI‐10123Italy
| | - Matthew L. Niemiller
- Department of Biological SciencesThe University of Alabama in Huntsville301 Sparkman Drive NWHuntsvilleAL35899U.S.A.
| | - Susana Pallarés
- Departamento de Biogeografía y Cambio GlobalMuseo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, CSICCalle de José Gutiérrez Abascal 2Madrid28006Spain
| | - Martina Pavlek
- Croatian Biospeleological SocietyRooseveltov Trg 6Zagreb10000Croatia
- Ruđer Bošković InstituteBijenička cesta 54Zagreb10000Croatia
| | - Elena Piano
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems BiologyUniversity of TurinVia Accademia Albertina, 13TorinoI‐10123Italy
| | - Tanja Pipan
- ZRC SAZUKarst Research InstituteNovi trg 2Ljubljana1000Slovenia
- UNESCO Chair on Karst EducationUniversity of Nova GoricaGlavni trg 8Vipava5271Slovenia
| | | | - Andrea Santangeli
- Research Centre for Ecological Change, Organismal and Evolutionary Biology Research ProgrammeUniversity of HelsinkiViikinkaari 1Helsinki00014Finland
| | - Susanne I. Schmidt
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Biology Centre CASNa Sádkách 702/7České Budějovice370 05Czech Republic
- Department of Lake ResearchHelmholtz Centre for Environmental ResearchBrückstraße 3aMagdeburg39114Germany
| | - J. Judson Wynne
- Department of Biological SciencesCenter for Adaptable Western Landscapes, Box 5640, Northern Arizona UniversityFlagstaffAZ86011U.S.A.
| | - Maja Zagmajster
- SubBio Lab, Department of Biology, Biotechnical FacultyUniversity of LjubljanaJamnikarjeva 101Ljubljana1000Slovenia
| | - Valerija Zakšek
- SubBio Lab, Department of Biology, Biotechnical FacultyUniversity of LjubljanaJamnikarjeva 101Ljubljana1000Slovenia
| | - Pedro Cardoso
- Laboratory for Integrative Biodiversity Research (LIBRe)Finnish Museum of Natural History (LUOMUS), University of HelsinkiPohjoinen Rautatiekatu 13Helsinki00100Finland
- cE3c—Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes / Azorean Biodiversity Group / CHANGE – Global Change and Sustainability InstituteUniversity of Azores, Faculty of Agrarian Sciences and Environment (FCAA), Rua Capitão João d'ÀvilaPico da Urze, 9700‐042 Angra do HeroísmoAzoresPortugal
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11
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Meierhofer MB, Cardoso P, Lilley T, Mammola S. The promise and perils of engineering cave climates: response to Turner et al. . CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2022; 36:e13927. [PMID: 35510357 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.13927] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2021] [Revised: 09/28/2021] [Accepted: 10/25/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Melissa B Meierhofer
- BatLab Finland, Finnish Museum of Natural History Luomus, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Pedro Cardoso
- Laboratory for Integrative Biodiversity Research (LIBRe), Finnish Museum of Natural History Luomus, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Thomas Lilley
- BatLab Finland, Finnish Museum of Natural History Luomus, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Stefano Mammola
- Laboratory for Integrative Biodiversity Research (LIBRe), Finnish Museum of Natural History Luomus, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Water Research Institute, National Research Council, Verbania Pallanza, Italy
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12
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Colado R, Pallarés S, Fresneda J, Mammola S, Rizzo V, Sánchez-Fernández D. Climatic stability, not average habitat temperature, determines thermal tolerance of subterranean beetles. Ecology 2022; 103:e3629. [PMID: 35018629 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.3629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2021] [Revised: 10/08/2021] [Accepted: 10/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
The climatic variability hypothesis predicts the evolution of species with wide thermal tolerance ranges in environments with variable temperatures, and the evolution of thermal specialists in thermally stable environments. In caves, the extent of spatial and temporal thermal variability experienced by taxa decreases with their degree of specialization to deep subterranean habitats. We use Phylogenetic Generalized Least Squares to model the relationship between thermal tolerance (upper lethal limits), subterranean specialization (estimated using ecomorphological traits) and habitat temperature in sixteen beetle species of the tribe Leptodirini (Leiodidae). We found a significant, negative relationship between thermal tolerance and the degree of subterranean specialization. Conversely, habitat temperature had only a marginal effect on lethal limits. In agreement with the climatic variability hypothesis and under a climate change context, we show that the specialization process to live in deep subterranean habitats involves a reduction of upper lethal limits, but not an adjustment to habitat temperature. Thermal variability seems to exert a higher evolutionary pressure than mean habitat temperature to configure the thermal niche of subterranean species. Our results provide novel insights on thermal physiology of species with poor dispersal capabilities and on the evolutionary process of adaptation to subterranean environments. We further emphasize that the pathways determining vulnerability of subterranean species to climate change greatly depend on the degree of specialization to deep subterranean environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raquel Colado
- Departamento de Ecología e Hidrología, Facultad de Biología, Universidad de Murcia, Campus Espinardo, Murcia, Spain
| | - Susana Pallarés
- Departamento de Biogeografía y Cambio Global, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, CSIC, Calle José Gutierrez Abascal 2, 28006, Madrid, Spain
| | - Javier Fresneda
- Ca de Massa, 25526 Llesp- El Pont de Suert, Lleida, Spain; Museu de Ciències Naturals (Zoología), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Stefano Mammola
- LIBRe-Laboratory for Integrative Biodiversity Research, Finnish Museum of Natural History, University of Helsinki, Pohjoinen Rautatiekatu 13, Helsinki, Finland.,DarkMEG-Molecular Ecology Group, Water Research Institute (IRSA), National Research Council of Italy (CNR), Largo Tonolli 50, 28922, Verbania Pallanza, Italy
| | | | - David Sánchez-Fernández
- Departamento de Ecología e Hidrología, Facultad de Biología, Universidad de Murcia, Campus Espinardo, Murcia, Spain
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13
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Isaia M, Arnedo MA, Mammola S. A multi-layered approach uncovers overlooked taxonomic and physiological diversity in Alpine subterranean spiders (Araneae: Linyphiidae: Troglohyphantes). INVERTEBR SYST 2022. [DOI: 10.1071/is21054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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14
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Dezetter M, Dupoué A, Le Galliard J, Lourdais O. Additive effects of developmental acclimation and physiological syndromes on lifetime metabolic and water loss rates of a dry‐skinned ectotherm. Funct Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13951] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Mathias Dezetter
- CNRS Sorbonne UniversitéUMR 7618iEES ParisUniversité Pierre et Marie Curie Paris France
- Centre d’étude Biologique de Chizé CNRSUMR 7372 Villiers en Bois France
| | - Andréaz Dupoué
- CNRS Sorbonne UniversitéUMR 7618iEES ParisUniversité Pierre et Marie Curie Paris France
| | - Jean‐François Le Galliard
- CNRS Sorbonne UniversitéUMR 7618iEES ParisUniversité Pierre et Marie Curie Paris France
- Ecole Normale SupérieurePSL Research UniversityCNRSUMS 3194Centre de Recherche en Écologie Expérimentale et Prédictive (CEREEP‐Ecotron IleDeFrance) Saint‐Pierre‐lès‐Nemours France
| | - Olivier Lourdais
- Centre d’étude Biologique de Chizé CNRSUMR 7372 Villiers en Bois France
- School of Life Sciences Arizona State University Tempe AZ USA
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15
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Raghavan R, Britz R, Dahanukar N. Poor groundwater governance threatens ancient subterranean fishes. Trends Ecol Evol 2021; 36:875-878. [PMID: 34253386 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2021.06.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2021] [Revised: 06/15/2021] [Accepted: 06/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Groundwater depletion is a significant global issue, but its impact on the often-enigmatic subterranean biodiversity and its conservation remains poorly understood. In the Western Ghats biodiversity hotspot of India, poor governance of groundwater resources is threatening its evolutionarily distinct subterranean freshwater fauna, some taxa of which represent Gondwanan relics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajeev Raghavan
- Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies (KUFOS), Kochi, India; International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Species Survival Commission (SSC)/Wetland International (WI) Freshwater Fish Specialist Group (FFSG).
| | - Ralf Britz
- Museum of Zoology, Senckenberg Natural History Collections, Dresden, Germany; Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, London, UK
| | - Neelesh Dahanukar
- Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Pune, India; Zoo Outreach Organization (ZOO), Coimbatore, India
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16
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Mammola S, Lunghi E, Bilandžija H, Cardoso P, Grimm V, Schmidt SI, Hesselberg T, Martínez A. Collecting eco-evolutionary data in the dark: Impediments to subterranean research and how to overcome them. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:5911-5926. [PMID: 34141192 PMCID: PMC8207145 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2021] [Revised: 03/23/2021] [Accepted: 03/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Caves and other subterranean habitats fulfill the requirements of experimental model systems to address general questions in ecology and evolution. Yet, the harsh working conditions of these environments and the uniqueness of the subterranean organisms have challenged most attempts to pursuit standardized research.Two main obstacles have synergistically hampered previous attempts. First, there is a habitat impediment related to the objective difficulties of exploring subterranean habitats and our inability to access the network of fissures that represents the elective habitat for the so-called "cave species." Second, there is a biological impediment illustrated by the rarity of most subterranean species and their low physiological tolerance, often limiting sample size and complicating laboratory experiments.We explore the advantages and disadvantages of four general experimental setups (in situ, quasi in situ, ex situ, and in silico) in the light of habitat and biological impediments. We also discuss the potential of indirect approaches to research. Furthermore, using bibliometric data, we provide a quantitative overview of the model organisms that scientists have exploited in the study of subterranean life.Our over-arching goal is to promote caves as model systems where one can perform standardized scientific research. This is important not only to achieve an in-depth understanding of the functioning of subterranean ecosystems but also to fully exploit their long-discussed potential in addressing general scientific questions with implications beyond the boundaries of this discipline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefano Mammola
- Laboratory for Integrative Biodiversity Research (LIBRe)Finnish Museum of Natural History (LUOMUS)University of HelsinkiHelsinkiFinland
- Dark‐MEG: Molecular Ecology GroupWater Research Institute (IRSA)National Research Council (CNR)VerbaniaItaly
| | - Enrico Lunghi
- Key Laboratory of the Zoological Systematics and EvolutionInstitute of ZoologyChinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
- Museo di Storia Naturale dell'Università degli Studi di Firenze“La Specola”FirenzeItaly
| | - Helena Bilandžija
- Department of Molecular BiologyRudjer Boskovic InstituteZagrebCroatia
| | - Pedro Cardoso
- Laboratory for Integrative Biodiversity Research (LIBRe)Finnish Museum of Natural History (LUOMUS)University of HelsinkiHelsinkiFinland
| | - Volker Grimm
- Department of Ecological ModellingHelmholtz Centre for Environmental Research – UFZLeipzigGermany
- Plant Ecology and Nature ConservationUniversity of PotsdamPotsdamGermany
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle‐Jena‐LeipzigLeipzigGermany
| | - Susanne I. Schmidt
- Institute of HydrobiologyBiology Centre CASČeské BudějoviceCzech Republic
| | | | - Alejandro Martínez
- Dark‐MEG: Molecular Ecology GroupWater Research Institute (IRSA)National Research Council (CNR)VerbaniaItaly
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17
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Balart-García P, Cieslak A, Escuer P, Rozas J, Ribera I, Fernández R. Smelling in the dark: Phylogenomic insights into the chemosensory system of a subterranean beetle. Mol Ecol 2021; 30:2573-2590. [PMID: 33856058 DOI: 10.1111/mec.15921] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2020] [Revised: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 03/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The chemosensory system has experienced relevant changes in subterranean animals, facilitating the perception of specific chemical signals critical to survival in their particular environment. However, the genomic basis of chemoreception in cave-dwelling fauna has been largely unexplored. We generated de novo transcriptomes for antennae and body samples of the troglobitic beetle Speonomus longicornis (whose characters suggest an extreme adaptation to a deep subterranean environment) in order to investigate the evolutionary origin and diversification of the chemosensory gene repertoire across coleopterans through a phylogenomic approach. Our results suggested a diminished diversity of odourant and gustatory gene repertoires compared to polyphagous beetles that inhabit surface habitats. Moreover, S. longicornis showed a large diversity of odourant-binding proteins, suggesting an important role of these proteins in capturing airborne chemical cues. We identified a gene duplication of the ionotropic coreceptor IR25a, a highly conserved single-copy gene in protostomes involved in thermal and humidity sensing. In addition, no homologous genes to sugar receptors or the ionotropic receptor IR41a were detected. Our findings suggest that the chemosensory gene repertoire of this cave beetle may result from adaptation to the highly specific ecological niche it occupies, and that gene duplication and loss may have played an important role in the evolution of gene families involved in chemoreception. Altogether, our results shed light on the genomic basis of chemoreception in a cave-dwelling invertebrate and pave the road towards understanding the genomic underpinnings of adaptation to the subterranean lifestyle at a deeper level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pau Balart-García
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology (CSIC - Universitat Pompeu Fabra), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Alexandra Cieslak
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology (CSIC - Universitat Pompeu Fabra), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Paula Escuer
- Department of Genetics, Microbiology and Statistics, Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat (IRBio), Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Julio Rozas
- Department of Genetics, Microbiology and Statistics, Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat (IRBio), Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ignacio Ribera
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology (CSIC - Universitat Pompeu Fabra), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Rosa Fernández
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology (CSIC - Universitat Pompeu Fabra), Barcelona, Spain
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