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Liu M, Hu SY, Li M, Sun H, Yuan ML. Comparative mitogenomic analysis provides evolutionary insights into Formica (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). PLoS One 2024; 19:e0302371. [PMID: 38857223 PMCID: PMC11164359 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0302371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 06/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Formica is a large genus in the family Formicidae with high diversity in its distribution, morphology, and physiology. To better understand evolutionary characteristics of Formica, the complete mitochondrial genomes (mitogenomes) of two Formica species were determined and a comparative mitogenomic analysis for this genus was performed. The two newly sequenced Formica mitogenomes each included 37 typical mitochondrial genes and a large non-coding region (putative control region), as observed in other Formica mitogenomes. Base composition, gene order, codon usage, and tRNA secondary structure were well conserved among Formica species, whereas diversity in sequence size and structural characteristics was observed in control regions. We also observed several conserved motifs in the intergenic spacer regions. These conserved genomic features may be related to mitochondrial function and their highly conserved physiological constraints, while the diversity of the control regions may be associated with adaptive evolution among heterogenous habitats. A negative AT-skew value on the majority chain was presented in each of Formica mitogenomes, indicating a reversal of strand asymmetry in base composition. Strong codon usage bias was observed in Formica mitogenomes, which was predominantly determined by nucleotide composition. All 13 mitochondrial protein-coding genes of Formica species exhibited molecular signatures of purifying selection, as indicated by the ratio of non-synonymous substitutions to synonymous substitutions being less than 1 for each protein-coding gene. Phylogenetic analyses based on mitogenomic data obtained fairly consistent phylogenetic relationships, except for two Formica species that had unstable phylogenetic positions, indicating mitogenomic data are useful for constructing phylogenies of ants. Beyond characterizing two additional Formica mitogenomes, this study also provided some key evolutionary insights into Formica.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-ecosystems, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
- Key Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry Innovation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
- National Demonstration Center for Experimental Grassland Science Education, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
- College of Pastoral Agricultural Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Shi-Yun Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-ecosystems, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
- Key Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry Innovation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
- National Demonstration Center for Experimental Grassland Science Education, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
- College of Pastoral Agricultural Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Min Li
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-ecosystems, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
- Key Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry Innovation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
- College of Pastoral Agricultural Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Hao Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-ecosystems, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
- Key Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry Innovation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
- National Demonstration Center for Experimental Grassland Science Education, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
- College of Pastoral Agricultural Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
| | - Ming-Long Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-ecosystems, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
- Key Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry Innovation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
- National Demonstration Center for Experimental Grassland Science Education, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
- College of Pastoral Agricultural Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
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2
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Gaytán Á, van Dijk LJA, Faticov M, Barr AE, Tack AJM. The effect of local habitat and spatial connectivity on urban seed predation. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY 2024; 111:e16333. [PMID: 38757608 DOI: 10.1002/ajb2.16333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2023] [Revised: 03/19/2024] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
PREMISE During the last centuries, the area covered by urban landscapes is increasing all over the world. Urbanization can change local habitats and decrease connectivity among these habitats, with important consequences for species interactions. While several studies have found a major imprint of urbanization on plant-insect interactions, the effects of urbanization on seed predation remain largely unexplored. METHODS We investigated the relative impact of sunlight exposure, leaf litter, and spatial connectivity on predation by moth and weevil larvae on acorns of the pedunculate oak across an urban landscape during 2018 and 2020. We also examined whether infestations by moths and weevils were independent of each other. RESULTS While seed predation varied strongly among trees, seed predation was not related to differences in sunlight exposure, leaf litter, or spatial connectivity. Seed predation by moths and weevils was negatively correlated at the level of individual acorns in 2018, but positively correlated at the acorn and the tree level in 2020. CONCLUSIONS Our study sets the baseline expectation that urban seed predators are unaffected by differences in sunlight exposure, leaf litter, and spatial connectivity. Overall, our findings suggest that the impact of local and spatial factors on insects within an urban context may depend on the species guild. Understanding the impact of local and spatial factors on biodiversity, food web structure, and ecosystem functioning can provide valuable insights for urban planning and management strategies aimed at promoting urban insect diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Álvaro Gaytán
- Institute of Natural Resources and Agrobiology of Seville (IRNAS-CSIC), Reina Mercedes Ave, 10. 41012, Seville, Spain
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant Sciences, Stockholm University, Svante Arrhenius väg 20A, SE-114 18, Stockholm, Sweden
- Bolin Center for Climate Research, Stockholm University, SE-106 91, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Laura J A van Dijk
- Swedish Museum of Natural History, Department of Bioinformatics and Genetics, Frescativägen 60, SE-114 18, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Maria Faticov
- Département de biologie, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke (J1K 2R1), Québec, Canada
| | - Anna E Barr
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant Sciences, Stockholm University, Svante Arrhenius väg 20A, SE-114 18, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Ayco J M Tack
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant Sciences, Stockholm University, Svante Arrhenius väg 20A, SE-114 18, Stockholm, Sweden
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3
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Mata-Guel EO, Soh MCK, Butler CW, Morris RJ, Razgour O, Peh KSH. Impacts of anthropogenic climate change on tropical montane forests: an appraisal of the evidence. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2023; 98:1200-1224. [PMID: 36990691 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12950] [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: 09/29/2022] [Revised: 03/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/31/2023]
Abstract
In spite of their small global area and restricted distributions, tropical montane forests (TMFs) are biodiversity hotspots and important ecosystem services providers, but are also highly vulnerable to climate change. To protect and preserve these ecosystems better, it is crucial to inform the design and implementation of conservation policies with the best available scientific evidence, and to identify knowledge gaps and future research needs. We conducted a systematic review and an appraisal of evidence quality to assess the impacts of climate change on TMFs. We identified several skews and shortcomings. Experimental study designs with controls and long-term (≥10 years) data sets provide the most reliable evidence, but were rare and gave an incomplete understanding of climate change impacts on TMFs. Most studies were based on predictive modelling approaches, short-term (<10 years) and cross-sectional study designs. Although these methods provide moderate to circumstantial evidence, they can advance our understanding on climate change effects. Current evidence suggests that increasing temperatures and rising cloud levels have caused distributional shifts (mainly upslope) of montane biota, leading to alterations in biodiversity and ecological functions. Neotropical TMFs were the best studied, thus the knowledge derived there can serve as a proxy for climate change responses in under-studied regions elsewhere. Most studies focused on vascular plants, birds, amphibians and insects, with other taxonomic groups poorly represented. Most ecological studies were conducted at species or community levels, with a marked paucity of genetic studies, limiting understanding of the adaptive capacity of TMF biota. We thus highlight the long-term need to widen the methodological, thematic and geographical scope of studies on TMFs under climate change to address these uncertainties. In the short term, however, in-depth research in well-studied regions and advances in computer modelling approaches offer the most reliable sources of information for expeditious conservation action for these threatened forests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erik O Mata-Guel
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Highfield Campus, Southampton, SO17 1BJ, UK
| | - Malcolm C K Soh
- National Park Boards, 1 Cluny Road, Singapore, 259569, Singapore
| | - Connor W Butler
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Highfield Campus, Southampton, SO17 1BJ, UK
| | - Rebecca J Morris
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Highfield Campus, Southampton, SO17 1BJ, UK
| | - Orly Razgour
- Biosciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, EX4 4PS, UK
| | - Kelvin S-H Peh
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Highfield Campus, Southampton, SO17 1BJ, UK
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4
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Prileson EG, Clark J, Diamond SE, Lenard A, Medina-Báez OA, Yilmaz AR, Martin RA. Keep your cool: Overwintering physiology in response to urbanization in the acorn ant, Temnothorax curvispinosus. J Therm Biol 2023; 114:103591. [PMID: 37276746 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2023.103591] [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: 02/10/2023] [Revised: 05/04/2023] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Winter presents a challenge for survival, yet temperate ectotherms have remarkable physiological adaptations to cope with low-temperature conditions. Under recent climate change, rather than strictly relaxing pressure on overwintering survival, warmer winters can instead disrupt these low-temperature trait-environment associations, with negative consequences for populations. While there is increasing evidence of physiological adaptation to contemporary warming during the growing season, the effects of winter warming on physiological traits are less clear. To address this knowledge gap, we performed a common garden experiment using relatively warm-adapted versus cold-adapted populations of the acorn ant, Temnothorax curvispinosus, sampled across an urban heat island gradient, to explore the effects of winter conditions on plasticity and evolution of physiological traits. We found no evidence of evolutionary divergence in chill coma recovery nor in metabolic rate at either of two test temperatures (4 and 10 °C). Although we found the expected plastic response of increased metabolic rate under the 10 °C acute test temperature as compared with the 4 °C test temperature, this plastic response, (i.e., the acute thermal sensitivity of metabolic rate), was not different across populations. Surprisingly, we found that winter-acclimated urban ant populations exhibited higher heat tolerance compared with rural ant populations, and that the magnitude of divergence was comparable to that observed among growing-season acclimated ants. Finally, we found no evidence of differences between populations with respect to changes in colony size from the beginning to the end of the overwintering experiment. Together, these findings indicate that despite the evolution of higher heat tolerance that is often accompanied by losses in low-temperature tolerance, urban acorn ants have retained several components of low-temperature physiological performance when assessed under ecologically relevant overwintering conditions. Our study suggests the importance of measuring physiological traits under seasonally-relevant conditions to understand the causes and consequences of evolutionary responses to contemporary warming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric G Prileson
- Case Western Reserve University, Department of Biology, USA.
| | - Jordan Clark
- Case Western Reserve University, Department of Biology, USA
| | | | - Angie Lenard
- Case Western Reserve University, Department of Biology, USA
| | | | - Aaron R Yilmaz
- USDA Agricultural Research Service, Horticultural Insects Research Laboratory, USA
| | - Ryan A Martin
- Case Western Reserve University, Department of Biology, USA
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5
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Diamond SE, Bellino G, Deme GG. Urban insect bioarks of the 21st century. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2023; 57:101028. [PMID: 37024047 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2023.101028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2023] [Revised: 03/26/2023] [Accepted: 03/30/2023] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Insects exhibit divergent biodiversity responses to cities. Many urban populations are not at equilibrium: biodiversity decline or recovery from environmental perturbation is often still in progress. Substantial variation in urban biodiversity patterns suggests the need to understand its mechanistic basis. In addition, current urban infrastructure decisions might profoundly influence future biodiversity trends. Although many nature-based solutions to urban climate problems also support urban insect biodiversity, trade-offs are possible and should be avoided to maximize biodiversity-climate cobenefits. Because insects are coping with the dual threats of urbanization and climate change, there is an urgent need to design cities that facilitate persistence within the city footprint or facilitate compensatory responses to global climate change as species transit through the city footprint.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah E Diamond
- Department of Biology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA.
| | - Grace Bellino
- Department of Biology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Gideon G Deme
- Department of Biology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
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6
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Bonier F. Future directions in urban endocrinology - The effects of endocrine plasticity on urban tolerance. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2023; 565:111886. [PMID: 36775244 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2023.111886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2022] [Revised: 02/09/2023] [Accepted: 02/10/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2023]
Abstract
After twenty years of studies of endocrine traits in animals living in cities, the field of urban endocrinology has built a robust literature including numerous studies looking for signatures of the effects of urban living, usually in mean circulating hormone concentrations. The findings of this past research have primarily demonstrated the absence of any generalizable endocrine responses to city life. In this opinion paper, I suggest that a strong route forward would include investigations of the role of variation in endocrine plasticity in determining the degree to which organisms tolerate urban challenges (i.e., urban tolerance). Achieving this research aim will require creative experimental and comparative studies, consideration of alternative study systems, and teasing apart of sources of variation in plastic phenotypes (plasticity, sorting, and contemporary evolution). Insight into the role of endocrine plasticity in influencing urban tolerance could help us better understand and predict impacts of expanding urbanization on biodiversity across the globe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frances Bonier
- Department of Biology, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, K7L 3N6, Canada.
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7
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Wund MA, Stevens DR. An introduction to the Special Issue honouring Susan A. Foster. Anim Behav 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2023.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/07/2023]
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8
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Eriksson M, Kinnby A, De Wit P, Rafajlović M. Adaptive, maladaptive, neutral, or absent plasticity: Hidden caveats of reaction norms. Evol Appl 2023; 16:486-503. [PMID: 36793703 PMCID: PMC9923493 DOI: 10.1111/eva.13482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2022] [Revised: 08/30/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Adaptive phenotypic plasticity may improve the response of individuals when faced with new environmental conditions. Typically, empirical evidence for plasticity is based on phenotypic reaction norms obtained in reciprocal transplant experiments. In such experiments, individuals from their native environment are transplanted into a different environment, and a number of trait values, potentially implicated in individuals' response to the new environment, are measured. However, the interpretations of reaction norms may differ depending on the nature of the assessed traits, which may not be known beforehand. For example, for traits that contribute to local adaptation, adaptive plasticity implies nonzero slopes of reaction norms. By contrast, for traits that are correlated to fitness, high tolerance to different environments (possibly due to adaptive plasticity in traits that contribute to adaptation) may, instead, result in flat reaction norms. Here we investigate reaction norms for adaptive versus fitness-correlated traits and how they may affect the conclusions regarding the contribution of plasticity. To this end, we first simulate range expansion along an environmental gradient where plasticity evolves to different values locally and then perform reciprocal transplant experiments in silico. We show that reaction norms alone cannot inform us whether the assessed trait exhibits locally adaptive, maladaptive, neutral, or no plasticity, without any additional knowledge of the traits assessed and species' biology. We use the insights from the model to analyse and interpret empirical data from reciprocal transplant experiments involving the marine isopod Idotea balthica sampled from two geographical locations with different salinities, concluding that the low-salinity population likely has reduced adaptive plasticity relative to the high-salinity population. Overall, we conclude that, when interpreting results from reciprocal transplant experiments, it is necessary to consider whether traits assessed are locally adaptive with respect to the environmental variable accounted for in the experiments or correlated to fitness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Eriksson
- Department of Marine SciencesUniversity of GothenburgGothenburgSweden
- Linnaeus Centre for Marine Evolutionary BiologyUniversity of GothenburgGothenburgSweden
- Gothenburg Global Biodiversity CentreUniversity of GothenburgGothenburgSweden
| | - Alexandra Kinnby
- Linnaeus Centre for Marine Evolutionary BiologyUniversity of GothenburgGothenburgSweden
- Department of Marine SciencesUniversity of GothenburgStrömstad‐TjärnöSweden
| | - Pierre De Wit
- Linnaeus Centre for Marine Evolutionary BiologyUniversity of GothenburgGothenburgSweden
- Department of Marine SciencesUniversity of GothenburgStrömstad‐TjärnöSweden
| | - Marina Rafajlović
- Department of Marine SciencesUniversity of GothenburgGothenburgSweden
- Linnaeus Centre for Marine Evolutionary BiologyUniversity of GothenburgGothenburgSweden
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9
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Ahlawat N, Geeta Arun M, Maggu K, Jigisha, Singh A, Prasad NG. Drosophila melanogaster hosts coevolving with Pseudomonas entomophila pathogen show sex-specific patterns of local adaptation. BMC Ecol Evol 2022; 22:77. [PMID: 35717176 PMCID: PMC9206745 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-022-02031-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2021] [Accepted: 06/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background In spatially structured populations, local adaptation improves organisms’ fitness in their native environment. Hosts and pathogens can rapidly adapt to their local antagonist. Since males and females can differ in their immunocompetence, the patterns of local adaptation can be different between the sexes. However, there is little information about sex differences in local adaptation in host–pathogen systems. Results In the current study, we experimentally coevolved four different replicate populations of Drosophila melanogaster (host) and Pseudomonas entomophila (pathogen) along with appropriate controls. We used the four host–pathogen coevolution populations to investigate the occurrence of local adaptation separately in males and females of the coevolving hosts. We also assessed local adaptation in pathogens. We set up a reciprocal infection experiment where we infected each of the four coevolving hosts with their local pathogen or non-local pathogens from the other three replicate populations. We found that overall, male and female hosts had better survivorship when infected with local pathogens, indicating that they were locally adapted. Interestingly, males were more susceptible to non-local pathogens compared to females. In addition, we found no fecundity cost in females infected with either local or non-local pathogens. We found no evidence of local adaptation among the pathogens. Conclusion Our study showed sex-specific adaptation in the coevolving hosts where female hosts had a broader response against allopatric coevolving pathogens with no cost in fecundity. Thus, our results might suggest a novel mechanism that can maintain variation in susceptibility in spatially structured populations. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12862-022-02031-8.
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10
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Wadgymar SM, DeMarche ML, Josephs EB, Sheth SN, Anderson JT. Local adaptation: Causal agents of selection and adaptive trait divergence. ANNUAL REVIEW OF ECOLOGY, EVOLUTION, AND SYSTEMATICS 2022; 53:87-111. [PMID: 37790997 PMCID: PMC10544833 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-ecolsys-012722-035231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/05/2023]
Abstract
Divergent selection across the landscape can favor the evolution of local adaptation in populations experiencing contrasting conditions. Local adaptation is widely observed in a diversity of taxa, yet we have a surprisingly limited understanding of the mechanisms that give rise to it. For instance, few have experimentally confirmed the biotic and abiotic variables that promote local adaptation, and fewer yet have identified the phenotypic targets of selection that mediate local adaptation. Here, we highlight critical gaps in our understanding of the process of local adaptation and discuss insights emerging from in-depth investigations of the agents of selection that drive local adaptation, the phenotypes they target, and the genetic basis of these phenotypes. We review historical and contemporary methods for assessing local adaptation, explore whether local adaptation manifests differently across life history, and evaluate constraints on local adaptation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Megan L DeMarche
- Department of Plant Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Emily B Josephs
- Department of Plant Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
- Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - Seema N Sheth
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
| | - Jill T Anderson
- Department of Genetics and Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602
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11
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Jackson N, Littleford-Colquhoun BL, Strickland K, Class B, Frere CH. Selection in the city: Rapid and fine-scale evolution of urban eastern water dragons. Evolution 2022; 76:2302-2314. [PMID: 35971751 DOI: 10.1111/evo.14596] [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: 12/06/2021] [Revised: 06/27/2022] [Accepted: 07/18/2022] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Oceanic archipelagos have long been treated as a Petri dish for studies of evolutionary and ecological processes. Like archipelagos, cities exhibit similar patterns and processes, such as the rapid phenotypic divergence of a species between urban and nonurban environments. However, on a local scale, cities can be highly heterogenous, where geographically close populations can experience dramatically different environmental conditions. Nevertheless, we are yet to understand the evolutionary and ecological implications for populations spread across a heterogenous cityscape. To address this, we compared neutral genetic divergence to quantitative trait divergence within three native riparian and four city park populations of an iconic urban adapter, the eastern water dragon. We demonstrated that selection is likely acting to drive divergence of snout-vent length and jaw width across native riparian populations that are geographically isolated and across city park populations that are geographically close yet isolated by urbanization. City park populations as close as 0.9 km exhibited signs of selection-driven divergence to the same extent as native riparian populations isolated by up to 114.5 km. These findings suggest that local adaptation may be occurring over exceptionally small geographic and temporal scales within a single metropolis, demonstrating that city parks can act as archipelagos for the study of rapid evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Jackson
- Global Change Ecology Research Group, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, QLD, 4556, Australia
| | - Bethan L Littleford-Colquhoun
- Global Change Ecology Research Group, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, QLD, 4556, Australia.,Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, 02912, US.,Institute at Brown for Environment and Society, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, 02912, US
| | - Kasha Strickland
- Global Change Ecology Research Group, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, QLD, 4556, Australia.,Department of Aquaculture and Fish Biology, Hólar University, Sauðarkrókur, 550, Iceland
| | - Barbara Class
- Global Change Ecology Research Group, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, QLD, 4556, Australia
| | - Celine H Frere
- Global Change Ecology Research Group, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, QLD, 4556, Australia.,School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia
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12
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Diamond SE, Martin RA, Bellino G, Crown KN, Prileson EG. Urban evolution of thermal physiology in a range-expanding, mycophagous fruit fly, Drosophila tripunctata. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2022. [DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blac094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
In Drosophila spp., their often high number of annual generations, large population sizes and large amounts of standing genetic variation should predispose them to undergo contemporary adaptation to climatic warming. However, a number of laboratory experimental evolution studies in this group of organisms suggest strong limits on the rate and magnitude of contemporary thermal adaptation. Here, we explore this discrepancy by examining the potential for rapid evolutionary divergence between wild populations of Drosophila tripunctata Loew, 1862 from rural and urban sites. We performed a multi-generation common garden study and found evidence for the evolution of higher heat tolerance (critical thermal maximum) in flies from urban populations. We also detected evolutionary divergence in cold resistance (chill coma recovery time), with diminished cold resistance in flies from urban populations, although the effect was weaker than the shift in heat tolerance. Our study provides evidence of contemporary urban thermal adaptation, although the magnitude of phenotypic change lagged the magnitude of environmental temperature change across the urbanization gradient, suggesting potential limits on the evolution of urban thermal physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah E Diamond
- Department of Biology, Case Western Reserve University , Cleveland, OH 44106 , USA
| | - Ryan A Martin
- Department of Biology, Case Western Reserve University , Cleveland, OH 44106 , USA
| | - Grace Bellino
- Department of Biology, Case Western Reserve University , Cleveland, OH 44106 , USA
| | - K Nicole Crown
- Department of Biology, Case Western Reserve University , Cleveland, OH 44106 , USA
| | - Eric G Prileson
- Department of Biology, Case Western Reserve University , Cleveland, OH 44106 , USA
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13
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Janda M. Becoming urban: How city life shapes the social structure and genetics of ants. Mol Ecol 2022; 31:4589-4592. [PMID: 35962743 PMCID: PMC9543373 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 07/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Cities and urban environments can do peculiar things to biodiversity that shares them with us. How cities affect their invited and uninvited inhabitants has become an increasingly important question. More than half of the world's population dwells in urban areas, and these environments will keep expanding considerably. Understanding how this relatively recent, rapid, and pervasive form of landscape modification influences the ecology and evolution of organisms that cannot escape, or may benefit from it, is an emerging field of biology. Although we are aware of how some birds, mammals or plants respond to urban environments, less is known about insects and invertebrates in general. In this issue of Molecular Ecology, Blumenfeld et al. (2022) bring new remarkable insights into how a common ant species adjusts to urban settings across the United States by changing its social structure and behaviour. Using a large-scale molecular, chemical and behavioural dataset, they document how the odorous house ant Tapinoma sessile differs in its colony organisation and dispersal strategy between rural and urban habitats. In each of the study regions and continent-wide, rural and urban colonies are genetically and chemically differentiated, suggesting that urban settings act as potent agents of selection and isolation. The novelty and importance of this study are that it documents multiple independent transitions toward the same social organisation and the apparent effect of habitat on the life history of a eusocial insect species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Milan Janda
- Investigador Conacyt, Escuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores Unidad MoreliaUniversidad Nacional Autonoma de MexicoMoreliaMexico
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of SciencePalacky University OlomoucOlomoucCzech Republic
- Institute of EntomologyBiology Centre Czech Academy of SciencesCeske BudejoviceCzech Republic
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14
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Miles LS, Murray‐Stoker D, Nhan VJ, Johnson MTJ. Effects of urbanization on specialist insect communities of milkweed are mediated by spatial and temporal variation. Ecosphere 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.4222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Lindsay S. Miles
- Department of Biology University of Toronto Mississauga Mississauga Ontario Canada
- Centre for Urban Environments, University of Toronto Mississauga Mississauga Ontario Canada
| | - David Murray‐Stoker
- Department of Biology University of Toronto Mississauga Mississauga Ontario Canada
- Centre for Urban Environments, University of Toronto Mississauga Mississauga Ontario Canada
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of Toronto Toronto Ontario Canada
| | - Vanessa J. Nhan
- Department of Biology University of Toronto Mississauga Mississauga Ontario Canada
| | - Marc T. J. Johnson
- Department of Biology University of Toronto Mississauga Mississauga Ontario Canada
- Centre for Urban Environments, University of Toronto Mississauga Mississauga Ontario Canada
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of Toronto Toronto Ontario Canada
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15
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Vidal A, Iturriaga M, Mancina CA, Cézilly F. Differences in sex ratio, tail autotomy, body size and body condition between suburban and forest populations of the cuban endemic lizard Anolis homolechis. Urban Ecosyst 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s11252-022-01259-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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16
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Diamond SE, Prileson EG, Martin RA. Adaptation to urban environments. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2022; 51:100893. [PMID: 35240334 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2022.100893] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2022] [Revised: 02/18/2022] [Accepted: 02/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Despite widespread evidence of urban evolution, the adaptive nature of these changes is often unclear. We review different phenotypic and molecular lines of evidence used for assessing urban adaptation, discussing the benefits and limitations of each approach, and rare examples of their integration. We then provide a synthesis of local adaptation to urban and rural environments. These data were drawn from phenotypic reciprocal transplant studies, the majority of which focus on insects and other arthropods. Broadly, we found support for local adaptation to urban and rural environments. However, there was asymmetry in the evidence for local adaptation depending on population of origin, with urban adaptation being less prevalent than rural adaptation, suggesting many urban populations are still adapting to urban environments. Further, the general patterns were underlain by considerable variation among study systems; we discuss how environmental heterogeneity and costs of adaptation might explain system-specific variation in urban-rural local adaptation. We then look to the future of urban adaptation research, considering the magnitude and direction of adaptation in context of different agents of selection including urban heat islands, chemical pollutants, and biotic interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah E Diamond
- Department of Biology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA.
| | - Eric G Prileson
- Department of Biology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Ryan A Martin
- Department of Biology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA.
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17
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Parr CL, Bishop TR. The response of ants to climate change. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2022; 28:3188-3205. [PMID: 35274797 PMCID: PMC9314018 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2021] [Accepted: 01/06/2022] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) are one of the most dominant terrestrial organisms worldwide. They are hugely abundant, both in terms of sheer numbers and biomass, on every continent except Antarctica and are deeply embedded within a diversity of ecological networks and processes. Ants are also eusocial and colonial organisms-their lifecycle is built on the labor of sterile worker ants who support a small number of reproductive individuals. Given the climatic changes that our planet faces, we need to understand how various important taxonomic groups will respond; this includes the ants. In this review, we synthesize the available literature to tackle this question. The answer is complicated. The ant literature has focused on temperature, and we broadly understand the ways in which thermal changes may affect ant colonies, populations, and communities. In general, we expect that species living in the Tropics, and in thermally variable microhabitats, such as the canopy and leaf litter environments, will be negatively impacted by rising temperatures. Species living in the temperate zones and those able to thermally buffer their nests in the soil or behaviorally avoid higher temperatures, however, are likely to be unaffected or may even benefit from a changed climate. How ants will respond to changes to other abiotic drivers associated with climate change is largely unknown, as is the detail on how altered ant populations and communities will ramify through their wider ecological networks. We discuss how eusociality may allow ants to adapt to, or tolerate, climate change in ways that solitary organisms cannot and we identify key geographic and phylogenetic hotspots of climate vulnerability and resistance. We finish by emphasizing the key research questions that we need to address moving forward so that we may fully appreciate how this critical insect group will respond to the ongoing climate crisis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine L. Parr
- Department of Earth, Ocean and Ecological SciencesUniversity of LiverpoolLiverpoolUK
- Department of Zoology and EntomologyUniversity of PretoriaPretoriaSouth Africa
- School of Animal, Plant and Environmental SciencesUniversity of the WitwatersrandWitsSouth Africa
| | - Tom R. Bishop
- Department of Zoology and EntomologyUniversity of PretoriaPretoriaSouth Africa
- School of BiosciencesCardiff UniversityCardiffUK
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18
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Pipoly I, Preiszner B, Sándor K, Sinkovics C, Seress G, Vincze E, Bókony V, Liker A. Extreme Hot Weather Has Stronger Impacts on Avian Reproduction in Forests Than in Cities. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.825410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Climate change and urbanisation are among the most salient human-induced changes affecting Earth’s biota. Extreme weather events can have high biological impacts and are becoming more frequent recently. In cities, the urban heat island can amplify the intensity and frequency of hot weather events. However, the joint effects of heat events and urban microclimate on wildlife are unclear, as urban populations may either suffer more from increased heat stress or may adapt to tolerate warmer temperatures. Here, we test whether the effects of hot weather on reproductive success of great tits (Parus major) are exacerbated or dampened in urban environments compared to forest habitats. By studying 760 broods from two urban and two forest populations over 6 years, we show that 14–16 days-old nestlings have smaller body mass and tarsus length, and suffer increased mortality when they experience a higher number of hot days during the nestling period. The negative effects of hot weather on body mass and survival are significantly stronger in forests than in urban areas, where these effects are dampened or even reversed. These results suggest that urban nestlings are less vulnerable to extreme hot weather conditions than their non-urban conspecifics. This difference might be the result of adaptations that facilitate heat dissipation, including smaller body size, altered plumage and reduced brood size. Alternatively or additionally, parental provisioning and food availability may be less affected by heat in urban areas. Our findings suggest that adaptation to heat stress may help birds cope with the joint challenges of climate change and urbanisation.
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19
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Dunn RR, Burger JR, Carlen EJ, Koltz AM, Light JE, Martin RA, Munshi-South J, Nichols LM, Vargo EL, Yitbarek S, Zhao Y, Cibrián-Jaramillo A. A Theory of City Biogeography and the Origin of Urban Species. FRONTIERS IN CONSERVATION SCIENCE 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fcosc.2022.761449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Many of the choices humans make with regard to infrastructure, urban planning and other phenomena have impacts that will last thousands of years. This can readily be seen in modern cities in which contemporary streets run along street grids that were laid out thousands of years prior or even in which ancient viaducts still play a role. However, rarely do evolutionary biologists explicitly consider the future of life likely to be associated with the decisions we are making today. Here, we consider the evolutionary future of species in cities with a focus on the origin of lineages and species. We do so by adjusting evolutionary predictions from the theory of island biogeography so as to correspond to the unique features of cities as islands. Specifically, the species endemic to cities tend to be associated with the gray habitats in cities. Those habitats tend to be dominated by human bodies, pet bodies and stored food. It is among such species where the origin of new lineages is most likely, although most research on evolution in cities has focused on green habitats. We conclude by considering a range of scenarios for the far future and their implications for the origin of lineages and species.
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20
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Hernandez-Castro LE, Villacís AG, Jacobs A, Cheaib B, Day CC, Ocaña-Mayorga S, Yumiseva CA, Bacigalupo A, Andersson B, Matthews L, Landguth EL, Costales JA, Llewellyn MS, Grijalva MJ. Population genomics and geographic dispersal in Chagas disease vectors: Landscape drivers and evidence of possible adaptation to the domestic setting. PLoS Genet 2022; 18:e1010019. [PMID: 35120121 PMCID: PMC8849464 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1010019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2021] [Revised: 02/16/2022] [Accepted: 01/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Accurate prediction of vectors dispersal, as well as identification of adaptations that allow blood-feeding vectors to thrive in built environments, are a basis for effective disease control. Here we adopted a landscape genomics approach to assay gene flow, possible local adaptation, and drivers of population structure in Rhodnius ecuadoriensis, an important vector of Chagas disease. We used a reduced-representation sequencing technique (2b-RADseq) to obtain 2,552 SNP markers across 272 R. ecuadoriensis samples from 25 collection sites in southern Ecuador. Evidence of high and directional gene flow between seven wild and domestic population pairs across our study site indicates insecticide-based control will be hindered by repeated re-infestation of houses from the forest. Preliminary genome scans across multiple population pairs revealed shared outlier loci potentially consistent with local adaptation to the domestic setting, which we mapped to genes involved with embryogenesis and saliva production. Landscape genomic models showed elevation is a key barrier to R. ecuadoriensis dispersal. Together our results shed early light on the genomic adaptation in triatomine vectors and facilitate vector control by predicting that spatially-targeted, proactive interventions would be more efficacious than current, reactive approaches. Re-infestation of recently insecticide-treated houses by wild/secondary triatomine, their potential adaptation to this new environment and capabilities to geographically disperse across multiple human communities jeopardise sustainable Chagas disease control. This is the first study in Chagas disease vectors that identifies genomic regions possibly linked to adaptations to the built environment and describes landscape drivers for accurate prediction of geographic dispersal. We sampled multiple domestic and wild Rhodnius ecuadoriensis population pairs across a mountainous terrain in southern Ecuador. We evidenced that triatomine movement from forest to built enviroments does occur at a high rate. In these highly connected population pairs we detected loci possibly linked to local adaptation among the genomic makers we evaluated and in doing so we pave the way for future triatomine genomic research. We highlighted that current haphazardous vector control in the zone will be hindered by reinfestation of triatomines from the forest. Instead, we recommend frequent and spatially-targeted vector control and provided a landacape genomic model that identifies highly connected and isolated triatomine populations to facilitate efficient vector control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis E. Hernandez-Castro
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
- The Epidemiology, Economics and Risk Assessment Group, The Roslin Institute, Easter Bush Campus, The University of Edinburgh, Midlothian, United Kingdom
- * E-mail: (LEH-C); (MSL)
| | - Anita G. Villacís
- Centro de Investigación para la Salud en América Latina, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Arne Jacobs
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
- Department of Natural Resources and the Environment, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
| | - Bachar Cheaib
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Casey C. Day
- Computational Ecology Lab, School of Public and Community Health Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana, United States of America
| | - Sofía Ocaña-Mayorga
- Centro de Investigación para la Salud en América Latina, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Cesar A. Yumiseva
- Centro de Investigación para la Salud en América Latina, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Antonella Bacigalupo
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Björn Andersson
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Louise Matthews
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Erin L. Landguth
- Computational Ecology Lab, School of Public and Community Health Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana, United States of America
- Center for Population Health Research, School of Public and Community Health Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana, United States of America
| | - Jaime A. Costales
- Centro de Investigación para la Salud en América Latina, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Martin S. Llewellyn
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
- * E-mail: (LEH-C); (MSL)
| | - Mario J. Grijalva
- Centro de Investigación para la Salud en América Latina, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador
- Infectious and Tropical Disease Institute, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, Ohio University, Athens, Ohio, United States of America
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21
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Abstract
Although research performed in cities will not uncover new evolutionary mechanisms, it could provide unprecedented opportunities to examine the interplay of evolutionary forces in new ways and new avenues to address classic questions. However, while the variation within and among cities affords many opportunities to advance evolutionary biology research, careful alignment between how cities are used and the research questions being asked is necessary to maximize the insights that can be gained. In this review, we develop a framework to help guide alignment between urban evolution research approaches and questions. Using this framework, we highlight what has been accomplished to date in the field of urban evolution and identify several up-and-coming research directions for further expansion. We conclude that urban environments can be used as evolutionary test beds to tackle both new and long-standing questions in evolutionary biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah E. Diamond
- Department of Biology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106, USA;,
| | - Ryan A. Martin
- Department of Biology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106, USA;,
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22
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Urbanization extends flight phenology and leads to local adaptation of seasonal plasticity in Lepidoptera. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2106006118. [PMID: 34580222 PMCID: PMC8501875 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2106006118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Cities represent novel environments with altered seasonality; they are warmer, which may accelerate growth, but light pollution can also lengthen days, misleading organisms that use daylength to predict seasonal change. Using long-term observational data, we show that urban populations of a butterfly and a moth have longer flight seasons than neighboring rural populations for six Nordic city regions. Next, using laboratory experiments, we show that the induction of diapause by daylength has evolved in urban populations in the direction predicted by urban warming. We thus show that the altered seasonality of urban environments can lead to corresponding evolutionary changes in the seasonal responses of urban populations, a pattern that may be repeated in other species. Urbanization is gaining force globally, which challenges biodiversity, and it has recently also emerged as an agent of evolutionary change. Seasonal phenology and life cycle regulation are essential processes that urbanization is likely to alter through both the urban heat island effect (UHI) and artificial light at night (ALAN). However, how UHI and ALAN affect the evolution of seasonal adaptations has received little attention. Here, we test for the urban evolution of seasonal life-history plasticity, specifically changes in the photoperiodic induction of diapause in two lepidopterans, Pieris napi (Pieridae) and Chiasmia clathrata (Geometridae). We used long-term data from standardized monitoring and citizen science observation schemes to compare yearly phenological flight curves in six cities in Finland and Sweden to those of adjacent rural populations. This analysis showed for both species that flight seasons are longer and end later in most cities, suggesting a difference in the timing of diapause induction. Then, we used common garden experiments to test whether the evolution of the photoperiodic reaction norm for diapause could explain these phenological changes for a subset of these cities. These experiments demonstrated a genetic shift for both species in urban areas toward a lower daylength threshold for direct development, consistent with predictions based on the UHI but not ALAN. The correspondence of this genetic change to the results of our larger-scale observational analysis of in situ flight phenology indicates that it may be widespread. These findings suggest that seasonal life cycle regulation evolves in urban ectotherms and may contribute to ecoevolutionary dynamics in cities.
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23
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Blumenfeld AJ, Eyer PA, Helms AM, Buczkowski G, Vargo EL. Consistent signatures of urban adaptation in a native, urban invader ant Tapinoma sessile. Mol Ecol 2021; 31:4832-4850. [PMID: 34551170 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2021] [Revised: 09/11/2021] [Accepted: 09/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Biological invasions are becoming more prevalent due to the rise of global trade and expansion of urban areas. Ants are among the most prolific invaders with many exhibiting a multiqueen colony structure, dependent colony foundation and reduced internest aggression. Although these characteristics are generally associated with the invasions of exotic ants, they may also facilitate the spread of native ants into novel habitats. Native to diverse habitats across North America, the odorous house ant Tapinoma sessile has become abundant in urban environments throughout the United States. Natural colonies typically have a small workforce, inhabit a single nest, and are headed by a single queen, whereas urban colonies tend to be several orders of magnitude larger, inhabit multiple nests (i.e., polydomy) and are headed by multiple queens (i.e., polygyny). Here, we explore and compare the population genetic and breeding structure of T. sessile within and between urban and natural environments in several localities across its distribution range. We found the social structure of a colony to be a plastic trait in both habitats, although extreme polygyny was confined to urban habitats. Additionally, polydomous colonies were only present in urban habitats, suggesting T. sessile can only achieve supercoloniality within urbanized areas. Finally, we identified strong differentiation between urban and natural populations in each locality and continent-wide, indicating cities may restrict gene flow and exert intense selection pressure. Overall, our study highlights urbanization's influence in charting the evolutionary course for species.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Pierre-André Eyer
- Department of Entomology, TAMU, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA
| | - Anjel M Helms
- Department of Entomology, TAMU, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA
| | | | - Edward L Vargo
- Department of Entomology, TAMU, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA
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