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Gamboa M, Gotoh Y, Doloiras-Laraño A, Watanabe K. Response of wild aquatic insect communities to thermal variation through comparative landscape transcriptomics. ARCHIVES OF INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY 2024; 116:e22137. [PMID: 39137227 DOI: 10.1002/arch.22137] [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: 06/13/2024] [Revised: 07/07/2024] [Accepted: 07/24/2024] [Indexed: 08/15/2024]
Abstract
Fluctuations in temperature are recognized as a potent driver of selection pressure, fostering genomic variations that are crucial for the adaptation and survival of organisms under selection. Notably, water temperature is a pivotal factor influencing aquatic organism persistence. By comprehending how aquatic organisms respond to shifts in water temperature, we can understand their potential physiological adaptations to environmental change in one or multiple species. This, in turn, contributes to the formulation of biologically relevant guidelines for the landscape scale transcriptome profile of organisms in lotic systems. Here, we investigated the distinct responses of seven stream stonefly species, collected from four geographical regions across Japan, to variations in temperature, including atmospheric and water temperatures. We achieved this by assessing the differences in gene expression through RNA-sequencing within individual species and exploring the patterns of community-genes among different species. We identified 735 genes that exhibited differential expressions across the temperature gradient. Remarkably, the community displayed expression levels differences of respiration and metabolic genes. Additionally, the diversity in molecular functions appeared to be linked to spatial variation, with water temperature differences potentially contributing to the overall functional diversity of genes. We found 22 community-genes with consistent expression patterns among species in response to water temperature variations. These genes related to respiration, metabolism and development exhibited a clear gradient providing robust evidence of divergent adaptive responses to water temperature. Our findings underscore the differential adaptation of stonefly species to local environmental conditions, suggesting that shared responses in gene expression may occur across multiple species under similar environmental conditions. This study emphasizes the significance of considering various species when assessing the impacts of environmental changes on aquatic insect communities and understanding potential mechanisms to cope with such changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maribet Gamboa
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Science, Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción, Concepción, Chile
- Centro de Investigación en Biodiversidad y Ambientes Sustentables (CIBAS), Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Yusuke Gotoh
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Ehime University, Matsuyama, Japan
| | | | - Kozo Watanabe
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Ehime University, Matsuyama, Japan
- Ehime University, Center Marine Environmental Studies (CMES), Matsuyama, Japan
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2
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Yoshimura M. Hypothesised life cycle adaptation of stonefly (Plecoptera) in response to increased water temperatures. J Therm Biol 2023; 113:103533. [PMID: 37055137 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2023.103533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 02/21/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023]
Abstract
Water temperature is the most important and critical factor for freshwater invertebrates and it fluctuates with an increase in air temperature. In this study, the effect of water temperature on egg development was clarified in Stavsolus japonicus, and the response to climate change in stoneflies with long egg periods were considered. Water temperatures prior to 43 days before hatching likely do not affect egg development in Stavsolus japonicus. Instead, they use egg diapause as an adaptive strategy to survive hot summer conditions. Increased water temperatures may cause migration to higher elevations for stoneflies that have lower adaptability in their egg development period, with populations eventually becoming stranded where no higher elevation or cooler habitat is available. Species extinction is expected to increase with increasing temperatures, leading to reduced biodiversity in many ecosystems. Indirect effects of water warming on maturation and reproduction may lead to substantial reductions in benthic invertebrate populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mayumi Yoshimura
- Kansai Research Center, Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, Nagaikyutaro 68, Momoyama, Fushimi, Kyoto, 612-0855, Japan.
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3
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Shah AA, Hotaling S, Lapsansky AB, Malison RL, Birrell JH, Keeley T, Giersch JJ, Tronstad LM, Woods HA. Warming undermines emergence success in a threatened alpine stonefly: A multi‐trait perspective on vulnerability to climate change. Funct Ecol 2023. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.14284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/19/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Alisha A. Shah
- Division of Biological Sciences University of Montana Missoula Montana USA
- W.K. Kellogg Biological Station, Department of Integrative Biology Michigan State University Hickory Corners Michigan USA
| | - Scott Hotaling
- School of Biological Sciences Washington State University Pullman Washington USA
- Department of Watershed Sciences Utah State University Logan Utah USA
| | - Anthony B. Lapsansky
- Division of Biological Sciences University of Montana Missoula Montana USA
- Department of Zoology University of British Columbia Vancouver British Columbia Canada
| | - Rachel L. Malison
- Flathead Lake Biological Station University of Montana Missoula Montana USA
| | - Jackson H. Birrell
- Division of Biological Sciences University of Montana Missoula Montana USA
| | - Tylor Keeley
- Division of Biological Sciences University of Montana Missoula Montana USA
| | - J. Joseph Giersch
- Flathead Lake Biological Station University of Montana Missoula Montana USA
| | - Lusha M. Tronstad
- Wyoming Natural Diversity Database University of Wyoming Laramie Wyoming USA
| | - H. Arthur Woods
- Division of Biological Sciences University of Montana Missoula Montana USA
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Bonacina L, Fasano F, Mezzanotte V, Fornaroli R. Effects of water temperature on freshwater macroinvertebrates: a systematic review. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2023; 98:191-221. [PMID: 36173002 PMCID: PMC10088029 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12903] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2021] [Revised: 08/26/2022] [Accepted: 08/31/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Water temperature is one of the main abiotic factors affecting the structure and functioning of aquatic ecosystems and its alteration can have important effects on biological communities. Macroinvertebrates are excellent bio-indicators and have been used for decades to assess the status of aquatic ecosystems as a result of environmental stresses; however, their responses to temperature are poorly documented and have not been systematically evaluated. The aims of this review are: (i) to collate and summarize responses of freshwater macroinvertebrates to different temperature conditions, comparing the results of experimental and theoretical studies; (ii) to understand how the focus of research on the effects of temperature on macroinvertebrates has changed during the last 51 years; and (iii) to identify research gaps regarding temperature responses, ecosystem types, organism groups, spatiotemporal scales, and geographical regions to suggest possible research directions. We performed a comparative assessment of 223 publications that specifically consider freshwater macroinvertebrates and address the effects of temperature. Short-term studies performed in the laboratory and focusing on insects exposed to a range of temperatures dominated. Field studies were carried out mainly in Europe, at catchment scale and almost exclusively in rivers; they mainly investigated responses to water thermal regime at the community scale. The most frequent biological responses tested were growth rate, fecundity and the time and length of emergence, whereas ecological responses mainly involved composition, richness, and distribution. Thermal research on freshwater macroinvertebrates has undergone a shift since the 2000s when studies involving extended spatiotemporal scales and investigating the effects of global warming first appeared. In addition, recent studies have considered the effects of temperature at genetic and evolutionary scales. Our review revealed that the effects of temperature on macroinvertebrates are manifold with implications at different levels, from genes to communities. However, community-level physiological, phenological and fitness responses tested on individuals or populations should be studied in more detail given their macroecological effects are likely to be enhanced by climate warming. In addition, most field studies at regional scales have used air temperature as a proxy for water temperature; obtaining accurate water temperature data in future studies will be important to allow proper consideration of the spatial thermal heterogeneity of water bodies and any effects on macroinvertebrate distribution patterns. Finally, we found an uneven number of studies across different ecosystems and geographic areas, with lentic bodies and regions outside the West underrepresented. It will also be crucial to include macroinvertebrates of high-altitude and tropical areas in future work because these groups are most vulnerable to climate warming for multiple reasons. Further studies on temperature-macroinvertebrate relationships are needed to fill the current gaps and facilitate appropriate conservation strategies for freshwater ecosystems in an anthropogenic-driven era.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Bonacina
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences (DISAT), University of Milano-Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza 1, 20126, Milan, Italy
| | - Federica Fasano
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences (DISAT), University of Milano-Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza 1, 20126, Milan, Italy
| | - Valeria Mezzanotte
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences (DISAT), University of Milano-Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza 1, 20126, Milan, Italy
| | - Riccardo Fornaroli
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences (DISAT), University of Milano-Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza 1, 20126, Milan, Italy
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King EE, Stillman JH. Mild temperatures differentiate while extreme temperatures unify gene expression profiles among populations of Dicosmoecus gilvipes in California. Front Physiol 2022; 13:990390. [PMID: 36277198 PMCID: PMC9581119 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.990390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2022] [Accepted: 08/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Accurately predicting the effects of future warming on aquatic ectotherms requires an understanding how thermal history, including average temperature and variation, affects populations of the same species. However, many laboratory studies simplify the thermal environment to focus on specific organismal responses and sacrifice environmental realism. Here, we paired laboratory-based transcriptomic RNA-seq analysis to identify thermally responsive genes with NanoString analysis of a subset of those genes to characterize natural field-based variation in thermal physiology among populations. We tested gene expression responses of three populations of field-acclimatized larval caddisflies (Dicosmoecus gilvipes) from streams in different eco-regions (mountain, valley, and coast) following exposure to current and future summertime temperatures. We hypothesized that distinct thermal histories across eco-regions could differentiate populations at baseline “control” levels of gene expression, as well as gene expression changes in response to daily warming and heat shock. Population-specific patterns of gene expression were apparent under the control and daily warming conditions suggesting that local acclimatization or local adaptation may differentiate populations, while responses to extreme temperatures were similar across populations, indicating that response to thermal stress is canalized. Underlying gene co-expression patterns in the daily warming and heat shock treatments were different, demonstrating the distinct physiological mechanisms involved with thermal acclimatization and response to thermal stress. These results highlight the importance and limitations of studies of the thermal biology of wild-caught organisms in their natural environment, and provide an important resource for researchers of caddisflies and aquatic insects in general.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily E. King
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States
- *Correspondence: Emily E. King,
| | - Jonathon H. Stillman
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA, United States
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Ebner JN, Wyss MK, Ritz D, von Fumetti S. Effects of thermal acclimation on the proteome of the planarian Crenobia alpina from an alpine freshwater spring. J Exp Biol 2022; 225:276068. [PMID: 35875852 PMCID: PMC9440759 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.244218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2022] [Accepted: 07/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Species' acclimation capacity and their ability to maintain molecular homeostasis outside ideal temperature ranges will partly predict their success following climate change-induced thermal regime shifts. Theory predicts that ectothermic organisms from thermally stable environments have muted plasticity, and that these species may be particularly vulnerable to temperature increases. Whether such species retained or lost acclimation capacity remains largely unknown. We studied proteome changes in the planarian Crenobia alpina, a prominent member of cold-stable alpine habitats that is considered to be a cold-adapted stenotherm. We found that the species' critical thermal maximum (CTmax) is above its experienced habitat temperatures and that different populations exhibit differential CTmax acclimation capacity, whereby an alpine population showed reduced plasticity. In a separate experiment, we acclimated C. alpina individuals from the alpine population to 8, 11, 14 or 17°C over the course of 168 h and compared their comprehensively annotated proteomes. Network analyses of 3399 proteins and protein set enrichment showed that while the species' proteome is overall stable across these temperatures, protein sets functioning in oxidative stress response, mitochondria, protein synthesis and turnover are lower in abundance following warm acclimation. Proteins associated with an unfolded protein response, ciliogenesis, tissue damage repair, development and the innate immune system were higher in abundance following warm acclimation. Our findings suggest that this species has not suffered DNA decay (e.g. loss of heat-shock proteins) during evolution in a cold-stable environment and has retained plasticity in response to elevated temperatures, challenging the notion that stable environments necessarily result in muted plasticity. Summary: The proteome of an alpine Crenobia alpina population shows plasticity in response to acclimation to warmer temperatures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua Niklas Ebner
- 1 Spring Ecology Research Group, Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Mirjam Kathrin Wyss
- 1 Spring Ecology Research Group, Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Danilo Ritz
- 2 Proteomics Core Facility, Biozentrum, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Stefanie von Fumetti
- 1 Spring Ecology Research Group, Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
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Spatial variation in gene expression of Tasmanian devil facial tumors despite minimal host transcriptomic response to infection. BMC Genomics 2021; 22:698. [PMID: 34579650 PMCID: PMC8477496 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-021-07994-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2021] [Accepted: 09/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Transmissible cancers lie at the intersection of oncology and infectious disease, two traditionally divergent fields for which gene expression studies are particularly useful for identifying the molecular basis of phenotypic variation. In oncology, transcriptomics studies, which characterize the expression of thousands of genes, have identified processes leading to heterogeneity in cancer phenotypes and individual prognoses. More generally, transcriptomics studies of infectious diseases characterize interactions between host, pathogen, and environment to better predict population-level outcomes. Tasmanian devils have been impacted dramatically by a transmissible cancer (devil facial tumor disease; DFTD) that has led to widespread population declines. Despite initial predictions of extinction, populations have persisted at low levels, due in part to heterogeneity in host responses, particularly between sexes. However, the processes underlying this variation remain unknown. RESULTS We sequenced transcriptomes from healthy and DFTD-infected devils, as well as DFTD tumors, to characterize host responses to DFTD infection, identify differing host-tumor molecular interactions between sexes, and investigate the extent to which tumor gene expression varies among host populations. We found minimal variation in gene expression of devil lip tissues, either with respect to DFTD infection status or sex. However, 4088 genes were differentially expressed in tumors among our sampling localities. Pathways that were up- or downregulated in DFTD tumors relative to normal tissues exhibited the same patterns of expression with greater intensity in tumors from localities that experienced DFTD for longer. No mRNA sequence variants were associated with expression variation. CONCLUSIONS Expression variation among localities may reflect morphological differences in tumors that alter ratios of normal-to-tumor cells within biopsies. Phenotypic variation in tumors may arise from environmental variation or differences in host immune response that were undetectable in lip biopsies, potentially reflecting variation in host-tumor coevolutionary relationships among sites that differ in the time since DFTD arrival.
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Filazzola A, Matter SF, MacIvor JS. The direct and indirect effects of extreme climate events on insects. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 769:145161. [PMID: 33486167 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.145161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2020] [Revised: 01/08/2021] [Accepted: 01/09/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Extreme climate events are predicted to increase in the future, which will have significant effects on insect biodiversity. Research into this area has been rapidly expanding, but knowledge gaps still exist. We conducted a review of the literature to provide a synthesis of extreme climate events on insects and identify future areas of research. In our review, we asked the following questions: 1) What are the direct and indirect mechanisms that extreme climate events affect individual insects? 2) What are the effects of extreme climate events on insect populations and demography? 3) What are the implications of the extreme climate events effects on insect communities? Drought was among the most frequently described type of extreme climate event affecting insects, as well as the effects of temperature extremes and extreme temperature variation. Our review explores the factors that determine the sensitivity or resilience to climate extremes for individuals, populations, and communities. We also identify areas of future research to better understand the role of extreme climate events on insects including effects on non-trophic interactions, alteration of population dynamics, and mediation of the functional the trait set of communities. Many insect species are under threat from global change and extreme climate events are a contributing factor. Biologists and policy makers should consider the role of extreme events in their work to mitigate the loss of biodiversity and delivery of ecosystem services by insects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Filazzola
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2E9, Canada; Department of Biological Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, 1265 Military Trail, Canada.
| | - Stephen F Matter
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2E9, Canada; Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45221, United States of America
| | - J Scott MacIvor
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, 1265 Military Trail, Canada
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Hotaling S, Shah AA, Dillon ME, Giersch JJ, Tronstad LM, Finn DS, Woods HA, Kelley JL. Cold Tolerance of Mountain Stoneflies (Plecoptera: Nemouridae) from the High Rocky Mountains. WEST N AM NATURALIST 2021. [DOI: 10.3398/064.081.0105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Scott Hotaling
- School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA
| | - Alisha A. Shah
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, MT
| | - Michael E. Dillon
- Department of Zoology and Physiology and Program in Ecology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY
| | - J. Joseph Giersch
- Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey, West Glacier, MT
| | - Lusha M. Tronstad
- Wyoming Natural Diversity Database, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY
| | - Debra S. Finn
- Department of Biology, Missouri State University, Springfield, MO
| | - H. Arthur Woods
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, MT
| | - Joanna L. Kelley
- School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA
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10
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Brighenti S, Hotaling S, Finn DS, Fountain AG, Hayashi M, Herbst D, Saros JE, Tronstad LM, Millar CI. Rock glaciers and related cold rocky landforms: Overlooked climate refugia for mountain biodiversity. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2021; 27:1504-1517. [PMID: 33404095 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2020] [Accepted: 12/29/2020] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Mountains are global biodiversity hotspots where cold environments and their associated ecological communities are threatened by climate warming. Considerable research attention has been devoted to understanding the ecological effects of alpine glacier and snowfield recession. However, much less attention has been given to identifying climate refugia in mountain ecosystems where present-day environmental conditions will be maintained, at least in the near-term, as other habitats change. Around the world, montane communities of microbes, animals, and plants live on, adjacent to, and downstream of rock glaciers and related cold rocky landforms (CRL). These geomorphological features have been overlooked in the ecological literature despite being extremely common in mountain ranges worldwide with a propensity to support cold and stable habitats for aquatic and terrestrial biodiversity. CRLs are less responsive to atmospheric warming than alpine glaciers and snowfields due to the insulating nature and thermal inertia of their debris cover paired with their internal ventilation patterns. Thus, CRLs are likely to remain on the landscape after adjacent glaciers and snowfields have melted, thereby providing longer-term cold habitat for biodiversity living on and downstream of them. Here, we show that CRLs will likely act as key climate refugia for terrestrial and aquatic biodiversity in mountain ecosystems, offer guidelines for incorporating CRLs into conservation practices, and identify areas for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefano Brighenti
- Faculty of Science and Technology, Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, Bolzano, Italy
| | - Scott Hotaling
- School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA
| | - Debra S Finn
- Department of Biology, Missouri State University, Springfield, MO, USA
| | | | - Masaki Hayashi
- Department of Geoscience, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - David Herbst
- Sierra Nevada Aquatic Research Laboratory and Institute of Marine Sciences, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Jasmine E Saros
- School of Biology and Ecology, Climate Change Institute, University of Maine, Orono, ME, USA
| | - Lusha M Tronstad
- Wyoming Natural Diversity Database, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, USA
| | - Constance I Millar
- Pacific Southwest Research Station, USDA Forest Service, Albany, CA, USA
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Birrell JH, Shah AA, Hotaling S, Giersch JJ, Williamson CE, Jacobsen D, Woods HA. Insects in high-elevation streams: Life in extreme environments imperiled by climate change. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2020; 26:6667-6684. [PMID: 32931053 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2020] [Revised: 08/21/2020] [Accepted: 08/24/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Climate change is altering conditions in high-elevation streams worldwide, with largely unknown effects on resident communities of aquatic insects. Here, we review the challenges of climate change for high-elevation aquatic insects and how they may respond, focusing on current gaps in knowledge. Understanding current effects and predicting future impacts will depend on progress in three areas. First, we need better descriptions of the multivariate physical challenges and interactions among challenges in high-elevation streams, which include low but rising temperatures, low oxygen supply and increasing oxygen demand, high and rising exposure to ultraviolet radiation, low ionic strength, and variable but shifting flow regimes. These factors are often studied in isolation even though they covary in nature and interact in space and time. Second, we need a better mechanistic understanding of how physical conditions in streams drive the performance of individual insects. Environment-performance links are mediated by physiology and behavior, which are poorly known in high-elevation taxa. Third, we need to define the scope and importance of potential responses across levels of biological organization. Short-term responses are defined by the tolerances of individuals, their capacities to perform adequately across a range of conditions, and behaviors used to exploit local, fine-scale variation in abiotic factors. Longer term responses to climate change, however, may include individual plasticity and evolution of populations. Whether high-elevation aquatic insects can mitigate climatic risks via these pathways is largely unknown.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jackson H Birrell
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, MT, USA
| | - Alisha A Shah
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, MT, USA
| | - Scott Hotaling
- School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA
| | - J Joseph Giersch
- U.S. Geological Survey, Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center, West Glacier, MT, USA
| | | | - Dean Jacobsen
- Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - H Arthur Woods
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, MT, USA
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