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Elmberg J, Palmheden L, Edelstam C, Hagman M, Kärvemo S. Climate change-induced shifts in survival and size of the worlds' northernmost oviparous snake: A 68-year study. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0300363. [PMID: 38512897 PMCID: PMC10956784 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0300363] [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: 10/18/2023] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Because of their dependence on ambient temperature ectothermic animals can serve as sentinels of conservation problems related to global warming. Reptiles in temperate areas are especially well suited to study such effects, as their annual and daily activity patterns directly depend on ambient temperature. This study is based on annual data spanning 68 years from a fringe population of Grass Snakes (Natrix natrix), which is the world's northernmost oviparous (egg-laying) reptile, and known to be constrained by temperature for reproduction, morphology, and behavior. Mark-recapture analyses showed that survival probability was generally higher in males than in females, and that it increased with body length. Body condition (scaled mass index) and body length increased over time, indicative of a longer annual activity period. Monthly survival was generally higher during winter (i.e., hibernation) than over the summer season. Summer survival increased over time, whilst winter survival decreased, especially during recent decades. Winter survival was lower when annual maximum snow depth was less than 15 cm, implying a negative effect of milder winters with less insulating snow cover. Our study demonstrates long-term shifts in body length, body condition and seasonal survival associated with a warming climate. Although the seasonal changes in survival ran in opposite directions and though changes were small in absolute terms, the trends did not cancel out, but total annual survival decreased. We conclude that effects of a warming climate can be diverse and pose a threat for thermophilic species in temperate regions, and that future studies should consider survival change by season, preferably in a long-term approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johan Elmberg
- Department of Environmental Science, Kristianstad University, Kristianstad, Sweden
| | - Ludvig Palmheden
- Department of Environmental Monitoring and Research, Swedish Museum of Natural History, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Carl Edelstam
- Department of Zoology, Swedish Museum of Natural History, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Mattias Hagman
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Simon Kärvemo
- Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
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2
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Du WG, Li SR, Sun BJ, Shine R. Can nesting behaviour allow reptiles to adapt to climate change? Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2023; 378:20220153. [PMID: 37427463 PMCID: PMC10331901 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2022.0153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Accepted: 04/18/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2023] Open
Abstract
A range of abiotic parameters within a reptile nest influence the viability and attributes (including sex, behaviour and body size) of hatchlings that emerge from that nest. As a result of that sensitivity, a reproducing female can manipulate the phenotypic attributes of her offspring by laying her eggs at times and in places that provide specific conditions. Nesting reptiles shift their behaviour in terms of timing of oviposition, nest location and depth of eggs beneath the soil surface across spatial and temporal gradients. Those maternal manipulations affect mean values and variances of both temperature and soil moisture, and may modify the vulnerability of embryos to threats such as predation and parasitism. By altering thermal and hydric conditions in reptile nests, climate change has the potential to dramatically modify the developmental trajectories and survival rates of embryos, and the phenotypes of hatchlings. Reproducing females buffer such effects by modifying the timing, location and structure of nests in ways that enhance offspring viability. Nonetheless, our understanding of nesting behaviours in response to climate change remains limited in reptiles. Priority topics for future studies include documenting climate-induced changes in the nest environment, the degree to which maternal behavioural shifts can mitigate climate-related deleterious impacts on offspring development, and ecological and evolutionary consequences of maternal nesting responses to climate change. This article is part of the theme issue 'The evolutionary ecology of nests: a cross-taxon approach'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei-Guo Du
- Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, People's Republic of China
| | - Shu-Ran Li
- College of Life and Environmental Science, Wenzhou University, Zhejiang 325035, People's Republic of China
| | - Bao-Jun Sun
- Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, People's Republic of China
| | - Richard Shine
- School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales 2109, Australia
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3
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Warner DA, Kelly C, Pruett JE, Fargevieille A, Klabacka RL. Fluctuating environments hinder the ability of female lizards to choose suitable nest sites for their embryos. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2023. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-023-03310-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/05/2023]
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4
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Marques V, Riaño G, Carretero MA, Silva‐Rocha I, Rato C. Sex determination and optimal development in the Moorish gecko,
Tarentola mauritanica. ACTA ZOOL-STOCKHOLM 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/azo.12427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Valéria Marques
- CIBIO – Research Centre in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources Universidade do Porto Vila do Conde Portugal
| | - Gabriel Riaño
- CIBIO – Research Centre in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources Universidade do Porto Vila do Conde Portugal
| | - Miguel A. Carretero
- CIBIO – Research Centre in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources Universidade do Porto Vila do Conde Portugal
- Department of Biology Faculty of Sciences of the University of Porto Porto Portugal
- BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning CIBIO Vairão Portugal
| | - Iolanda Silva‐Rocha
- CIBIO – Research Centre in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources Universidade do Porto Vila do Conde Portugal
- BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning CIBIO Vairão Portugal
| | - Catarina Rato
- CIBIO – Research Centre in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources Universidade do Porto Vila do Conde Portugal
- BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning CIBIO Vairão Portugal
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5
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Brown GP, Shine R. Do Microbiota in the Soil Affect Embryonic Development and Immunocompetence in Hatchling Reptiles? Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.780456] [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] Open
Abstract
Reptile eggs develop in intimate association with microbiota in the soil, raising the possibility that embryogenesis may be affected by shifts in soil microbiota caused by anthropogenic disturbance, translocation of eggs for conservation purposes, or laboratory incubation in sterile media. To test this idea we incubated eggs of keelback snakes (Tropidonophis mairii, Colubridae) in untreated versus autoclaved soil, and injected lipopolysaccharide (LPS) into the egg to induce an immune response in the embryo. Neither treatment modified hatching success, water uptake, incubation period, or white-blood-cell profiles, but both treatments affected hatchling size. Eggs incubated on autoclaved soil produced smaller hatchlings than did eggs on untreated soil, suggesting that heat and/or pressure treatment decrease the soil’s suitability for incubation. Injection of LPS reduced hatchling size, suggesting that the presence of pathogen cues disrupts embryogenesis, possibly by initiating immune reactions unassociated with white-blood-cell profiles. Smaller neonates had higher ratios of heterophils to leucocytes, consistent with higher stress in smaller snakes, or body-size effects on investment into different types of immune cells. Microbiota in the incubation medium thus can affect viability-relevant phenotypic traits of hatchling reptiles. We need further studies to explore the complex mechanisms and impacts of environmental conditions on reptilian embryogenesis.
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6
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Noble DWA, Senior AM, Uller T, Schwanz LE. Heightened among-individual variation in life history but not morphology is related to developmental temperature in reptiles. J Evol Biol 2021; 34:1793-1802. [PMID: 34543488 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.13938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2021] [Revised: 09/07/2021] [Accepted: 09/14/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Increases in phenotypic variation under extreme (e.g. novel or stressful) environmental conditions are emerging as a crucial process through which evolutionary adaptation can occur. Lack of prior stabilizing selection, as well as potential instability of developmental processes in these environments, may lead to a release of phenotypic variation that can have important evolutionary consequences. Although such patterns have been shown in model study organisms, we know little about the generality of trait variance across environments for non-model organisms. Here, we test whether extreme developmental temperatures increase the phenotypic variation across diverse reptile taxa. We find that the among-individual variation in a key life-history trait (post-hatching growth) increases at extreme cold and hot temperatures. However, variations in two measures of hatchling morphology and in hatchling performance were not related to developmental temperature. Although extreme developmental temperatures may increase the variation in growth, our results suggest that plastic responses to stressful incubation conditions do not generally make more extreme phenotypes available to selection. We discuss the reasons for the general lack of increased variability at extreme incubation temperatures and the implications this has for local adaptation in hatchling morphology and physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel W A Noble
- Division of Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Alistair M Senior
- Charles Perkins Centre, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Sydney University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Tobias Uller
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Skåne, Sweden
| | - Lisa E Schwanz
- Evolution & Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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7
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Mebert K, Passos P, Fernandes DS, Entiauspe-Neto OM, Alvez FQ, Machado AS, Lopes RT. A New Species of Snail-Eating Snake, Dipsas Cope, 1860 (Serpentes: Colubridae: Dipsadinae), from the Atlantic Forest of Brazil. SOUTH AMERICAN JOURNAL OF HERPETOLOGY 2020. [DOI: 10.2994/sajh-d-17-00112.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Konrad Mebert
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Zoologia, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Rodovia Jorge Amado, Km 16, 45662-900, Ilhéus, Bahia, Brazil
| | - Paulo Passos
- Departamento de Vertebrados, Museu Nacional, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Quinta da Boa Vista, São Cristovão, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 20940-040, Brazil
| | - Daniel S. Fernandes
- Departamento de Zoologia, Instituto de Biologia, Centro de Ciências e Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Avenida Carlos Chagas Filho, 373, Bloco A, sala AO-92, Ilha do Fundão, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-902, Brazil
| | - Omar Machado Entiauspe-Neto
- Laboratório de Vertebrados, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande, Avenida Itália Km 8, 96203-900, Vila Carreiros, Rio Grande, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Fatima Queiroz Alvez
- Comissão Executiva do Plano da Lavoura Cacaueira/Centro de Pesquisas do Cacau, Rodovia Ilhéus/Itabuna, Km 22, P.B. 7, 45600-000, Itabuna, Bahia, Brazil
| | - Alessandra S. Machado
- Instituto Alberto Luiz Coimbra de Pós-Graduação e Pesquisa em Engenharia, Laboratório de Instrumentação Nuclear, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, CEP 21941-450, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Ricardo T. Lopes
- Instituto Alberto Luiz Coimbra de Pós-Graduação e Pesquisa em Engenharia, Laboratório de Instrumentação Nuclear, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, CEP 21941-450, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
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8
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Ile GA, Maier ARM, Cadar AM, Covaciu-Marcov SD, Ferenți S. Dead snakes and their stories: morphological anomalies, asymmetries and scars of road killed Dolichophis caspius (Serpentes, Colubridae) from Romania. HERPETOZOA 2020. [DOI: 10.3897/herpetozoa.33.e51338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
We analysed several morphological characters of 84 road-killed D. caspius individuals from different areas of southern Romania. Most presented asymmetries in the total number of temporal scales, the temporal row and the periocular and labial scales. Almost a quarter of snakes had scars, located especially on the head and tail; many individuals had multiple injuries. The lowest rate of individuals with scars was found in the area with the least anthropogenic impact (Danube Gorge). This finding suggests that, in other areas in Romania, the species is threatened and lives in less optimal conditions. The number of individuals with asymmetries and scars differed according to the populated region, sex or size class. Most of the individuals were killed in August, due to the large number of road-killed juveniles.
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9
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Bury S, Borczyk B, Skawiński T. Ventral scale width in snakes depends on habitat but not hunting strategy. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2019. [DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blz116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Environment and lifestyle induce substantial variation in the mechanisms of locomotion in vertebrates. A spectrum of adaptations related to locomotion is also present in limbless taxa, especially snakes, which have radiated successfully into a wide range of habitats. The majority of studies concerning habitat-driven variation in locomotor mechanisms of snakes have focused on the musculoskeletal system. Far less recognized is the variation in the morphology of ventral scales, which are another pivotal component of the locomotor system in snakes. Here, we investigated patterns of interspecific variation in the width of ventral scales in terms of lifestyle (hunting mode) and habitat occupied in 55 species of snakes belonging to eight families. We found that increasing terrestriality was associated with enlarged ventral scales. Reduction instead of maintenance of the width of ventral scales was observed in aquatic species, suggesting that wide ventral scales set constraints on aquatic locomotion. In terrestrial species, no significant differences were observed in terms of arboreality or hunting mode, which suggests overall optimization in the size of ventral scales towards terrestrial locomotion. Association between the width of ventral scales and locomotion can result in a habitat-dependent costs of abnormalities in ventral scale morphology, commonly observed in snakes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stanisław Bury
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 7, Kraków, Poland
| | - Bartosz Borczyk
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Conservation of Vertebrates, University of Wroclaw, Sienkiewicza, Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Tomasz Skawiński
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Conservation of Vertebrates, University of Wroclaw, Sienkiewicza, Wroclaw, Poland
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10
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Mechanisms Influencing Countergradient Variation in Prairie Lizards, Sceloporus consobrinus. J HERPETOL 2019. [DOI: 10.1670/19-006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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11
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Abramjan A, Frýdlová P, Jančúchová-Lásková J, Suchomelová P, Landová E, Yavruyan E, Frynta D. Comparing developmental stability in unisexual and bisexual rock lizards of the genus Darevskia. Evol Dev 2019; 21:175-187. [PMID: 30887666 DOI: 10.1111/ede.12286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2018] [Revised: 02/14/2019] [Accepted: 02/27/2019] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Parthenogenetic species are usually considered to be short-lived due to the accumulation of adverse mutations, lack of genetic variability, and inability to adapt to changing environment. If so, one may expect that the phenotype of clonal organisms may reflect such genetic and/or environmental stress. To test this hypothesis, we compared the developmental stability of bisexual and parthenogenetic lizards of the genus Darevskia. We assessed asymmetries in three meristic traits: ventral, preanal, and supratemporal scales. Our results suggest that the amount of ventral and preanal asymmetries is significantly higher in clones compared with their maternal, but not paternal, progenitor species. However, it is questionable, whether this is a consequence of clonality, as it may be considered a mild form of outbreeding depression as well. Moreover, most ventral asymmetries were found in the bisexual species Darevskia valentini. We suggest that greater differences in asymmetry levels among bisexuals may be, for instance, a consequence of the population size: the smaller the population, the higher the inbreeding and the developmental instability. On the basis of the traits examined in this study, the parthenogens do not seem to be of significantly poorer quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andran Abramjan
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Petra Frýdlová
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | | | - Petra Suchomelová
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Eva Landová
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Eduard Yavruyan
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Laboratory of Biology, Zoology, and Ecology, Institute of Biomedicine and Pharmacy, Russian-Armenian (Slavonic) University, Yerevan, Armenia
| | - Daniel Frynta
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
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12
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Tiatragul S, Hall JM, Pavlik NG, Warner DA. Lizard nest environments differ between suburban and forest habitats. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2019. [DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/bly204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
AbstractNesting success is critical for oviparous species to maintain viable populations. Many species often do not provide parental care (e.g. oviparous reptiles), so embryos are left to develop in the prevailing conditions of the nest. For species that occupy diverse habitats, embryos must be able to complete development across a broad range of environmental conditions. Although much research has investigated how environmental conditions influence embryo development, we know little about how nest conditions differ between diverse habitats. Anolis lizards are commonly found in various habitats including those heavily modified by humans (e.g. cities). We describe nest sites of anoles in two different habitat types: a suburban area and a nearby forest. The suburban area had less total nesting habitat but a greater variety of microenvironment conditions for females to use for nesting, compared to the forest. Suburban nests were warmer and drier with greater thermal variance compared to forest nests. Finally, we use data from the literature to predict how nest conditions may influence development. Our study provides the first quantitative assessment of anole nest sites in human-modified environments and shows how suburban habitats may generate variation in developmental rate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarin Tiatragul
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA
| | - Joshua M Hall
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA
| | | | - Daniel A Warner
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA
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13
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Mitchell TS, Janzen FJ, Warner DA. Quantifying the effects of embryonic phenotypic plasticity on adult phenotypes in reptiles: A review of current knowledge and major gaps. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY PART 2018; 329:203-214. [DOI: 10.1002/jez.2187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2018] [Revised: 05/10/2018] [Accepted: 05/12/2018] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Timothy S. Mitchell
- Department of Biological Sciences Auburn University Auburn Alabama
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior University of Minnesota Saint Paul Minnesota
| | - Fredric J. Janzen
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology Iowa State University Ames Iowa
| | - Daniel A. Warner
- Department of Biological Sciences Auburn University Auburn Alabama
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14
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Cunningham GD, Fitzpatrick LJ, While GM, Wapstra E. Plastic rates of development and the effect of thermal extremes on offspring fitness in a cold-climate viviparous lizard. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY PART 2018; 329:262-270. [PMID: 29791071 DOI: 10.1002/jez.2167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2018] [Revised: 04/16/2018] [Accepted: 04/20/2018] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Populations at the climatic margins of a species' distribution can be exposed to conditions that cause developmental stress, resulting in developmental abnormalities. Even within the thermal range of normal development, phenotypes often vary with developmental temperature (i.e., thermal phenotypic plasticity). These effects can have significant consequences for organismal fitness and, thus, population persistence. Reptiles, as ectotherms, are particularly vulnerable to thermal effects on development and are, therefore, considered to be at comparatively high risk from changing climates. Understanding the extent and direction of thermal effects on phenotypes and their fitness consequences is crucial if we are to make meaningful predictions of how populations and species will respond as climates warm. Here, we experimentally manipulated the thermal conditions experienced by females from a high-altitude, cold-adapted population of the viviparous skink, Niveoscincus ocellatus, to examine the consequences of thermal conditions at the margins of this population's normal temperature range. We found strong effects of thermal conditions on the development of key phenotypic traits that have implications for fitness. Specifically, we found that offspring born earlier as a result of high temperatures during gestation had increased growth over the first winter of life, but there was no effect on offspring survival, nor was there an effect of developmental temperature on the incidence of developmental abnormalities. Combined, our results suggest that advancing birth dates that result from warming climates may have positive effects in this population via increased growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- George D Cunningham
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Luisa J Fitzpatrick
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Geoffrey M While
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Erik Wapstra
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
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15
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Warner DA, Mitchell TS, Bodensteiner BL, Janzen FJ. The effect of hormone manipulations on sex ratios varies with environmental conditions in a turtle with temperature-dependent sex determination. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY PART 2018; 327:172-181. [PMID: 29356364 DOI: 10.1002/jez.2085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2017] [Accepted: 06/27/2017] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Exogenous application of steroids and related substances to eggs affects offspring sex ratios in species with temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD). Laboratory studies demonstrate that this effect is most pronounced near the constant temperature that produces 1:1 sex ratios (i.e., pivotal temperature). However, the impact of such chemicals on sex determination under natural nest temperatures (which fluctuate daily) is unknown, but could provide insight into the relative contributions of these two factors under natural conditions. We applied estradiol (E2) and an aromatase inhibitor (fadrozole) to eggs of the painted turtle (Chrysemys picta), a species with TSD, and allowed eggs to incubate under natural conditions during two field seasons (in 2012 and 2013). Exogenous E2, fadrozole, and nest temperature contributed to variation in offspring sex ratio, but the relative contributions of these factors differed between years. In 2012, a much hotter than average season, sex ratios were heavily female biased regardless of nest temperature and chemical treatment. However, in 2013, a milder season, both nest temperature and chemical treatment were important. Moreover, a significant interaction between nest temperature and treatment demonstrated that exogenous estradiol induces female development regardless of nest temperature, but aromatase inhibition widens the range of temperatures that produces both sexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel A Warner
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa.,Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama
| | - Timothy S Mitchell
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa.,Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama
| | - Brooke L Bodensteiner
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa
| | - Fredric J Janzen
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa
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16
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The causes and ecological correlates of head scale asymmetry and fragmentation in a tropical snake. Sci Rep 2017; 7:11363. [PMID: 28900296 PMCID: PMC5595785 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-11768-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2017] [Accepted: 08/30/2017] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The challenge of identifying the proximate causes and ecological consequences of phenotypic variation can be facilitated by studying traits that are usually but not always bilaterally symmetrical; deviations from symmetry likely reflect disrupted embryogenesis. Based on a 19-year mark-recapture study of >1300 slatey-grey snakes (Stegonotus cucullatus) in tropical Australia, and incubation of >700 eggs, we document developmental and ecological correlates of two morphological traits: asymmetry and fragmentation of head scales. Asymmetry was directional (more scales on the left side) and was higher in individuals with lower heterozygosity, but was not heritable. In contrast, fragmentation was heritable and was higher in females than males. Both scale asymmetry and fragmentation were increased by rapid embryogenesis but were not affected by hydric conditions during incubation. Snakes with asymmetry and fragmentation exhibited slightly lower survival and increased (sex-specific) movements, and females with more scale fragmentation produced smaller eggs. Counterintuitively, snakes with more asymmetry had higher growth rates (possibly reflecting trade-offs with other traits), and snakes with more fragmentation had fewer parasites (possibly due to lower feeding rates). Our data paint an unusually detailed picture of the complex genetic and environmental factors that, by disrupting early embryonic development, generate variations in morphology that have detectable correlations with ecological performance.
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17
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Aubret F, Bignon F, Bouffet-Halle A, Blanvillain G, Kok PJR, Souchet J. Yolk removal generates hatching asynchrony in snake eggs. Sci Rep 2017; 7:3041. [PMID: 28596606 PMCID: PMC5465057 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-03355-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2017] [Accepted: 04/26/2017] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Hatching synchrony is wide-spread amongst egg-laying species and is thought to enhance offspring survival, notably by diluting predation risks. Turtle and snake eggs were shown to achieve synchronous hatching by altering development rates (where less advanced eggs may accelerate development) or by hatching prematurely (where underdeveloped embryos hatch concurrently with full-term embryos). In Natricine snakes, smaller eggs tend to slow down metabolism throughout incubation in order to hatch synchronously with larger eggs. To explore the underlying mechanism of this phenomenon we experimentally manipulated six clutches, where half of the eggs were reduced in mass by removing 7.2% of yolk, and half were used as the control. The former experienced higher heart rates throughout the incubation period, hatched earlier and produced smaller hatchlings than the latter. This study supports the idea that developmental rates are related to egg mass in snake eggs and demonstrates that the relationship can be influenced by removing yolk after egg-laying. The shift in heart rates however occurred in the opposite direction to expected, with higher heart rates in yolk-removed eggs resulting in earlier hatching rather than lower heart rates resulting in synchronous hatching, warranting further research on the topic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabien Aubret
- Station d'Ecologie Théorique et Expérimentale, Oula-Lab, CNRS, UMR 5321, 09200, Moulis, France.
| | - Florent Bignon
- Station d'Ecologie Théorique et Expérimentale, Oula-Lab, CNRS, UMR 5321, 09200, Moulis, France
| | - Alix Bouffet-Halle
- Station d'Ecologie Théorique et Expérimentale, Oula-Lab, CNRS, UMR 5321, 09200, Moulis, France
| | - Gaëlle Blanvillain
- Station d'Ecologie Théorique et Expérimentale, Oula-Lab, CNRS, UMR 5321, 09200, Moulis, France
| | - Philippe J R Kok
- Amphibian Evolution Lab, Biology Department, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 2 Pleinlaan, B-1050, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Jérémie Souchet
- Station d'Ecologie Théorique et Expérimentale, Oula-Lab, CNRS, UMR 5321, 09200, Moulis, France
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Noble DWA, Stenhouse V, Schwanz LE. Developmental temperatures and phenotypic plasticity in reptiles: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2017; 93:72-97. [DOI: 10.1111/brv.12333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 146] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2016] [Revised: 03/14/2017] [Accepted: 03/17/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel W. A. Noble
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, Ecology and Evolution Research Centre; The University of New South Wales, Sydney, 2052; Australia
| | - Vaughn Stenhouse
- School of Biological Sciences; Victoria University; Wellington 6037 New Zealand
| | - Lisa E. Schwanz
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, Ecology and Evolution Research Centre; The University of New South Wales, Sydney, 2052; Australia
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19
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Li H, Elphick M, Shine R. Potential targets for selection during the evolution of viviparity in cold-climate reptiles. Oecologia 2016; 183:21-30. [PMID: 27743167 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-016-3752-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2016] [Accepted: 10/04/2016] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Viviparity (live-bearing) has evolved from oviparity (egg-laying) in more than 100 lineages of squamate reptiles (lizards and snakes). This transition generally has occurred in cool climates, where thermal differentials between eggs in the (cool) nest versus the (warm) maternal oviduct influence embryonic development, in ways that may enhance offspring fitness. To identify specific traits potentially under selection, we incubated eggs of a montane scincid lizard at conditions simulating natural nests, maternal body temperatures, and an intermediate stage (2-week uterine retention of eggs prior to laying). Incubation at maternal temperatures throughout incubation affected the hatchling lizard's activity level and boldness, as well as its developmental rate, morphology, and locomotor ability. A treatment that mimicked the initial stages of the transition toward viviparity had a major effect on some hatchling traits (locomotor speeds), a minor effect on others (tail length, total incubation period) and no effect on yet others (offspring behaviors). More generally, different aspects of the phenotype are sensitive to incubation conditions at different stages of development; thus, the evolution of reptilian viviparity may have been driven by a succession of advantages that accrued at different stages of embryogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong Li
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, Jiangsu, China
| | - Melanie Elphick
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia
| | - Richard Shine
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia.
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20
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Löwenborg K, Hagman M. Scale asymmetries and lateral rib duplication in snakes: correlates and effects on locomotor performance. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2016. [DOI: 10.1111/bij.12889] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kristin Löwenborg
- Department of Zoology; Stockholm University; SE-106 91 Stockholm Sweden
| | - Mattias Hagman
- Department of Zoology; Stockholm University; SE-106 91 Stockholm Sweden
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21
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Effects of a mining‐altered environment on individual fitness of amphibians and reptiles. Ecosphere 2016. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.1360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
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22
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Evolution of an Evolutionary Hypothesis: A History of Changing Ideas about the Adaptive Significance of Viviparity in Reptiles. J HERPETOL 2014. [DOI: 10.1670/13-075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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23
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Lorioux S, Vaugoyeau M, DeNardo DF, Clobert J, Guillon M, Lourdais O. Stage Dependence of Phenotypical and Phenological Maternal Effects: Insight into Squamate Reptile Reproductive Strategies. Am Nat 2013; 182:223-33. [DOI: 10.1086/670809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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24
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TELEMECO RS, WARNER DA, REIDA MK, JANZEN FJ. Extreme developmental temperatures result in morphological abnormalities in painted turtles (Chrysemys picta): a climate change perspective. Integr Zool 2013; 8:197-208. [DOI: 10.1111/1749-4877.12019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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25
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Peet-Paré C, Blouin-Demers G. Female Eastern Hog-nosed Snakes (Heterodon platirhinos) choose nest sites that produce offspring with phenotypes likely to improve fitness. CAN J ZOOL 2012. [DOI: 10.1139/z2012-091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Nest-site selection is an important behaviour in oviparous reptiles because incubation conditions affect offspring phenotype, with favourable conditions leading to higher offspring fitness. We aimed to identify the habitat characteristics involved in nest-site selection in Eastern Hog-nosed Snakes ( Heterodon platirhinos Latreille, 1801) and to determine whether females select nest sites that result in offspring with phenotypes likely to improve fitness. We compared the habitat characteristics and temperature profiles of 21 nests with 21 randomly selected sites. Eastern Hog-nosed Snakes selected open, grassy sites with less herbs and shrubs than random sites, and nests were significantly warmer than random sites during the 2 years of the study. In the second year of the study, we incubated 215 eggs from eight nests in a split-clutch design at mean nest (24 °C) and random site (22 °C) temperatures approximating those of the first year of the study. Eggs incubated at 24 °C resulted in neonates that hatched earlier, had fewer scale anomalies, were larger, and swam faster than neonates from eggs incubated at 22 °C. Our results indicate that Eastern Hog-nosed Snakes select nest sites that lead to offspring with phenotypes likely to improve fitness.
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Affiliation(s)
- C.A. Peet-Paré
- Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, 30 Marie-Curie, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada
| | - G. Blouin-Demers
- Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, 30 Marie-Curie, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada
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26
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Löwenborg K, Gotthard K, Hagman M. How a thermal dichotomy in nesting environments influences offspring of the world's most northerly oviparous snake,Natrix natrix(Colubridae). Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2012. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1095-8312.2012.01972.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kristin Löwenborg
- Department of Zoology; Stockholm University; 106 91; Stockholm; Sweden
| | - Karl Gotthard
- Department of Zoology; Stockholm University; 106 91; Stockholm; Sweden
| | - Mattias Hagman
- Department of Zoology; Stockholm University; 106 91; Stockholm; Sweden
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27
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Shine R. Manipulative Mothers and Selective Forces: The Effects of Reproduction On Thermoregulation In Reptiles. HERPETOLOGICA 2012. [DOI: 10.1655/herpetologica-d-12-00004.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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