1
|
Lapp S, Smith TC, Knapp RA, Lindauer A, Kitzes J. Aquatic Soundscape Recordings Reveal Diverse Vocalizations and Nocturnal Activity of an Endangered Frog. Am Nat 2024; 203:618-627. [PMID: 38635364 DOI: 10.1086/729422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/20/2024]
Abstract
AbstractAutonomous sensors provide opportunities to observe organisms across spatial and temporal scales that humans cannot directly observe. By processing large data streams from autonomous sensors with deep learning methods, researchers can make novel and important natural history discoveries. In this study, we combine automated acoustic monitoring with deep learning models to observe breeding-associated activity in the endangered Sierra Nevada yellow-legged frog (Rana sierrae), a behavior that current surveys do not measure. By deploying inexpensive hydrophones and developing a deep learning model to recognize breeding-associated vocalizations, we discover three undocumented R. sierrae vocalization types and find an unexpected temporal pattern of nocturnal breeding-associated vocal activity. This study exemplifies how the combination of autonomous sensor data and deep learning can shed new light on species' natural history, especially during times or in locations where human observation is limited or impossible.
Collapse
|
2
|
Yoo N, Yoon JD, Yoo J, Kim KY, Heo JS, Kim KS. Development of molecular identification methods for Dryophytes suweonensis and D. japonicus, and their hybrids. PeerJ 2024; 12:e16728. [PMID: 38259669 PMCID: PMC10802155 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.16728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Background As hybridization can reduce biodiversity or cause extinction, it is important to identify both purebred parental species and their hybrids prior to conserving them. The Suwon tree frog, Dryophytes suweonensis, is an endangered wildlife species in Korea that shares its habitat and often hybridizes with the Japanese tree frog, D. japonicus. In particular, D. suweonensis, D. japonicus, and their hybrids often have abnormal ovaries and gonads, which are known causes that could threaten their existence. Methods We collected 57 individuals from six localities where D. suweonensis is known to be present. High-resolution melting curve (HRM) analysis of the mitochondrial 12S ribosomal RNA gene was performed to determine the maternal species. Thereafter, the DNA sequences of five nuclear genes (SIAH, TYR, POMC, RAG1, and C-MYC) were analyzed to determine their parental species and hybrid status. Results The HRM analysis showed that the melting temperature of D. suweonensis was in the range of 79.0-79.3 °C, and that of D. japonicus was 77.7-78.0 °C, which clearly distinguished the two tree frog species. DNA sequencing of the five nuclear genes revealed 37 single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) sites, and STRUCTURE analysis showed a two-group structure as the most likely grouping solution. No heterozygous position in the purebred parental sequences with Q values ≥ 0.995 were found, which clearly distinguished the two treefrog species from their hybrids; 11 individuals were found to be D. suweonensis, eight were found to be D. japonicus, and the remaining 38 individuals were found to be hybrids. Conclusion Thus, it was possible to unambiguously identify the parental species and their hybrids using HRM analysis and DNA sequencing methods. This study provided fundamental information for D. suweonensis conservation and restoration research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nakyung Yoo
- Research Center for Endangered Species, National Institute of Ecology, Yeongyang, Republic of Korea
| | - Ju-Duk Yoon
- Research Center for Endangered Species, National Institute of Ecology, Yeongyang, Republic of Korea
| | - Jeongwoo Yoo
- Research Center for Endangered Species, National Institute of Ecology, Yeongyang, Republic of Korea
| | - Keun-Yong Kim
- Department of Genetic Analysis, AquaGenTech Co., Ltd, Busan, Republic of Korea
| | - Jung Soo Heo
- Department of Genetic Analysis, AquaGenTech Co., Ltd, Busan, Republic of Korea
| | - Keun-Sik Kim
- Research Center for Endangered Species, National Institute of Ecology, Yeongyang, Republic of Korea
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Forsdick NJ, Martini D, Brown L, Cross HB, Maloney RF, Steeves TE, Knapp M. Genomic sequencing confirms absence of introgression despite past hybridisation between a critically endangered bird and its common congener. Glob Ecol Conserv 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2021.e01681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
|
4
|
Barbosa S, Andrews KR, Goldberg AR, Gour DS, Hohenlohe PA, Conway CJ, Waits LP. The role of neutral and adaptive genomic variation in population diversification and speciation in two ground squirrel species of conservation concern. Mol Ecol 2021; 30:4673-4694. [PMID: 34324748 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2020] [Revised: 07/10/2021] [Accepted: 07/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Understanding the neutral (demographic) and adaptive processes leading to the differentiation of species and populations is a critical component of evolutionary and conservation biology. In this context, recently diverged taxa represent a unique opportunity to study the process of genetic differentiation. Northern and southern Idaho ground squirrels (Urocitellus brunneus - NIDGS, and U. endemicus - SIDGS, respectively) are a recently diverged pair of sister species that have undergone dramatic declines in the last 50 years and are currently found in metapopulations across restricted spatial areas with distinct environmental pressures. Here we genotyped single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from buccal swabs with restriction site-associated DNA sequencing (RADseq). With these data we evaluated neutral genetic structure at both theinter- and intraspecific level, and identified putatively adaptive SNPs using population structure outlier detection and genotype-environment association (GEA) analyses. At the interspecific level, we detected a clear separation between NIDGS and SIDGS, and evidence for adaptive differentiation putatively linked to torpor patterns. At the intraspecific level, we found evidence of both neutral and adaptive differentiation. For NIDGS, elevation appears to be the main driver of adaptive differentiation, while neutral variation patterns match and expand information on the low connectivity between some populations identified in previous studies using microsatellite markers. For SIDGS, neutral substructure generally reflected natural geographic barriers, while adaptive variation reflected differences in land cover and temperature, as well as elevation. These results clearly highlight the roles of neutral and adaptive processes for understanding the complexity of the processes leading to species and population differentiation, which can have important conservation implications in susceptible and threatened species.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Soraia Barbosa
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Sciences, College of Natural Resources, University of Idaho, 875 Perimeter Drive, Moscow, ID, 83844-1136, USA
| | - Kimberly R Andrews
- University of Idaho, Institute for Bioinformatics and Evolutionary Studies (IBEST), Moscow, ID, 83844-1136, USA
| | - Amanda R Goldberg
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Sciences, College of Natural Resources, University of Idaho, 875 Perimeter Drive, Moscow, ID, 83844-1136, USA
| | - Digpal S Gour
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Sciences, College of Natural Resources, University of Idaho, 875 Perimeter Drive, Moscow, ID, 83844-1136, USA
| | - Paul A Hohenlohe
- University of Idaho, Institute for Bioinformatics and Evolutionary Studies (IBEST), Moscow, ID, 83844-1136, USA.,Department of Biological Sciences, College of Science, University of Idaho, 875 Perimeter Drive, Moscow, ID, 83844-3051, USA
| | - Courtney J Conway
- U.S. Geological Survey, Idaho Cooperative Fish & Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Fish and Wildlife Sciences, College of Natural Resources, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, 83844-1141, USA
| | - Lisette P Waits
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Sciences, College of Natural Resources, University of Idaho, 875 Perimeter Drive, Moscow, ID, 83844-1136, USA
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Gene flow in phylogenomics: Sequence capture resolves species limits and biogeography of Afromontane forest endemic frogs from the Cameroon Highlands. Mol Phylogenet Evol 2021; 163:107258. [PMID: 34252546 DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2021.107258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2020] [Revised: 06/28/2021] [Accepted: 07/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Puddle frogs of the Phrynobatrachus steindachneri species complex are a useful group for investigating speciation and phylogeography in Afromontane forests of the Cameroon Volcanic Line, western Central Africa. The species complex is represented by six morphologically relatively cryptic mitochondrial DNA lineages, only two of which are distinguished at the species level - southern P. jimzimkusi and Lake Oku endemic P. njiomock, leaving the remaining four lineages identified as 'P. steindachneri'. In this study, the six mtDNA lineages are subjected to genomic sequence capture analyses and morphological examination to delimit species and to study biogeography. The nuclear DNA data (387 loci; 571,936 aligned base pairs) distinguished all six mtDNA lineages, but the topological pattern and divergence depths supported only four main clades: P. jimzimkusi, P. njiomock, and only two divergent evolutionary lineages within the four 'P. steindachneri' mtDNA lineages. One of the two lineages is herein described as a new species, P. amieti sp. nov. Reticulate evolution (hybridization) was detected within the species complex with morphologically intermediate hybrid individuals placed between the parental species in phylogenomic analyses, forming a ladder-like phylogenetic pattern. The presence of hybrids is undesirable in standard phylogenetic analyses but is essential and beneficial in the network multispecies coalescent. This latter approach provided insight into the reticulate evolutionary history of these endemic frogs. Introgressions likely occurred during the Middle and Late Pleistocene climatic oscillations, due to the cyclic connections (likely dominating during cold glacials) and separations (during warm interglacials) of montane forests. The genomic phylogeographic pattern supports the separation of the southern (Mt. Manengouba to Mt. Oku) and northern mountains at the onset of the Pleistocene. Further subdivisions occurred in the Early Pleistocene, separating populations from the northernmost (Tchabal Mbabo, Gotel Mts.) and middle mountains (Mt. Mbam, Mt. Oku, Mambilla Plateau), as well as the microendemic lineage restricted to Lake Oku (Mt. Oku). This unique model system is highly threatened as all the species within the complex have exhibited severe population declines in the past decade, placing them on the brink of extinction. In addition, Mount Oku is identified to be of particular conservation importance because it harbors three species of this complex. We, therefore, urge for conservation actions in the Cameroon Highlands to preserve their diversity before it is too late.
Collapse
|
6
|
Peek RA, O'Rourke SM, Miller MR. Flow modification associated with reduced genetic health of a river‐breeding frog,
Rana boylii. Ecosphere 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Ryan A. Peek
- Center for Watershed Sciences University of California Davis California95616USA
| | - Sean M. O'Rourke
- Department of Animal Science University of California Davis California95616USA
| | - Michael R. Miller
- Department of Animal Science University of California Davis California95616USA
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Reid BN, Moran RL, Kopack CJ, Fitzpatrick SW. Rapture-ready darters: Choice of reference genome and genotyping method (whole-genome or sequence capture) influence population genomic inference in Etheostoma. Mol Ecol Resour 2020; 21:404-420. [PMID: 33058399 DOI: 10.1111/1755-0998.13275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2020] [Revised: 09/17/2020] [Accepted: 10/01/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Researchers studying nonmodel organisms have an increasing number of methods available for generating genomic data. However, the applicability of different methods across species, as well as the effect of reference genome choice on population genomic inference, remain difficult to predict in many cases. We evaluated the impact of data type (whole-genome vs. reduced representation) and reference genome choice on data quality and on population genomic and phylogenomic inference across several species of darters (subfamily Etheostomatinae), a highly diverse radiation of freshwater fish. We generated a high-quality reference genome and developed a hybrid RADseq/sequence capture (Rapture) protocol for the Arkansas darter (Etheostoma cragini). Rapture data from 1,900 individuals spanning four darter species showed recovery of most loci across darter species at high depth and consistent estimates of heterozygosity regardless of reference genome choice. Loci with baits spanning both sides of the restriction enzyme cut site performed especially well across species. For low-coverage whole-genome data, choice of reference genome affected read depth and inferred heterozygosity. For similar amounts of sequence data, Rapture performed better at identifying fine-scale genetic structure compared to whole-genome sequencing. Rapture loci also recovered an accurate phylogeny for the study species and demonstrated high phylogenetic informativeness across the evolutionary history of the genus Etheostoma. Low cost and high cross-species effectiveness regardless of reference genome suggest that Rapture and similar sequence capture methods may be worthwhile choices for studies of diverse species radiations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Brendan N Reid
- Kellogg Biological Station, Michigan State University, Hickory Corners, MI, USA
| | - Rachel L Moran
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Behavior, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, USA
| | | | - Sarah W Fitzpatrick
- Kellogg Biological Station, Michigan State University, Hickory Corners, MI, USA.,Department of Integrative Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Bedwell ME, Goldberg CS. Spatial and temporal patterns of environmental DNA detection to inform sampling protocols in lentic and lotic systems. Ecol Evol 2020; 10:1602-1612. [PMID: 32076537 PMCID: PMC7029092 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.6014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2019] [Revised: 12/23/2019] [Accepted: 12/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The development of efficient sampling protocols for the capture of environmental DNA (eDNA) could greatly help improve accuracy of occupancy monitoring for species that are difficult to detect. However, the process of developing a protocol in situ is complicated for rare species by the fact that animal locations are often unknown. We tested sampling designs in lake and stream systems to determine the most effective eDNA sampling protocols for two rare species: the Sierra Nevada yellow-legged frog (Rana sierrae) and the foothill yellow-legged frog (Rana boylii). We varied water volume, spatial sampling, and seasonal timing in lakes and streams; in lakes we also tested multiple filter types. We found that filtering 2 L versus 1 L increased the odds of detection in streams 5.42X (95% CI: 3.2-9.19X) in our protocol, from a probability of 0.51-0.85 per technical replicate. Lake sample volumes were limited by filter clogging, and we found no effect of volume or filter type. Sampling later in the season increased the odds of detection in streams by 1.96X for every 30 days (95% CI: 1.3-2.97X) but there was no effect for lakes. Spatial autocorrelation of the quantity of yellow-legged frog eDNA captured in streams ceased between 100 and 200 m, indicating that sampling at close intervals is important.
Collapse
|