1
|
Jones GM, Goldberg JF, Wilcox TM, Buckley LB, Parr CL, Linck EB, Fountain ED, Schwartz MK. Fire-driven animal evolution in the Pyrocene. Trends Ecol Evol 2023; 38:1072-1084. [PMID: 37479555 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2023.06.003] [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: 02/17/2023] [Revised: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 07/23/2023]
Abstract
Fire regimes are a major agent of evolution in terrestrial animals. Changing fire regimes and the capacity for rapid evolution in wild animal populations suggests the potential for rapid, fire-driven adaptive animal evolution in the Pyrocene. Fire drives multiple modes of evolutionary change, including stabilizing, directional, disruptive, and fluctuating selection, and can strongly influence gene flow and genetic drift. Ongoing and future research in fire-driven animal evolution will benefit from further development of generalizable hypotheses, studies conducted in highly responsive taxa, and linking fire-adapted phenotypes to their underlying genetic basis. A better understanding of evolutionary responses to fire has the potential to positively influence conservation strategies that embrace evolutionary resilience to fire in the Pyrocene.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gavin M Jones
- USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Albuquerque, NM 87102, USA.
| | - Joshua F Goldberg
- USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Albuquerque, NM 87102, USA
| | - Taylor M Wilcox
- National Genomics Center for Fish and Wildlife Conservation, USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Missoula, MT 59801, USA
| | - Lauren B Buckley
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Catherine L Parr
- Department of Earth, Ocean and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, L3 5TR, UK; Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0028, South Africa; School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Wits 2050, South Africa
| | - Ethan B Linck
- Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071, USA
| | - Emily D Fountain
- Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Michael K Schwartz
- National Genomics Center for Fish and Wildlife Conservation, USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Missoula, MT 59801, USA
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
O'Donnell MS, Edmunds DR, Aldridge CL, Heinrichs JA, Monroe AP, Coates PS, Prochazka BG, Hanser SE, Wiechman LA. Defining biologically relevant and hierarchically nested population units to inform wildlife management. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e9565. [PMID: 36466138 PMCID: PMC9712811 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.9565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2022] [Revised: 10/29/2022] [Accepted: 11/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Wildlife populations are increasingly affected by natural and anthropogenic changes that negatively alter biotic and abiotic processes at multiple spatiotemporal scales and therefore require increased wildlife management and conservation efforts. However, wildlife management boundaries frequently lack biological context and mechanisms to assess demographic data across the multiple spatiotemporal scales influencing populations. To address these limitations, we developed a novel approach to define biologically relevant subpopulations of hierarchically nested population levels that could facilitate managing and conserving wildlife populations and habitats. Our approach relied on the Spatial "K"luster Analysis by Tree Edge Removal clustering algorithm, which we applied in an agglomerative manner (bottom-to-top). We modified the clustering algorithm using a workflow and population structure tiers from least-cost paths, which captured biological inferences of habitat conditions (functional connectivity), dispersal capabilities (potential connectivity), genetic information, and functional processes affecting movements. The approach uniquely included context of habitat resources (biotic and abiotic) summarized at multiple spatial scales surrounding locations with breeding site fidelity and constraint-based rules (number of sites grouped and population structure tiers). We applied our approach to greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus), a species of conservation concern, across their range within the western United States. This case study produced 13 hierarchically nested population levels (akin to cluster levels, each representing a collection of subpopulations of an increasing number of breeding sites). These closely approximated population closure at finer ecological scales (smaller subpopulation extents with fewer breeding sites; cluster levels ≥2), where >92% of individual sage-grouse's time occurred within their home cluster. With available population monitoring data, our approaches can support the investigation of factors affecting population dynamics at multiple scales and assist managers with making informed, targeted, and cost-effective decisions within an adaptive management framework. Importantly, our approach provides the flexibility of including species-relevant context, thereby supporting other wildlife characterized by site fidelity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - David R. Edmunds
- U.S. Geological SurveyFort Collins Science CenterFort CollinsColoradoUSA
| | | | - Julie A. Heinrichs
- Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory, U.S. Geological Survey, Fort Collins Science CenterColorado State UniversityFort CollinsColoradoUSA
| | - Adrian P. Monroe
- U.S. Geological SurveyFort Collins Science CenterFort CollinsColoradoUSA
| | - Peter S. Coates
- U.S. Geological SurveyWestern Ecological Research CenterDixonCaliforniaUSA
| | - Brian G. Prochazka
- U.S. Geological SurveyWestern Ecological Research CenterDixonCaliforniaUSA
| | - Steve E. Hanser
- U.S. Geological SurveyFort Collins Science CenterFort CollinsColoradoUSA
| | - Lief A. Wiechman
- U.S. Geological SurveyEcosystems Mission AreaFort CollinsColoradoUSA
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Wanniarachchi S, Swan M, Nevil P, York A. Using eDNA metabarcoding to understand the effect of fire on the diet of small mammals in a woodland ecosystem. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e9457. [PMID: 36381390 PMCID: PMC9643072 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.9457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2022] [Revised: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 10/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Food acquisition is a fundamental process that drives animal distribution and abundance, influencing how species respond to changing environments. Disturbances such as fire create significant shifts in available dietary resources, yet, for many species, we lack basic information about what they eat, let alone how they respond to a changing resource base. In order to create effective management strategies, faunal conservation in flammable landscapes requires a greater understanding of what animals eat and how this change following a fire. What animals eat in postfire environments has received little attention due to the time-consuming methodologies and low-resolution identification of food taxa. Recently, molecular techniques have been developed to identify food DNA in scats, making it possible to identify animal diets with enhanced resolution. The primary aim of this study was to utilize eDNA metabarcoding to obtain an improved understanding of the diet of three native Australian small mammal species: yellow-footed antechinus (Antechinus flavipes), heath mouse (Pseudomys shortridgei), and bush rat (Rattus fuscipes). Specifically, we sought to understand the difference in the overall diet of the three species and how diet changed over time after fire. Yellow-footed antechinus diets mostly consisted of moths, and plants belonging to myrtles and legume families while bush rats consumed legumes, myrtles, rushes, and beetles. Heath mouse diet was dominated by rushes. All three species shifted their diets over time after fire, with most pronounced shifts in the bush rats and least for heath mice. Identifying critical food resources for native animals will allow conservation managers to consider the effect of fire management actions on these resources and help conserve the species that use them.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Saumya Wanniarachchi
- School of Ecosystem and Forest SciencesThe University of MelbourneCreswickVictoriaAustralia
| | - Matthew Swan
- School of Ecosystem and Forest SciencesThe University of MelbourneCreswickVictoriaAustralia
| | - Paul Nevil
- Trace and Environmental DNA Laboratory, School of Life and Molecular SciencesCurtin UniversityPerthWestern AustraliaAustralia
| | - Alan York
- School of Ecosystem and Forest SciencesThe University of MelbourneCreswickVictoriaAustralia
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
The shrunk genetic diversity of coral populations in North-Central Patagonia calls for management and conservation plans for marine resources. Sci Rep 2022; 12:14894. [PMID: 36050435 PMCID: PMC9437062 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-19277-3] [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: 11/01/2021] [Accepted: 08/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The Chilean Patagonia is a complex puzzle of numerous fjords, channels, bays, estuaries, and islands. The largest part of it is very remote, hampering the generation of scientific knowledge and effective management planning that could balance conservation of the marine resources with the increasing development of aquaculture activities. The present study focuses on the deep-water emergent cold-water coral Desmophyllum dianthus, dwelling in Chilean Patagonia, with the aim to illustrate its population genetic structure, demography and adaptation of the species along this coast. Microsatellite loci analysis included D. dianthus individuals from twelve sampling localities along bathymetric and oceanographic gradients from the latitude 40°S to 48°S. The results showed a lack of genetic structure with an asymmetric dispersion of individuals, and relevant heterozygosity deficiency in some populations. This study also analyses the natural and human impacts affecting the region (e.g., climate change, increasing salmon farming activities), and stresses the importance of including genetic information in the process of management and conservation of marine resources. In particular, the relevance of using interdisciplinary approaches to fill the gaps in scientific knowledge especially in remote and pristine areas of western Patagonia. Therefore, information on genetic spatial distribution of marine fauna could become pivotal to develop a holistic ecosystem-based approach for marine spatial planning.
Collapse
|
5
|
O'Donnell MS, Edmunds DR, Aldridge CL, Heinrichs JA, Monroe AP, Coates PS, Prochazka BG, Hanser SE, Wiechman LA. Defining fine‐scaled population structure among continuously distributed populations. Methods Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/2041-210x.13949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - David R. Edmunds
- U.S. Geological Survey Fort Collins Science Center Fort Collins Colorado USA
| | - Cameron L. Aldridge
- U.S. Geological Survey Fort Collins Science Center Fort Collins Colorado USA
| | - Julie A. Heinrichs
- Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO in cooperation with the U.S. Geological Survey, Fort Collins Science Center Fort Collins Colorado USA
| | - Adrian P. Monroe
- U.S. Geological Survey Fort Collins Science Center Fort Collins Colorado USA
| | - Peter S. Coates
- U.S. Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research Center Dixon Field Station Dixon California USA
| | - Brian G. Prochazka
- U.S. Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research Center Dixon Field Station Dixon California USA
| | - Steve E. Hanser
- U.S. Geological Survey Fort Collins Science Center Fort Collins Colorado USA
| | - Lief A. Wiechman
- U.S. Geological Survey Ecosystems Mission Area Fort Collins Colorado USA
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Clarke MF, Kelly LT, Avitabile SC, Benshemesh J, Callister KE, Driscoll DA, Ewin P, Giljohann K, Haslem A, Kenny SA, Leonard S, Ritchie EG, Nimmo DG, Schedvin N, Schneider K, Watson SJ, Westbrooke M, White M, Wouters MA, Bennett AF. Fire and Its Interactions With Other Drivers Shape a Distinctive, Semi-Arid ‘Mallee’ Ecosystem. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.647557] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Fire shapes ecosystems globally, including semi-arid ecosystems. In Australia, semi-arid ‘mallee’ ecosystems occur primarily across the southern part of the continent, forming an interface between the arid interior and temperate south. Mallee vegetation is characterized by short, multi-stemmed eucalypts that grow from a basal lignotuber. Fire shapes the structure and functioning of mallee ecosystems. Using the Murray Mallee region in south-eastern Australia as a case study, we examine the characteristics and role of fire, the consequences for biota, and the interaction of fire with other drivers. Wildfires in mallee ecosystems typically are large (1000s ha), burn with high severity, commonly cause top-kill of eucalypts, and create coarse-grained mosaics at a regional scale. Wildfires can occur in late spring and summer in both dry and wet years. Recovery of plant and animal communities is predictable and slow, with regeneration of eucalypts and many habitat components extending over decades. Time since the last fire strongly influences the distribution and abundance of many species and the structure of plant and animal communities. Animal species display a discrete set of generalized responses to time since fire. Systematic field studies and modeling are beginning to reveal how spatial variation in fire regimes (‘pyrodiversity’) at different scales shapes biodiversity. Pyrodiversity includes variation in the extent of post-fire habitats, the diversity of post-fire age-classes and their configuration. At regional scales, a desirable mix of fire histories for biodiversity conservation includes a combination of early, mid and late post-fire age-classes, weighted toward later seral stages that provide critical habitat for threatened species. Biodiversity is also influenced by interactions between fire and other drivers, including land clearing, rainfall, herbivory and predation. Extensive clearing for agriculture has altered the nature and impact of fire, and facilitated invasion by pest species that modify fuels, fire regimes and post-fire recovery. Given the natural and anthropogenic drivers of fire and the consequences of their interactions, we highlight opportunities for conserving mallee ecosystems. These include learning from and fostering Indigenous knowledge of fire, implementing actions that consider synergies between fire and other processes, and strategic monitoring of fire, biodiversity and other drivers to guide place-based, adaptive management under climate change.
Collapse
|
7
|
Driscoll DA, Armenteras D, Bennett AF, Brotons L, Clarke MF, Doherty TS, Haslem A, Kelly LT, Sato CF, Sitters H, Aquilué N, Bell K, Chadid M, Duane A, Meza-Elizalde MC, Giljohann KM, González TM, Jambhekar R, Lazzari J, Morán-Ordóñez A, Wevill T. How fire interacts with habitat loss and fragmentation. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2021; 96:976-998. [PMID: 33561321 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2020] [Revised: 01/14/2021] [Accepted: 01/15/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Biodiversity faces many threats and these can interact to produce outcomes that may not be predicted by considering their effects in isolation. Habitat loss and fragmentation (hereafter 'fragmentation') and altered fire regimes are important threats to biodiversity, but their interactions have not been systematically evaluated across the globe. In this comprehensive synthesis, including 162 papers which provided 274 cases, we offer a framework for understanding how fire interacts with fragmentation. Fire and fragmentation interact in three main ways: (i) fire influences fragmentation (59% of 274 cases), where fire either destroys and fragments habitat or creates and connects habitat; (ii) fragmentation influences fire (25% of cases) where, after habitat is reduced in area and fragmented, fire in the landscape is subsequently altered because people suppress or ignite fires, or there is increased edge flammability or increased obstruction to fire spread; and (iii) where the two do not influence each other, but fire interacts with fragmentation to affect responses like species richness, abundance and extinction risk (16% of cases). Where fire and fragmentation do influence each other, feedback loops are possible that can lead to ecosystem conversion (e.g. forest to grassland). This is a well-documented threat in the tropics but with potential also to be important elsewhere. Fire interacts with fragmentation through scale-specific mechanisms: fire creates edges and drives edge effects; fire alters patch quality; and fire alters landscape-scale connectivity. We found only 12 cases in which studies reported the four essential strata for testing a full interaction, which were fragmented and unfragmented landscapes that both span contrasting fire histories, such as recently burnt and long unburnt vegetation. Simulation and empirical studies show that fire and fragmentation can interact synergistically, multiplicatively, antagonistically or additively. These cases highlight a key reason why understanding interactions is so important: when fire and fragmentation act together they can cause local extinctions, even when their separate effects are neutral. Whether fire-fragmentation interactions benefit or disadvantage species is often determined by the species' preferred successional stage. Adding fire to landscapes generally benefits early-successional plant and animal species, whereas it is detrimental to late-successional species. However, when fire interacts with fragmentation, the direction of effect of fire on a species could be reversed from the effect expected by successional preferences. Adding fire to fragmented landscapes can be detrimental for species that would normally co-exist with fire, because species may no longer be able to disperse to their preferred successional stage. Further, animals may be attracted to particular successional stages leading to unexpected responses to fragmentation, such as higher abundance in more isolated unburnt patches. Growing human populations and increasing resource consumption suggest that fragmentation trends will worsen over coming years. Combined with increasing alteration of fire regimes due to climate change and human-caused ignitions, interactions of fire with fragmentation are likely to become more common. Our new framework paves the way for developing a better understanding of how fire interacts with fragmentation, and for conserving biodiversity in the face of these emerging challenges.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Don A Driscoll
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Melbourne Burwood Campus, 221 Burwood Highway, Burwood, VIC, 3125, Australia
| | - Dolors Armenteras
- Laboratorio de Ecología del Paisaje y Modelación de Ecosistemas ECOLMOD, Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Sede Bogotá, Edificio 421, Oficina 223, Cra. 30 # 45-03, Bogotá, 111321, Colombia
| | - Andrew F Bennett
- Research Centre for Future Landscapes, Department Ecology, Environment & Evolution, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, 3086, Australia
| | - Lluís Brotons
- InForest JRU (CTFC-CREAF), Carretera vella de Sant Llorenç de Morunys km. 2, Solsona, 25280, Spain.,CREAF, Bellaterra, Barcelona, 08193, Spain.,CSIC, Bellaterra, Barcelona, 08193, Spain
| | - Michael F Clarke
- Research Centre for Future Landscapes, Department Ecology, Environment & Evolution, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, 3086, Australia
| | - Tim S Doherty
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Melbourne Burwood Campus, 221 Burwood Highway, Burwood, VIC, 3125, Australia
| | - Angie Haslem
- Research Centre for Future Landscapes, Department Ecology, Environment & Evolution, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, 3086, Australia
| | - Luke T Kelly
- School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Chloe F Sato
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Melbourne Burwood Campus, 221 Burwood Highway, Burwood, VIC, 3125, Australia
| | - Holly Sitters
- School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, University of Melbourne, 4 Water Street, Creswick, VIC, 3363, Australia
| | - Núria Aquilué
- InForest JRU (CTFC-CREAF), Carretera vella de Sant Llorenç de Morunys km. 2, Solsona, 25280, Spain
| | - Kristian Bell
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Melbourne Burwood Campus, 221 Burwood Highway, Burwood, VIC, 3125, Australia
| | - Maria Chadid
- Laboratorio de Ecología del Paisaje y Modelación de Ecosistemas ECOLMOD, Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Sede Bogotá, Edificio 421, Oficina 223, Cra. 30 # 45-03, Bogotá, 111321, Colombia
| | - Andrea Duane
- InForest JRU (CTFC-CREAF), Carretera vella de Sant Llorenç de Morunys km. 2, Solsona, 25280, Spain
| | - María C Meza-Elizalde
- Laboratorio de Ecología del Paisaje y Modelación de Ecosistemas ECOLMOD, Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Sede Bogotá, Edificio 421, Oficina 223, Cra. 30 # 45-03, Bogotá, 111321, Colombia
| | | | - Tania Marisol González
- Laboratorio de Ecología del Paisaje y Modelación de Ecosistemas ECOLMOD, Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Sede Bogotá, Edificio 421, Oficina 223, Cra. 30 # 45-03, Bogotá, 111321, Colombia
| | - Ravi Jambhekar
- Azim Premji University, PES Campus, Pixel Park, B Block, Hosur Road, beside NICE Road, Electronic City, Bengaluru, Karnataka, 560100, India
| | - Juliana Lazzari
- Fenner School of Environment and Society, Australian National University, Building 141, Linnaeus Way, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
| | - Alejandra Morán-Ordóñez
- InForest JRU (CTFC-CREAF), Carretera vella de Sant Llorenç de Morunys km. 2, Solsona, 25280, Spain
| | - Tricia Wevill
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Melbourne Burwood Campus, 221 Burwood Highway, Burwood, VIC, 3125, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
|
9
|
von Takach Dukai B, Peakall R, Lindenmayer DB, Banks SC. The influence of fire and silvicultural practices on the landscape-scale genetic structure of an Australian foundation tree species. CONSERV GENET 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s10592-019-01245-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
|
10
|
Schlesselmann AV, Dussex N, Cooper J, Monks JM, O'Donnell CFJ, Robertson BC. Contrasting patterns of population structure at large and fine geographical scales in a migratory avian disturbance specialist of braided river ecosystems. DIVERS DISTRIB 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/ddi.12994] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Ann‐Kathrin V. Schlesselmann
- Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research Dunedin New Zealand
- Department of Zoology University of Otago Dunedin New Zealand
| | - Nicolas Dussex
- Department of Bioinformatics and Genetics Swedish Museum of Natural History Stockholm Sweden
| | - Jamie Cooper
- Department of Zoology University of Otago Dunedin New Zealand
| | - Joanne M. Monks
- Department of Conservation Biodiversity Group Dunedin New Zealand
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
11
|
Asem A, Eimanifar A, van Stappen G, Sun SC. The impact of one-decade ecological disturbance on genetic changes: a study on the brine shrimp Artemia urmiana from Urmia Lake, Iran. PeerJ 2019; 7:e7190. [PMID: 31304060 PMCID: PMC6611446 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.7190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2018] [Accepted: 05/24/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Urmia Lake, the largest natural habitat of the brine shrimp Artemia urmiana, has progressively desiccated over the last two decades, resulting in a loss of 80% of its surface area and producing thousands of hectares of arid salty land. This ecological crisis has seriously affected the lake’s native biodiversity. Artemia urmiana has lost more than 90% of its population during the decade from 1994 (rainy period) to 2004 (drought period) due to salinity increasing to saturation levels (∼300 g/l). We studied the influence of this ecological crisis on the genetic diversity of A. urmiana in Urmia Lake, based on one cyst collections in 1994 and 2004. AMOVA analysis on ISSR data demonstrated a 21% genetic variation and there was a 5.5% reduction of polymorphic loci between samples. PCoA showed that 77.42% and 68.75% of specimens clustered separately in 1994 and 2004, respectively. Our analyses of four marker genes revealed different genetic diversity patterns with a decrease of diversity at ITS1 and an increase for Na+/K+ ATPase. There was no notable difference in genetic variation detected for COI and 16S genes between the two periods. However, they represented distinctly different haplotypes. ITS1 and COI followed a population expansion model, whereas Na+/K+ ATPase and 16S were under demographic equilibrium without selective pressure in the 1994 samples. Neutrality tests confirmed the excess of rare historical and recent mutations present in COI and ITS1 in both samples. It is evident that a short-term ecological disturbance has impacted the genetic diversity and structure of A. urmiana.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alireza Asem
- Institute of Evolution and Marine Biodiversity, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China.,College of Life Sciences and Ecology, Hainan Tropical Ocean University, Sanya, China
| | | | - Gilbert van Stappen
- Laboratory of Aquaculture and Artemia Reference Center, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Gent, Belgium
| | - Shi-Chun Sun
- Institute of Evolution and Marine Biodiversity, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Nebel C, Kadletz K, Gamauf A, Haring E, Sackl P, Tiefenbach M, Winkler H, Zachos FE. Witnessing extinction: Population genetics of the last European Rollers (
Coracias garrulus
) in Austria and a first phylogeographic analysis of the species across its distribution range. J ZOOL SYST EVOL RES 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/jzs.12256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Carina Nebel
- FitzPatrick Institute of African OrnithologyUniversity of Cape Town Cape Town South Africa
- Natural History Museum Vienna Vienna Austria
| | - Kerstin Kadletz
- Wolf Science CenterKonrad‐Lorenz Institute of Ethology ViennaUniversity of Veterinary Medicine Vienna Vienna Austria
- Institute of Wildlife Biology and Game ManagementUniversität für Bodenkultur Wien Vienna Austria
| | - Anita Gamauf
- Natural History Museum Vienna Vienna Austria
- Department of Integrative ZoologyUniversity of Vienna Vienna Austria
| | - Elisabeth Haring
- Natural History Museum Vienna Vienna Austria
- Department of Integrative ZoologyUniversity of Vienna Vienna Austria
| | | | - Michael Tiefenbach
- Referat für Natur‐ und allgem. Umweltschutz A13 Umwelt und RaumordnungAmt der Steiermärkischen Landesregierung Graz Austria
| | - Hans Winkler
- Austrian Ornithological CentreUniversity of Veterinary Medicine Vienna Vienna Austria
| | - Frank E. Zachos
- Natural History Museum Vienna Vienna Austria
- Department of Integrative ZoologyUniversity of Vienna Vienna Austria
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Increase of genetic diversity indicates ecological opportunities in recurrent-fire landscapes for wall lizards. Sci Rep 2019; 9:5383. [PMID: 30926838 PMCID: PMC6441018 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-41729-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2018] [Accepted: 03/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Socioeconomic and climatic factors are modifying fire regimes with an increase of fire frequency and extension. Unfortunately, the effects of recurrent fires on biological processes that ultimately affect the genetic diversity of animal populations are mostly unknown. We examined genetic patterns of diversity in the wall lizard Podarcis guadarramae in northern Portugal, one of the European regions with the highest percentage of burnt land. This species is a small saxicolous lizard as it inhabits natural outcrops and artificial stone walls, likely in recurrent-fire landscapes. We genotyped nine microsatellites from ten populations selected according to a gradient in fire recurrence, and compared genetic diversity indexes and demographic patterns among them. At the population level, we hypothesize that a high level of mortality and population bottlenecks are expected to reduce genetic heterozygosity in sampled localities affected by recurrent fires. Alternatively, genetic signatures are expected to be absent whether fire did not cause high mortality. Regardless of levels of mortality, we expect a gain in genetic diversity whether recurrent fires facilitate lizard dispersal and migration due to the increased quality of the habitat for wall lizards. At the regional level, we examine whether a recurrent fire regime may disrupt the spatial structure of populations. Our results showed an increase in genetic diversity in recurrently burnt populations, and a decline in longer-unburnt populations. We did not detect bottleneck effects in repeatedly-burnt populations. High genetic diversity in recurrent fire populations suggests a high dispersion rate between adjacent metapopulations and perhaps immigration from outside the fire boundary. At the regional level, lizard populations show low differentiation and weak genetic structure, suggesting no effects of fire. This study confirms field-based censuses showing that recurrent-fire regimes give ecological opportunities to wall lizards that benefit from habitat openness.
Collapse
|
14
|
Examining spatial patterns of selection and use for an altered predator guild. Oecologia 2017; 185:725-735. [DOI: 10.1007/s00442-017-3971-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2016] [Accepted: 09/27/2017] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
|
15
|
Banks SC, Davies ID, Cary GJ. When can refuges mediate the genetic effects of fire regimes? A simulation study of the effects of topography and weather on neutral and adaptive genetic diversity in fire‐prone landscapes. Mol Ecol 2017; 26:4935-4954. [DOI: 10.1111/mec.14250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2017] [Accepted: 07/17/2017] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sam C. Banks
- The Fenner School of Environment and Society Australian National University Acton ACT Australia
| | - Ian D. Davies
- The Fenner School of Environment and Society Australian National University Acton ACT Australia
| | - Geoffrey J. Cary
- The Fenner School of Environment and Society Australian National University Acton ACT Australia
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Schrey AW, Ragsdale AK, McCoy ED, Mushinsky HR. Repeated Habitat Disturbances by Fire Decrease Local Effective Population Size. J Hered 2016; 107:336-41. [PMID: 26976940 DOI: 10.1093/jhered/esw016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2015] [Accepted: 03/09/2016] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Effective population size is a fundamental parameter in population genetics, and factors that alter effective population size will shape the genetic characteristics of populations. Habitat disturbance may have a large effect on genetic characteristics of populations by influencing immigration and gene flow, particularly in fragmented habitats. We used the Florida Sand Skink (Plestiodon reynoldsi) to investigate the effect of fire-based habitat disturbances on the effective population size in the highly threatened, severely fragmented, and fire dependent Florida scrub habitat. We screened 7 microsatellite loci in 604 individuals collected from 12 locations at Archbold Biological Station. Archbold Biological Station has an active fire management plan and detailed records of fires dating to 1967. Our objective was to determine how the timing, number, and intervals between fires affect effective population size, focusing on multiple fires in the same location. Effective population size was higher in areas that had not been burned for more than 10 years and decreased with number of fires and shorter time between fires. A similar pattern was observed in abundance: increasing abundance with time-since-fire and decreasing abundance with number of fires. The ratio of effective population size to census size was higher at sites with more recent fires and tended to decrease with time-since-last-fire. These results suggest that habitat disturbances, such as fire, may have a large effect in the genetic characteristics of local populations and that Florida Sand Skinks are well adapted to the natural fire dynamics required to maintain Florida scrub.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Aaron W Schrey
- From the Department of Biology, Armstrong State University, Science Center, 11935 Abercorn Street, Savannah, GA 31419 (Schrey and Ragsdale); and Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL (Schrey, McCoy, and Mushinsky).
| | - Alexandria K Ragsdale
- From the Department of Biology, Armstrong State University, Science Center, 11935 Abercorn Street, Savannah, GA 31419 (Schrey and Ragsdale); and Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL (Schrey, McCoy, and Mushinsky)
| | - Earl D McCoy
- From the Department of Biology, Armstrong State University, Science Center, 11935 Abercorn Street, Savannah, GA 31419 (Schrey and Ragsdale); and Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL (Schrey, McCoy, and Mushinsky)
| | - Henry R Mushinsky
- From the Department of Biology, Armstrong State University, Science Center, 11935 Abercorn Street, Savannah, GA 31419 (Schrey and Ragsdale); and Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL (Schrey, McCoy, and Mushinsky)
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Berry LE, Driscoll DA, Stein JA, Blanchard W, Banks SC, Bradstock RA, Lindenmayer DB. Identifying the location of fire refuges in wet forest ecosystems. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2015; 25:2337-2348. [PMID: 26910959 DOI: 10.1890/14-1699.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
The increasing frequency of large, high-severity fires threatens the survival of old-growth specialist fauna in fire-prone forests. Within topographically diverse montane forests, areas that experience less severe or fewer fires compared with those prevailing in the landscape may present unique resource opportunities enabling old-growth specialist fauna to survive. Statistical landscape models that identify the extent and distribution of potential fire refuges may assist land managers to incorporate these areas into relevant biodiversity conservation strategies. We used a case study in an Australian wet montane forest to establish how predictive fire simulation models can be interpreted as management tools to identify potential fire refuges. We examined the relationship between the probability of fire refuge occurrence as predicted by an existing fire refuge model and fire severity experienced during a large wildfire. We also examined the extent to which local fire severity was influenced by fire severity in the surrounding landscape. We used a combination of statistical approaches, including generalized linear modeling, variogram analysis, and receiver operating characteristics and area under the curve analysis (ROC AUC). We found that the amount of unburned habitat and the factors influencing the retention and location of fire refuges varied with fire conditions. Under extreme fire conditions, the distribution of fire refuges was limited to only extremely sheltered, fire-resistant regions of the landscape. During extreme fire conditions, fire severity patterns were largely determined by stochastic factors that could not be predicted by the model. When fire conditions were moderate, physical landscape properties appeared to mediate fire severity distribution. Our study demonstrates that land managers can employ predictive landscape fire models to identify the broader climatic and spatial domain within which fire refuges are likely to be present. It is essential that within these envelopes, forest is protected from logging, roads, and other developments so that the ecological processes related to the establishment and subsequent use of fire refuges are maintained.
Collapse
|
18
|
Cerame B, Cox JA, Brumfield RT, Tucker JW, Taylor SS. Adaptation to ephemeral habitat may overcome natural barriers and severe habitat fragmentation in a fire-dependent species, the Bachman's Sparrow (Peucaea aestivalis). PLoS One 2014; 9:e105782. [PMID: 25180939 PMCID: PMC4152175 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0105782] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2014] [Accepted: 07/18/2014] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Bachman's Sparrow (Peucaea aestivalis) is a fire-dependent species that has undergone range-wide population declines in recent decades. We examined genetic diversity in Bachman's Sparrows to determine whether natural barriers have led to distinct population units and to assess the effect of anthropogenic habitat loss and fragmentation. Genetic diversity was examined across the geographic range by genotyping 226 individuals at 18 microsatellite loci and sequencing 48 individuals at mitochondrial and nuclear genes. Multiple analyses consistently demonstrated little genetic structure and high levels of genetic variation, suggesting that populations are panmictic. Based on these genetic data, separate management units/subspecies designations or translocations to promote gene flow among fragmented populations do not appear to be necessary. Panmixia in Bachman's Sparrow may be a consequence of an historical range expansion and retraction. Alternatively, high vagility in Bachman's Sparrow may be an adaptation to the ephemeral, fire-mediated habitat that this species prefers. In recent times, high vagility also appears to have offset inbreeding and loss of genetic diversity in highly fragmented habitat.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Blain Cerame
- School of Renewable Natural Resources, Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States of America
| | - James A Cox
- Tall Timbers Research Station and Land Conservancy, Tallahassee, Florida, United States of America
| | - Robb T Brumfield
- Museum of Natural Science and Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States of America
| | - James W Tucker
- Archbold Biological Station, Venus, Florida, United States of America
| | - Sabrina S Taylor
- School of Renewable Natural Resources, Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States of America
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Smith AL, Bull CM, Gardner MG, Driscoll DA. Life history influences how fire affects genetic diversity in two lizard species. Mol Ecol 2014; 23:2428-41. [DOI: 10.1111/mec.12757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2013] [Revised: 04/01/2014] [Accepted: 04/13/2014] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Annabel L. Smith
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions and the National Environmental Research Program Environmental Decisions Hub; Fenner School of Environment and Society; The Australian National University; Fenner Building 141 Canberra ACT 0200 Australia
| | - C. Michael Bull
- School of Biological Sciences; Flinders University; GPO Box 2100 Adelaide SA 5001 Australia
| | - Michael G. Gardner
- School of Biological Sciences; Flinders University; GPO Box 2100 Adelaide SA 5001 Australia
- Evolutionary Biology Unit; South Australian Museum; North Terrace Adelaide SA 5000 Australia
| | - Don A. Driscoll
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions and the National Environmental Research Program Environmental Decisions Hub; Fenner School of Environment and Society; The Australian National University; Fenner Building 141 Canberra ACT 0200 Australia
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Zeigler SL, Fagan WF. Transient windows for connectivity in a changing world. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2014; 2:1. [PMID: 25520812 PMCID: PMC4267606 DOI: 10.1186/2051-3933-2-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2013] [Accepted: 12/23/2013] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
The primary focus of studies examining metapopulation processes in dynamic or disturbance-dependent landscapes has been related to spatiotemporal changes in the habitat patches themselves. However, like the habitat patches, opportunities for movement between patches can also exist intermittently in dynamic landscapes, creating transient connectivity windows - which we define as a period of time during which matrix conditions increase the probability of one or more individuals moving successfully between habitat patches. Far less is known about the implications of dynamic changes in connectivity per se, and, to our knowledge, there are no connectivity metrics or metapopulation models that explicitly consider intermittent changes to connectivity between habitat patches. Consequently, in this paper, we examined the peer-reviewed, published literature up to November 2013 to better understand the consequences of variability in connectivity and to highlight knowledge gaps on this topic. First, we describe how connectivity per se can vary along a temporal gradient, offering examples of ecological systems that fall along this gradient. Second, we examine how temporal variability in connectivity is important for metapopulation dynamics, particularly given likely alterations to disturbance regimes as a result of global change. We conclude our review by briefly discussing key avenues for future connectivity-related research, all of which hinge on the need to perceive connectivity as a transient feature.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sara L Zeigler
- />Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24060 USA
| | - William F Fagan
- />Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742 USA
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
How does ecological disturbance influence genetic diversity? Trends Ecol Evol 2013; 28:670-9. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2013.08.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 161] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2013] [Revised: 08/14/2013] [Accepted: 08/28/2013] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
|