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Klingler KB, Nichols LB, Hekkala ER, Stewart JAE, Peacock MM. Life on the edge-a changing genetic landscape within an iconic American pika metapopulation over the last half century. PeerJ 2023; 11:e15962. [PMID: 37790628 PMCID: PMC10542391 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.15962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2023] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Declines and extirpations of American pika (Ochotona princeps) populations at historically occupied sites started being documented in the literature during the early 2000s. Commensurate with global climate change, many of these losses at peripheral and lower elevation sites have been associated with changes in ambient air temperature and precipitation regimes. Here, we report on a decline in available genetic resources for an iconic American pika metapopulation, located at the southwestern edge of the species distribution in the Bodie Hills of eastern California, USA. Composed of highly fragmented habitat created by hard rock mining, the ore dumps at this site were likely colonized by pikas around the end of the 19th century from nearby natural talus outcrops. Genetic data extracted from both contemporary samples and archived natural history collections allowed us to track population and patch-level genetic diversity for Bodie pikas across three distinct sampling points during the last half- century (1948-1949, 1988-1991, 2013-2015). Reductions in within-population allelic diversity and expected heterozygosity were observed across the full time period. More extensive sampling of extant patches during the 1988-1991 and 2013-2015 periods revealed an increase in population structure and a reduction in effective population size. Furthermore, census records from the last 51 years as well as archived museum samples collected in 1947 from a nearby pika population in the Wassuk range (Nevada, USA) provide further support of the increasing isolation and genetic coalescence occurring in this region. This study highlights the importance of museum samples and long-term monitoring in contextualizing our understanding of population viability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly B. Klingler
- Department of Environmental Conservation, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, Massachusetts, United States
| | - Lyle B. Nichols
- Department of Life Sciences, Santa Monica College, Santa Monica, California, United States
| | - Evon R. Hekkala
- Department of Biological Sciences, Fordham University, Bronx, New York, United States
| | - Joseph A. E. Stewart
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of California, Davis, Davis, California, United States
| | - Mary M. Peacock
- Department of Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, Reno, Nevada, United States
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2
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Zhou R, Hua R, Tang Z, Hua L. Daily and Seasonal Activity Patterns of Plateau Pikas ( Ochotona curzoniae) on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, China, and Their Relationship with Weather Condition. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:ani13101689. [PMID: 37238118 DOI: 10.3390/ani13101689] [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: 02/24/2023] [Revised: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Exploring the activity patterns of small mammals is important for understanding the survival strategies of these animals, such as foraging and mating. The purpose of the present study was to determine the activity of free-living plateau pikas (Ochotona curzoniae) in different months and seasons (cold and warm seasons), with a particular emphasis on the effects of weather condition. Based on a camera-trapping survey conducted from October 2017 to September 2018, we evaluated the activity patterns and activity levels of plateau pikas inhabiting the eastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau in China. The effects of environmental factors on the activity of plateau pikas were examined using the generalized additive mixed model (GAMM). The results showed that: (1) The plateau pikas exhibited unimodal patterns of activity during the cold season (October-April). During the warm season (May-September), the activity patterns of the plateau pikas were bimodal. Their activity levels were highest in June. (2) During the cold season, their activity levels rose gradually over the course of the day to a peak near noon, and they were not significantly higher after sunrise than they were before sunset. During the warm season, their activity peaks were in the morning and afternoon, and their activity levels were substantially lower after sunrise than they were before sunset. (3) The plateau pikas were more active under conditions with lower ambient temperatures and precipitation during the cold and warm seasons. While relative air humidity was positively correlated with the activity of the plateau pikas during the warm season, wind speed was negatively correlated with the pikas' activity during the cold season. Overall, these results collectively indicate that plateau pikas occupy habitats with cool and less windy microclimates during the cold season, and with cool and moist microclimates during the warm season. Information on the time allocation of pikas' activity levels during different seasons should provide a baseline for understanding their potential for adaptation to climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Grassland Ecosystem of the Ministry of Education, College of Grassland Science, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China
- Qinghai Academy of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Qinghai University, Xining 810016, China
| | - Rui Hua
- Key Laboratory of Grassland Ecosystem of the Ministry of Education, College of Grassland Science, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China
| | - Zhuangsheng Tang
- Key Laboratory of Grassland Ecosystem of the Ministry of Education, College of Grassland Science, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China
| | - Limin Hua
- Key Laboratory of Grassland Ecosystem of the Ministry of Education, College of Grassland Science, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China
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3
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Occurrence of favorable local habitat conditions in an atypical landscape: Evidence of Japanese pika microrefugia. Glob Ecol Conserv 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2021.e01509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
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4
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Iwaniec DM, Gooseff M, Suding KN, Samuel Johnson D, Reed DC, Peters DPC, Adams B, Barrett JE, Bestelmeyer BT, Castorani MCN, Cook EM, Davidson MJ, Groffman PM, Hanan NP, Huenneke LF, Johnson PTJ, McKnight DM, Miller RJ, Okin GS, Preston DL, Rassweiler A, Ray C, Sala OE, Schooley RL, Seastedt T, Spasojevic MJ, Vivoni ER. Connectivity: insights from the U.S. Long Term Ecological Research Network. Ecosphere 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- David M. Iwaniec
- Urban Studies Institute Andrew Young School of Policy Studies Georgia State University Atlanta Georgia30303USA
| | - Michael Gooseff
- Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research University of Colorado Boulder Colorado80309USA
| | - Katharine N. Suding
- Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research University of Colorado Boulder Colorado80309USA
| | - David Samuel Johnson
- Virginia Institute of Marine Science William & Mary Gloucester Point Virginia23062USA
| | - Daniel C. Reed
- Marine Science Institute University of California Santa Barbara California93106USA
| | - Debra P. C. Peters
- US Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service Jornada Experimental Range Unit Las Cruces New Mexico88003‐0003USA
- Jornada Basin Long Term Ecological Research Program New Mexico State University Las Cruces New Mexico88003USA
| | - Byron Adams
- Department of Biology and Monte L. Bean Museum Brigham Young University Provo Utah84602USA
| | - John E. Barrett
- Department of Biological Sciences Virginia Tech University Blacksburg Virginia24061USA
| | - Brandon T. Bestelmeyer
- US Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service Jornada Experimental Range Unit Las Cruces New Mexico88003‐0003USA
- Jornada Basin Long Term Ecological Research Program New Mexico State University Las Cruces New Mexico88003USA
| | - Max C. N. Castorani
- Department of Environmental Sciences University of Virginia Charlottesville Virginia22904USA
| | - Elizabeth M. Cook
- Environmental Sciences Department Barnard College New York New York10027USA
| | - Melissa J. Davidson
- School Sustainability and Julie Ann Wrigley Global Institute of Sustainability Arizona State University Tempe Arizona85287USA
| | - Peter M. Groffman
- City University of New York Advanced Science Research Center at the Graduate Center New York New York10031USA
- Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies Millbrook New York12545USA
| | - Niall P. Hanan
- Jornada Basin Long Term Ecological Research Program New Mexico State University Las Cruces New Mexico88003USA
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences New Mexico State University Las Cruces New Mexico88003USA
| | - Laura F. Huenneke
- Jornada Basin Long Term Ecological Research Program New Mexico State University Las Cruces New Mexico88003USA
- School of Earth and Sustainability Northern Arizona University Flagstaff Arizona86011USA
| | - Pieter T. J. Johnson
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of Colorado Boulder Colorado80309USA
| | - Diane M. McKnight
- Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering University of Colorado Boulder Colorado80309USA
| | - Robert J. Miller
- Marine Science Institute University of California Santa Barbara California93106USA
| | - Gregory S. Okin
- Jornada Basin Long Term Ecological Research Program New Mexico State University Las Cruces New Mexico88003USA
- Department of Geography University of California Los Angeles California90095USA
| | - Daniel L. Preston
- Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology Colorado State University Fort Collins Colorado80523USA
| | - Andrew Rassweiler
- Department of Biological Science Florida State University Tallahassee Florida32304USA
| | - Chris Ray
- Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research University of Colorado Boulder Colorado80309USA
| | - Osvaldo E. Sala
- Jornada Basin Long Term Ecological Research Program New Mexico State University Las Cruces New Mexico88003USA
- Global Drylands Center School of Life Sciences and School of Sustainability Arizona State University Tempe Arizona85287USA
| | - Robert L. Schooley
- Jornada Basin Long Term Ecological Research Program New Mexico State University Las Cruces New Mexico88003USA
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences University of Illinois Urbana Illinois61801USA
| | - Timothy Seastedt
- Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research University of Colorado Boulder Colorado80309USA
| | - Marko J. Spasojevic
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology University of California Riverside Riverside California92521USA
| | - Enrique R. Vivoni
- Jornada Basin Long Term Ecological Research Program New Mexico State University Las Cruces New Mexico88003USA
- School of Earth and Space Exploration and School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment Arizona State University Tempe Arizona85287USA
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Whipple AL, Ray C, Wasser M, Kitchens JN, Hove AA, Varner J, Wilkening JL. Temporal vs. spatial variation in stress-associated metabolites within a population of climate-sensitive small mammals. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2021; 9:coab024. [PMID: 34026212 PMCID: PMC8127223 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coab024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2020] [Revised: 02/04/2021] [Accepted: 03/30/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Temporal variation in stress might signify changes in an animal's internal or external environment, while spatial variation in stress might signify variation in the quality of the habitats that individual animals experience. Habitat-induced variations in stress might be easiest to detect in highly territorial animals, and especially in species that do not take advantage of common strategies for modulating habitat-induced stress, such as migration (escape in space) or hibernation (escape in time). Spatial and temporal variation in response to potential stressors has received little study in wild animals, especially at scales appropriate for relating stress to specific habitat characteristics. Here, we use the American pika (Ochotona princeps), a territorial small mammal, to investigate stress response within and among territories. For individually territorial animals such as pikas, differences in habitat quality should lead to differences in stress exhibited by territory owners. We indexed stress using stress-associated hormone metabolites in feces collected non-invasively from pika territories every 2 weeks from June to September 2018. We hypothesized that differences in territory quality would lead to spatial differences in mean stress and that seasonal variation in physiology or the physical environment would lead to synchronous variation across territories through time. We used linear mixed-effects models to explore spatiotemporal variation in stress using fixed effects of day-of-year and broad habitat characteristics (elevation, aspect, site), as well as local variation in habitat characteristics hypothesized to affect territory quality for this saxicolous species (talus depth, clast size, available forage types). We found that temporal variation within territories was greater than spatial variation among territories, suggesting that shared seasonal stressors are more influential than differences in individual habitat quality. This approach could be used in other wildlife studies to refine our understanding of habitat quality and its effect on individual stress levels as a driver of population decline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley L Whipple
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of
Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
- Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research, University of
Colorado, Boulder, CO 80303, USA
| | - Chris Ray
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of
Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
- Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research, University of
Colorado, Boulder, CO 80303, USA
| | - Max Wasser
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of
Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
| | - James N Kitchens
- Department of Biology, Warren Wilson College,
Asheville, NC 28778, USA
| | - Alisa A Hove
- Department of Biology, Warren Wilson College,
Asheville, NC 28778, USA
| | - Johanna Varner
- Department of Biological Sciences, Colorado Mesa
University, Grand Junction, CO 81501, USA
| | - Jennifer L Wilkening
- US Fish and Wildlife Service, Southern Nevada Fish and Wildlife
Office, Las Vegas, NV 89130, USA
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6
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Klingler KB, Jahner JP, Parchman TL, Ray C, Peacock MM. Genomic variation in the American pika: signatures of geographic isolation and implications for conservation. BMC Ecol Evol 2021; 21:2. [PMID: 33514306 PMCID: PMC7853312 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-020-01739-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2020] [Accepted: 12/17/2020] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Distributional responses by alpine taxa to repeated, glacial-interglacial cycles throughout the last two million years have significantly influenced the spatial genetic structure of populations. These effects have been exacerbated for the American pika (Ochotona princeps), a small alpine lagomorph constrained by thermal sensitivity and a limited dispersal capacity. As a species of conservation concern, long-term lack of gene flow has important consequences for landscape genetic structure and levels of diversity within populations. Here, we use reduced representation sequencing (ddRADseq) to provide a genome-wide perspective on patterns of genetic variation across pika populations representing distinct subspecies. To investigate how landscape and environmental features shape genetic variation, we collected genetic samples from distinct geographic regions as well as across finer spatial scales in two geographically proximate mountain ranges of eastern Nevada. Results Our genome-wide analyses corroborate range-wide, mitochondrial subspecific designations and reveal pronounced fine-scale population structure between the Ruby Mountains and East Humboldt Range of eastern Nevada. Populations in Nevada were characterized by low genetic diversity (π = 0.0006–0.0009; θW = 0.0005–0.0007) relative to populations in California (π = 0.0014–0.0019; θW = 0.0011–0.0017) and the Rocky Mountains (π = 0.0025–0.0027; θW = 0.0021–0.0024), indicating substantial genetic drift in these isolated populations. Tajima’s D was positive for all sites (D = 0.240–0.811), consistent with recent contraction in population sizes range-wide. Conclusions Substantial influences of geography, elevation and climate variables on genetic differentiation were also detected and may interact with the regional effects of anthropogenic climate change to force the loss of unique genetic lineages through continued population extirpations in the Great Basin and Sierra Nevada.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Joshua P Jahner
- Department of Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, 89557, USA
| | - Thomas L Parchman
- Department of Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, 89557, USA.,Program in Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, NV, 89557, USA
| | - Chris Ray
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, 80309-0334, USA
| | - Mary M Peacock
- Department of Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, 89557, USA. .,Program in Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, NV, 89557, USA.
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7
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Abstract
Abstract
The American pika (Ochotona princeps) is commonly perceived as a species that is at high risk of extinction due to climate change. The purpose of this review is two-fold: to evaluate the claim that climate change is threatening pikas with extinction, and to summarize the conservation status of the American pika. Most American pikas inhabit major cordilleras, such as the Rocky Mountain, Sierra Nevada, and Cascade ranges. Occupancy of potential pika habitat in these ranges is uniformly high and no discernible climate signal has been found that discriminates between the many occupied and relatively few unoccupied sites that have been recently surveyed. Pikas therefore are thriving across most of their range. The story differs in more marginal parts of the species range, primarily across the Great Basin, where a higher percentage of available habitat is unoccupied. A comprehensive review of Great Basin pikas revealed that occupied sites, sites of recent extirpation, and old sites, were regularly found within the same geographic and climatic space as extant sites, and suggested that pikas in the Great Basin tolerated a broader set of habitat and climatic conditions than previously understood. Studies of a small subset of extirpated sites in the Great Basin and in California found that climate variables (most notably measures of hot temperature) were associated more often with extirpated sites than occupied sites. Importantly, upward contraction of the lower elevation boundary also was found at some sites. However, models that incorporated variables other than climate (such as availability of upslope talus habitat) often were better predictors of site persistence. Many extirpations occurred on small habitat patches, which were subject to stochastic extinction, as informed by a long-term pika metapopulation study in Bodie, California. In addition, several sites may have been compromised by cattle grazing or other anthropogenic factors. In contrast, several low, hot sites (Bodie, Mono Craters, Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve, Lava Beds National Monument, Columbia River Gorge) retain active pika populations, demonstrating the adaptive capacity and resilience of pikas in response to adverse environmental conditions. Pikas cope with warm temperatures by retreating into cool interstices of their talus habitat and augment their restricted daytime foraging with nocturnal activity. Pikas exhibit significant flexibility in their foraging tactics and are highly selective in their choice of available vegetation. The trait that places pikas at greatest risk from climate change is their poor dispersal capability. Dispersal is more restricted in hotter environments, and isolated low-elevation sites that become extirpated are unlikely to be recolonized in a warming climate. The narrative that American pikas are going extinct appears to be an overreach. Pikas are doing well across most of their range, but there are limited, low-elevation losses that are likely to be permanent in what is currently marginal pika habitat. The resilience of pikas in the face of climate change, and their ability or inability to persist in marginal, hot environments, will continue to contribute to our understanding of the impact of climate change on individual species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew T Smith
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
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8
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Hall LE, Chalfoun AD. Behavioural plasticity modulates temperature-related constraints on foraging time for a montane mammal. J Anim Ecol 2018; 88:363-375. [PMID: 30449046 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.12925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2018] [Accepted: 09/10/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Contemporary climate change is altering temperature profiles across the globe. Increasing temperatures can reduce the amount of time during which conditions are suitable for animals to engage in essential activities, such as securing food. Behavioural plasticity, the ability to alter behaviour in response to the environment, may provide animals with a tool to adjust to changes in the availability of suitable thermal conditions. The extent to which individuals can alter fitness-enhancing behaviours, such as food collection, to proximately buffer variation in temperature, however, remains unclear. Even less well understood are the potential performance advantages of flexible strategies among endotherms. We examined the degree to which individuals altered rates of food collection in response to temperature, and two potential benefits, using the American pika (Ochotona princeps), a temperature-sensitive, food-hoarding mammal, as a model. From July-September 2013-2015, we used motion-activated cameras and in situ temperature loggers to examine pika food-caching activity for 72 individuals across 10 sites in the central Rocky Mountains, USA. We quantified % nitrogen by cache volume as a metric of cache quality, and the number of events during which pikas were active in temperatures ≥25°C as a measure of potential thermoregulatory stress. We found a strong negative effect of temperature on the rate at which pikas cached food. Individual responses to temperature varied substantially in both the level of food-collecting activity and in the degree to which individuals shifted activity with warming temperature. After accounting for available foraging time, individuals that exhibited greater plasticity collected a comparable amount of nitrogen, while simultaneously experiencing fewer occasions in which temperatures eclipsed estimated thermal tolerances. By varying food-collection norms of reaction, individuals were able to plastically respond to temperature-driven reductions in foraging time. Through this increased flexibility, individuals amassed food caches of comparable quality, while minimizing exposure to potentially stressful thermal conditions. Our results suggest that, given sufficient resource quality and availability, plasticity in foraging activity may help temperature-limited endotherms adjust to climate-related constraints on foraging time.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Embere Hall
- Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Zoology and Physiology and Program in Ecology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming
| | - Anna D Chalfoun
- U.S. Geological Survey, Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Zoology and Physiology and Program in Ecology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming
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9
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de Bruijn R, Romero LM. The role of glucocorticoids in the vertebrate response to weather. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2018; 269:11-32. [PMID: 30012539 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2018.07.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2018] [Revised: 06/29/2018] [Accepted: 07/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Changes in the environment related to inclement weather can threaten survival and reproductive success both through direct adverse exposure and indirectly by decreasing food availability. Glucocorticoids, released during activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis as part of the stress response, are an important candidate for linking vertebrate coping mechanisms to weather. This review attempts to determine if there is a consensus response of glucocorticoids to exposure to weather-related stimuli, including food availability, precipitation, temperature and barometric pressure. The included studies cover field and laboratory studies for all vertebrate taxa, and are separated into four exposure periods, e.g., hours, days, weeks and months. Each reported result was assigned a score based on the glucocorticoid response, e.g., increased, no change, or decreased. Short-term exposure to weather-related stimuli, of up to 24 h, is generally associated with increased glucocorticoids (79% of studies), suggesting that these stimuli are perceived as stressors by most animals. In contrast, the pattern for exposures longer than 24 h shows more variation, even though a majority of studies still report an increase (64%). Lack of glucocorticoid increases appeared to result from instances where: (1) prolonged exposure was a predictable part of the life history of an animal; (2) environmental context was important for the ultimate effect of a stimulus (e.g., precipitation limited food availability in one environment, but increased food in another); (3) prolonged exposure induced chronic stress; and (4) long-term responses appeared to reflect adaptations to seasonal shifts, instead of to short-term weather. However, there is a strong bias towards studies in domesticated laboratory species and wild animals held in captivity, indicating a need for field studies, especially in reptiles and amphibians. In conclusion, the accumulated literature supports the hypothesis that glucocorticoids can serve as the physiological mechanism promoting fitness during inclement weather.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert de Bruijn
- Department of Biology, Tufts University, Medford, MA 02155, USA.
| | - L Michael Romero
- Department of Biology, Tufts University, Medford, MA 02155, USA.
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Smith AT, Millar CI. American Pika (Ochotona princeps) Population Survival in Winters with Low or No Snowpack. WEST N AM NATURALIST 2018. [DOI: 10.3398/064.078.0203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Andrew T. Smith
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-4501
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11
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Smith AT, Nagy JD, Millar CI. Behavioral Ecology of American Pikas (Ochotona princeps) at Mono Craters, California: Living on the Edge. WEST N AM NATURALIST 2016. [DOI: 10.3398/064.076.0408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Andrew T. Smith
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-4501. E-mail:
| | - John D. Nagy
- Department of Life Sciences, Scottsdale Community College, Scottsdale, AZ 85250
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12
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Hall LE, Chalfoun AD, Beever EA, Loosen AE. Microrefuges and the occurrence of thermal specialists: implications for wildlife persistence amidst changing temperatures. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2016. [DOI: 10.1186/s40665-016-0021-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
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13
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Ray C, Beever EA, Rodhouse TJ. Distribution of a climate‐sensitive species at an interior range margin. Ecosphere 2016. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.1379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Chris Ray
- Institute of Arctic and Alpine ResearchUniversity of Colorado Boulder Colorado 80309 USA
| | - Erik A. Beever
- United States Geological SurveyNorthern Rocky Mountain Science Center Bozeman Montana 59715 USA
- Department of EcologyMontana State University Bozeman Montana 59715 USA
- Ashland Wisconsin 54806 USA
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14
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Wilkening JL, Ray C, Ramsay N, Klingler K. Alpine biodiversity and assisted migration: the case of the American pika (Ochotona princeps). ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2015. [DOI: 10.1080/14888386.2015.1112304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
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15
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Moyer-Horner L, Mathewson PD, Jones GM, Kearney MR, Porter WP. Modeling behavioral thermoregulation in a climate change sentinel. Ecol Evol 2015; 5:5810-22. [PMID: 26811756 PMCID: PMC4717337 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.1848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2015] [Revised: 10/20/2015] [Accepted: 10/21/2015] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
When possible, many species will shift in elevation or latitude in response to rising temperatures. However, before such shifts occur, individuals will first tolerate environmental change and then modify their behavior to maintain heat balance. Behavioral thermoregulation allows animals a range of climatic tolerances and makes predicting geographic responses under future warming scenarios challenging. Because behavioral modification may reduce an individual's fecundity by, for example, limiting foraging time and thus caloric intake, we must consider the range of behavioral options available for thermoregulation to accurately predict climate change impacts on individual species. To date, few studies have identified mechanistic links between an organism's daily activities and the need to thermoregulate. We used a biophysical model, Niche Mapper, to mechanistically model microclimate conditions and thermoregulatory behavior for a temperature‐sensitive mammal, the American pika (Ochotona princeps). Niche Mapper accurately simulated microclimate conditions, as well as empirical metabolic chamber data for a range of fur properties, animal sizes, and environmental parameters. Niche Mapper predicted pikas would be behaviorally constrained because of the need to thermoregulate during the hottest times of the day. We also showed that pikas at low elevations could receive energetic benefits by being smaller in size and maintaining summer pelage during longer stretches of the active season under a future warming scenario. We observed pika behavior for 288 h in Glacier National Park, Montana, and thermally characterized their rocky, montane environment. We found that pikas were most active when temperatures were cooler, and at sites characterized by high elevations and north‐facing slopes. Pikas became significantly less active across a suite of behaviors in the field when temperatures surpassed 20°C, which supported a metabolic threshold predicted by Niche Mapper. In general, mechanistic predictions and empirical observations were congruent. This research is unique in providing both an empirical and mechanistic description of the effects of temperature on a mammalian sentinel of climate change, the American pika. Our results suggest that previously underinvestigated characteristics, specifically fur properties and body size, may play critical roles in pika populations' response to climate change. We also demonstrate the potential importance of considering behavioral thermoregulation and microclimate variability when predicting animal responses to climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas Moyer-Horner
- Department of Biology University of Utah Salt Lake City Utah; Department of Zoology University of Wisconsin-Madison Madison Wisconsin
| | - Paul D Mathewson
- Department of Zoology University of Wisconsin-Madison Madison Wisconsin
| | - Gavin M Jones
- Department of Forest & Wildlife Ecology University of Wisconsin-Madison Madison Wisconsin
| | - Michael R Kearney
- Department of Zoology The University of Melbourne Melbourne Victoria Australia
| | - Warren P Porter
- Department of Zoology University of Wisconsin-Madison Madison Wisconsin
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Shinderman M. American pika in a low-elevation lava landscape: expanding the known distribution of a temperature-sensitive species. Ecol Evol 2015; 5:3666-76. [PMID: 26380695 PMCID: PMC4567870 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.1626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2015] [Revised: 06/27/2015] [Accepted: 07/08/2015] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
In 2010, the American pika (Ochotona princeps fenisex) was denied federal protection based on limited evidence of persistence in low-elevation environments. Studies in nonalpine areas have been limited to relatively few environments, and it is unclear whether patterns observed elsewhere (e.g., Bodie, CA) represent other nonalpine habitats. This study was designed to establish pika presence in a new location, determine distribution within the surveyed area, and evaluate influences of elevation, vegetation, lava complexity, and distance to habitat edge on pika site occupancy. In 2011 and 2012, we conducted surveys for American pika on four distinct subalpine lava flows of Newberry National Volcanic Monument, Oregon, USA. Field surveys were conducted at predetermined locations within lava flows via silent observation and active searching for pika sign. Site habitat characteristics were included as predictors of occupancy in multinomial regression models. Above and belowground temperatures were recorded at a subsample of pika detection sites. Pika were detected in 26% (2011) and 19% (2012) of survey plots. Seventy-four pika were detected outside survey plot boundaries. Lava complexity was the strongest predictor of pika occurrence, where pika were up to seven times more likely to occur in the most complicated lava formations. Pika were two times more likely to occur with increasing elevation, although they were found at all elevations in the study area. This study expands the known distribution of the species and provides additional evidence for persistence in nonalpine habitats. Results partially support the predictive occupancy model developed for pika at Craters of the Moon National Monument, another lava environment. Characteristics of the lava environment clearly influence pika site occupancy, but habitat variables reported as important in other studies were inconclusive here. Further work is needed to gain a better understanding of the species’ current distribution and ability to persist under future climate conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matt Shinderman
- Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society, Oregon State University Cascades Campus Bend, Oregon
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