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Levesque DL, Breit AM, Brown E, Nowack J, Welman S. Non-Torpid Heterothermy in Mammals: Another Category along the Homeothermy-Hibernation Continuum. Integr Comp Biol 2023; 63:1039-1048. [PMID: 37407285 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icad094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Revised: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 06/29/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Variability in body temperature is now recognized to be widespread among whole-body endotherms with homeothermy being the exception rather than the norm. A wide range of body temperature patterns exists in extant endotherms, spanning from strict homeothermy, to occasional use of torpor, to deep seasonal hibernation with many points in between. What is often lost in discussions of heterothermy in endotherms are the benefits of variations in body temperature outside of torpor. Endotherms that do not use torpor can still obtain extensive energy and water savings from varying levels of flexibility in normothermic body temperature regulation. Flexibility at higher temperatures (heat storage or facultative hyperthermia) can provide significant water savings, while decreases at cooler temperatures, even outside of torpor, can lower the energetic costs of thermoregulation during rest. We discuss the varying uses of the terms heterothermy, thermolability, and torpor to describe differences in the amplitude of body temperature cycles and advocate for a broader use of the term "heterothermy" to include non-torpid variations in body temperature.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ana M Breit
- School of Biology and Ecology, University of Maine, 04469 Orono, ME, USA
| | - Eric Brown
- School of Biology and Ecology, University of Maine, 04469 Orono, ME, USA
| | - Julia Nowack
- School of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, L3 3AF Liverpool, UK
| | - Shaun Welman
- Department of Zoology, Nelson Mandela University, Gqeberha 6031, South Africa
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2
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Ehlman SM, Scherer U, Bierbach D, Francisco FA, Laskowski KL, Krause J, Wolf M. Leveraging big data to uncover the eco-evolutionary factors shaping behavioural development. Proc Biol Sci 2023; 290:20222115. [PMID: 36722081 PMCID: PMC9890127 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2022.2115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Mapping the eco-evolutionary factors shaping the development of animals' behavioural phenotypes remains a great challenge. Recent advances in 'big behavioural data' research-the high-resolution tracking of individuals and the harnessing of that data with powerful analytical tools-have vastly improved our ability to measure and model developing behavioural phenotypes. Applied to the study of behavioural ontogeny, the unfolding of whole behavioural repertoires can be mapped in unprecedented detail with relative ease. This overcomes long-standing experimental bottlenecks and heralds a surge of studies that more finely define and explore behavioural-experiential trajectories across development. In this review, we first provide a brief guide to state-of-the-art approaches that allow the collection and analysis of high-resolution behavioural data across development. We then outline how such approaches can be used to address key issues regarding the ecological and evolutionary factors shaping behavioural development: developmental feedbacks between behaviour and underlying states, early life effects and behavioural transitions, and information integration across development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean M. Ehlman
- SCIoI Excellence Cluster, 10587 Berlin, Germany,Faculty of Life Sciences, Humboldt University, 10117 Berlin, Germany,Department of Fish Biology, Fisheries, and Aquaculture, Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, 12587 Berlin, Germany
| | - Ulrike Scherer
- SCIoI Excellence Cluster, 10587 Berlin, Germany,Faculty of Life Sciences, Humboldt University, 10117 Berlin, Germany,Department of Fish Biology, Fisheries, and Aquaculture, Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, 12587 Berlin, Germany
| | - David Bierbach
- SCIoI Excellence Cluster, 10587 Berlin, Germany,Faculty of Life Sciences, Humboldt University, 10117 Berlin, Germany,Department of Fish Biology, Fisheries, and Aquaculture, Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, 12587 Berlin, Germany
| | - Fritz A. Francisco
- SCIoI Excellence Cluster, 10587 Berlin, Germany,Faculty of Life Sciences, Humboldt University, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Kate L. Laskowski
- Department of Evolution and Ecology, University of California – Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Jens Krause
- SCIoI Excellence Cluster, 10587 Berlin, Germany,Faculty of Life Sciences, Humboldt University, 10117 Berlin, Germany,Department of Fish Biology, Fisheries, and Aquaculture, Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, 12587 Berlin, Germany
| | - Max Wolf
- SCIoI Excellence Cluster, 10587 Berlin, Germany,Department of Fish Biology, Fisheries, and Aquaculture, Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, 12587 Berlin, Germany
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3
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Decadal migration phenology of a long-lived Arctic icon keeps pace with climate change. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2121092119. [PMID: 36279424 PMCID: PMC9659343 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2121092119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Animals migrate in response to seasonal environments, to reproduce, to benefit from resource pulses, or to avoid fluctuating hazards. Although climate change is predicted to modify migration, only a few studies to date have demonstrated phenological shifts in marine mammals. In the Arctic, marine mammals are considered among the most sensitive to ongoing climate change due to their narrow habitat preferences and long life spans. Longevity may prove an obstacle for species to evolutionarily respond. For species that exhibit high site fidelity and strong associations with migration routes, adjusting the timing of migration is one of the few recourses available to respond to a changing climate. Here, we demonstrate evidence of significant delays in the timing of narwhal autumn migrations with satellite tracking data spanning 21 y from the Canadian Arctic. Measures of migration phenology varied annually and were explained by sex and climate drivers associated with ice conditions, suggesting that narwhals are adopting strategic migration tactics. Male narwhals were found to lead the migration out of the summering areas, while females, potentially with dependent young, departed later. Narwhals are remaining longer in their summer areas at a rate of 10 d per decade, a similar rate to that observed for climate-driven sea ice loss across the region. The consequences of altered space use and timing have yet to be evaluated but will expose individuals to increasing natural changes and anthropogenic activities on the summering areas.
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4
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Gaidica M, Dantzer B. An implantable neurophysiology platform: Broadening research capabilities in free-living and non-traditional animals. Front Neural Circuits 2022; 16:940989. [PMID: 36213207 PMCID: PMC9537467 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2022.940989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Animal-borne sensors that can record and transmit data (“biologgers”) are becoming smaller and more capable at a rapid pace. Biologgers have provided enormous insight into the covert lives of many free-ranging animals by characterizing behavioral motifs, estimating energy expenditure, and tracking movement over vast distances, thereby serving both scientific and conservational endpoints. However, given that biologgers are usually attached externally, access to the brain and neurophysiological data has been largely unexplored outside of the laboratory, limiting our understanding of how the brain adapts to, interacts with, or addresses challenges of the natural world. For example, there are only a handful of studies in free-living animals examining the role of sleep, resulting in a wake-centric view of behavior despite the fact that sleep often encompasses a large portion of an animal’s day and plays a vital role in maintaining homeostasis. The growing need to understand sleep from a mechanistic viewpoint and probe its function led us to design an implantable neurophysiology platform that can record brain activity and inertial data, while utilizing a wireless link to enable a suite of forward-looking capabilities. Here, we describe our design approach and demonstrate our device’s capability in a standard laboratory rat as well as a captive fox squirrel. We also discuss the methodological and ethical implications of deploying this new class of device “into the wild” to fill outstanding knowledge gaps.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matt Gaidica
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
- *Correspondence: Matt Gaidica,
| | - Ben Dantzer
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
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5
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Dynamic landscapes of fear: understanding spatiotemporal risk. Trends Ecol Evol 2022; 37:911-925. [PMID: 35817684 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2022.06.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2021] [Revised: 06/10/2022] [Accepted: 06/14/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
The landscape of fear (LOF) concept posits that prey navigate spatial heterogeneity in perceived predation risk, balancing risk mitigation against other activities necessary for survival and reproduction. These proactive behavioral responses to risk can affect individual fitness, population dynamics, species interactions, and coexistence. Yet, antipredator responses in free-ranging prey often contradict expectations, raising questions about the generality and scalability of the LOF framework and suggesting that a purely spatial, static LOF conceptualization may be inadequate. Here, we outline a 'dynamic' LOF framework that explicitly incorporates time to account for predictable spatiotemporal variation in risk-resource trade-offs. This integrated approach suggests novel predictions about predator effects on prey behaviors to refine understanding of the role predators play in ecological communities.
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6
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Williams CT, Chmura HE, Deal CK, Wilsterman K. Sex-differences in Phenology: A Tinbergian Perspective. Integr Comp Biol 2022; 62:980-997. [PMID: 35587379 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icac035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2022] [Revised: 04/18/2022] [Accepted: 04/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Shifts in the timing of cyclic seasonal life-history events are among the most commonly reported responses to climate change, with differences in response rates among interacting species leading to phenological mismatches. Within a species, however, males and females can also exhibit differential sensitivity to environmental cues and may therefore differ in their responsiveness to climate change, potentially leading to phenological mismatches between the sexes. This occurs because males differ from females in when and how energy is allocated to reproduction, resulting in marked sex-differences in life-history timing across the annual cycle. In this review, we take a Tinbergian perspective and examine sex differences in timing of vertebrates from adaptive, ontogenetic, mechanistic, and phylogenetic viewpoints with the goal of informing and motivating more integrative research on sexually dimorphic phenologies. We argue that sexual and natural selection lead to sex-differences in life-history-timing and that understanding the ecological and evolutionary drivers of these differences is critical for connecting climate-driven phenological shifts to population resilience. Ontogeny may influence how and when sex differences in life-history timing arise because the early-life environment can profoundly affect developmental trajectory, rates of reproductive maturation, and seasonal timing. The molecular mechanisms underlying these organismal traits are relevant to identifying the diversity and genetic basis of population- and species-level responses to climate change, and promisingly, the molecular basis of phenology is becoming increasingly well-understood. However, because most studies focus on a single sex, the causes of sex-differences in phenology critical to population resilience often remain unclear. New sequencing tools and analyses informed by phylogeny may help generate hypotheses about mechanism as well as insight into the general "evolvability" of sex differences across phylogenetic scales, especially as trait and genome resources grow. We recommend that greater attention be placed on determining sex-differences in timing mechanisms and monitoring climate change responses in both sexes, and we discuss how new tools may provide key insights into sex-differences in phenology from all four Tinbergian domains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cory T Williams
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University, 1878 Campus Delivery Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
| | - Helen E Chmura
- Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska Fairbanks, 2140 Koyukuk Drive, Fairbanks, AK 99775, USA.,Rocky Mountain Research Station, United States Forest Service, 800 E. Beckwith Ave, Missoula, MT 59801, USA
| | - Cole K Deal
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University, 1878 Campus Delivery Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
| | - Kathryn Wilsterman
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University, 1878 Campus Delivery Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
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7
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Reider KE, Zerger M, Whiteman HH. Extending the biologging revolution to amphibians: Implantation, extraction, and validation of miniature temperature loggers. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY. PART A, ECOLOGICAL AND INTEGRATIVE PHYSIOLOGY 2022; 337:403-411. [PMID: 34982510 DOI: 10.1002/jez.2575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2021] [Revised: 12/13/2021] [Accepted: 12/18/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Quantifying ectotherm body temperature is important to understand physiological performance under environmental change. The increasing availability of small, commercially-available animal-borne biologgers increases accessibility to high-quality body temperature data. However, amphibians present several challenges to successful datalogger implantation including small body sizes and physiologically active skin. We developed a method for the implantation, extraction, and validation of temperature biologgers in captive salamanders. We assessed the effect of biologger implantation and extraction surgery on body condition. Implantation had no effects on short or long-term body condition. Body condition also did not differ between implant and control groups after datalogger extraction. Biologgers did not alter preferred temperature in a laboratory thermal gradient, indicating that temperature data would not be biased by implantation. We provide detailed recommendations for datalogger placement and refinement of surgical techniques to further improve outcomes, enhance our understanding of fitness, species range limitations, and responses to environmental and climatic change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelsey E Reider
- Department of Biological Sciences, Murray State University, Murray, Kentucky, USA
| | - Megan Zerger
- Department of Biological Sciences, Murray State University, Murray, Kentucky, USA
- Watershed Studies Institute, Murray State University, Murray, Kentucky, USA
| | - Howard H Whiteman
- Department of Biological Sciences, Murray State University, Murray, Kentucky, USA
- Watershed Studies Institute, Murray State University, Murray, Kentucky, USA
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8
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Suárez JC, Contreras AT, Anzola JA, Vanegas JI, Rao IM. Physiological Characteristics of Cultivated Tepary Bean (Phaseolus acutifolius A. Gray) and Its Wild Relatives Grown at High Temperature and Acid Soil Stress Conditions in the Amazon Region of Colombia. PLANTS 2021; 11:plants11010116. [PMID: 35009119 PMCID: PMC8747739 DOI: 10.3390/plants11010116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2021] [Revised: 12/12/2021] [Accepted: 12/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is sensitive to different types of abiotic stresses (drought, high temperature, low soil fertility, and acid soil), and this may limit its adaptation and consequently to its yield under stress. Because of this, a sister species, tepary bean (Phaseolus acutifolius A. Gray), has recently gained attention in breeding for improved abiotic stress tolerance in common bean. In this study, we evaluated the adaptation of 302 accessions of tepary bean (Phaseolus acutifolius A. Gray) and its wild relatives (grouped in four types of tepary bean genetic resource: cultivated, acutifolius regressive, acutifolius wild, tenuifolius wild) when grown under high temperature and acid soil conditions with aluminum toxicity in the Amazon region of Colombia. Our objective was to determine differences among four types of tepary bean genetic resource in their morpho-phenological, agronomic, and physiological responses to combined high temperature and acid soil stress conditions. We found that cultivated P. acutifolius var acutifolius presented a greater number of pods per plant, as well as larger seeds and a greater number of seeds per pod. Some traits, such as root biomass, days to flowering and physiological maturity, specific leaf area, and stomatal density, showed significant differences between types of tepary bean genetic resource, probably contributing to difference in adaptation to combined stress conditions of high temperature and acid soil conditions. The photochemical quenching (qP) was higher in cultivated P. acutifolius var. acutifolius, while energy dissipation by non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) in the form of heat and the coefficient of non-photochemical dissipation (qN) were higher in acutifolius regressive and tenuifolius wild accessions. We have identified 6 accessions of cultivated and 19 accessions of tenuifolius wild that exhibited grain yields above 1800 kg ha−1. These accessions could be suitable to use as parents to improve dry seed production of tepary bean under combined stress conditions of high temperature and acid soil.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Carlos Suárez
- Programa de Ingeniería Agroecológica, Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad de la Amazonia, Florencia 180001, Colombia; (A.T.C.); (J.A.A.); (J.I.V.)
- Programa de Maestría en Sistemas Sostenibles de Producción, Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad de la Amazonia, Florencia 180001, Colombia
- Grupo de Investigaciones Agroecosistemas y Conservación en Bosques Amazónicos-GAIA, Centro de Investigaciones Amazónicas CIMAZ Macagual César Augusto Estrada González, Florencia 180001, Colombia
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +57-320-280-4455
| | - Amara Tatiana Contreras
- Programa de Ingeniería Agroecológica, Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad de la Amazonia, Florencia 180001, Colombia; (A.T.C.); (J.A.A.); (J.I.V.)
- Programa de Maestría en Sistemas Sostenibles de Producción, Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad de la Amazonia, Florencia 180001, Colombia
| | - José Alexander Anzola
- Programa de Ingeniería Agroecológica, Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad de la Amazonia, Florencia 180001, Colombia; (A.T.C.); (J.A.A.); (J.I.V.)
| | - José Iván Vanegas
- Programa de Ingeniería Agroecológica, Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad de la Amazonia, Florencia 180001, Colombia; (A.T.C.); (J.A.A.); (J.I.V.)
| | - Idupulapati M. Rao
- International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), Km 17 Recta Cali-Palmira, Cali 763537, Colombia;
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9
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Levesque DL, Nowack J, Boyles JG. Body Temperature Frequency Distributions: A Tool for Assessing Thermal Performance in Endotherms? Front Physiol 2021; 12:760797. [PMID: 34721082 PMCID: PMC8551754 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2021.760797] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
There is increasing recognition that rather than being fully homeothermic, most endotherms display some degree of flexibility in body temperature. However, the degree to which this occurs varies widely from the relatively strict homeothermy in species, such as humans to the dramatic seasonal hibernation seen in Holarctic ground squirrels, to many points in between. To date, attempts to analyse this variability within the framework generated by the study of thermal performance curves have been lacking. We tested if frequency distribution histograms of continuous body temperature measurements could provide a useful analogue to a thermal performance curve in endotherms. We provide examples from mammals displaying a range of thermoregulatory phenotypes, break down continuous core body temperature traces into various components (active and rest phase modes, spreads and skew) and compare these components to hypothetical performance curves. We did not find analogous patterns to ectotherm thermal performance curves, in either full datasets or by breaking body temperature values into more biologically relevant components. Most species had either bimodal or right-skewed (or both) distributions for both active and rest phase body temperatures, indicating a greater capacity for mammals to tolerate body temperatures elevated above the optimal temperatures than commonly assumed. We suggest that while core body temperature distributions may prove useful in generating optimal body temperatures for thermal performance studies and in various ecological applications, they may not be a good means of assessing the shape and breath of thermal performance in endotherms. We also urge researchers to move beyond only using mean body temperatures and to embrace the full variability in both active and resting temperatures in endotherms.
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Affiliation(s)
- D L Levesque
- School of Biology and Ecology, University of Maine, Orono, ME, United States
| | - J Nowack
- School of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - J G Boyles
- Cooperative Wildlife Research Laboratory, Center for Ecology, and School of Biological Sciences, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL, United States
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10
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Nowack J, Turbill C. Survivable hypothermia or torpor in a wild-living rat: rare insights broaden our understanding of endothermic physiology. J Comp Physiol B 2021; 192:183-192. [PMID: 34668054 PMCID: PMC8817056 DOI: 10.1007/s00360-021-01416-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2021] [Revised: 09/08/2021] [Accepted: 10/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Maintaining a high and stable body temperature as observed in endothermic mammals and birds is energetically costly. Thus, it is not surprising that we discover more and more heterothermic species that can reduce their energetic needs during energetic bottlenecks through the use of torpor. However, not all heterothermic animals use torpor on a regular basis. Torpor may also be important to an individual’s probability of survival, and hence fitness, when used infrequently. We here report the observation of a single, ~ 5.5 h long hypothermic bout with a decrease in body temperature by 12 °C in the native Australian bush rat (Rattus fuscipes). Our data suggest that bush rats are able to rewarm from a body temperature of 24 °C, albeit with a rewarming rate lower than that expected on the basis of their body mass. Heterothermy, i.e. the ability to withstand and overcome periods of reduced body temperature, is assumed to be an evolutionarily ancestral (plesiomorphic) trait. We thus argue that such rare hypothermic events in species that otherwise appear to be strictly homeothermic could be heterothermic rudiments, i.e. a less derived form of torpor with limited capacity for rewarming. Importantly, observations of rare and extreme thermoregulatory responses by wild animals are more likely to be discovered with long-term data sets and may not only provide valuable insight about the physiological capability of a population, but can also help us to understand the constraints and evolutionary pathways of different phenologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Nowack
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment and School of Science, Western Sydney University, Richmond, NSW, Australia. .,School of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Byrom Street, Liverpool, L3 3AF, UK.
| | - Christopher Turbill
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment and School of Science, Western Sydney University, Richmond, NSW, Australia
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11
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Harrison XA. A brief introduction to the analysis of time-series data from biologging studies. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2021; 376:20200227. [PMID: 34176325 PMCID: PMC8237163 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2020.0227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent advances in tagging and biologging technology have yielded unprecedented insights into wild animal physiology. However, time-series data from such wild tracking studies present numerous analytical challenges owing to their unique nature, often exhibiting strong autocorrelation within and among samples, low samples sizes and complicated random effect structures. Gleaning robust quantitative estimates from these physiological data, and, therefore, accurate insights into the life histories of the animals they pertain to, requires careful and thoughtful application of existing statistical tools. Using a combination of both simulated and real datasets, I highlight the key pitfalls associated with analysing physiological data from wild monitoring studies, and investigate issues of optimal study design, statistical power, and model precision and accuracy. I also recommend best practice approaches for dealing with their inherent limitations. This work will provide a concise, accessible roadmap for researchers looking to maximize the yield of information from complex and hard-won biologging datasets. This article is part of the theme issue 'Measuring physiology in free-living animals (Part II)'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xavier A. Harrison
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn TR10 9FE, UK
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12
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Trondrud LM, Pigeon G, Albon S, Arnold W, Evans AL, Irvine RJ, Król E, Ropstad E, Stien A, Veiberg V, Speakman JR, Loe LE. Determinants of heart rate in Svalbard reindeer reveal mechanisms of seasonal energy management. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2021; 376:20200215. [PMID: 34176322 PMCID: PMC8237166 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2020.0215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/03/2021] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Seasonal energetic challenges may constrain an animal's ability to respond to changing individual and environmental conditions. Here, we investigated variation in heart rate, a well-established proxy for metabolic rate, in Svalbard reindeer (Rangifer tarandus platyrhynchus), a species with strong seasonal changes in foraging and metabolic activity. In 19 adult females, we recorded heart rate, subcutaneous temperature and activity using biologgers. Mean heart rate more than doubled from winter to summer. Typical drivers of energy expenditure, such as reproduction and activity, explained a relatively limited amount of variation (2-6% in winter and 16-24% in summer) compared to seasonality, which explained 75% of annual variation in heart rate. The relationship between heart rate and subcutaneous temperature depended on individual state via body mass, age and reproductive status, and the results suggested that peripheral heterothermy is an important pathway of energy management in both winter and summer. While the seasonal plasticity in energetics makes Svalbard reindeer well-adapted to their highly seasonal environment, intraseasonal constraints on modulation of their heart rate may limit their ability to respond to severe environmental change. This study emphasizes the importance of encompassing individual state and seasonal context when studying energetics in free-living animals. This article is part of the theme issue 'Measuring physiology in free-living animals (Part II)'.
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Affiliation(s)
- L. Monica Trondrud
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, NO-1432 Ås, Norway
| | - Gabriel Pigeon
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, NO-1432 Ås, Norway
- Département de Biologie, Faculté des Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, 2500 boul. de l'Université, Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada, J1 K 2R1
| | - Steve Albon
- The James Hutton Institute, Craigiebuckler, Aberdeen AB15 8QH, UK
| | - Walter Arnold
- Department of Interdisciplinary Life Sciences, Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Savoyenstr. 1, 1160 Vienna, Austria
| | - Alina L. Evans
- Department of Forestry and Wildlife Management, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Campus Evenstad, 2418 Elverum, Norway
| | - R. Justin Irvine
- The James Hutton Institute, Craigiebuckler, Aberdeen AB15 8QH, UK
- Frankfurt Zoological Society, PO Box 100003, South Africa Street, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Elżbieta Król
- School of Biological Sciences, Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB24 2TZ, UK
| | - Erik Ropstad
- Faculty of Veterinary Science, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, PO Box 8146, NO-0033 Oslo, Norway
| | - Audun Stien
- Department of Arctic and Marine Biology, The Arctic University of Norway, PO Box 6050 Langnes, NO-9037 Tromsø, Norway
| | - Vebjørn Veiberg
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, PO Box 5685 Torgarden, NO-7485 Trondheim, Norway
| | - John R. Speakman
- School of Biological Sciences, Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB24 2TZ, UK
- Center for Energy Metabolism and Reproduction, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, People's Republic of China
- CAS Center of Excellence in Animal Evolution and Genetics, Kunming 650223, People's Republic of China
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, People's Republic of China
| | - Leif Egil Loe
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, NO-1432 Ås, Norway
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Lindsay DJ. Stealthy tracking of deep ocean organisms with Mesobot. Sci Robot 2021; 6:6/55/eabj3949. [PMID: 34135119 DOI: 10.1126/scirobotics.abj3949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2021] [Accepted: 05/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Tracking deep ocean animals over their daily cycles will revolutionize our understanding of the largest biome on Earth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dhugal John Lindsay
- Advanced Science-Technology Research (ASTER) Program, Institute for Extra-cutting-edge Science and Technology Avant-garde Research (X-STAR), Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), 2-15 Natsushima-cho, Yokosuka City, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan.
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14
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Laske TG, Garshelis DL, Iles TL, Iaizzo PA. An engineering perspective on the development and evolution of implantable cardiac monitors in free-living animals. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2021; 376:20200217. [PMID: 34121460 PMCID: PMC8200647 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2020.0217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The latest technologies associated with implantable physiological monitoring devices can record multiple channels of data (including: heart rates and rhythms, activity, temperature, impedance and posture), and coupled with powerful software applications, have provided novel insights into the physiology of animals in the wild. This perspective details past challenges and lessons learned from the uses and developments of implanted biologgers designed for human clinical application in our research on free-ranging American black bears (Ursus americanus). In addition, we reference other research by colleagues and collaborators who have leveraged these devices in their work, including: brown bears (Ursus arctos), grey wolves (Canis lupus), moose (Alces alces), maned wolves (Chrysocyon brachyurus) and southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina). We also discuss the potentials for applications of such devices across a range of other species. To date, the devices described have been used in fifteen different wild species, with publications pending in many instances. We have focused our physiological research on the analyses of heart rates and rhythms and thus special attention will be paid to this topic. We then discuss some major expected step changes such as improvements in sensing algorithms, data storage, and the incorporation of next-generation short-range wireless telemetry. The latter provides new avenues for data transfer, and when combined with cloud-based computing, it not only provides means for big data storage but also the ability to readily leverage high-performance computing platforms using artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms. These advances will dramatically increase both data quantity and quality and will facilitate the development of automated recognition of extreme physiological events or key behaviours of interest in a broad array of environments, thus further aiding wildlife monitoring and management. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Measuring physiology in free-living animals (Part I)’.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy G Laske
- Department of Surgery, University of Minnesota, B172 Mayo, MMC 195, 420 Delaware Street SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - David L Garshelis
- Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (retired), 1201 E Hwy 2, Grand Rapids, MN 55744, USA
| | - Tinen L Iles
- Department of Surgery, University of Minnesota, B172 Mayo, MMC 195, 420 Delaware Street SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Paul A Iaizzo
- Department of Surgery, University of Minnesota, B172 Mayo, MMC 195, 420 Delaware Street SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.,Institute for Engineering in Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
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15
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Dickinson ER, Twining JP, Wilson R, Stephens PA, Westander J, Marks N, Scantlebury DM. Limitations of using surrogates for behaviour classification of accelerometer data: refining methods using random forest models in Caprids. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2021; 9:28. [PMID: 34099067 PMCID: PMC8186069 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-021-00265-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2021] [Accepted: 05/18/2021] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Animal-attached devices can be used on cryptic species to measure their movement and behaviour, enabling unprecedented insights into fundamental aspects of animal ecology and behaviour. However, direct observations of subjects are often still necessary to translate biologging data accurately into meaningful behaviours. As many elusive species cannot easily be observed in the wild, captive or domestic surrogates are typically used to calibrate data from devices. However, the utility of this approach remains equivocal. METHODS Here, we assess the validity of using captive conspecifics, and phylogenetically-similar domesticated counterparts (surrogate species) for calibrating behaviour classification. Tri-axial accelerometers and tri-axial magnetometers were used with behavioural observations to build random forest models to predict the behaviours. We applied these methods using captive Alpine ibex (Capra ibex) and a domestic counterpart, pygmy goats (Capra aegagrus hircus), to predict the behaviour including terrain slope for locomotion behaviours of captive Alpine ibex. RESULTS Behavioural classification of captive Alpine ibex and domestic pygmy goats was highly accurate (> 98%). Model performance was reduced when using data split per individual, i.e., classifying behaviour of individuals not used to train models (mean ± sd = 56.1 ± 11%). Behavioural classifications using domestic counterparts, i.e., pygmy goat observations to predict ibex behaviour, however, were not sufficient to predict all behaviours of a phylogenetically similar species accurately (> 55%). CONCLUSIONS We demonstrate methods to refine the use of random forest models to classify behaviours of both captive and free-living animal species. We suggest there are two main reasons for reduced accuracy when using a domestic counterpart to predict the behaviour of a wild species in captivity; domestication leading to morphological differences and the terrain of the environment in which the animals were observed. We also identify limitations when behaviour is predicted in individuals that are not used to train models. Our results demonstrate that biologging device calibration needs to be conducted using: (i) with similar conspecifics, and (ii) in an area where they can perform behaviours on terrain that reflects that of species in the wild.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleanor R Dickinson
- School of Biological Sciences, Institute for Global Food Security, Queen's University Belfast, 19 Chlorine Gardens, Belfast, BT9 5DL, Northern Ireland, UK.
| | - Joshua P Twining
- School of Biological Sciences, Institute for Global Food Security, Queen's University Belfast, 19 Chlorine Gardens, Belfast, BT9 5DL, Northern Ireland, UK
| | - Rory Wilson
- Biosciences, College of Science, Swansea University, Singleton Park, Swansea, SA2 8PP, Wales, UK
| | - Philip A Stephens
- Conservation Ecology Group, Department of Biosciences, Durham University, South Road, Durham, DH1 3LE, UK
| | - Jennie Westander
- Kolmården Wildlife Park, SE-618 92, Kolmården, Sweden
- Öknaskolans Naturbruksgymnasium, SE-611 99, Tystberga, Sweden
| | - Nikki Marks
- School of Biological Sciences, Institute for Global Food Security, Queen's University Belfast, 19 Chlorine Gardens, Belfast, BT9 5DL, Northern Ireland, UK
| | - David M Scantlebury
- School of Biological Sciences, Institute for Global Food Security, Queen's University Belfast, 19 Chlorine Gardens, Belfast, BT9 5DL, Northern Ireland, UK
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16
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Trade-off between predation risk and behavioural thermoregulation drives resting behaviour in a cold-adapted mesocarnivore. Anim Behav 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2021.02.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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17
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Abstract
Temperature is an important environmental factor governing the ability of organisms to grow, survive and reproduce. Thermal performance curves (TPCs), with some caveats, are useful for charting the relationship between body temperature and some measure of performance in ectotherms, and provide a standardized set of characteristics for interspecific comparisons. Endotherms, however, have a more complicated relationship with environmental temperature, as endothermy leads to a decoupling of body temperature from external temperature through use of metabolic heat production, large changes in insulation and variable rates of evaporative heat loss. This has impeded our ability to model endothermic performance in relation to environmental temperature as well as to readily compare performance between species. In this Commentary, we compare the strengths and weaknesses of potential TPC analogues (including other useful proxies for linking performance to temperature) in endotherms and suggest several ways forward in the comparative ecophysiology of endotherms. Our goal is to provide a common language with which ecologists and physiologists can evaluate the effects of temperature on performance. Key directions for improving our understanding of endotherm thermoregulatory physiology include a comparative approach to the study of the level and precision of body temperature, measuring performance directly over a range of body temperatures and building comprehensive mechanistic models of endotherm responses to environmental temperatures. We believe the answer to the question posed in the title could be 'yes', but only if 'performance' is well defined and understood in relation to body temperature variation, and the costs and benefits of endothermy are specifically modelled.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Katie E Marshall
- Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6T 1Z4
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18
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Oro D, Freixas L. Flickering body temperature anticipates criticality in hibernation dynamics. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2021; 8:201571. [PMID: 33614089 PMCID: PMC7890501 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.201571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2020] [Accepted: 12/14/2020] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Hibernation has been selected for increasing survival in harsh climatic environments. Seasonal variability in temperature may push the body temperatures of hibernating animals across boundaries of alternative states between euthermic temperature and torpor temperature, typical of either hibernation or summer dormancy. Nowadays, wearable electronics present a promising avenue to assess the occurrence of criticality in physiological systems, such as body temperature fluctuating between attractors of activity and hibernation. For this purpose, we deployed temperature loggers on two hibernating edible dormice for an entire year and under Mediterranean climate conditions. Highly stochastic body temperatures with sudden switches over time allowed us to assess the reliability of statistical leading indicators to anticipate tipping points when approaching a critical transition. Hibernation dynamics showed flickering, a phenomenon occurring when a system rapidly moves back and forth between two alternative attractors preceding the upcoming major regime shift. Flickering of body temperature increased when the system approached bifurcations, which were also anticipated by several metric- and model-based statistical indicators. Nevertheless, some indicators did not show a pattern in their response, which suggests that their performance varies with the dynamics of the biological system studied. Gradual changes in air temperature drove transient between states of hibernation and activity, and also drove hysteresis. For hibernating animals, hysteresis may increase resilience when ending hibernation earlier than the optimal time, which may occur in regions where temperatures are sharply rising, especially during winter. Temporal changes in early indicators of critical transitions in hibernation dynamics may help to understand the effects of climate on evolutionary life histories and the plasticity of hibernating organisms to cope with shortened hibernation due to global warming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Oro
- Theoretical and Computational Ecology Laboratory, CEAB Center for Advanced Studies (CSIC), Acces Cala Sant Francesc 14, 17300 Blanes, Spain
| | - Lídia Freixas
- Granollers Natural Sciences Museum, Francesc Macià 51, 08402 Granollers, Spain
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19
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Glass TW, Breed GA, Robards MD, Williams CT, Kielland K. Accounting for unknown behaviors of free-living animals in accelerometer-based classification models: Demonstration on a wide-ranging mesopredator. ECOL INFORM 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoinf.2020.101152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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20
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van Beest FM, Beumer LT, Chimienti M, Desforges JP, Huffeldt NP, Pedersen SH, Schmidt NM. Environmental conditions alter behavioural organization and rhythmicity of a large Arctic ruminant across the annual cycle. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2020; 7:201614. [PMID: 33204486 PMCID: PMC7657931 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.201614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2020] [Accepted: 10/07/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The existence and persistence of rhythmicity in animal activity during phases of environmental change is of interest in ecology, evolution and chronobiology. A wide diversity of biological rhythms in response to exogenous conditions and internal stimuli have been uncovered, especially for polar vertebrates. However, empirical data supporting circadian organization in behaviour of large ruminating herbivores remains inconclusive. Using year-round tracking data of the largest Arctic ruminant, the muskox (Ovibos moschatus), we modelled rhythmicity as a function of behaviour and environmental conditions. Behavioural states were classified based on patterns in hourly movements, and incorporated within a periodicity analyses framework. Although circadian rhythmicity in muskox behaviour was detected throughout the year, ultradian rhythmicity was most prevalent, especially when muskoxen were foraging and resting in mid-winter (continuous darkness). However, when combining circadian and ultradian rhythmicity together, the probability of behavioural rhythmicity declined with increasing photoperiod until largely disrupted in mid-summer (continuous light). Individuals that remained behaviourally rhythmic during mid-summer foraged in areas with lower plant productivity (NDVI) than individuals with arrhythmic behaviour. Based on our study, we conclude that muskoxen may use an interval timer to schedule their behavioural cycles when forage resources are low, but that the importance and duration of this timer are reduced once environmental conditions allow energetic reserves to be replenished ad libitum. We argue that alimentary function and metabolic requirements are critical determinants of biological rhythmicity in muskoxen, which probably applies to ruminating herbivores in general.
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Affiliation(s)
- Floris M. van Beest
- Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Frederiksborgvej 399, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark
- Arctic Research Centre, Aarhus University, Ny Munkegade 116, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Larissa T. Beumer
- Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Frederiksborgvej 399, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark
- Arctic Research Centre, Aarhus University, Ny Munkegade 116, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Marianna Chimienti
- Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Frederiksborgvej 399, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Jean-Pierre Desforges
- Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Frederiksborgvej 399, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark
- Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, Ste Anne de Bellevue, QuebecCanada, H9X 3V9
| | - Nicholas Per Huffeldt
- Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Frederiksborgvej 399, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark
- Greenland Institute of Natural Resources, 3900 Nuuk, Greenland
| | - Stine Højlund Pedersen
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alaska Anchorage, Anchorage, AK, USA
- Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Niels Martin Schmidt
- Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Frederiksborgvej 399, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark
- Arctic Research Centre, Aarhus University, Ny Munkegade 116, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
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21
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Menzies AK, Studd EK, Majchrzak YN, Peers MJL, Boutin S, Dantzer B, Lane JE, McAdam AG, Humphries MM. Body temperature, heart rate, and activity patterns of two boreal homeotherms in winter: Homeostasis, allostasis, and ecological coexistence. Funct Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Allyson K. Menzies
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences McGill University Ste‐Anne‐de‐Bellevue QC Canada
| | - Emily K. Studd
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences McGill University Ste‐Anne‐de‐Bellevue QC Canada
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Alberta Edmonton AB Canada
| | | | | | - Stan Boutin
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Alberta Edmonton AB Canada
| | - Ben Dantzer
- Department of Psychology University of Michigan Ann Arbor MI USA
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of Michigan Ann Arbor MI USA
| | - Jeffrey E. Lane
- Department of Biology University of Saskatchewan Saskatoon SK Canada
| | - Andrew G. McAdam
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of Colorado Boulder CO USA
| | - Murray M. Humphries
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences McGill University Ste‐Anne‐de‐Bellevue QC Canada
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22
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Over-Winter Survival and Nest Site Selection of the West-European Hedgehog ( Erinaceus europaeus) in Arable Dominated Landscapes. Animals (Basel) 2020; 10:ani10091449. [PMID: 32825054 PMCID: PMC7552789 DOI: 10.3390/ani10091449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2020] [Revised: 08/12/2020] [Accepted: 08/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The West-European hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus) has declined markedly in the UK. The winter hibernation period may make hedgehogs vulnerable to anthropogenic habitat and climate changes. Therefore, we studied two contrasting populations in England to examine patterns of winter nest use, body mass changes and survival during hibernation. No between-site differences were evident in body mass prior to hibernation nor the number of winter nests used, but significant differences in overwinter mass change and survival were observed. Mass change did not, however, affect survival rates; all deaths occurred prior to or after the hibernation period, mainly from predation or vehicle collisions. Hedgehogs consistently nested in proximity to hedgerows, roads and woodlands, but avoided pasture fields; differences between sites were evident for the selection for or avoidance of arable fields, amenity grassland and buildings. Collectively, these data indicate that hibernation was not a period of significant mortality for individuals that had attained sufficient weight (>600 g) pre-hibernation. Conversely, habitat composition did significantly affect the positioning of winter nests, such that different land management practices (historic and current) might potentially influence hibernation success. The limitations of this study and suggestions for future research are discussed.
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23
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DeSantis DL, Mata-Silva V, Johnson JD, Wagler AE. Integrative Framework for Long-Term Activity Monitoring of Small and Secretive Animals: Validation With a Cryptic Pitviper. Front Ecol Evol 2020. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2020.00169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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24
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Nowack J, Levesque DL, Reher S, Dausmann KH. Variable Climates Lead to Varying Phenotypes: “Weird” Mammalian Torpor and Lessons From Non-Holarctic Species. Front Ecol Evol 2020. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2020.00060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
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25
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Cooke SJ, Madliger CL, Cramp RL, Beardall J, Burness G, Chown SL, Clark TD, Dantzer B, de la Barrera E, Fangue NA, Franklin CE, Fuller A, Hawkes LA, Hultine KR, Hunt KE, Love OP, MacMillan HA, Mandelman JW, Mark FC, Martin LB, Newman AEM, Nicotra AB, Robinson SA, Ropert-Coudert Y, Rummer JL, Seebacher F, Todgham AE. Reframing conservation physiology to be more inclusive, integrative, relevant and forward-looking: reflections and a horizon scan. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2020; 8:coaa016. [PMID: 32274063 PMCID: PMC7125050 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coaa016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2019] [Revised: 01/27/2020] [Accepted: 02/10/2020] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Applying physiological tools, knowledge and concepts to understand conservation problems (i.e. conservation physiology) has become commonplace and confers an ability to understand mechanistic processes, develop predictive models and identify cause-and-effect relationships. Conservation physiology is making contributions to conservation solutions; the number of 'success stories' is growing, but there remain unexplored opportunities for which conservation physiology shows immense promise and has the potential to contribute to major advances in protecting and restoring biodiversity. Here, we consider how conservation physiology has evolved with a focus on reframing the discipline to be more inclusive and integrative. Using a 'horizon scan', we further explore ways in which conservation physiology can be more relevant to pressing conservation issues of today (e.g. addressing the Sustainable Development Goals; delivering science to support the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration), as well as more forward-looking to inform emerging issues and policies for tomorrow. Our horizon scan provides evidence that, as the discipline of conservation physiology continues to mature, it provides a wealth of opportunities to promote integration, inclusivity and forward-thinking goals that contribute to achieving conservation gains. To advance environmental management and ecosystem restoration, we need to ensure that the underlying science (such as that generated by conservation physiology) is relevant with accompanying messaging that is straightforward and accessible to end users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven J Cooke
- Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology and Institute of Environmental and Interdisciplinary Science, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Dr., Ottawa, ON, K1S 5B6, Canada
- Corresponding author: Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology and Institute of Environmental and Interdisciplinary Science, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Dr., Ottawa, ON, K1S 5B6, Canada.
| | - Christine L Madliger
- Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology and Institute of Environmental and Interdisciplinary Science, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Dr., Ottawa, ON, K1S 5B6, Canada
| | - Rebecca L Cramp
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, 4072, Australia
| | - John Beardall
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Gary Burness
- Department of Biology, Trent University, 1600 West Bank Drive, Peterborough, ON, K9L 0G2, Canada
| | - Steven L Chown
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Timothy D Clark
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria 14 3216, Australia
| | - Ben Dantzer
- Department of Psychology, Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Erick de la Barrera
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Ecosistemas y Sustentabilidad, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Antigua Carretera a Pátzcuaro 8701, Morelia, Michoacán, 58190, Mexico
| | - Nann A Fangue
- Department of Wildlife, Fish & Conservation Biology, University of California, Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Craig E Franklin
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, 4072, Australia
| | - Andrea Fuller
- Brain Function Research Group, School of Physiology, University of the Witwatersrand, 7 York Rd, Parktown, 2193, South Africa
| | - Lucy A Hawkes
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hatherly Laboratories, University of Exeter, Prince of Wales Road, Exeter, EX4 4PS, UK
| | - Kevin R Hultine
- Department of Research, Conservation and Collections, Desert Botanical Garden, Phoenix, AZ 85008, USA
| | - Kathleen E Hunt
- Department of Biology, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA 22030, USA
| | - Oliver P Love
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Windsor, 401 Sunset Avenue, Windsor, ON N9B 3P4, Canada
| | - Heath A MacMillan
- Department of Biology and Institute of Biochemistry, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Dr., Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, Canada
| | - John W Mandelman
- Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life, New England Aquarium, 1 Central Wharf, Boston, MA 02110, USA
| | - Felix C Mark
- Department of Integrative Ecophysiology, Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Center for Polar and Marine Research, Am Handelshafen 12, 27574 Bremerhaven, Germany
| | - Lynn B Martin
- Global Health and Infectious Disease Research, University of South Florida, 3720 Spectrum Boulevard, Tampa, FL 33612, USA
| | - Amy E M Newman
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Adrienne B Nicotra
- Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Sharon A Robinson
- School of Earth, Atmospheric and Life Sciences (SEALS) and Centre for Sustainable Ecosystem Solutions, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia
| | - Yan Ropert-Coudert
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, CNRS UMR 7372 - La Rochelle Université, 79360 Villiers-en-Bois, France
| | - Jodie L Rummer
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 5811, Australia
| | - Frank Seebacher
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences A08, University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Anne E Todgham
- Department of Animal Science, University of California Davis, One Shields Ave. Davis, CA, 95616, USA
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Abstract
Climate change is occurring at an unprecedented rate and has begun to modify the distribution and phenology of organisms worldwide. Chelonians are expected to be particularly vulnerable due to limited dispersal capabilities as well as widespread temperature-dependent sex determination. The number of papers published about the effects of climate change on turtles has increased exponentially over the last decade; here, I review the data from peer-reviewed publications to assess the likely impacts of climate change on individuals, populations, and communities. Based upon these studies future research should focus on: (1) Individual responses to climate change, particularly with respect to thermal biology, phenology, and microhabitat selection; (2) improving species distribution models by incorporating fine-scale environmental variables as well as physiological processes; (3) identifying the consequences of skewed sex ratios; and (4) assessments of community resilience and the development of methods to mitigate climate change impacts. Although detailed management recommendations are not possible at this point, careful consideration should be given regarding how to manage low vagility species as habitats shift poleward. In the worst-case scenario, proactive management may be required in order to ensure that widespread losses do not occur.
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27
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Warne RW, Baer SG, Boyles JG. Community Physiological Ecology. Trends Ecol Evol 2019; 34:510-518. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2019.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2018] [Revised: 02/06/2019] [Accepted: 02/08/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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28
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MacMillan HA. Dissecting cause from consequence: a systematic approach to thermal limits. J Exp Biol 2019; 222:222/4/jeb191593. [DOI: 10.1242/jeb.191593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
ABSTRACT
Thermal limits mark the boundaries of ectotherm performance, and are increasingly appreciated as strong correlates and possible determinants of animal distribution patterns. The mechanisms setting the thermal limits of ectothermic animals are under active study and rigorous debate as we try to reconcile new observations in the lab and field with the knowledge gained from a long history of research on thermal adaptation. Here, I provide a perspective on our divided understanding of the mechanisms setting thermal limits of ectothermic animals. I focus primarily on the fundamental differences between high and low temperatures, and how animal form and environment can place different constraints on different taxa. Together, complexity and variation in animal form drive complexity in the interactions within and among levels of biological organization, creating a formidable barrier to determining mechanistic cause and effect at thermal limits. Progress in our understanding of thermal limits will require extensive collaboration and systematic approaches that embrace this complexity and allow us to separate the causes of failure from the physiological consequences that can quickly follow. I argue that by building integrative models that explain causal links among multiple organ systems, we can more quickly arrive at a holistic understanding of the varied challenges facing animals at extreme temperatures.
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