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Silva GG, Green AJ, Stenert C, Maltchik L. Invertebrate dispersal by waterbird species in neotropical wetlands. BRAZ J BIOL 2021; 84:e250280. [PMID: 34932625 DOI: 10.1590/1519-6984.250280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2021] [Accepted: 09/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Endozoochory by waterbirds is particularly relevant to the dispersal of non-flying aquatic invertebrates. This ecological function exercised by birds has been demonstrated in different biogeographical regions, but there are no studies for the neotropical region. In this work, we identified propagules of invertebrates in faeces of 14 syntopic South American waterbird species representing six families, and hatched additional invertebrates from cultured faeces. We tested whether propagule abundance, species richness and composition varied among bird species, and between the cold and warm seasons. We found 164 invertebrate propagules in faecal samples from seven different waterbirds species, including eggs of the Temnocephalida and Notonectidae, statoblasts of bryozoans (Plumatella sp.) and ephippia of Cladocera. Ciliates (including Paramecium sp. and Litostomatea), nematodes and rotifers (Adineta sp. and Nottomatidae) hatched from cultured samples. Potential for endozoochory was confirmed for 12 of 14 waterbird species. Our statistical models suggest that richness and abundance of propagules are associated with bird species and not affected by seasonality. Dispersal by endozoochory is potentially important to a broad variety of invertebrates, being promoted by waterbirds with different ecological and morphological traits, which are likely to drive the dispersal of invertebrates in neotropical wetlands.
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Affiliation(s)
- G G Silva
- Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos - UNISINOS, Laboratory of Ecology and Conservation of Aquatic Ecosystems, São Leopoldo, RS, Brasil
| | - A J Green
- Estación Biológica de Doñana - EBD-CSIC, Department of Wetland Ecology, Sevilla, Spain
| | - C Stenert
- Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos - UNISINOS, Laboratory of Ecology and Conservation of Aquatic Ecosystems, São Leopoldo, RS, Brasil
| | - L Maltchik
- Universidade Federal do Rio Grande - FURG, Graduate Program in Biology of Continental Aquatic Environments, Rio Grande, RS, Brasil
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Hill MJ, Greaves HM, Sayer CD, Hassall C, Milin M, Milner VS, Marazzi L, Hall R, Harper LR, Thornhill I, Walton R, Biggs J, Ewald N, Law A, Willby N, White JC, Briers RA, Mathers KL, Jeffries MJ, Wood PJ. Pond ecology and conservation: research priorities and knowledge gaps. Ecosphere 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Matthew J. Hill
- School of Applied Sciences University of Huddersfield Queensgate Huddersfield HD1 3DH UK
| | - Helen M. Greaves
- Pond Restoration Group Environmental Change Research Centre Department of Geography University College London Gower Street London WC1E 6BT UK
| | - Carl D. Sayer
- Pond Restoration Group Environmental Change Research Centre Department of Geography University College London Gower Street London WC1E 6BT UK
| | - Christopher Hassall
- School of Biology Faculty of Biological Sciences University of Leeds Woodhouse Lane Leeds LS2 9JT UK
| | - Mélanie Milin
- School of Applied Sciences University of Huddersfield Queensgate Huddersfield HD1 3DH UK
| | - Victoria S. Milner
- School of Applied Sciences University of Huddersfield Queensgate Huddersfield HD1 3DH UK
| | - Luca Marazzi
- Institute of Environment Florida International University Miami FL 33199 USA
| | - Ruth Hall
- Natural England Mail Hub, Natural England Worcester County Hall Spetchley Road Worcester WR5 2NP UK
| | - Lynsey R. Harper
- School of Biological and Environmental Sciences Liverpool John Moores University Liverpool L3 3AF UK
| | - Ian Thornhill
- School of Sciences Bath Spa University Newton St. Loe Bath BA2 9BN UK
| | - Richard Walton
- School of Geography, Politics and Sociology Newcastle University King’s Gate Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU UK
| | - Jeremy Biggs
- Freshwater Habitats Trust Bury Knowle House Headington, Oxford OX3 9HY UK
| | - Naomi Ewald
- Freshwater Habitats Trust Bury Knowle House Headington, Oxford OX3 9HY UK
| | - Alan Law
- Biological and Environmental Sciences University of Stirling Stirling FK9 4LA UK
| | - Nigel Willby
- Biological and Environmental Sciences University of Stirling Stirling FK9 4LA UK
| | - James C. White
- River Restoration Centre Cranfield University Cranfield Bedfordshire MK43 0AL UK
| | - Robert A. Briers
- School of Applied Sciences Edinburgh Napier University Edinburgh EH11 4BN UK
| | - Kate L. Mathers
- Department of Surface Waters Research and Management Kastanienbaum 6047 Switzerland
- Centre for Hydrological and Ecosystem Science Department of Geography Loughborough University Loughborough Leicestershire LE11 3TU UK
| | - Michael J. Jeffries
- Department of Geography and Environmental Sciences Northumbria University Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 8ST UK
| | - Paul J. Wood
- Centre for Hydrological and Ecosystem Science Department of Geography Loughborough University Loughborough Leicestershire LE11 3TU UK
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Briscoe AG, Nichols S, Hartikainen H, Knipe H, Foster R, Green AJ, Okamura B, Bass D. High-Throughput Sequencing of faeces provides evidence for dispersal of parasites and pathogens by migratory waterbirds. Mol Ecol Resour 2021; 22:1303-1318. [PMID: 34758191 DOI: 10.1111/1755-0998.13548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2021] [Revised: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Examination of faecal material has demonstrated how a broad range of organisms are distributed by bird movements. Such research has largely focused on dispersal of plant seeds by frugivores and of freshwater organisms by waterbirds. However, with few exceptions (e.g. avian influenza, Ebola virus), there is a dearth of evidence for transport of parasites and pathogens. High-throughput sequencing methods now provide a powerful means of addressing this knowledge gap by elucidating faecal contents in unprecedented detail. We collected faeces excreted by a range of migratory waterbirds in south-west Spain and pooled faecal DNA to create libraries reflective of feeding behavior. We created sets of libraries using high-throughput metagenomic and amplicon sequencing. For the latter we employed two sets of primers to broadly target the V4 region of the 18S rRNA gene (one set amplifying the region across all eukaryotes, the other excluding amplification of metazoans). Libraries revealed a wide diversity of eukaryotes, including parasites of the faecal producers themselves, parasites of food items, or those incidentally ingested. We also detected novel microbial eukaryotic taxa and found that parasite assemblage profiles were relatively distinct. Comparing the performance of the methods used supports their joint use for future studies of diversity and abundance. Because viable stages of many parasites are likely to be present in faeces, our results suggest significant levels of bird-mediated dispersal of parasites (both from avian and other hosts). Our methods revealed much hidden biodiversity, and allowed identification of the individuals who produced the faecal samples to species level, facilitating the study of interaction networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew G Briscoe
- Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, London, United Kingdom.,Core Research Laboratories, Natural History Museum, London, United Kingdom
| | - Sarah Nichols
- Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, London, United Kingdom
| | - Hanna Hartikainen
- Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, London, United Kingdom.,Eawag and Institute for Integrative Biology, Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule (ETH), Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Hazel Knipe
- Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, London, United Kingdom
| | - Rachel Foster
- Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, London, United Kingdom
| | - Andy J Green
- Department of Wetland Ecology, Estación Biológica de Doñana, EBD-CSIC, 41092, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Beth Okamura
- Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, London, United Kingdom
| | - David Bass
- Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, London, United Kingdom.,Centre for Environment, Aquaculture and Fisheries Science (Cefas), Weymouth, UK
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Ruggeri P, Pasternak E, Okamura B. To remain or leave: Dispersal variation and its genetic consequences in benthic freshwater invertebrates. Ecol Evol 2019; 9:12069-12088. [PMID: 31832145 PMCID: PMC6854113 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.5656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2019] [Revised: 08/25/2019] [Accepted: 08/26/2019] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Variation in dispersal capacity may influence population genetic variation and relatedness of freshwater animals thus demonstrating how life-history traits influence patterns and processes that in turn influence biodiversity. The majority of studies have focused on the consequences of dispersal variation in taxa inhabiting riverine systems whose dendritic nature and upstream/downstream gradients facilitate characterizing populations along networks. We undertook extensive, large-scale investigations of the impacts of hydrological connectivity on population genetic variation in two freshwater bryozoan species whose dispersive propagules (statoblasts) are either attached to surfaces (Fredericella sultana) or are released as buoyant stages (Cristatella mucedo) and that live primarily in either lotic (F. sultana) or lentic environments (C. mucedo). Describing population genetic structure in multiple sites characterized by varying degrees of hydrological connectivity within each of three (or four) UK regions enabled us to test the following hypotheses: (1) genetic diversity and gene flow will be more influenced by hydrological connectivity in populations of C. mucedo (because F. sultana dispersal stages are retained); (2) populations of F. sultana will be characterized by greater genetic divergence than those of C. mucedo (reflecting their relative dispersal capacities); and (3) genetic variation will be greatest in F. sultana (reflecting a propensity for genetic divergence as a result of its low dispersal potential). We found that hydrological connectivity enhanced genetic diversity and gene flow among C. mucedo populations but not in F. sultana while higher overall measures of clonal diversity and greater genetic divergence characterized populations of F. sultana. We suggest that genetic divergence over time within F. sultana populations reflects a general constraint of releasing propagules that might eventually be swept to sea when taxa inhabit running waters. In contrast, taxa that primarily inhabit lakes and ponds may colonize across hydrologically connected regions, establishing genetically related populations. Our study contributes more nuanced views about drivers of population genetic structures in passively dispersing freshwater invertebrates as outlined by the Monopolization Hypothesis (Acta Oecologica, 23, 2002, 121) by highlighting how a range of demographic and evolutionary processes reflect life-history attributes of benthic colonial invertebrates (bryozoans) and cyclically parthenogenetic zooplankton. In addition, growing evidence that genetic divergence may commonly characterize populations of diverse groups of riverine taxa suggests that organisms inhabiting lotic systems may be particularly challenged by environmental change. Such change may predispose riverine populations to extinction as a result of genetic divergence combined with limited dispersal and gene flow. OPEN RESEARCH BADGES This article has earned an Open Data Badge for making publicly available the digitally-shareable data necessary to reproduce the reported results. The data is available at https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.1tm8705.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paolo Ruggeri
- Department of Life SciencesNatural History MuseumLondonUK
- Laboratory of Integrative Biology of Marine ModelsStation Biologique de RoscoffCNRS‐Sorbonne UniversityRoscoffFrance
| | - Ellen Pasternak
- Department of Life SciencesNatural History MuseumLondonUK
- Zoology DepartmentOxford UniversityOxfordUK
| | - Beth Okamura
- Department of Life SciencesNatural History MuseumLondonUK
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Salgado J, Sayer CD, Brooks SJ, Davidson TA, Baker AG, Willby N, Patmore IR, Goldsmith B, Bennion H, Okamura B. Connectivity and zebra mussel invasion offer short‐term buffering of eutrophication impacts on floodplain lake landscape biodiversity. DIVERS DISTRIB 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/ddi.12938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Jorge Salgado
- Department of Life Sciences Natural History Museum London UK
- Environmental Change Research Centre, Department of Geography University College London London UK
- Grupo de Palinología y Paleoecología Tropical, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas Universidad de los Andes Bogotá Colombia
| | - Carl D. Sayer
- Environmental Change Research Centre, Department of Geography University College London London UK
| | | | - Thomas A. Davidson
- Lake Group and Arctic Research Centre, Department of Bioscience Aarhus University Aarhus Denmark
| | - Ambroise G. Baker
- Environmental Change Research Centre, Department of Geography University College London London UK
| | - Nigel Willby
- Biological and Environmental Sciences University of Stirling Stirling UK
| | - Ian R. Patmore
- Environmental Change Research Centre, Department of Geography University College London London UK
| | - Ben Goldsmith
- Environmental Change Research Centre, Department of Geography University College London London UK
| | - Helen Bennion
- Environmental Change Research Centre, Department of Geography University College London London UK
| | - Beth Okamura
- Department of Life Sciences Natural History Museum London UK
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