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Guan H, Zhang S, Yang N, Huangpu Y, Lan B, Nikas KJ, Wu X, Sun S. Parasitic flies alter the dietary preference of grasshoppers. Integr Zool 2024; 19:743-752. [PMID: 37427453 DOI: 10.1111/1749-4877.12748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/11/2023]
Abstract
Parasitism is known to affect the behavior of host species to enhance parasite dispersal and transmission. However, host behavioral responses to parasitism unrelated to parasite dispersal and transmission have been much less studied. The objective of this study was to determine whether grasshopper hosts infected and uninfected with a parasitic fly (Blaesoxipha sp.) differ in terms of the nutrient content of the diet they consume. We investigated the dietary preferences of two grasshopper species (i.e. Asulconotus chinghaiensis and Chorthippus fallax) in terms of the C/N composition of plant species consumed, and determined whether this affected the egg production of unparasitized and parasitized grasshoppers by flies in a Tibetan alpine meadow. The composition of plants consumed differed significantly between the unparasitized and parasitized grasshoppers. Specifically, the abundance of N-rich legumes was lower and that of high C/N grasses was higher in the diet of the parasitized compared to the unparasitized grasshoppers. Diet N content was higher and C/N was lower in the diet of unparasitized grasshoppers, and parasitized females produced fewer eggs than their unparasitized conspecifics. Future enquiries are needed to understand the specific mechanisms underlying these dietary differences. The effects of parasites on the fitness-associated behavior of hosts should be studied more broadly to better understand parasite evolution and adaptation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huanhuan Guan
- Department of Ecology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Shangyun Zhang
- Department of Ecology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Nan Yang
- Department of Ecology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yifei Huangpu
- Department of Ecology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Bin Lan
- Department of Ecology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Karl J Nikas
- School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
| | - Xinwei Wu
- Department of Ecology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Shucun Sun
- Department of Ecology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
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Hu H, Liu X, He Y, Li Y, Zhang T, Xu Y, Jing J. Asymmetric pre-growing season warming may jeopardize seed reproduction of the sand-stabilizing shrub Caragana microphylla. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 903:166387. [PMID: 37633370 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2023] [Revised: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 08/28/2023]
Abstract
Our current understanding of the processes and mechanisms by which seasonal asymmetric warming affects seed reproduction in semiarid regions, which are essential in preserving the stability of both vegetation ecosystem structure and function, remains poorly understood. Here, we conducted a field warming experiment, including pre-growing season warming (W1), in-growing season warming (W2), and combined pre- and in-growing season warming (W3) treatments, to investigate the seed reproductive strategy of Caragana microphylla, an important sand-stabilizing shrub, from the perspective of reproductive phenology, reproductive effort, and reproductive success. Results show that the warming treatments advanced the initial stages of reproductive phenology, prolonged its duration, and decreased its synchrony (magnitude = W3 > W2 > W1). Additionally, flowering phenology was more sensitive to warming than podding phenology. The W1 treatment inclined seed reproduction towards the conservative strategy with low reproductive effort and success. The W3 treatment tended to increase seed reproductive effort and success. While the W2 treatment did not affect reproductive success, it did increase reproductive effort. Changes in reproductive phenology explained 20 % of the variation in reproductive effort and 38 % of the variation in reproductive success. However, these changes also directly hindered reproductive success (direct effect = -0.57) while indirectly promoting reproductive success (indirect effect = 0.27) by increasing reproductive efforts. Our results reveal that the seasonal asymmetry of warming altered the seed reproduction strategy of sand-stabilizing shrubs, with warmer winters and springs before the growing season decreasing seed fecundity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongjiao Hu
- Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Xinping Liu
- Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China; Naiman Desertification Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tongliao 028300, China.
| | - Yuhui He
- Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China; Gaolan Ecological and Agricultural Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China.
| | - Yuqiang Li
- Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China; Naiman Desertification Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tongliao 028300, China
| | - Tonghui Zhang
- Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China; Naiman Desertification Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tongliao 028300, China
| | - Yuanzhi Xu
- Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Jiaqi Jing
- Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
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Torres E, García-Fernández A, Iñigo D, Lara-Romero C, Morente-López J, Prieto-Benítez S, Rubio Teso ML, Iriondo JM. Facilitated Adaptation as A Conservation Tool in the Present Climate Change Context: A Methodological Guide. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 12:1258. [PMID: 36986946 PMCID: PMC10053585 DOI: 10.3390/plants12061258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Revised: 03/04/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Climate change poses a novel threat to biodiversity that urgently requires the development of adequate conservation strategies. Living organisms respond to environmental change by migrating to locations where their ecological niche is preserved or by adapting to the new environment. While the first response has been used to develop, discuss and implement the strategy of assisted migration, facilitated adaptation is only beginning to be considered as a potential approach. Here, we present a review of the conceptual framework for facilitated adaptation, integrating advances and methodologies from different disciplines. Briefly, facilitated adaptation involves a population reinforcement that introduces beneficial alleles to enable the evolutionary adaptation of a focal population to pressing environmental conditions. To this purpose, we propose two methodological approaches. The first one (called pre-existing adaptation approach) is based on using pre-adapted genotypes existing in the focal population, in other populations, or even in closely related species. The second approach (called de novo adaptation approach) aims to generate new pre-adapted genotypes from the diversity present in the species through artificial selection. For each approach, we present a stage-by-stage procedure, with some techniques that can be used for its implementation. The associated risks and difficulties of each approach are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Torres
- Departamento de Biotecnología-Biología Vegetal, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Alfredo García-Fernández
- Grupo de Ecología Evolutiva (ECOEVO), Área de Biodiversidad y Conservación, Departamento de Biología, Geología, Física y Química Inorgánica, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, 28933 Móstoles, Spain
| | - Diana Iñigo
- Grupo de Ecología Evolutiva (ECOEVO), Área de Biodiversidad y Conservación, Departamento de Biología, Geología, Física y Química Inorgánica, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, 28933 Móstoles, Spain
| | - Carlos Lara-Romero
- Grupo de Ecología Evolutiva (ECOEVO), Área de Biodiversidad y Conservación, Departamento de Biología, Geología, Física y Química Inorgánica, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, 28933 Móstoles, Spain
| | - Javier Morente-López
- Grupo de Ecología Evolutiva (ECOEVO), Área de Biodiversidad y Conservación, Departamento de Biología, Geología, Física y Química Inorgánica, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, 28933 Móstoles, Spain
- Grupo de Investigación de Ecología y Evolución en Islas, Instituto de Productos Naturales y Agrobiología (IPNA-CSIC), 38206 Tenerife, Spain
| | - Samuel Prieto-Benítez
- Grupo de Ecología Evolutiva (ECOEVO), Área de Biodiversidad y Conservación, Departamento de Biología, Geología, Física y Química Inorgánica, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, 28933 Móstoles, Spain
- Ecotoxicology of Air Pollution, Environmental Department, CIEMAT, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - María Luisa Rubio Teso
- Grupo de Ecología Evolutiva (ECOEVO), Área de Biodiversidad y Conservación, Departamento de Biología, Geología, Física y Química Inorgánica, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, 28933 Móstoles, Spain
| | - José M. Iriondo
- Grupo de Ecología Evolutiva (ECOEVO), Área de Biodiversidad y Conservación, Departamento de Biología, Geología, Física y Química Inorgánica, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, 28933 Móstoles, Spain
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Kou LX, Dong YR, Sun SC. Insect Overwintering Stages in an Alpine Meadow in Relation to Their Phylogeny and Soil Depth. ANN ZOOL FENN 2022. [DOI: 10.5735/086.059.0114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Li-Xuan Kou
- Department of Ecology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, 163 Xianlin Avenue, CN-210023 Nanjing, China
| | - Yu-Ran Dong
- Department of Ecology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, 163 Xianlin Avenue, CN-210023 Nanjing, China
| | - Shu-Cun Sun
- Department of Ecology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, 163 Xianlin Avenue, CN-210023 Nanjing, China
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Hu X, Zhou W, Li X, Niklas KJ, Sun S. Changes in Community Composition Induced by Experimental Warming in an Alpine Meadow: Beyond Plant Functional Type. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.569422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Climate warming exerts profound effects on plant community composition. However, responses to climate warming are often reported at the community and functional type levels, but not at the species level. To test whether warming-induced changes are consistent among community, functional type, and species levels, we examined the warming-induced changes at different levels in an alpine meadow from 2015 to 2018. The warming was achieved by deploying six (open top) chambers [including three non-warmed chambers and three warmed chambers; 15 × 15 × 2.5 m (height) for each] that resulted in a small increase in mean annual temperature (0.3–0.5°C, varying with years) with a higher increase during the non-growing season (0.4–0.6°C) than in the growing season (0.03–0.47°C). The results show that warming increased plant aboveground biomass but did not change species richness, or Shannon diversity and evenness at the community level. At the functional type level, warming increased the relative abundance of grasses from 3 to 16%, but decreased the relative abundance of forbs from 89 to 79%; relative abundances of sedges and legumes were unchanged. However, for a given functional type, warming could result in contrasting effects on the relative abundance among species, e.g., the abundances of the forb species Geranium pylzowianum, Potentilla anserine, Euphrasia pectinate, and the sedge species Carex atrofusca increased in the warmed (compared to the non-warmed) chambers. More importantly, the difference in species identity between warmed and non-warmed chambers revealed warming-induced species loss. Specifically, four forb species were lost in both types of chambers, one additional forb species (Angelica apaensis) was lost in the non-warmed chambers, and two additional species (one forb species Saussurea stella and one sedge species Blysmus sinocompressus) were lost in the warmed chambers. Consequently, changes at the species level could not be deduced from the results at the community or functional type levels. These data indicate that species-level responses to climate changes must be more intensively studied. This work also highlights the importance of examining species identity (and not only species number) to study changes of community composition in response to climate warming.
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