1
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Bieber BV, Vyas DK, Koltz AM, Burkle LA, Bey KS, Guzinski C, Murphy SM, Vidal MC. Increasing prevalence of severe fires change the structure of arthropod communities: evidence from a meta‐analysis. Funct Ecol 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.14197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Amanda M. Koltz
- Department of Integrative Biology University of Texas at Austin
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2
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Abstract
Arctic terrestrial herbivores influence tundra carbon and nutrient dynamics through their consumption of resources, waste production, and habitat-modifying behaviors. The strength of these effects is likely to change spatially and temporally as climate change drives shifts in herbivore abundance, distribution, and activity timing. Here, we review how herbivores influence tundra carbon and nutrient dynamics through their consumptive and nonconsumptive effects. We also present evidence for herbivore responses to climate change and discuss how these responses may alter the spatial and temporal distribution of herbivore impacts. Several current knowledge gaps limit our understanding of the changing functional roles of herbivores; these include limited characterization of the spatial and temporal variability in herbivore impacts and of how herbivore activities influence the cycling of elements beyond carbon. We conclude by highlighting approaches that will promote better understanding of herbivore effects on tundra ecosystems, including their integration into existing biogeochemical models, new applications of remote sensing techniques, and the continued use of distributed experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda M. Koltz
- Department of BiologyWashington University in St. LouisSt. LouisMissouriUSA,The Arctic InstituteCenter for Circumpolar Security StudiesWashingtonDCUSA,Department of Integrative BiologyUniversity of Texas at AustinAustinTexasUSA
| | - Laura Gough
- Department of Biological SciencesTowson UniversityTowsonMarylandUSA
| | - Jennie R. McLaren
- Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of Texas El PasoEl PasoTexasUSA
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3
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Koltz AM, Civitello DJ, Becker DJ, Deem SL, Classen AT, Barton B, Brenn-White M, Johnson ZE, Kutz S, Malishev M, Preston DL, Vannatta JT, Penczykowski RM, Ezenwa VO. Sublethal effects of parasitism on ruminants can have cascading consequences for ecosystems. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2117381119. [PMID: 35533278 PMCID: PMC9171767 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2117381119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2021] [Accepted: 03/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Parasitic infections are common, but how they shape ecosystem-level processes is understudied. Using a mathematical model and meta-analysis, we explored the potential for helminth parasites to trigger trophic cascades through lethal and sublethal effects imposed on herbivorous ruminant hosts after infection. First, using the model, we linked negative effects of parasitic infection on host survival, fecundity, and feeding rate to host and producer biomass. Our model, parameterized with data from a well-documented producer–caribou–helminth system, reveals that even moderate impacts of parasites on host survival, fecundity, or feeding rate can have cascading effects on ruminant host and producer biomass. Second, using meta-analysis, we investigated the links between helminth infections and traits of free-living ruminant hosts in nature. We found that helminth infections tend to exert negative but sublethal effects on ruminant hosts. Specifically, infection significantly reduces host feeding rates, body mass, and body condition but has weak and highly variable effects on survival and fecundity. Together, these findings suggest that while helminth parasites can trigger trophic cascades through multiple mechanisms, overlooked sublethal effects on nonreproductive traits likely dominate their impacts on ecosystems. In particular, by reducing ruminant herbivory, pervasive helminth infections may contribute to a greener world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda M. Koltz
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130
| | | | | | - Sharon L. Deem
- Saint Louis Zoo Institute for Conservation Medicine, Saint Louis, MO 63110
| | - Aimée T. Classen
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
| | - Brandon Barton
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2, Canada
| | - Maris Brenn-White
- Saint Louis Zoo Institute for Conservation Medicine, Saint Louis, MO 63110
| | - Zoë E. Johnson
- Department of Biological Sciences, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS 39762
| | - Susan Kutz
- Department of Ecosystem and Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada
| | | | - Daniel L. Preston
- Department of Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523
| | - J. Trevor Vannatta
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907
| | | | - Vanessa O. Ezenwa
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511
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4
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Dunn RR, Burger JR, Carlen EJ, Koltz AM, Light JE, Martin RA, Munshi-South J, Nichols LM, Vargo EL, Yitbarek S, Zhao Y, Cibrián-Jaramillo A. A Theory of City Biogeography and the Origin of Urban Species. Front Conserv Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fcosc.2022.761449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Many of the choices humans make with regard to infrastructure, urban planning and other phenomena have impacts that will last thousands of years. This can readily be seen in modern cities in which contemporary streets run along street grids that were laid out thousands of years prior or even in which ancient viaducts still play a role. However, rarely do evolutionary biologists explicitly consider the future of life likely to be associated with the decisions we are making today. Here, we consider the evolutionary future of species in cities with a focus on the origin of lineages and species. We do so by adjusting evolutionary predictions from the theory of island biogeography so as to correspond to the unique features of cities as islands. Specifically, the species endemic to cities tend to be associated with the gray habitats in cities. Those habitats tend to be dominated by human bodies, pet bodies and stored food. It is among such species where the origin of new lineages is most likely, although most research on evolution in cities has focused on green habitats. We conclude by considering a range of scenarios for the far future and their implications for the origin of lineages and species.
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5
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Koltz AM, Culler LE. Biting insects in a rapidly changing Arctic. Curr Opin Insect Sci 2021; 47:75-81. [PMID: 34004377 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2021.04.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2020] [Revised: 03/25/2021] [Accepted: 04/30/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Biting insects have a long-standing reputation for being an extreme presence in the Arctic, but it is unclear how they are responding to the rapid environmental changes currently taking place in the region. We review recent advances in our understanding of climate change responses by several key groups of biting insects, including mosquitoes, blackflies, and warble/botflies, and we highlight the significant knowledge gaps on this topic. We also discuss how changes in biting insect populations could impact humans and wildlife, including disease transmission and the disruption of culturally and economically important activities. Future work should integrate scientific with local and traditional ecological knowledge to better understand global change responses by biting insects in the Arctic and the associated consequences for the environmental security of Arctic communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda M Koltz
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, One Brookings Drive, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA; The Arctic Institute, Center for Circumpolar Security Studies, P.O. Box 21194, Washington, DC 20009, USA.
| | - Lauren E Culler
- Department of Environmental Studies, Dartmouth College, 6182 Steele Hall, Hanover, NH 03755, USA; Institute of Arctic Studies, Dickey Center for International Understanding, Dartmouth College, 6048 Haldeman Center, Hanover, NH 03755, USA
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6
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Ezenwa VO, Civitello DJ, Classen AT, Barton BT, Becker DJ, Brenn-White M, Deem SL, Kutz S, Malishev M, Penczykowski RM, Preston DL, Vannatta JT, Koltz AM. Response to Charlier et al.: Climate-Disease Feedbacks Mediated by Livestock Methane Emissions Are Plausible. Trends Ecol Evol 2021; 36:578-579. [PMID: 33966920 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2021.04.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2021] [Accepted: 04/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa O Ezenwa
- Odum School of Ecology and Department of Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA.
| | | | - Aimée T Classen
- The Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Brandon T Barton
- Department of Biological Sciences, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS 39762, USA
| | - Daniel J Becker
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
| | - Maris Brenn-White
- Institute for Conservation Medicine, Saint Louis Zoo, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Sharon L Deem
- Institute for Conservation Medicine, Saint Louis Zoo, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Susan Kutz
- Department of Ecosystem and Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 4Z6, Canada
| | | | | | - Daniel L Preston
- Department of Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
| | - J Trevor Vannatta
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Amanda M Koltz
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA
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7
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Høye TT, Loboda S, Koltz AM, Gillespie MAK, Bowden JJ, Schmidt NM. Nonlinear trends in abundance and diversity and complex responses to climate change in Arctic arthropods. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:e2002557117. [PMID: 33431570 PMCID: PMC7812779 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2002557117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Time series data on arthropod populations are critical for understanding the magnitude, direction, and drivers of change. However, most arthropod monitoring programs are short-lived and restricted in taxonomic resolution. Monitoring data from the Arctic are especially underrepresented, yet critical to uncovering and understanding some of the earliest biological responses to rapid environmental change. Clear imprints of climate on the behavior and life history of some Arctic arthropods have been demonstrated, but a synthesis of population-level abundance changes across taxa is lacking. We utilized 24 y of abundance data from Zackenberg in High-Arctic Greenland to assess trends in abundance and diversity and identify potential climatic drivers of abundance changes. Unlike findings from temperate systems, we found a nonlinear pattern, with total arthropod abundance gradually declining during 1996 to 2014, followed by a sharp increase. Family-level diversity showed the opposite pattern, suggesting increasing dominance of a small number of taxa. Total abundance masked more complicated trajectories of family-level abundance, which also frequently varied among habitats. Contrary to expectation in this extreme polar environment, winter and fall conditions and positive density-dependent feedbacks were more common determinants of arthropod dynamics than summer temperature. Together, these data highlight the complexity of characterizing climate change responses even in relatively simple Arctic food webs. Our results underscore the need for data reporting beyond overall trends in biomass or abundance and for including basic research on life history and ecology to achieve a more nuanced understanding of the sensitivity of Arctic and other arthropods to global changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toke T Høye
- Arctic Research Centre, Aarhus University, DK-8410 Rønde, Denmark;
- Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, DK-8410 Rønde, Denmark
| | - Sarah Loboda
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, QC H9X 3V9, Canada
| | - Amanda M Koltz
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130
- The Arctic Institute, Washington, DC 20009
| | - Mark A K Gillespie
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, 6851 Sogndal, Norway
| | - Joseph J Bowden
- Atlantic Forestry Centre, Canadian Forest Service, Natural Resources Canada, Corner Brook, NL A2H 5G4, Canada
| | - Niels M Schmidt
- Arctic Research Centre, Aarhus University, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark
- Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark
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8
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Ezenwa VO, Civitello DJ, Barton BT, Becker DJ, Brenn-White M, Classen AT, Deem SL, Johnson ZE, Kutz S, Malishev M, Penczykowski RM, Preston DL, Vannatta JT, Koltz AM. Infectious Diseases, Livestock, and Climate: A Vicious Cycle? Trends Ecol Evol 2020; 35:959-962. [PMID: 33039158 PMCID: PMC7539894 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2020.08.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2020] [Revised: 08/18/2020] [Accepted: 08/21/2020] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Ruminant livestock are a significant contributor to global methane emissions. Infectious diseases have the potential to exacerbate these contributions by elevating methane outputs associated with animal production. With the increasing spread of many infectious diseases, the emergence of a vicious climate–livestock–disease cycle is a looming threat.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa O Ezenwa
- Odum School of Ecology and Department of Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30606, USA.
| | | | - Brandon T Barton
- Department of Biological Sciences, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS 39762, USA
| | - Daniel J Becker
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
| | - Maris Brenn-White
- Institute for Conservation Medicine, Saint Louis Zoo, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Aimée T Classen
- The Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 48109, USA
| | - Sharon L Deem
- Institute for Conservation Medicine, Saint Louis Zoo, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Zoë E Johnson
- Department of Biological Sciences, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS 39762, USA
| | - Susan Kutz
- Department of Ecosystem and Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 4Z6, Canada
| | | | | | - Daniel L Preston
- Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - J Trevor Vannatta
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Amanda M Koltz
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA
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9
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Abstract
Spiders at southern latitudes commonly produce multiple clutches, but this has not been observed at high latitudes where activity seasons are much shorter. Yet the timing of snowmelt is advancing in the Arctic, which may allow some species to produce an additional clutch. To determine if this is already happening, we used specimens of the wolf spider Pardosa glacialis caught by pitfall traps from the long-term (1996-2014) monitoring programme at Zackenberg, NE Greenland. We dissected individual egg sacs and counted the number of eggs and partially developed juveniles, and measured carapace width of the mothers. Upon the discovery of a bimodal frequency distribution of clutch sizes, as is typical for wolf spiders at lower latitudes producing a second clutch, we assigned egg sacs to being a first or second clutch depending on clutch size. We tested whether the median capture date differed among first and second clutches, whether clutch size was correlated to female size, and whether the proportion of second clutches produced within a season was related to climate. We found that assigned second clutches appeared significantly later in the season than first clutches. In years with earlier snowmelt, first clutches occurred earlier and the proportion of second clutches produced was larger. Likely, females produce their first clutch earlier in those years which allow them time to produce another clutch. Clutch size for first clutches was correlated to female size, while this was not the case for second clutches. Our results provide the first evidence for Arctic invertebrates producing additional clutches in response to warming. This could be a common but overlooked phenomenon due to the challenges associated with long-term collection of life-history data in the Arctic. Moreover, given that wolf spiders are a widely distributed, important tundra predator, we may expect to see population and food web consequences of their increased reproductive rates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toke T Høye
- Arctic Research Centre and Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Grenåvej 14, DK-8410 Rønde, Denmark
| | - Jean-Claude Kresse
- Arctic Research Centre and Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Grenåvej 14, DK-8410 Rønde, Denmark
| | - Amanda M Koltz
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St Louis, Box 1137, St Louis, MO 63130, USA
| | - Joseph J Bowden
- Natural Resources Canada, Canadian Forest Service - Atlantic Forestry Centre, 26 University Drive, PO Box 960, Corner Brook, NL, Canada A2H 6J3.,School of Science and the Environment, Memorial University - Grenfell Campus, 20 University Dr., Corner Brook, NL, Canada A2H 6J3
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10
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Koltz AM, Wright JP. Impacts of female body size on cannibalism and juvenile abundance in a dominant arctic spider. J Anim Ecol 2020; 89:1788-1798. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2019] [Accepted: 03/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Amanda M. Koltz
- Department of Biology Washington University in St. Louis St. Louis MO USA
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11
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Gillespie MAK, Alfredsson M, Barrio IC, Bowden JJ, Convey P, Culler LE, Coulson SJ, Krogh PH, Koltz AM, Koponen S, Loboda S, Marusik Y, Sandström JP, Sikes DS, Høye TT. Status and trends of terrestrial arthropod abundance and diversity in the North Atlantic region of the Arctic. Ambio 2020; 49:718-731. [PMID: 30879270 PMCID: PMC6989714 DOI: 10.1007/s13280-019-01162-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2018] [Revised: 02/05/2019] [Accepted: 02/20/2019] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
The Circumpolar Biodiversity Monitoring Programme (CBMP) provides an opportunity to improve our knowledge of Arctic arthropod diversity, but initial baseline studies are required to summarise the status and trends of planned target groups of species known as Focal Ecosystem Components (FECs). We begin this process by collating available data for a relatively well-studied region in the Arctic, the North Atlantic region, summarising the diversity of key terrestrial arthropod FECs, and compiling trends for some representative species. We found the FEC classification system to be challenging to implement, but identified some key groups to target in the initial phases of the programme. Long-term data are scarce and exhibit high levels of spatial and temporal variability. Nevertheless, we found that a number of species and groups are in decline, mirroring patterns in other regions of the world. We emphasise that terrestrial arthropods require higher priority within future Arctic monitoring programmes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark A. K. Gillespie
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, Sogndal Campus, 6851 Sogndal, Norway
| | - Matthias Alfredsson
- The Icelandic Institute of Natural History, Urridaholtsstraeti 6–8, 212 Gardabaer, Iceland
| | - Isabel C. Barrio
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences, Agricultural University of Iceland, Árleyni 22, Keldnaholt, 112 Reykjavík, Iceland
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Iceland, Sturlugata 7, 101 Reykjavík, Iceland
| | - Joseph J. Bowden
- Arctic Research Centre, Aarhus University, Ny Munkegade 114, bldg. 1540, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
- Present Address: Canadian Forest Service – Atlantic Forestry Centre, 26 University Drive, PO Box 960, Corner Brook, NL A2H 6J3 Canada
| | - Peter Convey
- British Antarctic Survey, NERC, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 0ET UK
| | - Lauren E. Culler
- Environmental Studies Program, Dartmouth College, 113 Steele Hall, Hanover, NH 03755 USA
- Institute of Arctic Studies, Dartmouth College, 6214 Haldeman Center, Hanover, NH 03755 USA
| | - Stephen J. Coulson
- Swedish Species Information Centre, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 750 07 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Paul Henning Krogh
- Arctic Research Centre, Aarhus University, Ny Munkegade 114, bldg. 1540, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
- Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Vejlsøvej 25, P.O. Box 314, 8600 Silkeborg, Denmark
| | - Amanda M. Koltz
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130 USA
| | - Seppo Koponen
- Zoological Museum, Biodiversity Unit, University of Turku, 20014 Turku, Finland
| | - Sarah Loboda
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, QC Canada
| | - Yuri Marusik
- Institute for Biological Problems of the North RAS, Portovaya Str. 18, Magadan, Russia 685000
- Department of Zoology & Entomology, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, 9300 South Africa
| | - Jonas P. Sandström
- Swedish Species Information Centre, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 750 07 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Derek S. Sikes
- University of Alaska Museum, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK 99775-6960 USA
| | - Toke T. Høye
- Arctic Research Centre, Aarhus University, Ny Munkegade 114, bldg. 1540, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
- Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Grenåvej 14, 8410 Rønde, Denmark
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12
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Koltz AM, Culler LE, Bowden JJ, Post E, Høye TT. Dominant Arctic Predator Is Free of Major Parasitoid at Northern Edge of Its Range. Front Ecol Evol 2019. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2019.00250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
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13
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Ramirez KS, Berhe AA, Burt J, Gil-Romera G, Johnson RF, Koltz AM, Lacher I, McGlynn T, Nielsen KJ, Schmidt R, Simonis JL, terHorst CP, Tuff K. The future of ecology is collaborative, inclusive and deconstructs biases. Nat Ecol Evol 2019; 2:200. [PMID: 29242579 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-017-0445-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kelly S Ramirez
- The Netherlands Institute of Ecology, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
| | | | - Jenn Burt
- School of Resource and Environmental Management, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Graciela Gil-Romera
- Department of Geography and Earth Sciences, Aberystwyth University, Aberystwyth, UK.,Pyrenean Institute of Ecology - Spanish Research Council (CSIC), Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Rebecca F Johnson
- Citizen Science, California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Amanda M Koltz
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Iara Lacher
- Conservation Ecology Center, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Front Royal, VA, USA
| | - Terry McGlynn
- California State University Dominguez Hills, Carson, CA, USA.,Department of Entomology, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Karina J Nielsen
- Estuary & Ocean Science Center, Romberg Tiburon Campus, San Francisco State University, Tiburon, CA, USA
| | - Ruth Schmidt
- The Netherlands Institute of Ecology, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | | | - Casey P terHorst
- Biology Department, California State University, Northridge, CA, USA
| | - Kika Tuff
- Impact Media Lab, St. Louis, MO, USA
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14
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Darrouzet‐Nardi A, Steltzer H, Sullivan PF, Segal A, Koltz AM, Livensperger C, Schimel JP, Weintraub MN. Limited effects of early snowmelt on plants, decomposers, and soil nutrients in Arctic tundra soils. Ecol Evol 2019; 9:1820-1844. [PMID: 30847075 PMCID: PMC6392369 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.4870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2018] [Revised: 11/03/2018] [Accepted: 12/04/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
In addition to warming temperatures, Arctic ecosystems are responding to climate change with earlier snowmelt and soil thaw. Earlier snowmelt has been examined infrequently in field experiments, and we lack a comprehensive look at belowground responses of the soil biogeochemical system that includes plant roots, decomposers, and soil nutrients. We experimentally advanced the timing of snowmelt in factorial combination with an open-top chamber warming treatment over a 3-year period and evaluated the responses of decomposers and nutrient cycling processes. We tested two alternative hypotheses: (a) Early snowmelt and warming advance the timing of root growth and nutrient uptake, altering the timing of microbial and invertebrate activity and key nutrient cycling events; and (b) loss of insulating snow cover damages plants, leading to reductions in root growth and altered biological activity. During the 3 years of our study (2010-2012), we advanced snowmelt by 4, 15, and 10 days, respectively. Despite advancing aboveground plant phenology, particularly in the year with the warmest early-season temperatures (2012), belowground effects were primarily seen only on the first sampling date of the season or restricted to particular years or soil type. Overall, consistent and substantial responses to early snowmelt were not observed, counter to both of our hypotheses. The data on soil physical conditions, as well interannual comparisons of our results, suggest that this limited response was because of the earlier date of snowmelt that did not coincide with substantially warmer air and soil temperatures as they might in response to a natural climate event. We conclude that the interaction of snowmelt timing with soil temperatures is important to how the ecosystem will respond, but that 1- to 2-week changes in timing of snowmelt alone are not enough to drive season-long changes in soil microbial and nutrient cycling processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony Darrouzet‐Nardi
- Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of Texas at El PasoEl PasoTexas
- Department of Environmental SciencesUniversity of ToledoToledoOhio
| | | | - Patrick F. Sullivan
- Environment and Natural Resources InstituteUniversity of Alaska AnchorageAnchorageAlaska
| | - Aliza Segal
- Environment and Natural Resources InstituteUniversity of Alaska AnchorageAnchorageAlaska
| | - Amanda M. Koltz
- Department of BiologyWashington University in St. LouisSt. LouisMissouri
| | - Carolyn Livensperger
- Natural Resource Ecology LaboratoryColorado State UniversityFort CollinsColorado
| | - Joshua P. Schimel
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine BiologyUniversity of California Santa BarbaraSanta BarbaraCalifornia
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15
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Koltz AM, Burkle LA, Pressler Y, Dell JE, Vidal MC, Richards LA, Murphy SM. Global change and the importance of fire for the ecology and evolution of insects. Curr Opin Insect Sci 2018; 29:110-116. [PMID: 30551816 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2018.07.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2018] [Revised: 07/24/2018] [Accepted: 07/26/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Climate change is drastically altering global fire regimes, which may affect the structure and function of insect communities. Insect responses to fire are strongly tied to fire history, plant responses, and changes in species interactions. Many insects already possess adaptive traits to survive fire or benefit from post-fire resources, which may result in community composition shifting toward habitat and dietary generalists as well as species with high dispersal abilities. However, predicting community-level resilience of insects is inherently challenging due to the high degree of spatiotemporal and historical heterogeneity of fires, diversity of insect life histories, and potential interactions with other global change drivers. Future work should incorporate experimental approaches that specifically consider spatiotemporal variability and regional fire history in order to integrate eco-evolutionary processes in understanding insect responses to fire.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda M Koltz
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, One Brookings Drive, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA.
| | - Laura A Burkle
- Department of Ecology, Montana State University, 310 Lewis Hall, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA
| | - Yamina Pressler
- Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory, Colorado State University, 1499 Campus Delivery, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
| | - Jane E Dell
- Department of Biology, University of Nevada, 1664 N. Virginia St., Reno, NV 89557, USA
| | - Mayra C Vidal
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Denver, 2050 E Iliff Ave, Boettcher West, Denver, CO 80210, USA
| | - Lora A Richards
- Department of Biology, University of Nevada, 1664 N. Virginia St., Reno, NV 89557, USA
| | - Shannon M Murphy
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Denver, 2050 E Iliff Ave, Boettcher West, Denver, CO 80210, USA.
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16
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Abstract
Predators can disproportionately impact the structure and function of ecosystems relative to their biomass. These effects may be exacerbated under warming in ecosystems like the Arctic, where the number and diversity of predators are low and small shifts in community interactions can alter carbon cycle feedbacks. Here, we show that warming alters the effects of wolf spiders, a dominant tundra predator, on belowground litter decomposition. Specifically, while high densities of wolf spiders result in faster litter decomposition under ambient temperatures, they result, instead, in slower decomposition under warming. Higher spider densities are also associated with elevated levels of available soil nitrogen, potentially benefiting plant production. Changes in decomposition rates under increased wolf spider densities are accompanied by trends toward fewer fungivorous Collembola under ambient temperatures and more Collembola under warming, suggesting that Collembola mediate the indirect effects of wolf spiders on decomposition. The unexpected reversal of wolf spider effects on Collembola and decomposition suggest that in some cases, warming does not simply alter the strength of top-down effects but, instead, induces a different trophic cascade altogether. Our results indicate that climate change-induced effects on predators can cascade through other trophic levels, alter critical ecosystem functions, and potentially lead to climate feedbacks with important global implications. Moreover, given the expected increase in wolf spider densities with climate change, our findings suggest that the observed cascading effects of this common predator on detrital processes could potentially buffer concurrent changes in decomposition rates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda M Koltz
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130;
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708
| | - Aimée T Classen
- The Rubenstein School of Environment & Natural Resources, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT 05405
- The Gund Institute for Environment, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT 05405
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17
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Koltz AM, Schmidt NM, Høye TT. Differential arthropod responses to warming are altering the structure of Arctic communities. R Soc Open Sci 2018; 5:171503. [PMID: 29765633 PMCID: PMC5936898 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.171503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2017] [Accepted: 03/13/2018] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
The Arctic is experiencing some of the fastest rates of warming on the planet. Although many studies have documented responses to such warming by individual species, the idiosyncratic nature of these findings has prevented us from extrapolating them to community-level predictions. Here, we leverage the availability of a long-term dataset from Zackenberg, Greenland (593 700 specimens collected between 1996 and 2014), to investigate how climate parameters influence the abundance of different arthropod groups and overall community composition. We find that variation in mean seasonal temperatures, winter duration and winter freeze-thaw events is correlated with taxon-specific and habitat-dependent changes in arthropod abundances. In addition, we find that arthropod communities have exhibited compositional changes consistent with the expected effects of recent shifts towards warmer active seasons and fewer freeze-thaw events in NE Greenland. Changes in community composition are up to five times more extreme in drier than wet habitats, with herbivores and parasitoids generally increasing in abundance, while the opposite is true for surface detritivores. These results suggest that species interactions and food web dynamics are changing in the Arctic, with potential implications for key ecosystem processes such as decomposition, nutrient cycling and primary productivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda M. Koltz
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Box 30338, Durham, NC 27708, USA
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St Louis, Box 1137, St Louis, MO 63130, USA
- Author for correspondence: Amanda M. Koltz e-mail:
| | - Niels M. Schmidt
- Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark
- Arctic Research Centre, Aarhus University, DK-8000 AarhusC, Denmark
| | - Toke T. Høye
- Arctic Research Centre, Aarhus University, DK-8000 AarhusC, Denmark
- Aarhus Institute of Advanced Studies, Aarhus University, DK-8000 AarhusC, Denmark
- Department of Bioscience Kalø, Aarhus University, DK-8410 Rønde, Denmark
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18
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Abstract
Gastric acidity is likely a key factor shaping the diversity and composition of microbial communities found in the vertebrate gut. We conducted a systematic review to test the hypothesis that a key role of the vertebrate stomach is to maintain the gut microbial community by filtering out novel microbial taxa before they pass into the intestines. We propose that species feeding either on carrion or on organisms that are close phylogenetic relatives should require the most restrictive filter (measured as high stomach acidity) as protection from foreign microbes. Conversely, species feeding on a lower trophic level or on food that is distantly related to them (e.g. herbivores) should require the least restrictive filter, as the risk of pathogen exposure is lower. Comparisons of stomach acidity across trophic groups in mammal and bird taxa show that scavengers and carnivores have significantly higher stomach acidities compared to herbivores or carnivores feeding on phylogenetically distant prey such as insects or fish. In addition, we find when stomach acidity varies within species either naturally (with age) or in treatments such as bariatric surgery, the effects on gut bacterial pathogens and communities are in line with our hypothesis that the stomach acts as an ecological filter. Together these results highlight the importance of including measurements of gastric pH when investigating gut microbial dynamics within and across species.
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Affiliation(s)
- DeAnna E. Beasley
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Amanda M. Koltz
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Joanna E. Lambert
- Department of Anthropology, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Noah Fierer
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado United States of America
- Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Rob R. Dunn
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, United States of America
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van de Crommenacker J, Richardson DS, Koltz AM, Hutchings K, Komdeur J. Parasitic infection and oxidative status are associated and vary with breeding activity in the Seychelles warbler. Proc Biol Sci 2011; 279:1466-76. [PMID: 22048952 PMCID: PMC3282338 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2011.1865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Parasites can have detrimental effects on host fitness, and infection typically results in the stimulation of the immune system. While defending against infection, the immune system generates toxic oxidants; if these are not sufficiently counteracted by the antioxidant system, a state of oxidative stress can occur. Here, we investigated the relationship between parasitic infection—using malarial infection as a model—and oxidative status in a natural population of the Seychelles warbler, while taking into account potentially interacting environmental covariates. We found that malaria is associated with increased susceptibility to oxidative stress, but this depends on the breeding stage: only during the energetically demanding provisioning stage did infected birds have higher oxidative stress susceptibility than non-infected birds. The imbalance in oxidative status was caused by a marked increase in oxidant levels observed only in infected birds during provisioning and by an overall reduction in antioxidant capacity observed in all birds across the breeding cycle. This finding implies that higher workload while dealing with an infection could aggravate oxidative repercussions. Malarial infection was not associated with body condition loss, suggesting that even when conditional effects are not directly visible, detrimental effects may still manifest themselves over the longer term through the oxidative consequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janske van de Crommenacker
- Behavioural Ecology and Self-organization, University of Groningen, PO Box 11103, 9700 CC, Groningen, The Netherlands.
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Abstract
Quantifying signal repertoire size is a critical first step towards understanding the evolution of signal complexity. However, counting signal types can be so complicated and time consuming when repertoire size is large, that this trait is often estimated rather than measured directly. We studied how three common methods for repertoire size quantification (i.e., simple enumeration, curve-fitting and capture-recapture analysis) are affected by sample size and presentation style using simulated repertoires of known sizes. As expected, estimation error decreased with increasing sample size and varied among presentation styles. More surprisingly, for all but one of the presentation styles studied, curve-fitting and capture-recapture analysis yielded errors of similar or greater magnitude than the errors researchers would make by simply assuming that the number of types in an incomplete sample is the true repertoire size. Our results also indicate that studies based on incomplete samples are likely to yield incorrect ranking of individuals and spurious correlations with other parameters regardless of the technique of choice. Finally, we argue that biological receivers face similar difficulties in quantifying repertoire size than human observers and we explore some of the biological implications of this hypothesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos A Botero
- Center for Ecological and Evolutionary Studies, University of Groningen, 9751 NN Haren, The Netherlands
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