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Baltazar-Soares M, Karell P, Wright D, Nilsson JÅ, Brommer JE. Genomic basis of melanin-associated phenotypes suggests colour-specific environmental adaptations in tawny owls. Mol Ecol 2024; 33:e17247. [PMID: 38173194 DOI: 10.1111/mec.17247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/24/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Feathers comprise a series of evolutionary innovations but also harbour colour, a key biological trait known to co-vary with life history or complex traits. Those relationships are particularly true in melanin-based pigmentation species due to known pleiotropic effects of the melanocortin pathway - originating from melanin-associated phenotypes. Here, we explore the molecular basis of melanin colouration and expected co-variation at the molecular level in the melanin-based, colour polymorphic system of the tawny owl (Strix aluco). An extensive body of literature has revealed that grey and brown tawny owl colour morphs differ in a series of life history and behavioural traits. Thus, it is plausible to expect co-variation also at molecular level between colour morphs. To investigate this possibility, we assembled the first draft genome of the species against which we mapped ddRADseq reads from 220 grey and 150 brown morphs - representing 10 years of pedigree data from a population in Southern Finland - and explored genome-wide associations with colour phenotype. Our results revealed putative molecular signatures of cold adaptation strongly associated with the grey phenotype, namely, a non-synonymous substitution in MCHR1, plus 2 substitutions in non-coding regions of FTCD and FAM135A whose genotype combinations obtained a predictive power of up to 100% (predicting grey colour). These suggest a molecular basis of cold environment adaptations predicted to be grey-morph specific. Our results potentially reveal part of the molecular machinery of melanin-associated phenotypes and provide novel insights towards understanding the functional genomics of colour polymorphism in melanin-based pigmented species.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Patrik Karell
- Department of Biology, Section of Evolutionary Ecology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
- Department of Ecology and Genetics, University of Uppsala, Uppsala, Sweden
- Department of Bioeconomy, Novia University of Applied Sciences, Ekenäs, Finland
| | | | - Jan-Åke Nilsson
- Department of Biology, Section of Evolutionary Ecology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Jon E Brommer
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
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2
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Tuominen LS, Wikström M, Helanterä H, Karell P, Pusenius J, Rapeli L, Ruha L, Vuorisalo T, Brommer JE. Factors promoting hunting groups' sustainable harvest of moose in a co-management system. Sci Rep 2023; 13:21076. [PMID: 38030666 PMCID: PMC10687258 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-48348-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/25/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Collaboration between and within management levels and involvement of local communities (co-management) increases sustainable management of natural resources. In Finland, moose (Alces alces) are harvested by hunting groups within a co-management system, providing meat and social benefits. We computed the 14-year change in moose harvest (2007-2020) for 4320 hunting groups. Moose harvest declined on average 1.1% per year, but with substantial variation in moose harvest changes between the hunting groups. We extracted information describing the collaboration between the hunting groups, their democratic status as well as leader dynamics, and the year of establishment. A hunting group's moose harvest was more stable (i.e. declined less) when the hunting group was (1) established a longer time ago; (2), had more changes in leadership over time, but did not depend on collaboration with other local hunting groups (in terms of jointly holding moose hunting licenses), whether the hunting group was a registered society (presumed to be more democratic than a non-registered one) or had consecutive leaders that shared a surname (presumed to be related). We conclude that encouraging resource users' early establishment in groups and groups' long-term persistence and promoting democratic leadership roles improves stable benefits from a natural resource in a co-management system.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Lauri Rapeli
- The Social Science Research Institute, Åbo Akademi University, Turku, Finland
| | - Leena Ruha
- Natural Resources Institute Finland, Oulu, Finland
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3
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Baltazar-Soares M, Karell P, Wright D, Nilsson JÅ, Brommer JE. Bringing to light nuclear-mitochondrial insertions in the genomes of nocturnal predatory birds. Mol Phylogenet Evol 2023; 181:107722. [PMID: 36720422 DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2023.107722] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 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] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Revised: 01/24/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Mito-nuclear insertions, or NUMTs, relate to genetic material of mitochondrial origin that have been transferred to the nuclear DNA molecule. The increasing amounts of genomic data currently being produced presents an opportunity to investigate this type of patterns in genome evolution of non-model organisms. Identifying NUMTs across a range of closely related taxa allows one to generalize patterns of insertion and maintenance in autosomes, which is ultimately relevant to the understanding of genome biology and evolution. Here we collected existing pairwise genome-mitogenome data of the order Strigiformes, a group that includes all the nocturnal bird predators. We identified NUMTs by applying percent similarity thresholds after blasting mitochondrial genomes against nuclear genome assemblies. We identified NUMTsin all genomes with numbers ranging from 4 in Bubo bubo to 24 in Ciccaba nigrolineata. Statistical analyses revealed NUMT size to negatively correlate with NUMT's sequence similarity to with original mtDNA region. Lastly, characterizing these nuclear insertions of mitochondrial origin in a comparative genomics framework produced variable phylogenetic patterns, suggesting in some cases that insertions might pre-date speciation events within Strigiformes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Patrik Karell
- Bioeconomy Research Team, Novia University of Applied Sciences, Raseborgsvägen 9, FI-10600 Raseborg, Finland; Evolutionary Ecology Unit, Department of Biology, Lund University, Sölvegatan 39 (Ecology Building), SE-223 62 Lund, Sweden
| | - Dominic Wright
- IFM Biology, Linköping University, Linköping 58183, Sweden
| | - Jan-Åke Nilsson
- Department of Biology, Section of Evolutionary Ecology, Lund University, Ecology Building, 223 62 Lund, Sweden
| | - Jon E Brommer
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, Turku 20500, Finland
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4
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Poutanen J, Fuller AK, Pusenius J, Royle JA, Wikström M, Brommer JE. Density-habitat relationships of white-tailed deer ( Odocoileus virginianus) in Finland. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e9711. [PMID: 36644703 PMCID: PMC9831969 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.9711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2022] [Revised: 11/28/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
In heterogeneous landscapes, resource selection constitutes a crucial link between landscape and population-level processes such as density. We conducted a non-invasive genetic study of white-tailed deer in southern Finland in 2016 and 2017 using fecal DNA samples to understand factors influencing white-tailed deer density and space use in late summer prior to the hunting season. We estimated deer density as a function of landcover types using a spatial capture-recapture (SCR) model with individual identities established using microsatellite markers. The study revealed second-order habitat selection with highest deer densities in fields and mixed forest, and third-order habitat selection (detection probability) for transitional woodlands (clear-cuts) and closeness to fields. Including landscape heterogeneity improved model fit and increased inferred total density compared with models assuming a homogenous landscape. Our findings underline the importance of including habitat covariates when estimating density and exemplifies that resource selection can be studied using non-invasive methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenni Poutanen
- Department of BiologyUniversity Hill, University of TurkuTurkuFinland,Natural Resources Institute FinlandTurkuFinland
| | - Angela K. Fuller
- Department of Natural Resources and the Environment, U.S. Geological Survey, New York Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research UnitCornell UniversityIthacaNew YorkUSA
| | | | - J. Andrew Royle
- U.S. Geological SurveyEastern Ecological Science CenterLaurelMarylandUSA
| | | | - Jon E. Brommer
- Department of BiologyUniversity Hill, University of TurkuTurkuFinland,NOVIA University of Applied SciencesEkenäsFinland
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5
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Bradter U, Johnston A, Hochachka WM, Soultan A, Brommer JE, Gaget E, Kålås JA, Lehikoinen A, Lindström Å, Piirainen S, Pavón‐Jordán D, Pärt T, Øien IJ, Sandercock BK. Decomposing the spatial and temporal effects of climate on bird populations in northern European mountains. Glob Chang Biol 2022; 28:6209-6227. [PMID: 35899584 PMCID: PMC9804621 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2022] [Revised: 05/24/2022] [Accepted: 06/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The relationships between species abundance or occurrence versus spatial variation in climate are commonly used in species distribution models to forecast future distributions. Under "space-for-time substitution", the effects of climate variation on species are assumed to be equivalent in both space and time. Two unresolved issues of space-for-time substitution are the time period for species' responses and also the relative contributions of rapid- versus slow reactions in shaping spatial and temporal responses to climate change. To test the assumption of equivalence, we used a new approach of climate decomposition to separate variation in temperature and precipitation in Fennoscandia into spatial, temporal, and spatiotemporal components over a 23-year period (1996-2018). We compiled information on land cover, topography, and six components of climate for 1756 fixed route surveys, and we modeled annual counts of 39 bird species breeding in the mountains of Fennoscandia. Local abundance of breeding birds was associated with the spatial components of climate as expected, but the temporal and spatiotemporal climatic variation from the current and previous breeding seasons were also important. The directions of the effects of the three climate components differed within and among species, suggesting that species can respond both rapidly and slowly to climate variation and that the responses represent different ecological processes. Thus, the assumption of equivalent species' response to spatial and temporal variation in climate was seldom met in our study system. Consequently, for the majority of our species, space-for-time substitution may only be applicable once the slow species' responses to a changing climate have occurred, whereas forecasts for the near future need to accommodate the temporal components of climate variation. However, appropriate forecast horizons for space-for-time substitution are rarely considered and may be difficult to reliably identify. Accurately predicting change is challenging because multiple ecological processes affect species distributions at different temporal scales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ute Bradter
- Department of Terrestrial EcologyNorwegian Institute for Nature ResearchTrondheimNorway
| | - Alison Johnston
- Cornell Lab of OrnithologyCornell UniversityIthacaNew YorkUSA
- CREEM, School of Mathematics and StatisticsUniversity of St. AndrewsSt. AndrewsUK
| | | | - Alaaeldin Soultan
- Department of EcologySwedish University of Agricultural SciencesUppsalaSweden
| | | | - Elie Gaget
- Department of BiologyUniversity of TurkuTurkuFinland
- International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA)LaxenburgAustria
| | - John Atle Kålås
- Department of Terrestrial EcologyNorwegian Institute for Nature ResearchTrondheimNorway
| | | | - Åke Lindström
- Department of Biology, Biodiversity UnitLund UniversityLundSweden
| | - Sirke Piirainen
- Finnish Museum of Natural HistoryHelsinkiFinland
- Arctic Centre, University of LaplandRovaniemiFinland
| | - Diego Pavón‐Jordán
- Department of Terrestrial EcologyNorwegian Institute for Nature ResearchTrondheimNorway
| | - Tomas Pärt
- Department of EcologySwedish University of Agricultural SciencesUppsalaSweden
| | | | - Brett K. Sandercock
- Department of Terrestrial EcologyNorwegian Institute for Nature ResearchTrondheimNorway
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6
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Gaget E, Johnston A, Pavón-Jordán D, Lehikoinen AS, Sandercock BK, Soultan A, Božič L, Clausen P, Devos K, Domsa C, Encarnação V, Faragó S, Fitzgerald N, Frost T, Gaudard C, Gosztonyi L, Haas F, Hornman M, Langendoen T, Ieronymidou C, Luigujõe L, Meissner W, Mikuska T, Molina B, Musilová Z, Paquet JY, Petkov N, Portolou D, Ridzoň J, Sniauksta L, Stīpniece A, Teufelbauer N, Wahl J, Zenatello M, Brommer JE. Protected area characteristics that help waterbirds respond to climate warming. Conserv Biol 2022; 36:e13877. [PMID: 34927284 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.13877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [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: 05/30/2021] [Revised: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 12/07/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Protected area networks help species respond to climate warming. However, the contribution of a site's environmental and conservation-relevant characteristics to these responses is not well understood. We investigated how composition of nonbreeding waterbird communities (97 species) in the European Union Natura 2000 (N2K) network (3018 sites) changed in response to increases in temperature over 25 years in 26 European countries. We measured community reshuffling based on abundance time series collected under the International Waterbird Census relative to N2K sites' conservation targets, funding, designation period, and management plan status. Waterbird community composition in sites explicitly designated to protect them and with management plans changed more quickly in response to climate warming than in other N2K sites. Temporal community changes were not affected by the designation period despite greater exposure to temperature increase inside late-designated N2K sites. Sites funded under the LIFE program had lower climate-driven community changes than sites that did not received LIFE funding. Our findings imply that efficient conservation policy that helps waterbird communities respond to climate warming is associated with sites specifically managed for waterbirds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elie Gaget
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), Laxenburg, Austria
| | - Alison Johnston
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
| | - Diego Pavón-Jordán
- Department of Terrestrial Ecology, Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA), Trondheim, Norway
| | - Aleksi S Lehikoinen
- The Finnish Museum of Natural History, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Brett K Sandercock
- Department of Terrestrial Ecology, Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA), Trondheim, Norway
| | - Alaaeldin Soultan
- Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Luka Božič
- DOPPS - BirdLife Slovenia, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Preben Clausen
- Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Rønde, Denmark
| | - Koen Devos
- Research Institute for Nature and Forest, Brussel, Belgium
| | - Cristi Domsa
- Romanian Ornithological Society, Bucharest, Romania
| | - Vitor Encarnação
- Instituto da Conservação da Natureza e das Florestas, IP (ICNF), Centro de Estudos de Migrações e Proteção de Aves (CEMPA), Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Sándor Faragó
- Institute of Wildlife Management and Vertebrate Zoology, University of Sopron, Sopron, Hungary
| | | | | | | | - Lívia Gosztonyi
- Institute of Wildlife Management and Vertebrate Zoology, University of Sopron, Sopron, Hungary
| | - Fredrik Haas
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Menno Hornman
- Sovon Dutch Centre for Field Ornithology, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | | | | | - Leho Luigujõe
- Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Włodzimierz Meissner
- Department of Vertebrate Ecology and Zoology, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Tibor Mikuska
- Croatian Society for Bird and Nature Protection, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Blas Molina
- Sociedad Española de Ornitología (SEO/BirdLife), Madrid, Spain
| | - Zuzana Musilová
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
| | | | - Nicky Petkov
- Conservation Department, Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds, Sofia, Bulgaria
| | | | | | | | - Antra Stīpniece
- Institute of Biology, University of Latvia, Salaspils, Latvia
| | | | - Johannes Wahl
- Dachverband Deutscher Avifaunisten e.V. (DDA), Federation of German Avifaunists, Münster, Germany
| | - Marco Zenatello
- Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale (ISPRA), Ozzano dell'Emilia, Italy
| | - Jon E Brommer
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
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7
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Tuominen LS, Helle S, Helanterä H, Karell P, Rapeli L, Richmond D, Vuorisalo T, Brommer JE. Structural equation modeling reveals decoupling of ecological and self-perceived outcomes in a garden box social-ecological system. Sci Rep 2022; 12:6425. [PMID: 35440705 PMCID: PMC9018949 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-10178-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [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: 08/18/2021] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
It is well known that green urban commons enhance mental and physical well-being and improve local biodiversity. We aim to investigate how these outcomes are related in an urban system and which variables are associated with better outcomes. We model the outcomes of an urban common—box gardening—by applying the Social-Ecological Systems (SES) framework. We expand the SES framework by analyzing it from the perspective of social evolution theory. The system was studied empirically through field inventories and questionnaires and modeled quantitatively by Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). This method offers powerful statistical models of complex social-ecological systems. Our results show that objectively evaluated ecological outcomes and self-perceived outcomes are decoupled: gardening groups that successfully govern the natural resource ecologically do not necessarily report many social, ecological, or individual benefits, and vice versa. Social capital, box location, gardener concerns, and starting year influenced the changes in the outcomes. In addition, the positive association of frequent interactions with higher self-perceived outcomes, and lack of such association with relatedness of group members suggests that reciprocity rather than kin selection explains cooperation. Our findings exemplify the importance of understanding natural resource systems at a very low “grassroot” level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura S Tuominen
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, 20014, Turku, Finland.
| | - Samuli Helle
- Department of Social Research, University of Turku, 20014, Turku, Finland
| | - Heikki Helanterä
- Ecology and genetics research unit, University of Oulu, 90014, Oulu, Finland
| | - Patrik Karell
- Department of Bioeconomy, Novia University of Applied Sciences, 10600, Ekenäs, Finland.,Department of Biology, Lund University, 22362, Lund, Sweden
| | - Lauri Rapeli
- The Social Science Research Institute, Åbo Akademi, 20500, Turku, Finland
| | - Douglas Richmond
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, 20014, Turku, Finland.,Ecology and genetics research unit, University of Oulu, 90014, Oulu, Finland
| | - Timo Vuorisalo
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, 20014, Turku, Finland
| | - Jon E Brommer
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, 20014, Turku, Finland
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Passarotto A, Morosinotto C, Brommer JE, Aaltonen E, Ahola K, Karstinen T, Karell P. Cold winters have morph-specific effects on natal dispersal distance in a wild raptor. Behav Ecol 2021; 33:419-427. [PMID: 35444494 PMCID: PMC9015216 DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arab149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [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: 03/23/2021] [Revised: 11/29/2021] [Accepted: 12/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Dispersal is a key process with crucial implications in spatial distribution, density, and genetic structure of species’ populations. Dispersal strategies can vary according to both individual and environmental features, but putative phenotype-by-environment interactions have rarely been accounted for. Melanin-based color polymorphism is a phenotypic trait associated with specific behavioral and physiological profiles and is, therefore, a good candidate trait to study dispersal tactics in different environments. Here, using a 40 years dataset of a population of color polymorphic tawny owls (Strix aluco), we investigated natal dispersal distance of recruiting gray and pheomelanic reddish-brown (hereafter brown) color morphs in relation to post-fledging winter temperature and individual characteristics. Because morphs are differently sensitive to cold winters, we predicted that morphs’ natal dispersal distances vary according to winter conditions. Winter temperature did not affect the proportion of brown (or gray) among recruits. We found that dispersal distances correlate with winter temperature in an opposite manner in the two morphs. Although the gray morph undertakes larger movements in harsher conditions, likely because it copes better with winter severity, the brown morph disperses shorter distances when winters are harsher. We discuss this morph-specific natal dispersal pattern in the context of competition for territories between morphs and in terms of costs and benefits of these alternative strategies. Our results stress the importance of considering the interaction between phenotype and environment to fully disentangle dispersal movement patterns and provide further evidence that climate affects the behavior and local distribution of this species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arianna Passarotto
- University of Seville, Department of Zoology, Sevilla, Spain
- Bioeconomy Research Team, Novia University of Applied Sciences, Raseborgsvägen 9, FI-10600 Raseborg, Finland
| | - Chiara Morosinotto
- Bioeconomy Research Team, Novia University of Applied Sciences, Raseborgsvägen 9, FI-10600 Raseborg, Finland
- Evolutionary Ecology Unit, Department of Biology, Lund University, Sölvegatan 39 (Ecology Building), SE-223 62 Lund, Sweden
| | - Jon E Brommer
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, 20014 Turku, Finland
| | | | - Kari Ahola
- Tornihaukantie 8D 72, FI-02620 Espoo, Finland
| | | | - Patrik Karell
- Bioeconomy Research Team, Novia University of Applied Sciences, Raseborgsvägen 9, FI-10600 Raseborg, Finland
- Evolutionary Ecology Unit, Department of Biology, Lund University, Sölvegatan 39 (Ecology Building), SE-223 62 Lund, Sweden
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Brommer JE, Poutanen J, Pusenius J, Wikström M. Estimating preharvest density, adult sex ratio, and fecundity of white-tailed deer using noninvasive sampling techniques. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:14312-14326. [PMID: 34707857 PMCID: PMC8525134 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [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: 04/06/2021] [Revised: 09/03/2021] [Accepted: 09/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Adult sex ratio and fecundity (juveniles per female) are key population parameters in sustainable wildlife management, but inferring these requires abundance estimates of at least three age/sex classes of the population (male and female adults and juveniles). Prior to harvest, we used an array of 36 wildlife camera traps during 2 and 3 weeks in the early autumn of 2016 and 2017, respectively. We recorded white-tailed deer adult males, adult females, and fawns from the pictures. Simultaneously, we collected fecal DNA (fDNA) from 92 20 m × 20 m plots placed in 23 clusters of four plots between the camera traps. We identified individuals from fDNA samples with microsatellite markers and estimated the total sex ratio and population density using spatial capture-recapture (SCR). The fDNA-SCR analysis concluded equal sex ratio in the first year and female bias in the second year, and no difference in space use between sexes (fawns and adults combined). Camera information was analyzed in a spatial capture (SC) framework assuming an informative prior for animals' space use, either (a) as estimated by fDNA-SCR (same for all age/sex classes), (b) as assumed from the literature (space use of adult males larger than adult females and fawns), or (c) by inferring adult male space use from individually identified males from the camera pictures. These various SC approaches produced plausible inferences on fecundity, but also inferred total density to be lower than the estimate provided by fDNA-SCR in one of the study years. SC approaches where adult male and female were allowed to differ in their space use suggested the population had a female-biased adult sex ratio. In conclusion, SC approaches allowed estimating the preharvest population parameters of interest and provided conservative density estimates.
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10
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Reid N, Brommer JE, Stenseth NC, Marnell F, McDonald RA, Montgomery WI. Regime shift tipping point in hare population collapse associated with climatic and agricultural change during the very early 20th century. Glob Chang Biol 2021; 27:3732-3740. [PMID: 33993582 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [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: 03/01/2021] [Accepted: 04/01/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Animal populations at northern latitudes may have cyclical dynamics that are degraded by climate change leading to trophic cascade. Hare populations at more southerly latitudes are characterized by dramatic declines in abundance associated with agricultural intensification. We focus on the impact of historical climatic and agricultural change on a mid-latitude population of mountain hares, Lepus timidus hibernicus. Using game bag records from multiple sites throughout Ireland, the hare population index exhibited a distinct regime shift. Contrary to expectations, there was a dynamical structure typical of northern latitude hare populations from 1853 to 1908, during which numbers were stable but cyclic with a periodicity of 8 years. This regime was replaced by dynamics more typical of southern latitude hare populations from 1909 to 1970, in which cycles were lost and numbers declined dramatically. Destabilization of the autumn North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) led to the collapse of similar cycles in the hare population, coincident with the onset of agricultural intensification (a shift from small-to-large farms) in the first half of the 20th century. Similar, but more recent regime shifts have been observed in Arctic ecosystems and attributed to anthropogenic climate change. The present study suggests such shifts may have occurred at lower latitudes more than a century ago during the very early 20th century. It seems likely that similar tipping points in the population collapse of other farmland species may have occurred similarly early but went undocumented. As northern systems are increasingly impacted by climate change and probable expansion of agriculture, the interaction of these processes is likely to disrupt the pulsed flow of resources from cyclic populations impacting ecosystem function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neil Reid
- Institute of Global Food Security (IGFS), School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK
| | - Jon E Brommer
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Nils C Stenseth
- Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis (CEES), Department of Biology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Ferdia Marnell
- National Parks & Wildlife Service (NPWS), Dublin, Ireland
| | - Robbie A McDonald
- Environment and Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - W Ian Montgomery
- Institute of Global Food Security (IGFS), School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK
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11
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Gaget E, Pavón‐Jordán D, Johnston A, Lehikoinen A, Hochachka WM, Sandercock BK, Soultan A, Azafzaf H, Bendjedda N, Bino T, Božič L, Clausen P, Dakki M, Devos K, Domsa C, Encarnação V, Erciyas‐Yavuz K, Faragó S, Frost T, Gaudard C, Gosztonyi L, Haas F, Hornman M, Langendoen T, Ieronymidou C, Kostyushin VA, Lewis LJ, Lorentsen S, Luigujõe L, Meissner W, Mikuska T, Molina B, Musilová Z, Natykanets V, Paquet J, Petkov N, Portolou D, Ridzoň J, Sayoud S, Šćiban M, Sniauksta L, Stīpniece A, Strebel N, Teufelbauer N, Topić G, Uzunova D, Vizi A, Wahl J, Zenatello M, Brommer JE. Benefits of protected areas for nonbreeding waterbirds adjusting their distributions under climate warming. Conserv Biol 2021; 35:834-845. [PMID: 33009673 PMCID: PMC8247957 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.13648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [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: 01/23/2020] [Revised: 09/01/2020] [Accepted: 09/25/2020] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Climate warming is driving changes in species distributions and community composition. Many species have a so-called climatic debt, that is, shifts in range lag behind shifts in temperature isoclines. Inside protected areas (PAs), community changes in response to climate warming can be facilitated by greater colonization rates by warm-dwelling species, but also mitigated by lowering extirpation rates of cold-dwelling species. An evaluation of the relative importance of colonization-extirpation processes is important to inform conservation strategies that aim for both climate debt reduction and species conservation. We assessed the colonization-extirpation dynamics involved in community changes in response to climate inside and outside PAs. To do so, we used 25 years of occurrence data of nonbreeding waterbirds in the western Palearctic (97 species, 7071 sites, 39 countries, 1993-2017). We used a community temperature index (CTI) framework based on species thermal affinities to investigate species turnover induced by temperature increase. We determined whether thermal community adjustment was associated with colonization by warm-dwelling species or extirpation of cold-dwelling species by modeling change in standard deviation of the CTI (CTISD ). Using linear mixed-effects models, we investigated whether communities in PAs had lower climatic debt and different patterns of community change than communities outside PAs. For CTI and CTISD combined, communities inside PAs had more species, higher colonization, lower extirpation, and lower climatic debt (16%) than communities outside PAs. Thus, our results suggest that PAs facilitate 2 independent processes that shape community dynamics and maintain biodiversity. The community adjustment was, however, not sufficiently fast to keep pace with the large temperature increases in the central and northeastern western Palearctic. Our results underline the potential of combining CTI and CTISD metrics to improve understanding of the colonization-extirpation patterns driven by climate warming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elie Gaget
- Department of BiologyUniversity of TurkuTurku20500Finland
| | - Diego Pavón‐Jordán
- Department of Terrestrial EcologyNorwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA)P.O. Box 5685 SluppenTrondheimN‐7485Norway
| | - Alison Johnston
- Cornell Lab of OrnithologyCornell UniversityIthacaNY14850U.S.A.
- Conservation Science Group, Department of ZoologyUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeCB2 3QZU.K.
| | - Aleksi Lehikoinen
- The Finnish Museum of Natural HistoryUniversity of HelsinkiP.O. Box 17Helsinki00100Finland
| | | | - Brett K. Sandercock
- Department of Terrestrial EcologyNorwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA)P.O. Box 5685 SluppenTrondheimN‐7485Norway
| | - Alaaeldin Soultan
- Department of EcologySwedish University of Agricultural SciencesUppsala750 07Sweden
| | - Hichem Azafzaf
- Association "Les Amis des Oiseaux" (AAO/BirdLife en Tunisie)14, Rue Ibn El Heni, 2ème étage ‐ Bureau N° 4Ariana2080Tunisia
| | | | - Taulant Bino
- Albaninan Ornithological SocietyBulevardi "Gjergj Fishta"Kulla nr.2, kati 4, hyrja 18Tirana1001Albania
| | - Luka Božič
- Društvo za opazovanje in proučevanje ptic Slovenije (DOPPS)Tržaška cesta 2LjubljanaSI‐1000Slovenia
| | - Preben Clausen
- Department of BioscienceAarhus UniversityRønde8200Denmark
| | - Mohamed Dakki
- Scientific InstituteMohammed V University of RabatAv. Ibn BattotaRabat‐Agdal10106Morocco
| | - Koen Devos
- Research Institute for Nature and ForestBrussel1070Belgium
| | - Cristi Domsa
- Romanian Ornithological SocietyBd. Hristo Botev, nr.3, ap. 6, Sector 3Bucureşti030231Romania
| | - Vitor Encarnação
- Instituto da Conservação da Natureza e das Florestas, IP (ICNF)Centro de Estudos de Migrações e Proteção de Aves (CEMPA)Lisboa1050‐191Portugal
| | | | - Sándor Faragó
- Institute of Wildlife Management and Vertebrate ZoologyUniversity of SopronBajcsy‐Zsilinszky u. 4SopronH‐9400Hungary
| | - Teresa Frost
- British Trust for OrnithologyThetfordIP24 2PUU.K.
| | | | - Lívia Gosztonyi
- Institute of Wildlife Management and Vertebrate ZoologyUniversity of SopronBajcsy‐Zsilinszky u. 4SopronH‐9400Hungary
| | - Fredrik Haas
- Department of BiologyLund UniversityLund223 62Sweden
| | - Menno Hornman
- Sovon Dutch Centre for Field OrnithologyNijmegen6525 EDThe Netherlands
| | | | | | - Vasiliy A. Kostyushin
- Monitoring and Animal Conservation Department, Schmalgausen Institute of ZoologyNAS of Ukrainevul. B. Khmelnytskogo, 15Kyiv01030Ukraine
| | | | - Svein‐Håkon Lorentsen
- Department of Terrestrial EcologyNorwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA)P.O. Box 5685 SluppenTrondheimN‐7485Norway
| | - Leho Luigujõe
- Department of ZoologyEstonian University of Life SciencesTartu51006Estonia
| | - Włodzimierz Meissner
- Department of Vertebrate Ecology and Zoology, Faculty of BiologyUniversity of GdańskWita Stwosza 59Gdańsk80–308Poland
| | - Tibor Mikuska
- Croatian Society for Bird and Nature ProtectionZagreb1000Croatia
| | - Blas Molina
- Sociedad Española de Ornitología (SEO/BirdLife)Madrid28053Spain
| | - Zuzana Musilová
- Faculty of Environmental SciencesCzech University of Life SciencesPraha Suchdol 129KamýckáCZ‐165 21Czechia
| | - Viktor Natykanets
- National Academy of Science of BelarusIndependence Avenue 66Minsk220072Republic of Belarus
| | | | - Nicky Petkov
- Bulgarian Society for the Protection of BirdsPO Box 50SofiaBG‐1111Bulgaria
| | - Danae Portolou
- Hellenic Ornithological SocietyThemistokleous str. 80Athens10681Greece
| | | | - Samir Sayoud
- Direction générale des ForêtsBen AknounAlger16000Algérie
| | - Marko Šćiban
- Bird Protection and Study Society of SerbiaVladike Ćirića 24/19, 21000 Novi Sad, Srbija Makedonska 4Beograd11000Srbija
| | - Laimonas Sniauksta
- Lithuanian Ornithological SocietyNaugarduko 47‐3VilniusLT‐03208Lithuania
| | - Antra Stīpniece
- Institute of BiologyUniversity of LatviaSalaspilsLV‐2169Latvia
| | | | | | - Goran Topić
- Nase Ptice Ornithological SocietySarajevoBA–71000Bosnia and Herzegovina
| | - Danka Uzunova
- Macedonian Ecological SocietyBoris Trajkovski st. 7 No. 9ASkopje1000Macedonia
| | - Andrej Vizi
- Natural History Museum of MontenegroTrg Vojvode Bećir‐bega Osmanagića 16Podgorica81000Montenegro
| | - Johannes Wahl
- Dachverband Deutscher Avifaunisten e.V. (DDA)Federation of German AvifaunistsMünster48157Germany
| | - Marco Zenatello
- Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale (ISPRA)Ozzano dell'Emilia40064Italy
| | - Jon E. Brommer
- Department of BiologyUniversity of TurkuTurku20500Finland
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12
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Järvinen P, Brommer JE. Lining the nest with more feathers increases offspring recruitment probability: Selection on an extended phenotype in the blue tit. Ecol Evol 2020; 10:13327-13333. [PMID: 33304540 PMCID: PMC7713941 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.6931] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2020] [Revised: 09/14/2020] [Accepted: 09/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Birds, among various other taxa, construct nests. Nests form an extended phenotype of the individual building it. Nests are used to extend control over the conditions in which offspring develop, and are therefore commonly considered to be shaped by selection. Nevertheless, scarcely any scientific evidence exist that nest composition is under selection. Here, we demonstrate with data from over 400 blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus) nests collected over 8 years that a higher proportion of feathers in the nest lining is positively associated with the probability of offspring to recruit as a breeding adult later in life. Strikingly, the extended phenotype (nest) was associated stronger with recruitment probability than phenotypic traits that have typically been considered important in selection (laying date, and female size and condition). Our findings suggest that the choice of nest material could be a maternal behavior with potential lifelong effects on her offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jon E. Brommer
- Department of BiologyUniversity of TurkuTurkuFinland
- NOVIA University of Applied SciencesEkenäsFinland
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13
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Morosinotto C, Brommer JE, Lindqvist A, Ahola K, Aaltonen E, Karstinen T, Karell P. Fledging Mass Is Color Morph Specific and Affects Local Recruitment in a Wild Bird. Am Nat 2020; 196:609-619. [DOI: 10.1086/710708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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14
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Abstract
Abstract
Many species throughout the animal kingdom construct nests for reproduction. A nest is an extended phenotype—a non-bodily attribute—of the individual building it. In some bird species, including our study population of blue tits (Cyanistes caeruleus), conspicuous feathers or other material are placed on top of the nest. These so-called nest ornaments do not contribute to nest insulation, but are hypothesised to have a signalling function. Here, we apply the concept of behavioural syndromes, with focus on between-individual variation (repeatability) and between-individual correlations, to the study of avian nest construction. We find that nest ornamentation is a moderately repeatable trait in female blue tits, which suggests it is an extended phenotype of the female. Furthermore, the tendency to ornament the nest covaries across females with another aspect of her extended phenotype, the composition of the nest lining material, and these two traits thus form an extended phenotype syndrome. Assuming the correlation is reflected on a genetic level, it implies that nest ornamentation and composition of the nest lining do not evolve in isolation; one aspect may be an evolutionary by-product of selection on the other aspect and their overall flexibility to respond to change is reduced.
Significance statement
The avian nest is an extended phenotype (a non-bodily attribute) of its builder with potentially multiple functions in terms of insulation and signalling. In particular, many bird species’ nests contain nest ornaments, feathers or other materials that are placed on top of the nest and that stand out from the nest material due to their colour and/or size. We quantified between-individual variation (repeatability) of nest ornamentation behaviour in a wild population of blue tits and between-individual covariation (syndrome) of nest ornamentation to other features of nest construction. We find that nest ornamentation is a repeatable trait limited to females in our study population. The tendency to ornament the nest covaries across females with another aspect of her extended nest phenotype, the composition of the nest lining material. These correlated traits thus form an extended phenotype syndrome. It hence becomes crucial to recognise that a study of a single aspect of nest construction in isolation captures only a part of the complexity, as one aspect may have evolved as a correlated response of selection on the other aspect. Moreover, such a syndrome implies limited flexibility in the range of adaptive response.
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15
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Gaultier SP, Blomberg AS, Ijäs A, Vasko V, Vesterinen EJ, Brommer JE, Lilley TM. Bats and Wind Farms: The Role and Importance of the Baltic Sea Countries in the European Context of Power Transition and Biodiversity Conservation. Environ Sci Technol 2020; 54:10385-10398. [PMID: 32830494 PMCID: PMC7497642 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.0c00070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2020] [Revised: 07/01/2020] [Accepted: 07/30/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Although labeled as environmentally friendly, wind power can have negative impacts on the environment, such as habitat destruction or wildlife fatalities. Considering the distribution and migratory characteristics of European bats, the negative effects of wind power should be addressed on an appropriate scale. This review summarizes the current state of knowledge on interactions between wind farms and bats in Europe, and compares it with the situation in the countries of the European boreal biogeographic region. We analyzed data from papers published in international and national scientific journals, focusing on studies conducted in Europe. The issue of the impacts wind power has on bats is clearly overlooked in most of the countries of the European boreal region, with low volumes of research available on the topic. This is probably due to fewer wind farms in the area, making this recent issue a less-prioritized topic. However, the Baltic Sea, and the countries surrounding it, are of extreme importance with regards to bat migration, especially for the Pipistrellus nathusii. Therefore, more research on wind power and bats is needed in this region, as well as more cooperation between all the stakeholders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon P. Gaultier
- Biodiversity
Unit, University of Turku, Vesilinnantie 5 20500 Turku, Finland
| | - Anna S. Blomberg
- Department
of Biology, University of Turku, Vesilinnantie 5 20500 Turku, Finland
| | - Asko Ijäs
- Brahea
Centre/Centre for Maritime Studies, University
of Turku, Pohjoisranta 11 D 28100 Pori, Finland
| | - Ville Vasko
- Finnish
Museum of Natural History, University of
Helsinki, Pohjoinen Rautatiekatu 13, 00100 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Eero J. Vesterinen
- Biodiversity
Unit, University of Turku, Vesilinnantie 5 20500 Turku, Finland
- Department
of Biology, University of Turku, Vesilinnantie 5 20500 Turku, Finland
- Department
of Insect Ecology, Swedish University of
Agricultural Sciences, Almas Allé 8, 750 07 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Jon E. Brommer
- Department
of Biology, University of Turku, Vesilinnantie 5 20500 Turku, Finland
| | - Thomas M. Lilley
- Finnish
Museum of Natural History, University of
Helsinki, Pohjoinen Rautatiekatu 13, 00100 Helsinki, Finland
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16
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Class B, Brommer JE. Can dominance genetic variance be ignored in evolutionary quantitative genetic analyses of wild populations? Evolution 2020; 74:1540-1550. [PMID: 32510608 DOI: 10.1111/evo.14034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2019] [Revised: 05/06/2020] [Accepted: 05/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Accurately estimating genetic variance components is important for studying evolution in the wild. Empirical work on domesticated and wild outbred populations suggests that dominance genetic variance represents a substantial part of genetic variance, and theoretical work predicts that ignoring dominance can inflate estimates of additive genetic variance. Whether this issue is pervasive in natural systems is unknown, because we lack estimates of dominance variance in wild populations obtained in situ. Here, we estimate dominance and additive genetic variance, maternal variance, and other sources of nongenetic variance in eight traits measured in over 9000 wild nestlings linked through a genetically resolved pedigree. We find that dominance variance, when estimable, does not statistically differ from zero and represents a modest amount (2-36%) of genetic variance. Simulations show that (1) inferences of all variance components for an average trait are unbiased; (2) the power to detect dominance variance is low; (3) ignoring dominance can mildly inflate additive genetic variance and heritability estimates but such inflation becomes substantial when maternal effects are also ignored. These findings hence suggest that dominance is a small source of phenotypic variance in the wild and highlight the importance of proper model construction for accurately estimating evolutionary potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Class
- Global Change Ecology Research Group, University of the Sunshine Coast, 90 Sippy Downs Drive, Sippy Downs, QLD, 4556, Australia.,Department of Biology, University of Turku, University Hill, Turku, 20014, Finland
| | - Jon E Brommer
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, University Hill, Turku, 20014, Finland
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17
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Vasko V, Blomberg AS, Vesterinen EJ, Suominen KM, Ruokolainen L, Brommer JE, Norrdahl K, Niemelä P, Laine VN, Selonen V, Lilley TM. Within-season changes in habitat use of forest-dwelling boreal bats. Ecol Evol 2020; 10:4164-4174. [PMID: 32489639 PMCID: PMC7244798 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.6253] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2019] [Revised: 03/09/2020] [Accepted: 03/12/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Bats utilize forests as roosting sites and feeding areas. However, it has not been documented how bats utilize these habitats in the boreal zone with methods afforded by recent technological advances. Forest structure and management practices can create a variety of three-dimensional habitats for organisms capable of flight, such as bats. Here, we study the presence of boreal bats in a forest forming a mosaic of different age classes, dominant tree species, canopy cover, soil fertility, and other environmental variables, throughout their active season in the summer using passive ultrasound detectors. Our results indicate a preference for mature forest by Eptesicus nilssonii and a pooled set of Myotis bats. Both groups of bats also showed temporal changes in their habitat use regarding forest age. In June and July, both groups occurred more often in mature than young forests, but from August onwards, the difference in occurrence became less evident in Myotis and disappeared completely in E. nilssonii. In addition, E. nilssonii was more often present in forests with low canopy cover, and its occurrence shifted from coniferous forests to deciduous forests during the season. The results reflect the within-season dynamics of bat communities and their ability to utilize different types of forest as environmental conditions change. Yet, the results most importantly emphasize the importance of mature forests to bat diversity and the need to conserve such environments in the boreal zone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ville Vasko
- Finnish Museum of Natural HistoryUniversity of HelsinkiHelsinkiFinland
| | | | | | - Kati M. Suominen
- Finnish Museum of Natural HistoryUniversity of HelsinkiHelsinkiFinland
| | - Lasse Ruokolainen
- Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyFaculty of Biological and Environmental SciencesUniversity of HelsinkiHelsinkiFinland
| | | | - Kai Norrdahl
- Department of BiologyUniversity of TurkuTurkuFinland
| | | | - Veronika N. Laine
- Department of Animal EcologyNetherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO‐KNAW)WageningenThe Netherlands
| | - Vesa Selonen
- Department of BiologyUniversity of TurkuTurkuFinland
| | - Thomas M. Lilley
- Finnish Museum of Natural HistoryUniversity of HelsinkiHelsinkiFinland
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18
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Brommer JE. More evidence is needed to show that heritability and selection are not associated. Nat Ecol Evol 2019; 3:1407. [PMID: 31548645 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-019-0989-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2018] [Accepted: 08/20/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jon E Brommer
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.
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19
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Class B, Brommer JE. Shared environmental effects bias phenotypic estimates of assortative mating in a wild bird. Biol Lett 2019; 14:rsbl.2018.0106. [PMID: 29997185 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2018.0106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2018] [Accepted: 06/20/2018] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Assortative mating is pervasive in wild populations and commonly described as a positive correlation between the phenotypes of males and females across mated pairs. This correlation is often assumed to reflect non-random mate choice based on phenotypic similarity. However, phenotypic resemblance between mates can also arise when their traits respond plastically to a shared environmental effect creating a (within-pair) residual correlation in traits. Using long-term data collected in pairs of wild blue tits and a covariance partitioning approach, we empirically demonstrate that such residual covariance indeed exists and can generate phenotypic correlations (or mask assortative mating) in behavioural and morphometric traits. These findings (i) imply that residual covariance is likely to be common and bias phenotypic estimates of assortative mating, which can have consequences for evolutionary predictions, (ii) call for the use of rigorous statistical approaches in the study of assortative mating, and (iii) show the applicability of one of these approaches in a common study system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Class
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, University Hill, 20014 Turku, Finland
| | - Jon E Brommer
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, University Hill, 20014 Turku, Finland.,NOVIA University of Applied Sciences, Campus Raseborg, 10600 Ekenäs, Finland
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20
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Class B, Brommer JE, van Oers K. Exploratory behavior undergoes genotype-age interactions in a wild bird. Ecol Evol 2019; 9:8987-8994. [PMID: 31462997 PMCID: PMC6706179 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.5430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [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: 04/24/2019] [Revised: 06/13/2019] [Accepted: 06/17/2019] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Animal personality traits are often heritable and plastic at the same time. Indeed, behaviors that reflect an individual's personality can respond to environmental factors or change with age. To date, little is known regarding personality changes during a wild animals' lifetime and even less about stability in heritability of behavior across ages. In this study, we investigated age-related changes in the mean and in the additive genetic variance of exploratory behavior, a commonly used measure of animal personality, in a wild population of great tits. Heritability of exploration is reduced in adults compared to juveniles, with a low genetic correlation across these age classes. A random regression animal model confirmed the occurrence of genotype-age interactions (G×A) in exploration, causing a decrease in additive genetic variance before individuals become 1 year old, and a decline in cross-age genetic correlations between young and increasingly old individuals. Of the few studies investigating G×A in behaviors, this study provides rare evidence for this phenomenon in an extensively studied behavior. We indeed demonstrate that heritability and cross-age genetic correlations in this behavior are not stable over an individual's lifetime, which can affect its potential response to selection. Because G×A is likely to be common in behaviors and have consequences for our understanding of the evolution of animal personality, more attention should be turned to this phenomenon in the future work.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Class
- Department of BiologyUniversity of TurkuTurkuFinland
| | | | - Kees van Oers
- Department of Animal EcologyNetherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO‐KNAW)WageningenThe Netherlands
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21
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Class B, Kluen E, Brommer JE. Tail colour signals performance in blue tit nestlings. J Evol Biol 2019; 32:913-920. [PMID: 31127961 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.13489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2018] [Revised: 05/16/2019] [Accepted: 05/20/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Indirect sexual selection arises when reproductive individuals choose their mates based on heritable ornaments that are genetically correlated to fitness. Evidence for genetic associations between ornamental colouration and fitness remains scarce. In this study, we investigate the quantitative genetic relationship between different aspects of tail structural colouration (brightness, hue and UV chroma) and performance (cell-mediated immunity, body mass and wing length) in blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus) nestlings. In line with previous studies, we find low heritability for structural colouration and moderate heritability for performance measures. Multivariate animal models show positive genetic correlations between the three measures of performance, indicating quantitative genetic variation for overall performance, and tail brightness and UV chroma, two genetically independent colour measures, are genetically correlated with performance (positively and negatively, respectively). Our results suggest that mate choice based on independent aspects of tail colouration can have fitness payoffs in blue tits and provide support for the indirect benefits hypothesis. However, low heritability of tail structural colouration implies that indirect sexual selection on mate choice for this ornament will be a weak evolutionary force.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Class
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Edward Kluen
- HiLIFE Helsinki Institute of Life Science, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.,Research Program in Organismal and Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Jon E Brommer
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
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22
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Poutanen J, Pusenius J, Wikström M, Brommer JE. Estimating Population Density of the White-Tailed Deer in Finland using Non-Invasive Genetic Sampling and Spatial Capture–Recapture. ANN ZOOL FENN 2019. [DOI: 10.5735/086.056.0101] [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: 10/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jenni Poutanen
- Department of Biology, University Hill, FI-20014 University of Turku, Finland
| | - Jyrki Pusenius
- Natural Resources Institute Finland, Yliopistokatu 6, FI-80100 Joensuu, Finland
| | - Mikael Wikström
- Finnish Wildlife Agency, Sompiontie 1, FI-00730 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Jon E. Brommer
- Department of Biology, University Hill, FI-20014 University of Turku, Finland
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23
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Järvinen P, Kluen E, Brommer JE. Low heritability of nest construction in a wild bird. Biol Lett 2018; 13:rsbl.2017.0246. [PMID: 29046371 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2017.0246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2017] [Accepted: 09/22/2017] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
In birds and other taxa, nest construction varies considerably between and within populations. Such variation is hypothesized to have an adaptive (i.e. genetic) basis, but estimates of heritability in nest construction are largely lacking. Here, we demonstrate with data collected over 10 years from 1010 nests built by blue tits in nest-boxes that nest size (height of nest material) and nest composition (proportion of feathers in the nest) are repeatable but only weakly (12-13%) heritable female traits. These findings imply that nest construction may evolve but only if subjected to strong and consistent selection pressures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pauliina Järvinen
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, University Hill, 20014 Turku, Finland
| | - Edward Kluen
- Finnish Museum of Natural History, University of Helsinki, Helsinki 00014, Finland
| | - Jon E Brommer
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, University Hill, 20014 Turku, Finland .,NOVIA University of Applied Sciences, Campus Raseborg, 10600 Ekenäs, Finland
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Class B, Dingemanse NJ, Araya‐Ajoy YG, Brommer JE. A statistical methodology for estimating assortative mating for phenotypic traits that are labile or measured with error. Methods Ecol Evol 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/2041-210x.12837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Class
- Department of BiologyUniversity of TurkuUniversity Hill Turku Finland
| | - Niels J. Dingemanse
- Behavioural EcologyDepartment of BiologyLudwig Maximilian University of Munich (LMU) Planegg‐Martinsried Germany
| | - Yimen G. Araya‐Ajoy
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics (CBD)Department of BiologyNorwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) Trondheim Norway
| | - Jon E. Brommer
- Department of BiologyUniversity of TurkuUniversity Hill Turku Finland
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Brommer JE, Wistbacka R, Selonen V. Immigration ensures population survival in the Siberian flying squirrel. Ecol Evol 2017; 7:1858-1868. [PMID: 28331593 PMCID: PMC5355189 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.2807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [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: 09/08/2016] [Revised: 11/10/2016] [Accepted: 01/11/2017] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Linking dispersal to population growth remains a challenging task and is a major knowledge gap, for example, for conservation management. We studied relative roles of different demographic rates behind population growth in Siberian flying squirrels in two nest-box breeding populations in western Finland. Adults and offspring were captured and individually identifiable. We constructed an integrated population model, which estimated all relevant annual demographic rates (birth, local [apparent] survival, and immigration) as well as population growth rates. One population (studied 2002-2014) fluctuated around a steady-state equilibrium, whereas the other (studied 1995-2014) showed a numerical decline. Immigration was the demographic rate which showed clear correlations to annual population growth rates in both populations. Population growth rate was density dependent in both populations. None of the demographic rates nor the population growth rate correlated across the two study populations, despite their proximity suggesting that factors regulating the dynamics are determined locally. We conclude that flying squirrels may persist in a network of uncoupled subpopulations, where movement between subpopulations is of critical importance. Our study supports the view that dispersal has the key role in population survival of a small forest rodent.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Vesa Selonen
- Department of BiologyUniversity of TurkuTurkuFinland
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Kekkonen J, Wikström M, Ala-Ajos I, Lappalainen V, Brommer JE. Growth and Age Structure in an Introduced and Hunted Cervid Population: White-Tailed Deer in Finland. ANN ZOOL FENN 2016. [DOI: 10.5735/086.053.0206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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Class B, Brommer JE. A strong genetic correlation underlying a behavioural syndrome disappears during development because of genotype-age interactions. Proc Biol Sci 2016; 282:20142777. [PMID: 26041348 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2014.2777] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
In animal populations, as in humans, behavioural differences between individuals that are consistent over time and across contexts are considered to reflect personality, and suites of correlated behaviours expressed by individuals are known as behavioural syndromes. Lifelong stability of behavioural syndromes is often assumed, either implicitly or explicitly. Here, we use a quantitative genetic approach to study the developmental stability of a behavioural syndrome in a wild population of blue tits. We find that a behavioural syndrome formed by a strong genetic correlation of two personality traits in nestlings disappears in adults, and we demonstrate that genotype-age interaction is the likely mechanism underlying this change during development. A behavioural syndrome may hence change during organismal development, even when personality traits seem to be strongly physiologically or functionally linked in one age group. We outline how such developmental plasticity has important ramifications for understanding the mechanistic basis as well as the evolutionary consequences of behavioural syndromes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Class
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, University Hill, Turku 20014, Finland
| | - Jon E Brommer
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, University Hill, Turku 20014, Finland
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Eeva T, Andersson T, Berglund ÅMM, Brommer JE, Hyvönen R, Klemola T, Laaksonen T, Loukola O, Morosinotto C, Rainio K, Sirkiä PM, Vesterinen EJ. Species and abundance of ectoparasitic flies (Diptera) in pied flycatcher nests in Fennoscandia. Parasit Vectors 2015; 8:648. [PMID: 26691851 PMCID: PMC4687113 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-015-1267-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2015] [Accepted: 12/11/2015] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Birds host several ectoparasitic fly species with negative effects on nestling health and reproductive output, and with the capability of transmitting avian blood parasites. Information on the abundance and distribution of the ectoparasitic fly genera Ornithomya (Hippoboscidae) and Protocalliphora (Calliphoridae) in northern Europe is still generally poor, and we thus explored their geographic range and occurrence of these flies in the nests of a common avian model species, the pied flycatcher Ficedula hypoleuca. METHODS Nests of F. hypoleuca were collected from 21 locations across Fennoscandia in summer 2013, across a latitudinal gradient (between 56 °N - 70 °N) and examined for the presence of fly puparia. Adult specimens of Ornithomya spp. were also collected for species identification. Fly species were identified morphologically and identifications confirmed with DNA barcoding. RESULTS We found three species: two louse-flies - Ornithomya chloropus and O. avicularia - and one blow-fly, Protocalliphora azurea. The prevalence of O. avicularia was higher in southern latitudes and this species was not encountered beyond 62 °N whereas O. chloropus and P. azurea occurred across the whole range of latitudes. The prevalence of O. chloropus further increased with increasing distance from the coast - a pattern not documented before. The three fly species showed no interspecific associations in their prevalence. CONCLUSIONS Our study revealed relatively high prevalence for all the species (O. chloropus 59 %, O. avicularia 20 %, P. azurea 32 %), and an interesting spatial pattern in the prevalence of the two louse fly species. Our sample did not indicate any major range shifts towards the north for the southern species as compared to the information from the past. Morphological identification of O. chloropus did not match with the corresponding sequences published in the GenBank and taxonomy of this group calls for further studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tapio Eeva
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, FI-20014, Turku, Finland.
| | - Tommi Andersson
- Kevo Subarctic Research Institute, University of Turku, FI-20014, Turku, Finland.
| | - Åsa M M Berglund
- Department of Ecology and Environmental Science, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.
| | - Jon E Brommer
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, FI-20014, Turku, Finland.
| | | | - Tero Klemola
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, FI-20014, Turku, Finland.
| | - Toni Laaksonen
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, FI-20014, Turku, Finland.
| | - Olli Loukola
- Department of Biology, University of Oulu, FI-90014, Oulu, Finland.
| | | | - Kalle Rainio
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, FI-20014, Turku, Finland.
| | - Päivi M Sirkiä
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, FI-20014, Turku, Finland.
- Finnish Natural History Museum, Zoology Unit, University of Helsinki, FI-00014, Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Eero J Vesterinen
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, FI-20014, Turku, Finland.
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, Spatial Foodweb Ecology Group, University of Helsinki, FI-00014, Helsinki, Finland.
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Abstract
Abstract
Translocations, especially assisted colonizations, of animals are increasingly used as a conservation management tool. In many cases, however, limited funding and other logistic challenges limit the number of individuals available for translocation. In conservation genetics, small populations are predicted to rapidly lose genetic diversity which can deteriorate population survival. Thus, how worried should we be about the loss of genetic diversity when introducing small, isolated populations? Historical species introductions provide a means to assess these issues. Here we review 13 studies of “assisted colonization-like” introductions of animals, where only a small known number of founders established an isolated population without secondary contact to the source population. We test which factors could be important in retaining genetic diversity in these cases. In many cases, loss in heterozygosity (-12.1%) was detected, and more seriously the loss in allelic richness (-27.8 %). Number of founders seemed to have an effect but it also indicated that high population growth rate could help to retain genetic diversity, i.e. future management actions could be effective even with a limited number of founders if population growth would be enhanced. On the contrary, translocated organisms with longer generation times did not seem to retain more genetic diversity. We advocate that, where possible, future studies on translocated animals should report the loss of genetic diversity (both heterozygosity and allelic richness), which is essential for meta-analyses like this one for deepening our understanding of the genetic consequences of assisted colonization, and justifying management decisions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaana Kekkonen
- Department of Biosciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Jon E. Brommer
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
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Abstract
Behaviors are highly plastic and one aspect of this plasticity is behavioral changes over age. The presence of age-related plasticity in behavior opens up the possibility of between-individual variation in age-related plasticity (Individual-Age interaction, IxA) and genotype-age interaction (GxA). We outline the available approaches for quantifying GxA. We underline that knowledge of GxA for behaviors is an important step in reaching and understanding of the evolution of plasticity in behavior over lifetime. In particular, the heritability (repeatability) and/or the rank order of behavior across individuals are predicted to change across ages in presence of GxA. We draw on the theory of reaction norms to illustrate that GxA, when present, is likely to lead to developmental changes in the magnitude and possibly sign of the genetic correlation between behaviors (behavioral syndrome). We present an overview of the literature on changes in the ranking of individuals’ behavior across ages, and in the correlation between behaviors. Although all studies were carried out on the phenotypic level, they overall suggest clear scope for increased study of GxA as a process explaining age-related plasticity in behaviors. Lastly, we throughout emphasize that many of the approaches and underlying theory of GxA is applicable to the study of IxA, which is informative as it presents the upper limit of GxA, but is also a more attainable target of study in many systems. Empirical work aimed at understanding IxA and GxA in behavior is needed in order to understand whether patterns predicted by theory on plasticity indeed occur for age-related plasticity of behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jon E Brommer
- Department of Biology, University Hill, 20014 University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Barbara Class
- Department of Biology, University Hill, 20014 University of Turku, Turku, Finland
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Laaksonen T, Sirkiä PM, Calhim S, Brommer JE, Leskinen PK, Primmer CR, Adamík P, Artemyev AV, Belskii E, Both C, Bureš S, Burgess MD, Doligez B, Forsman JT, Grinkov V, Hoffmann U, Ivankina E, Král M, Krams I, Lampe HM, Moreno J, Mägi M, Nord A, Potti J, Ravussin PA, Sokolov L. Sympatric divergence and clinal variation in multiple coloration traits of Ficedula flycatchers. J Evol Biol 2015; 28:779-90. [PMID: 25683091 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.12604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2014] [Revised: 01/23/2015] [Accepted: 02/06/2015] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Geographic variation in phenotypes plays a key role in fundamental evolutionary processes such as local adaptation, population differentiation and speciation, but the selective forces behind it are rarely known. We found support for the hypothesis that geographic variation in plumage traits of the pied flycatcher Ficedula hypoleuca is explained by character displacement with the collared flycatcher Ficedula albicollis in the contact zone. The plumage traits of the pied flycatcher differed strongly from the more conspicuous collared flycatcher in a sympatric area but increased in conspicuousness with increasing distance to there. Phenotypic differentiation (PST ) was higher than that in neutral genetic markers (FST ), and the effect of geographic distance remained when statistically controlling for neutral genetic differentiation. This suggests that a cline created by character displacement and gene flow explains phenotypic variation across the distribution of this species. The different plumage traits of the pied flycatcher are strongly to moderately correlated, indicating that they evolve non-independently from each other. The flycatchers provide an example of plumage patterns diverging in two species that differ in several aspects of appearance. The divergence in sympatry and convergence in allopatry in these birds provide a possibility to study the evolutionary mechanisms behind the highly divergent avian plumage patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Laaksonen
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland; Finnish Museum of Natural History, Zoology Unit, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
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Brommer JE, Kekkonen J, Wikström M. Using heterozygosity-fitness correlations to study inbreeding depression in an isolated population of white-tailed deer founded by few individuals. Ecol Evol 2014; 5:357-67. [PMID: 25691963 PMCID: PMC4314268 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.1362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [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: 10/22/2014] [Revised: 11/11/2014] [Accepted: 11/17/2014] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
A heterozygosity–fitness correlations (HFCs) may reflect inbreeding depression, but the extent to which they do so is debated. HFCs are particularly likely to occur after demographic disturbances such as population bottleneck or admixture. We here study HFC in an introduced and isolated ungulate population of white-tailed deer Odocoileus virginianus in Finland founded in 1934 by four individuals. A total of 422 ≥ 1-year-old white-tailed deer were collected in the 2012 hunting season in southern Finland and genotyped for 14 microsatellite loci. We find significant identity disequilibrium as estimated by g2. Heterozygosity was positively associated with size- and age-corrected body mass, but not with jaw size or (in males) antler score. Because of the relatively high identity disequilibrium, heterozygosity of the marker panel explained 51% of variation in inbreeding. Inbreeding explained approximately 4% of the variation in body mass and is thus a minor, although significant source of variation in body mass in this population. The study of HFC is attractive for game- and conservation-oriented wildlife management because it presents an affordable and readily used approach for genetic monitoring that allowing identification of fitness costs associated with genetic substructuring in what may seem like a homogeneous population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jon E Brommer
- Department of Biology, University Hill 20014 University of Turku, Turku, Finland ; ARONIA Research and Development Institute at NOVIA University of Applied Sciences and Åbo Akademi University Raseborgsvägen 9, 10600, Ekenäs, Finland
| | - Jaana Kekkonen
- Department of Biosciences, University of Helsinki PO Box 65(Viikinkaari 1), 00014, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Mikael Wikström
- Finnish Wildlife Agency Fantsintie 13-14, 00890, Helsinki, Finland
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Brommer JE, Karell P, Aaltonen E, Ahola K, Karstinen T. Dissecting direct and indirect parental effects on reproduction in a wild bird of prey: dad affects when but not how much. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2014. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-014-1842-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Abstract
The evolution of a senescent decline in the performance of organisms as they grow old is thought to be an unavoidable aspect of life. A genotype-age interaction in performance is the 'fingerprint' of evolved senescence, which has now for the first time been detected in a plant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jon E Brommer
- Department of Biology, University Hill, 20014 University of Turku, Turku, Finland.
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Helle S, Brommer JE, Pettay JE, Lummaa V, Enbuske M, Jokela J. Evolutionary demography of agricultural expansion in preindustrial northern Finland. Proc Biol Sci 2014; 281:20141559. [PMID: 25232134 PMCID: PMC4211450 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2014.1559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [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] [Received: 06/25/2014] [Accepted: 08/19/2014] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
A shift from nomadic foraging to sedentary agriculture was a major turning point in human evolutionary history, increasing our population size and eventually leading to the development of modern societies. We however lack understanding of the changes in life histories that contributed to the increased population growth rate of agriculturalists, because comparable individual-based reproductive records of sympatric populations of agriculturalists and foragers are rarely found. Here, we compared key life-history traits and population growth rate using comprehensive data from the seventieth to nineteenth century Northern Finland: indigenous Sami were nomadic hunter-fishers and reindeer herders, whereas sympatric agricultural Finns relied predominantly on animal husbandry. We found that agriculture-based families had higher lifetime fecundity, faster birth spacing and lower maternal mortality. Furthermore, agricultural Finns had 6.2% higher annual population growth rate than traditional Sami, which was accounted by differences between the subsistence modes in age-specific fecundity but not in mortality. Our results provide, to our knowledge, the most detailed demonstration yet of the demographic changes and evolutionary benefits that resulted from agricultural revolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuli Helle
- Section of Ecology, Department of Biology, University of Turku, 20014 Turku, Finland
| | - Jon E Brommer
- Section of Ecology, Department of Biology, University of Turku, 20014 Turku, Finland
| | - Jenni E Pettay
- Section of Ecology, Department of Biology, University of Turku, 20014 Turku, Finland
| | - Virpi Lummaa
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK
| | - Matti Enbuske
- Department of History, University of Oulu, 90014 Oulu, Finland
| | - Jukka Jokela
- EAWAG, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Institute of Integrative Biology, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland ETH-Zürich, Institute of Integrative Biology, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
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Brommer JE, Karell P, Ahola K, Karstinen T. Residual correlations, and not individual properties, determine a nest defense boldness syndrome. Behav Ecol 2014. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/aru057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
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Class B, Kluen E, Brommer JE. Evolutionary quantitative genetics of behavioral responses to handling in a wild passerine. Ecol Evol 2014; 4:427-40. [PMID: 24634727 PMCID: PMC3936389 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [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: 11/21/2013] [Revised: 12/04/2013] [Accepted: 12/05/2013] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Behavioral differences between individuals that are consistent over time characterize animal personality. The existence of such consistency contrasts to the expectation based on classical behavioral theory that facultative behavior maximizes individual fitness. Here, we study two personality traits (aggression and breath rate during handling) in a wild population of blue tits during 2007–2012. Handling aggression and breath rate were moderately heritable (h2 = 0.35 and 0.20, respectively) and not genetically correlated (rA = 0.06) in adult blue tits, which permits them to evolve independently. Reciprocal cross-fostering (2007–2010) showed that offspring reared by more aggressive males have a higher probability to recruit. In addition, offspring reared by pairs mated assortatively for handling aggression had a higher recruitment probability, which is the first evidence that both parents' personalities influence their reproductive success in the wild in a manner independent of their genetic effects. Handling aggression was not subjected to survival selection in either sex, but slow-breathing females had a higher annual probability of survival as revealed by capture–mark–recapture analysis. We find no evidence for temporal fluctuations in selection, and thus conclude that directional selection (via different fitness components) acts on these two heritable personality traits. Our findings show that blue tit personality has predictable fitness consequences, but that facultative adjustment of an individual's personality to match the fitness maximum is likely constrained by the genetic architecture of personality. In the face of directional selection, the presence of heritable variation in personality suggests the existence of a trade-off that we have not identified yet.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Class
- Department of Biology, University of Turku Turku, Finland
| | - Edward Kluen
- Museum of Natural History, University of Helsinki Helsinki, Finland
| | - Jon E Brommer
- Department of Biology, University of Turku Turku, Finland ; Aronia Research and Development Institute, Åbo Akademi and Novia University of Applied Sciences Ekenäs, 10600, Finland
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Kluen E, Siitari H, Brommer JE. Testing for between individual correlations of personality and physiological traits in a wild bird. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2013. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-013-1635-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
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Saastamoinen M, Brommer JE, Brakefield PM, Zwaan BJ. Quantitative genetic analysis of responses to larval food limitation in a polyphenic butterfly indicates environment- and trait-specific effects. Ecol Evol 2013; 3:3576-89. [PMID: 24223292 PMCID: PMC3797501 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [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: 04/25/2013] [Revised: 06/24/2013] [Accepted: 06/24/2013] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Different components of heritability, including genetic variance (VG), are influenced by environmental conditions. Here, we assessed phenotypic responses of life-history traits to two different developmental conditions, temperature and food limitation. The former represents an environment that defines seasonal polyphenism in our study organism, the tropical butterfly Bicyclus anynana, whereas the latter represents a more unpredictable environment. We quantified heritabilities using restricted maximum likelihood (REML) procedures within an “Information Theoretical” framework in a full-sib design. Whereas development time, pupal mass, and resting metabolic rate showed no genotype-by-environment interaction for genetic variation, for thorax ratio and fat percentage the heritability increased under the cool temperature, dry season environment. Additionally, for fat percentage heritability estimates increased under food limitation. Hence, the traits most intimately related to polyphenism in B. anynana show the most environmental-specific heritabilities as well as some indication of cross-environmental genetic correlations. This may reflect a footprint of natural selection and our future research is aimed to uncover the genes and processes involved in this through studying season and condition-dependent gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marjo Saastamoinen
- Metapopulation Research Group, Department of Biosciences, University of Helsinki Helsinki, Finland
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Brommer JE. Variation in plasticity of personality traits implies that the ranking of personality measures changes between environmental contexts: calculating the cross-environmental correlation. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2013. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-013-1603-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Abstract
Abstract
Individual-based studies allow quantification of phenotypic plasticity in behavioural, life-history and other labile traits. The study of phenotypic plasticity in the wild can shed new light on the ultimate objectives (1) whether plasticity itself can evolve or is constrained by its genetic architecture, and (2) whether plasticity is associated to other traits, including fitness (selection). I describe the main statistical approach for how repeated records of individuals and a description of the environment (E) allow quantification of variation in plasticity across individuals (IxE) and genotypes (GxE) in wild populations. Based on a literature review of life-history and behavioural studies on plasticity in the wild, I discuss the present state of the two objectives listed above. Few studies have quantified GxE of labile traits in wild populations, and it is likely that power to detect statistically significant GxE is lacking. Apart from the issue of whether it is heritable, plasticity tends to correlate with average trait expression (not fully supported by the few genetic estimates available) and may thus be evolutionary constrained in this way. Individual-specific estimates of plasticity tend to be related to other traits of the individual (including fitness), but these analyses may be anti-conservative because they predominantly concern stats-on-stats. Despite the increased interest in plasticity in wild populations, the putative lack of power to detect GxE in such populations hinders achieving general insights. I discuss possible steps to invigorate the field by moving away from simply testing for presence of GxE to analyses that ‘scale up’ to population level processes and by the development of new behavioural theory to identify quantitative genetic parameters which can be estimated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jon E. Brommer
- Department of Biology, University Hill, 20014 University of Turku, Finland
- ARONIA Research and Development Institute, Novia Applied University and Åbo Akademi University, Raseborgsvägen 9, 10600 Ekenäs, Finland
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Cornulier T, Yoccoz NG, Bretagnolle V, Brommer JE, Butet A, Ecke F, Elston DA, Framstad E, Henttonen H, Hörnfeldt B, Huitu O, Imholt C, Ims RA, Jacob J, Jędrzejewska B, Millon A, Petty SJ, Pietiäinen H, Tkadlec E, Zub K, Lambin X. Europe-wide dampening of population cycles in keystone herbivores. Science 2013; 340:63-6. [PMID: 23559246 DOI: 10.1126/science.1228992] [Citation(s) in RCA: 185] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Suggestions of collapse in small herbivore cycles since the 1980s have raised concerns about the loss of essential ecosystem functions. Whether such phenomena are general and result from extrinsic environmental changes or from intrinsic process stochasticity is currently unknown. Using a large compilation of time series of vole abundances, we demonstrate consistent cycle amplitude dampening associated with a reduction in winter population growth, although regulatory processes responsible for cyclicity have not been lost. The underlying syndrome of change throughout Europe and grass-eating vole species suggests a common climatic driver. Increasing intervals of low-amplitude small herbivore population fluctuations are expected in the future, and these may have cascading impacts on trophic webs across ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Cornulier
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Zoology Building, Tillydrone Avenue, Aberdeen AB24 2TZ, UK.
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Kujala H, Vepsäläinen V, Zuckerberg B, Brommer JE. Range margin shifts of birds revisited - the role of spatiotemporally varying survey effort. Glob Chang Biol 2013; 19:420-430. [PMID: 23504781 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.12042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2012] [Accepted: 09/20/2012] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Global climate warming is predicted to lead to global and regional changes in the distribution of organisms. One influential approach to test this prediction using temporally repeated mapping surveys of organisms was suggested in a seminal paper by Thomas & Lennon (1999, Nature). The Thomas & Lennon approach corrects observed changes in the range margin for changes in the range size, and thus potentially controls for other broad-scale environmental changes between surveys, however the approach does not necessarily account for potential biases in sampling effort. To verify whether the issue of variation in sampling effort affects empirical estimates of shifts in range margin, we reanalyzed all three published studies exploring range margin changes of breeding birds in Great Britain (GB), Finland, and New York State (NY). Accounting for changes in survey effort on range margins lowered the estimated shift for breeding birds in New York, but the shift remained statistically significant. For Great Britain and Finland, for which no direct estimate of survey effort is available, we used species richness (a strong correlate of survey effort in New York) as a proxy and found that in both cases the estimated shift in range margin was significantly reduced and became nonsignificant. To understand how robust the approach is to sampling biases, we use a simulation model to show that the Thomas & Lennon approach is, under certain conditions, sensitive to changes in detection probability (probability to detect true occupancy) which in turn may be affected by changes in surveying effort between surveys. We thus found evidence that temporal changes in the distribution of breeding birds based on repeated mapping surveys may be inflated by changes in survey effort along range boundaries. We discuss possible approaches to deal with this issue in the analysis and design of national or regional surveys.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heini Kujala
- Department of Biosciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
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Brommer JE, Kluen E. Exploring the genetics of nestling personality traits in a wild passerine bird: testing the phenotypic gambit. Ecol Evol 2012; 2:3032-44. [PMID: 23301170 PMCID: PMC3538998 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [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: 09/22/2012] [Accepted: 09/25/2012] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
When several personality traits covary, they form a behavioral syndrome. Understanding the evolutionary dynamics of a behavioral syndrome requires knowledge of its genetic underpinning. At present, our understanding of the genetic basis of behavioral syndromes is largely restricted to domestic and laboratory animals. Wild behavioral syndromes are mostly inferred on the basis of phenotypic correlations, and thus make the "phenotypic gambit" of assuming that these phenotypic correlations capture the underlying genetic correlations. On the basis of 3 years of reciprocal cross-fostering of 2896 nestlings of 271 families within a pedigreed population, we show that the nestling personality traits handling aggression, breathing rate, and docility are heritable (h(2) = 16-29%), and often have a pronounced "nest-of-rearing" variance component (10-15%), but a relatively small "nest-of-origin" variance component (0-7%). The three nestling personality traits form a behavioral syndrome on the phenotypic and genetic level. Overall, the phenotypic correlations provide a satisfactory description of the genetic ones, but significantly underestimate the magnitude of one of the pairwise genetic correlations, which mirrors the conclusion based on domestic and laboratory studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jon E Brommer
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, University Hill FI-20014 Turku, Finland ; ARONIA Coastal Zone Research Team, Novia University of Applied Sciences and Åbo Akademi University Raseborgsvägen 9, FI-10600 Ekenäs, Finland
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Abstract
Background Climatic warming predicts that species move their entire distribution poleward. Poleward movement of the ‘cold’ side of the distribution of species is empirically supported, but evidence of poleward movement at the ‘warm’ distributional side is relatively scarce. Methodology/Principal Finding Finland has, as the first country in the world, completed three national atlas surveys of breeding birds, which we here use to calculate the sizes and weighted mean latitudes of the national range of 114 southern and 34 northern bird species during three periods (1974–1979; 1986–1989; 2006–2010), each denoting species presence in approximately 3 800 10×10 km2 squares. We find strong evidence that southern species (breeding predominantly in central Europe) showed a latitudinal shift of 1.1–1.3 km/year poleward during all three pairwise comparisons between these atlases (covering 11, 20.5 and 31.5 years respectively). We find evidence of a latitudinal shift of 0.7–0.8 km/year poleward of northern boreal and Arctic species, but this shift was not found in all study periods and may have been influenced by increased effort put into the more recent surveys. Species showed no significant correlation in changes in range size and weighted mean latitude between the first (11 year) and second (20.5 year) period covered by consecutive atlases, suggesting weak phylogenetic signal and little scope of species characteristics in explaining latitudinal avian range changes. Conclusions Extinction-driven avian range changes (at the ‘warm’ side) of a species' distribution occur at approximately half the rate of colonisation-driven range changes (at the ‘cold’ side), and its quantification therefore requires long-term monitoring data, possibly explaining why evidence for such changes is currently rare. A clear latitudinal shift in an assemblage of species may still harbour considerable temporal inconsistency in latitudinal movement on the species level. Understanding this inconsistency is important for predictive modelling of species composition in a changing world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jon E Brommer
- Department of Biosciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
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Kekkonen J, Wikström M, Brommer JE. Heterozygosity in an isolated population of a large mammal founded by four individuals is predicted by an individual-based genetic model. PLoS One 2012; 7:e43482. [PMID: 23028456 PMCID: PMC3447869 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0043482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2012] [Accepted: 07/20/2012] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Within-population genetic diversity is expected to be dramatically reduced if a population is founded by a low number of individuals. Three females and one male white-tailed deer Odocoileus virginianus, a North American species, were successfully introduced in Finland in 1934 and the population has since been growing rapidly, but remained in complete isolation from other populations. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Based on 14 microsatellite loci, the expected heterozygosity H was 0.692 with a mean allelic richness (AR) of 5.36, which was significantly lower than what was found in Oklahoma, U.S.A. (H = 0.742; AR = 9.07), demonstrating that a bottleneck occurred. Observed H was in line with predictions from an individual-based model where the genealogy of the males and females in the population were tracked and the population's demography was included. CONCLUSION Our findings provide a rare within-population empirical test of the founder effect and suggest that founding a population by a small number of individuals need not have a dramatic impact on heterozygosity in an iteroparous species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaana Kekkonen
- Department of Biosciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | | | - Jon E. Brommer
- Department of Biosciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- ARONIA Coastal Zone Research Team, Novia University of Applied Sciences & Åbo Akademi University, Ekenäs, Finland
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