| 1. |
- Carreira, Bruno M., et al.
(författare)
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Can heat waves change the trophic role of the world's most invasive crayfish? : Diet shifts in Procambarus clarkii
- 2017
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Ingår i: PLOS ONE. - : PUBLIC LIBRARY SCIENCE. - 1932-6203. ; 12:9
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- In the Mediterranean basin, the globally increasing temperatures are expected to be accompanied by longer heat waves. Commonly assumed to benefit cold-limited invasive alien species, these climatic changes may also change their feeding preferences, especially in the case of omnivorous ectotherms. We investigated heat wave effects on diet choice, growth and energy reserves in the invasive red swamp crayfish, Procambarus clarkii. In laboratory experiments, we fed juvenile and adult crayfish on animal, plant or mixed diets and exposed them to a short or a long heat wave. We then measured crayfish survival, growth, body reserves and Fulton's condition index. Diet choices of the crayfish maintained on the mixed diet were estimated using stable isotopes (C-13 and N-15). The results suggest a decreased efficiency of carnivorous diets at higher temperatures, as juveniles fed on the animal diet were unable to maintain high growth rates in the long heat wave; and a decreased efficiency of herbivorous diets at lower temperatures, as juveniles in the cold accumulated less body reserves when fed on the plant diet. Heat wave treatments increased the assimilation of plant material, especially in juveniles, allowing them to sustain high growth rates in the long heat wave. Contrary to our expectations, crayfish performance decreased in the long heat wave, suggesting that Mediterranean summer heat waves may have negative effects on P. clarkii and that they are unlikely to boost its populations in this region. Although uncertain, it is possible that the greater assimilation of the plant diet resulted from changes in crayfish feeding preferences, raising the hypotheses that i) heat waves may change the predominant impacts of this keystone species and ii) that by altering species' trophic niches, climate change may alter the main impacts of invasive alien species.
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| 2. |
- Carreira, B. M., et al.
(författare)
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Warm vegetarians? : Heat waves and diet shifts in tadpoles
- 2016
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Ingår i: Ecology. - : Wiley. - 0012-9658 .- 1939-9170. ; 97:11, s. 2964-2974
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Temperature can play an important role in determining the feeding preferences of ectotherms. In light of the warmer temperatures arising with the current climatic changes, omnivorous ectotherms may perform diet shifts toward higher herbivory to optimize energetic intake. Such diet shifts may also occur during heat waves, which are projected to become more frequent, intense, and longer lasting in the future. Here, we investigated how heat waves of different duration affect feeding preferences in omnivorous anuran tadpoles and how these choices affect larval life history. In laboratory experiments, we fed tadpoles of three species on animal, plant, or mixed diet and exposed them to short heat waves (similar to the heat waves these species experience currently) or long heat waves (predicted to increase under climate change). We estimated the dietary choices of tadpoles fed on the mixed diet using stable isotopes and recorded tadpole survival and growth, larval period, and mass at metamorphosis. Tadpole feeding preferences were associated with their thermal background, with herbivory increasing with breeding temperature in nature. Patterns in survival, growth, and development generally support decreased efficiency of carnivorous diets and increased efficiency or higher relative quality of herbivorous diets at higher temperatures. All three species increased herbivory in at least one of the heat wave treatments, but the responses varied among species. Diet shifts toward higher herbivory were maladaptive in one species, but beneficial in the other two. Higher herbivory in omnivorous ectotherms under warmer temperatures may impact species differently and further contribute to changes in the structure and function of freshwater environments.
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| 3. |
- Cortazar-Chinarro, Maria, et al.
(författare)
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Drift, selection, or migration? : Processes affecting genetic differentiation and variation along a latitudinal gradient in an amphibian
- 2017
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Ingår i: BMC Evolutionary Biology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1471-2148. ; 17
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Past events like fluctuations in population size and post-glacial colonization processes may influence the relative importance of genetic drift, migration and selection when determining the present day patterns of genetic variation. We disentangle how drift, selection and migration shape neutral and adaptive genetic variation in 12 moor frog populations along a 1700 km latitudinal gradient. We studied genetic differentiation and variation at a MHC exon II locus and a set of 18 microsatellites. Results: Using outlier analyses, we identified the MHC II exon 2 (corresponding to the beta-2 domain) locus and one microsatellite locus (RCO8640) to be subject to diversifying selection, while five microsatellite loci showed signals of stabilizing selection among populations. STRUCTURE and DAPC analyses on the neutral microsatellites assigned populations to a northern and a southern cluster, reflecting two different post-glacial colonization routes found in previous studies. Genetic variation overall was lower in the northern cluster. The signature of selection on MHC exon II was weaker in the northern cluster, possibly as a consequence of smaller and more fragmented populations. Conclusion: Our results show that historical demographic processes combined with selection and drift have led to a complex pattern of differentiation along the gradient where some loci are more divergent among populations than predicted from drift expectations due to diversifying selection, while other loci are more uniform among populations due to stabilizing selection. Importantly, both overall and MHC genetic variation are lower at northern latitudes. Due to lower evolutionary potential, the low genetic variation in northern populations may increase the risk of extinction when confronted with emerging pathogens and climate change.
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| 4. |
- Cortazar-Chinarro, Maria
(författare)
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Immunogenetic variation along the latitudinal gradient in Scandinavian anuran species : Evolutionary processes, demography and infection
- 2019
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The evolutionary and demographic processes affecting how genetic variation is partitioned and distributed over large geographical scales is of fundamental importance for our understanding of how organisms may adapt to their environments. Northern peripheral populations generally have lower genetic variation and individuals in these populations may therefore face difficulties adapting to their local environment. At northern latitudes lack of genetic variation could be detrimental in face of newly emerging diseases as a result of anthropogenic actions and warmer climate in these areas. In this thesis, I explore genetic variation and the contemporary evolutionary processes affecting genes involved in the adaptive immune defense (Major Histocompatibility Complex; MHC) and the innate immune defense (AMP; Antimicrobial Peptides) over a large geographical gradient in anuran species (paper I, II and IV). I study signatures of historical selection on the MHC class II exon 2 and AMP (Temporin, Brevinin and Palustrin) sequences in the Signal Peptide and the Acidic Propiece domains (paper II and III). Finally, I investigate potential associations between specific MHC class II exon 2 alleles and a chytrid fungus infection (Bd) in common toads (Bufo bufo) (paper IV). The results reveal that genetic variation of MHC class II exon 2 decreases towards northern latitudes in R. arvalis and B. bufo and have been shaped by complex evolutionary processes (drift, selection, migration) affected by different demographic scenarios. On the other hand, AMP nucleotide variation is divergent among geographical areas, but there is no clear geographical pattern along the same gradient, suggesting diversifying selection as the main force shaping genetic variation. Finally, I found an effect of two specific MHC class II exon 2 alleles on survival in juvenile B. bufo when infected with Bd. In summary, my thesis unravels the complex patterns shaping genetic diversity at large scales. My results may guide conservation practices aiming to prevent amphibian mass mortality events on-going all over the world.
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| 5. |
- Cortazar-Chinarro, Maria, et al.
(författare)
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Signatures of historical selection on MHC reveal different selection patterns in the moor frog (Rana arvalis)
- 2018
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Ingår i: Immunogenetics. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0093-7711 .- 1432-1211. ; 70:7, s. 477-484
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- MHC genes are key components in disease resistance and an excellent system for studying selection acting on genetic variation in natural populations. Current patterns of variation in MHC genes are likely to be influenced by past and ongoing selection as well as demographic fluctuations in population size such as those imposed by post-glacial recolonization processes. Here, we investigated signatures of historical selection and demography on an MHC class II gene in 12 moor frog populations along a 1700-km latitudinal gradient. Sequences were obtained from 207 individuals and consecutively assigned into two different clusters (northern and southern clusters, respectively) in concordance with a previously described dual post-glacial colonization route. Selection analyses comparing the relative rates of non-synonymous to synonymous substitutions (dN/dS) suggested evidence of different selection patterns in the northern and the southern clusters, with divergent selection prevailing in the south but uniform positive selection predominating in the north. Also, models of codon evolution revealed considerable differences in the strength of selection: The southern cluster appeared to be under strong selection while the northern cluster showed moderate signs of selection. Our results indicate that the MHC alleles in the north diverged from southern MHC alleles as a result of differential selection patterns.
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| 6. |
- Dijk, Ben, et al.
(författare)
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Is one defence enough? : Disentangling the relative importance of morphological and behavioural predator-induced defences
- 2016
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Ingår i: Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0340-5443 .- 1432-0762. ; 70:2, s. 237-246
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Many organisms show predator-induced behavioural and morphological phenotypic plasticity. These defence mechanisms are often expressed simultaneously. To estimate the relative importance of these two defences, we conducted a laboratory experiment using tadpoles of the common frog (Rana temporaria) as prey and Aeshna dragonfly larvae as predators. We first raised tadpoles in the presence and absence of caged predators to induce differences in defensive morphology, and then conducted free ranging predator trials in environments that were either with or without the presence of predation cues to induce differences in defensive behaviour. This 2 x 2 design allowed us to separate the effects of inducible morphology from inducible behaviour. Caged predators induced deeper bodies and tailfins and reduced activity levels in tadpoles. The time to first capture was shortest in tadpoles without morphological or behavioural defences. Tadpoles with a behavioural defence had a significantly longer time to first capture. Tadpoles with only antipredator morphology tended to have a longer time to first capture as compared to those without any induced defences. This treatment also had a higher number of injured tadpoles as compared to other treatments, suggesting that inducible morphology facilitates predator escape due to the 'lure effect'. However, tadpoles with both behavioural and morphological defences did not have a longer time to first capture as compared to tadpoles with only morphological or behavioural induced defences. Our results suggest that both behavioural and morphological antipredator responses contribute to reduced capture efficiency by predators, but their simultaneous expression did not have any additive effect to the time of first capture and survival, and that the morphology response is most effective when tadpoles are active.
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| 7. |
- Ermold, Friederike
(författare)
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Climate change time machine : Adaptation to 30 years of warming in the Baltic Sea
- 2016
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Earth mean surface temperature has increased by 1 °C since the industrial revolution, and this has already had considerable effects on animal and plant species. Ecological responses to the warming climate – often facilitated via phenotypic plasticity – are ubiquitous. However, even though evolution can occur rapidly there are only few examples of genetic adaptation to climate change.In my thesis, I used a near-natural system to study if and how organisms have adapted to 30 years of warming, and how this has affected competitive species interactions. I investigated Baltic Sea populations of the aquatic snails Galba truncatula and Theodoxus fluviatilis, which had been subjected to cooling water discharge from power plants, resulting in water temperatures 4 to 10 °C higher than in the surrounding sea.G. truncatula had high upper thermal limits and large acclimation potential. This plasticity may have helped the species to survive under the new conditions, allowing evolution through natural selection to take place. I found that the populations of the two thermal origins had diverged in SNP markers associated with warmer temperature, whereas divergence in selectively neutral markers was mainly related to geographical distance. Adaptation occurred from standing genetic variation, emphasizing the importance of genetic diversity and population size in enabling the persistence of populations. Changes in thermal sensitivity of growth and survival were subtle yet significant, and complied with theoretical models of thermal adaptation in ectotherms. At the community level, pre-adaptation to warmer conditions aided the native T. fluviatilis when competing with the alien Potamopyrgus antipodarum. However, interspecific competition limited the snails most in those traits favored under warming, highlighting the challenge of adapting to different selecting forces during global change.The persistence of species and populations under climate change depends on several factors - plasticity allowing for initial survival, evolvability in allowing the genetic changes, and species interactions affecting the new ecological niches. The results of my thesis indicate that persistence under climate change is possible when these factors align, but the relative roles of ecology and plasticity may explain why there are so few observed instances of evolution in response to climate change.
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| 8. |
- Fisher, Matthew C., et al.
(författare)
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Development and worldwide use of non-lethal, and minimal population-level impact, protocols for the isolation of amphibian chytrid fungi
- 2018
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Ingår i: Scientific Reports. - : NATURE PUBLISHING GROUP. - 2045-2322. ; 8
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Parasitic chytrid fungi have emerged as a significant threat to amphibian species worldwide, necessitating the development of techniques to isolate these pathogens into culture for research purposes. However, early methods of isolating chytrids from their hosts relied on killing amphibians. We modified a pre-existing protocol for isolating chytrids from infected animals to use toe clips and biopsies from toe webbing rather than euthanizing hosts, and distributed the protocol to researchers as part of the BiodivERsA project RACE; here called the RML protocol. In tandem, we developed a lethal procedure for isolating chytrids from tadpole mouthparts. Reviewing a database of use a decade after their inception, we find that these methods have been applied across 5 continents, 23 countries and in 62 amphibian species. Isolation of chytrids by the non-lethal RML protocol occured in 18% of attempts with 207 fungal isolates and three species of chytrid being recovered. Isolation of chytrids from tadpoles occured in 43% of attempts with 334 fungal isolates of one species (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis) being recovered. Together, these methods have resulted in a significant reduction and refinement of our use of threatened amphibian species and have improved our ability to work with this group of emerging pathogens.
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| 9. |
- Griesser, Michael, et al.
(författare)
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Experience buffers extrinsic mortality in a group-living bird species
- 2017
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Ingår i: Oikos. - : Wiley. - 0030-1299 .- 1600-0706. ; 126:9, s. 1258-1268
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Extrinsic mortality has a strong impact on the evolution of life-histories, prey morphology and behavioural adaptations, but for many animals the causes of mortality are poorly understood. Predation is an important driver of extrinsic mortality and mobile animals form groups in response to increased predation risk. Furthermore, in many species juveniles suffer higher mortality than older individuals, which may reflect a lower phenotypic quality, lower competitiveness, or a lack of antipredator or foraging skills. Here we assessed the causes of mortality for 371 radio tagged Siberian jays. This sedentary bird species lives in family groups that contain a breeding pair as well as related and unrelated non-breeders. Ninety-five percent of death were due to predation (n = 59 out of 62 individuals) and most individuals were killed by Accipiter hawks. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards models showed that non-breeders had a lower survival than breeders, but only in territories in managed forest with little visual cover. Examining breeders, only sex influenced survival with males having a lower survival than females. For non-breeders, juveniles had lower survival than older non-breeders, and those on managed territories had lower survival than those on unmanaged territories. Additionally, a low feather quality reduced the survival probability of non-breeders only. Thus, living on managed territories and having a low feature quality affected only non-breeders, particularly juveniles. These findings add to previous research demonstrating that juvenile Siberian jays acquire critical antipredator skills from experienced group members. Thus, experience can buffer extrinsic mortality, highlighting that group living not only provides safety in numbers, but also provide social opportunities to learn critical life-skills.
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| 10. |
- Johansson, Magnus
(författare)
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Adjusting to the extreme : Thermal adaptation in a freshwater gastropod
- 2015
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Temperature is a ubiquitous force influencing biological processes ranging from cellular responses to life span. The thermal environment for many organisms is predicted to change with globally increasing temperatures and studies conducted in natural systems incorporating various evolutionary forces, such as gene flow, is needed. In my thesis, I investigate how snails (Radix balthica) originating from distinct geothermal environments within Lake Mývatn in northern Iceland have adapted, both genetically and phenotypically, to the respective thermal regime. Locations were classified as either cold, warm or seasonal depending on the average and variance in temperature. A high resolution spatial distribution of genetic variation within Mývatn was obtained using both neutral and outlier AFLPs. In addition, the genetic profile enabled me identify warm origin snails irrespective of geographic location in Iceland. Warm environments were often more stressful than cold or seasonal environments but snails originating from a high temperature location benefited from increased performance elsewhere. Patterns of growth were identical in both common garden and reciprocal transplant experiment; warm origin snails grew faster than both cold and seasonal origin snails. This result is in concordance with quantitative genetics models of thermal adaptation but suggesting cogradient rather than countergradient variation. Although warm origin snails generally had superior performance, survival at cold temperatures (< 12 °C) was reduced. All snails matured at similar size in the common garden experiment but cold origin snails were observed to mature later and lay fewer eggs. Also, snails had a common optimum for growth rate at 20 °C irrespective of thermal origin. This is arguably the reason why snails were observed to have a common thermal preference. Interestingly, warm origin snails had a reduced tolerance to high temperatures compared to cold and seasonal origin snails which did not differ in tolerance. Putatively, natural selection has reduced a putatively unnecessary trait (high temperature tolerance in a stable thermal environment) in favour of higher growth rate and performance in warm habitats. In conclusion, the price of high performance in a warm environment was paid in terms of reduced survival at low temperatures and a potential disadvantage of reduced genetic variability.
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