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- Reinke, Beth A, et al.
(author)
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Diverse aging rates in ectothermic tetrapods provide insights for the evolution of aging and longevity
- 2022
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In: Science. - : American Association for the Advancement of Science. - 0036-8075 .- 1095-9203. ; 376:6600, s. 1459-1466
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Comparative studies of mortality in the wild are necessary to understand the evolution of aging; yet, ectothermic tetrapods are underrepresented in this comparative landscape, despite their suitability for testing evolutionary hypotheses. We present a study of aging rates and longevity across wild tetrapod ectotherms, using data from 107 populations (77 species) of nonavian reptiles and amphibians. We test hypotheses of how thermoregulatory mode, environmental temperature, protective phenotypes, and pace of life history contribute to demographic aging. Controlling for phylogeny and body size, ectotherms display a higher diversity of aging rates compared with endotherms and include phylogenetically widespread evidence of negligible aging. Protective phenotypes and life-history strategies further explain macroevolutionary patterns of aging. Analyzing ectothermic tetrapods in a comparative context enhances our understanding of the evolution of aging.
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- Cote, J, et al.
(author)
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Personality-dependent dispersal : characterization, ontogeny and consequences for spatially structured populations
- 2010
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In: Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Biological Sciences. - : The Royal Society. - 0962-8436 .- 1471-2970. ; 365, s. 4065-4076
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Dispersal is one of the most fundamental components of ecology, and affects processes as diverse as population growth, metapopulation dynamics, gene flow and adaptation. Although the act of moving from one habitat to another entails major costs to the disperser, empirical and theoretical studies suggest that these costs can be reduced by having morphological, physiological or behavioural specializations for dispersal. A few recent studies on different systems showed that individuals exhibit personality-dependent dispersal, meaning that dispersal tendency is associated with boldness, sociability or aggressiveness. Indeed, in several species, dispersers not only develop behavioural differences at the onset of dispersal, but display these behavioural characteristics through their life cycle. While personality-dependent dispersal has been demonstrated in only a few species, we believe that it is a widespread phenomenon with important ecological consequences. Here, we review the evidence for behavioural differences between dispersers and residents, to what extent they constitute personalities. We also examine how a link between personality traits and dispersal behaviours can be produced and how personality-dependent dispersal affects the dynamics of metapopulations and biological invasions. Finally, we suggest future research directions for population biologists, behavioural ecologists and conservation biologists such as how the direction and the strength of the relationship between personality traits and dispersal vary with ecological contexts.
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3. |
- Radchuk, Viktoriia, et al.
(author)
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Adaptive responses of animals to climate change are most likely insufficient
- 2019
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In: Nature Communications. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2041-1723. ; 10:1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Biological responses to climate change have been widely documented across taxa and regions, but it remains unclear whether species are maintaining a good match between phenotype and environment, i.e. whether observed trait changes are adaptive. Here we reviewed 10,090 abstracts and extracted data from 71 studies reported in 58 relevant publications, to assess quantitatively whether phenotypic trait changes associated with climate change are adaptive in animals. A meta-analysis focussing on birds, the taxon best represented in our dataset, suggests that global warming has not systematically affected morphological traits, but has advanced phenological traits. We demonstrate that these advances are adaptive for some species, but imperfect as evidenced by the observed consistent selection for earlier timing. Application of a theoretical model indicates that the evolutionary load imposed by incomplete adaptive responses to ongoing climate change may already be threatening the persistence of species.
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4. |
- Uller, Tobias, 1977, et al.
(author)
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Long-lasting fitness consequences of prenatal sex ratio in a viviparous lizard
- 2004
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In: Evolution. - 0014-3820. ; 58:11, s. 2511-2516
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Maternal effects and early environmental conditions are important in shaping offspring developmental trajectories. For example, in laboratory mammals, the sex ratio during gestation has been shown to influence fitness-related traits via hormonal interaction between fetuses. Such effects have the potential to shape, or constrain, many important aspects of the organism's life, but their generality and importance in natural populations remain unknown. Using long-term data in a viviparous lizard, Lacerta vivipara, we investigated the relationship between prenatal sex ratio and offspring growth, survival, and reproductive traits as adults. Our results show that females from male-biased clutches grow faster, mature earlier, but have lower fecundity than females from female-biased clutches. Furthermore, male reproduction was also affected by the sex ratio during embryonic development, with males from male-biased clutches being more likely to successfully reproduce at age one than males from female-biased clutches. Thus, the sex ratio experienced during gestation can have profound and long-lasting effects on fitness in natural populations of viviparous animals, with important implications for life-history evolution and sex allocation.
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5. |
- Calsbeek, B., et al.
(author)
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Multivariate phenotypes and the potential for alternative phenotypic optima in wall lizard (Podarcis muralis) ventral colour morphs
- 2010
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In: Journal of evolutionary biology. - : Wiley. - 1420-9101 .- 1010-061X. ; 23:6, s. 1138-1147
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- A major goal in evolutionary biology is to determine how phenotypic variation arises and is maintained in natural populations. Recent studies examining the morphological, physiological and behavioural differences among discrete colour morphotypes (morphs) have revealed several mechanisms that maintain discrete variation within populations, including frequency-dependence, density-dependence and correlational selection. For example, trade-offs over resource allocation to morphological, physiological and behavioural traits can drive correlational selection for morph-specific phenotypic optima. Here, we describe a ventral colour polymorphism in the wall lizard (Podarcis muralis) and test the hypothesis that morphs differ along multivariate axes defined by trade-offs in morphological, physiological, and immunological traits. We show that ventral colour is a discrete trait and that morphs differ in body size, prevalence of infection by parasites and infection intensity. We also find that morphs differ along multivariate phenotypic axes and experience different multivariate selection pressures. Our results suggest that multivariate selection pressures may favour alternative optimal morph-specific phenotypes in P. muralis.
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