Effects of body size and lung type on desiccation resistance, hypoxia tolerance and thermal preference in two terrestrial isopods species

Abstract We used crosses between two closely related Drosophila species, Drosophila serrata and D. birchii, to examine the genetic basis of desiccation resistance and correlations between resistance, physiological traits, and life-history traits. D. serrata is more resistant to desiccation than D. birchii, and this may help to explain the broader geographical range of the former species. A comparison of F2's from reciprocal crosses indicated higher resistance levels when F2's originated from D. birchii mothers compared to D. serrata mothers. However, backcrosses had a resistance level similar to that of the parental species, suggesting an interaction between X-linked effects in D. serrata that reduce resistance and autosomal effects that increase resistance. Reciprocal differences persisted in hybrid lines set up from the different reciprocal crosses and tested at later generations. Increased desiccation resistance was associated with an increased body size in two sets of hybrid lines and in half-sib groups set up from the F4's after crossing the two species, but size associations were inconsistent in the F2's. None of the crosses provided evidence for a positive association between desiccation resistance and glycogen levels, or evidence for a tradeoff between desiccation resistance and early fecundity. However, fecundity was positively correlated with body size at both the genetic and phenotypic levels. This study illustrates how interspecific crosses may provide information on genetic interactions between traits following adaptive divergence, as well as on the genetic basis of the traits.

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Biogeography of body size in terrestrial isopods (Crustacea: Oniscidea)

Journal of Zoological Systematics & Evolutionary Research ◽

10.1111/jzs.12125 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 54 (3) ◽

pp. 182-188 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Maria Karagkouni ◽

Spyros Sfenthourakis ◽

Anat Feldman ◽

Shai Meiri

Keyword(s):

Body Size ◽

Terrestrial Isopods

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The effects of temperature and body size on the metabolism and hypoxia tolerance of white abalone (Haliotis sorenseni) and red abalone (H. rufescens)

10.22371/02.2021.003 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

◽

Stephanie Fan

Keyword(s):

Body Size ◽

Hypoxia Tolerance ◽

Red Abalone ◽

Effects Of Temperature

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Thermal developmental plasticity affects body size and water conservation of Drosophila nepalensis from the Western Himalayas

Bulletin of Entomological Research ◽

10.1017/s0007485314000340 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 104 (4) ◽

pp. 504-516 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

R. Parkash ◽

C. Lambhod ◽

D. Singh

Keyword(s):

Body Size ◽

Water Balance ◽

Mass Culture ◽

Growth Temperature ◽

Water Loss ◽

Water Conservation ◽

Developmental Plasticity ◽

Seasonal Abundance ◽

Western Himalayas ◽

Desiccation Resistance

AbstractIn the Western Himalayas, Drosophila nepalensis is more abundant during the colder and drier winter than the warmer rainy season but the mechanistic bases of such adaptations are largely unknown. We tested effects of developmental plasticity on desiccation-related traits (body size, body melanization and water balance traits) that may be consistent with changes in seasonal abundance of this species. D. nepalensis grown at 15°C has shown twofold higher body size, greater melanization (∼15-fold), higher desiccation resistance (∼55 h), hemolymph as well as carbohydrate content (twofold higher) as compared with corresponding values at 25°C. Water loss before succumbing to death was much higher (∼16%) at 15°C than 25°C. Developmental plastic effects on body size are associated with changes in water balance-related traits (bulk water, hemolymph and dehydration tolerance). The role of body melanization was evident from the analysis of assorted darker and lighter flies (from a mass culture of D. nepalensis reared at 21°C) which lacked differences in dry mass but showed differences in desiccation survival hours and rate of water loss. For adult acclimation, we found a slight increase in desiccation resistance of flies reared at lower growth temperature, whereas in flies reared at 25°C such a response was lacking. In D. nepalensis, greater developmental plasticity is consistent with its contrasting levels of seasonal abundance. Finally, in the context of global climate change in the Western Himalayas, D. nepalensis seems vulnerable in the warmer season due to lower adult as well as developmental acclimation potential at higher growth temperature (25°C).

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Desiccation resistance in Central European carabid species: effects of body size and habitat preferences

ARPHA Conference Abstracts ◽

10.3897/aca.2.e38513 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 2 ◽

Author(s):

Eliška Baranovská ◽

Petr Chajma ◽

Michal Knapp

Keyword(s):

Body Size ◽

Body Condition ◽

Water Loss ◽

Loss Rate ◽

Global Climate ◽

Live Weight ◽

Carabid Beetles ◽

Limiting Factor ◽

Desiccation Resistance ◽

Water Loss Rate

Water is the limiting factor for all organisms. Due to global climate change, prolonged drought periods are predicted and the importance of drought-related research is increasing. Water, together with temperature, determines the abundance and spatial distribution of animals. In this study, we investigated the effects of body size and habitat preference on desiccation resistance of carabid beetles under controlled laboratory condition. Firstly, we measured the longevity of 641 carabid individuals belonging to 18 species. These beetles were exposed to extremely low relative humidity (ca. 15-20%) using silica gel bags within experimental Petri dishes. Secondly, the rate of water loss was measured for 236 individuals belonging to eight carabid species. Rate of water loss was measured using exposition to the same extremely dry conditions, but only for 12 hours. Body size was represented by elytron length and live weight was also measured to analyse effects of body condition (weight corrected for structural size). Experimental beetles were collected in different habitats ranging from extremely dry to very wet conditions. Carabids were provided with food and water ad libitum for at least 7 days prior to the experiments. All experiments were performed using a climatic chamber set to a long day (16L:8D) and the constant temperature of 20°C. The preliminary results show that species from wet habitats were more sensitive to desiccation and larger species were more resistant (survived for a longer time) compared to smaller species. Species from wet habitats had higher water loss rate compared to species originating from dry habitats. At the intraspecific level, individuals with larger body size (elytron length) survived longer than smaller individuals. Interestingly, the rate of water loss was affected by initial body condition and sex but not by structural body size at the intraspecific level. The most resistant species was Pseudoophonus rufipes. This species was not superior to other species with respect to water loss rate but it had the highest relative water content. It is also possible that P. rufipes has some other physiological or behavioural adaptation enabling a better survival under stressful, dry condition. This issue could be investigated in a future study.

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