scholarly journals Conspicuousness, phylogenetic structure, and origins of Müllerian mimicry in 4000 lycid beetles from all zoogeographic regions

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Michal Motyka ◽  
Dominik Kusy ◽  
Michal Masek ◽  
Matej Bocek ◽  
Yun Li ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Simple Model ◽  
Phylogenetic Diversity ◽  
Single Species ◽  
Visual Signals ◽  
South East Asia ◽  
Phylogenetic Information ◽  
Phylogenetic Structure ◽  
Chemical Defences ◽  
Single Region ◽  
General Appearance

AbstractBiologists have reported on the chemical defences and the phenetic similarity of net-winged beetles (Coleoptera: Lycidae) and their co-mimics. Nevertheless, our knowledge has remained fragmental, and the evolution of mimetic patterns has not been studied in the phylogenetic context. We illustrate the general appearance of ~ 600 lycid species and ~ 200 co-mimics and their distribution. Further, we assemble the phylogeny using the transcriptomic backbone and ~ 570 species. Using phylogenetic information, we closely scrutinise the relationships among aposematically coloured species, the worldwide diversity, and the distribution of aposematic patterns. The emitted visual signals differ in conspicuousness. The uniform coloured dorsum is ancestral and was followed by the evolution of bicoloured forms. The mottled patterns, i.e. fasciate, striate, punctate, and reticulate, originated later in the course of evolution. The highest number of sympatrically occurring patterns was recovered in New Guinea and the Andean mountain ecosystems (the areas of the highest abundance), and in continental South East Asia (an area of moderate abundance but high in phylogenetic diversity). Consequently, a large number of co-existing aposematic patterns in a single region and/or locality is the rule, in contrast with the theoretical prediction, and predators do not face a simple model-like choice but cope with complex mimetic communities. Lycids display an ancestral aposematic signal even though they sympatrically occur with differently coloured unprofitable relatives. We show that the highly conspicuous patterns evolve within communities predominantly formed by less conspicuous Müllerian mimics and, and often only a single species displays a novel pattern. Our work is a forerunner to the detailed research into the aposematic signalling of net-winged beetles.

scholarly journals Building a Robust, Densely-Sampled Spider Tree of Life for Ecosystem Research

Diversity ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (8) ◽  
pp. 288
Author(s):  
Nuria Macías-Hernández ◽  
Marc Domènech ◽  
Pedro Cardoso ◽  
Brent C. Emerson ◽  
Paulo Alexandre Vieira Borges ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Phylogenetic Trees ◽  
Phylogenetic Diversity ◽  
Dna Barcode ◽  
Phylogenetic Reconstruction ◽  
Local Communities ◽  
Background Information ◽  
Ecological Processes ◽  
Phylogenetic Structure ◽  
Topological Constraint ◽  
Ecosystem Research

Phylogenetic relatedness is a key diversity measure for the analysis and understanding of how species and communities evolve across time and space. Understanding the nonrandom loss of species with respect to phylogeny is also essential for better-informed conservation decisions. However, several factors are known to influence phylogenetic reconstruction and, ultimately, phylogenetic diversity metrics. In this study, we empirically tested how some of these factors (topological constraint, taxon sampling, genetic markers and calibration) affect phylogenetic resolution and uncertainty. We built a densely sampled, species-level phylogenetic tree for spiders, combining Sanger sequencing of species from local communities of two biogeographical regions (Iberian Peninsula and Macaronesia) with a taxon-rich backbone matrix of Genbank sequences and a topological constraint derived from recent phylogenomic studies. The resulting tree constitutes the most complete spider phylogeny to date, both in terms of terminals and background information, and may serve as a standard reference for the analysis of phylogenetic diversity patterns at the community level. We then used this tree to investigate how partial data affect phylogenetic reconstruction, phylogenetic diversity estimates and their rankings, and, ultimately, the ecological processes inferred for each community. We found that the incorporation of a single slowly evolving marker (28S) to the DNA barcode sequences from local communities, had the highest impact on tree topology, closely followed by the use of a backbone matrix. The increase in missing data resulting from combining partial sequences from local communities only had a moderate impact on the resulting trees, similar to the difference observed when using topological constraints. Our study further revealed substantial differences in both the phylogenetic structure and diversity rankings of the analyzed communities estimated from the different phylogenetic treatments, especially when using non-ultrametric trees (phylograms) instead of time-stamped trees (chronograms). Finally, we provide some recommendations on reconstructing phylogenetic trees to infer phylogenetic diversity within ecological studies.

scholarly journals Testing the effectiveness of pyrazine defences against spiders

Chemoecology ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (4) ◽  
pp. 139-146
Author(s):  
Emily R. Burdfield-Steel ◽  
Jutta M. Schneider ◽  
Johanna Mappes ◽  
Susanne Dobler
Keyword(s):  
Single Species ◽  
Predator Species ◽  
Chemical Defences ◽  
Invertebrate Predator ◽  
Invertebrate Predators ◽  
Tiger Moth ◽  
Vast Variation ◽  
Web Building ◽  
Hunting Tactics

Abstract Insects live in a dangerous world and may fall prey to a wide variety of predators, encompassing multiple taxa. As a result, selection may favour defences that are effective against multiple predator types, or target-specific defences that can reduce predation risk from particular groups of predators. Given the variation in sensory systems and hunting tactics, in particular between vertebrate and invertebrate predators, it is not always clear whether defences, such as chemical defences, that are effective against one group will be so against another. Despite this, the majority of research to date has focused on the role of a single predator species when considering the evolution of defended prey. Here we test the effectiveness of the chemical defences of the wood tiger moth, a species previously shown to have defensive chemicals targeted towards ants, against a common invertebrate predator: spiders. We presented both live moths and artificial prey containing their defensive fluids to female Trichonephila senegalensis and recorded their reactions. We found that neither of the moth’s two defensive fluids were able to repel the spiders, and confirmed that methoxypyrazines, a major component of the defences of both the wood tiger moth and many insect species, are ineffective against web-building spiders. Our results highlight the variability between predator taxa in their susceptibility to chemical defences, which can in part explain the vast variation in these chemicals seen in insects, and the existence of multiple defences in a single species.

scholarly journals Phylogenetically informed spatial planning is required to conserve the mammalian tree of life

2017 ◽  
Vol 284 (1865) ◽  
pp. 20170627 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dan F. Rosauer ◽  
Laura J. Pollock ◽  
Simon Linke ◽  
Walter Jetz
Keyword(s):  
Conservation Planning ◽  
Phylogenetic Diversity ◽  
Informed Choice ◽  
Tree Of Life ◽  
Phylogenetic Information ◽  
Mammal Conservation ◽  
The Face ◽  
New Generation ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Effective Conservation

In the face of the current extinction crisis and severely limited conservation resources, safeguarding the tree of life is increasingly recognized as a high priority. We conducted a first systematic global assessment of the conservation of phylogenetic diversity (PD) that uses realistic area targets and highlights the key areas for conservation of the mammalian tree of life. Our approach offers a substantially more effective conservation solution than one focused on species. In many locations, priorities for PD differ substantially from those of a species-based approach that ignores evolutionary relationships. This discrepancy increases rapidly as the amount of land available for conservation declines, as does the relative benefit for mammal conservation (for the same area protected). This benefit is equivalent to an additional 5900 Myr of distinct mammalian evolution captured simply through a better informed choice of priority areas. Our study uses area targets for PD to generate more realistic conservation scenarios, and tests the impact of phylogenetic uncertainty when selecting areas to represent diversity across a phylogeny. It demonstrates the opportunity of using rapidly growing phylogenetic information in conservation planning and the readiness for a new generation of conservation planning applications that explicitly consider the heritage of the tree of life's biodiversity.

scholarly journals Effects of logging and recruitment on community phylogenetic structure in 32 permanent forest plots of Kampong Thom, Cambodia

2015 ◽  
Vol 370 (1662) ◽  
pp. 20140008 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hironori Toyama ◽  
Tsuyoshi Kajisa ◽  
Shuichiro Tagane ◽  
Keiko Mase ◽  
Phourin Chhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Phylogenetic Diversity ◽  
Tropical Rainforest ◽  
Deciduous Forests ◽  
Ecological Communities ◽  
Illegal Logging ◽  
Phylogenetic Structure ◽  
Evergreen Forests ◽  
Phylogenetic Community Structure ◽  
Β Diversity ◽  
Made In

Ecological communities including tropical rainforest are rapidly changing under various disturbances caused by increasing human activities. Recently in Cambodia, illegal logging and clear-felling for agriculture have been increasing. Here, we study the effects of logging, mortality and recruitment of plot trees on phylogenetic community structure in 32 plots in Kampong Thom, Cambodia. Each plot was 0.25 ha; 28 plots were established in primary evergreen forests and four were established in secondary dry deciduous forests. Measurements were made in 1998, 2000, 2004 and 2010, and logging, recruitment and mortality of each tree were recorded. We estimated phylogeny using rbcL and matK gene sequences and quantified phylogenetic α and β diversity. Within communities, logging decreased phylogenetic diversity, and increased overall phylogenetic clustering and terminal phylogenetic evenness. Between communities, logging increased phylogenetic similarity between evergreen and deciduous plots. On the other hand, recruitment had opposite effects both within and between communities. The observed patterns can be explained by environmental homogenization under logging. Logging is biased to particular species and larger diameter at breast height, and forest patrol has been effective in decreasing logging.

Third lineage of rodent eimerians: morphology, phylogeny and re-description of Eimeria myoxi (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) from Eliomys quercinus (Rodentia: Gliridae)

Parasitology ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 138 (10) ◽  
pp. 1217-1223 ◽  
Author(s):  
JANA KVIČEROVÁ ◽  
VÁCLAV MIKEŠ ◽  
VÁCLAV HYPŠA
Keyword(s):  
Sequence Data ◽  
Single Species ◽  
Molecular Data ◽  
Molecular Characteristics ◽  
Phylogenetic Information ◽  
Taxonomic Level ◽  
Unequivocal Identification ◽  
Garden Dormouse ◽  
Eliomys Quercinus ◽  
Exact Position

SUMMARYCoccidian oocysts from feces of 46 individuals of the garden dormouse, Eliomys quercinus (Rodentia: Gliridae), were morphologically and molecularly characterized. Both morphological and sequence data (18S rDNA and ORF 470) showed low variability, indicating that all samples represent a single species. By comparison with published morphological descriptions of coccidia from glirid rodents, we determined that the samples represent Eimeria myoxi. Molecular data suggest that this species does not fall within the 2 known rodent-specific groups but branches as a third independent lineage. However, its exact position in respect to other eimerian clusters could not be established due to the lack of phylogenetic information at this taxonomic level for the 18S rRNA and ORF 470 genes. Based on these results, we provide a re-description of Eimeria myoxi, which contains morphological and molecular characteristics sufficient for its further unequivocal identification.

scholarly journals How to fight multiple enemies: target-specific chemical defences in an aposematic moth

2017 ◽  
Vol 284 (1863) ◽  
pp. 20171424 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bibiana Rojas ◽  
Emily Burdfield-Steel ◽  
Hannu Pakkanen ◽  
Kaisa Suisto ◽  
Michael Maczka ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Chemical Defence ◽  
Single Species ◽  
Specific Chemical ◽  
Biologically Relevant ◽  
Chemical Defences ◽  
Defensive Strategies ◽  
Tiger Moth ◽  
Aversive Response ◽  
Show Evidence

Animals have evolved different defensive strategies to survive predation, among which chemical defences are particularly widespread and diverse. Here we investigate the function of chemical defence diversity, hypothesizing that such diversity has evolved as a response to multiple enemies. The aposematic wood tiger moth ( Arctia plantaginis ) displays conspicuous hindwing coloration and secretes distinct defensive fluids from its thoracic glands and abdomen. We presented the two defensive fluids from laboratory-reared moths to two biologically relevant predators, birds and ants, and measured their reaction in controlled bioassays (no information on colour was provided). We found that defensive fluids are target-specific: thoracic fluids, and particularly 2- sec -butyl-3-methoxypyrazine, which they contain, deterred birds, but caused no aversive response in ants. By contrast, abdominal fluids were particularly deterrent to ants, while birds did not find them repellent. Our study, to our knowledge, is the first to show evidence of a single species producing separate chemical defences targeted to different predator types, highlighting the importance of taking into account complex predator communities in studies on the evolution of prey defence diversity.

scholarly journals Species richness, phylogenetic diversity and phylogenetic structure patterns of exotic and native plants along an elevational gradient in the Himalaya

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kumar Manish
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Exotic Species ◽  
Native Species ◽  
Phylogenetic Diversity ◽  
Elevational Gradient ◽  
Species Assemblages ◽  
Native Plant ◽  
Phylogenetic Structure ◽  
Phylogenetic Overdispersion ◽  
The Himalaya

Abstract Background So far, macroecological studies in the Himalaya have mostly concentrated on spatial variation of overall species richness along the elevational gradient. Very few studies have attempted to document the difference in elevational richness patterns of native and exotic species. In this study, this knowledge gap is addressed by integrating data on phylogeny and elevational distribution of species to identify the variation in species richness, phylogenetic diversity and phylogenetic structure of exotic and native plant species along an elevational gradient in the Himalaya. Results Species distribution patterns for exotic and native species differed; exotics tended to show maximum species richness at low elevations while natives tended to predominate at mid-elevations. Native species assemblages showed higher phylogenetic diversity than the exotic species assemblages over the entire elevational gradient in the Himalaya. In terms of phylogenetic structure, exotic species assemblages showed majorly phylogenetic clustering while native species assemblages were characterized by phylogenetic overdispersion over the entire gradient. Conclusions The findings of this study indicate that areas with high native species richness and phylogenetic diversity are less receptive to exotic species and vice versa in the Himalaya. Species assemblages with high native phylogenetic overdispersion are less receptive to exotic species than the phylogenetically clustered assemblages. Different ecological processes (ecological filtering in case of exotics and resource and niche competition in case of natives) may govern the distribution of exotic and native species along the elevational gradient in the Himalaya.

scholarly journals Metacommunity phylogenteic structure along environmental gradients

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diogo Provete
Keyword(s):  
Phylogenetic Trees ◽  
Environmental Gradients ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Canopy Cover ◽  
Freshwater Ecosystems ◽  
Southeastern Brazil ◽  
Quadratic Term ◽  
Lineage Sorting ◽  
Phylogenetic Information ◽  
Phylogenetic Structure

Phylogenetic information has increasingly been included in studies of local communities and also at broad spatial scales. Despite recent criticisms in the last four years, phylogenetic relationships may still provide insights into theorganization and assembly of ecological communities. The objectives of this study were 1) to review the history of the use of phylogenetic information, as well as criticisms and perspectives of its use in community ecology; 2) understand how the size and shape of phylogenetic trees and the phylogenetic structure of metacomunidaes affect the amount of variation accounted for by a eigenvectorbasedmethod used to describe the phylogenetic composition of metacomunidaes (PCPS); 3) to test the effect of diversity of evolutionary history (MNTD and MPD) and species richness as predictors of three variables of freshwater ecosystemfunctioning (productivity, respiration, and decomposition); and finally 4) to test how environmental gradients, especially pond canopy cover, influence the phylogenetic structure of an anuran metacommunity from southeastern Brazil. Ifound that the structure of metacommunities had greater impact on eigenvalues of PCPS than tree shape metrics, such as symmetry and stemminess. In addition, decomposition and respiration were best predicted by MNTD as a linear function, while productivity was affected by the quadratic term of MNTD. Finally, pond canopy cover and floating vegetation strongly affected the phylogenetic structureof the anruan metacommunity, influencing lineage sorting. These findings 1) can help users interpret the results of PCPS; 2) provide better understand of the effectof species loss in multitrophic, freshwater ecosystems; and 3) improve our knowledge about the effect of canopy cover on the lineage composition in anuran metacomunities.

scholarly journals Roads as conduits of taxonomic, functional and phylogenetic degradation in caatinga vegetation

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nayara Mesquita Mota ◽  
Markus Gastauer ◽  
Juan Fernando Carrión ◽  
João Augusto Alves Meira-Neto
Keyword(s):  
Plant Communities ◽  
Phylogenetic Diversity ◽  
Plant Traits ◽  
Environmental Filtering ◽  
Maximum Diameter ◽  
Maximum Height ◽  
Phylogenetic Structure ◽  
Caatinga Vegetation ◽  
Phylogenetic Lineages ◽  
Functional And Phylogenetic Diversity

AbstractRoad networks cause disturbances that can alter the biodiversity and the functioning of the Caatinga ecosystems. We tested the hypotheses that (i) Caatinga vegetation near roads is less taxonomically, functionally and phylogenetically diverse, (ii) phylogenetically and functionally more clustered than vegetation further from roads, (iii) plant traits associated with herbivory deterrence are conserved within the phylogenetic lineages, and (iv) Caatinga vegetation near roads selects for disturbance-related traits. We sampled herbaceous and woody component of vegetation in four plots near roads and four plots further from roads to test these hypothesis. Sampled species were classified according to their resprouting capacity, nitrogen fixation, succulence/spines, urticancy/toxicity, lifeform, endozoochory, maximum height and maximum diameter, before we calculated the taxonomic, functional and phylogenetic diversity of plant communities. Species richness, taxonomic, functional and phylogenetic diversities were lower in plots close to the roads, confirming roads as sources of disturbances. The phylogenetic structure of the Caatinga vegetation near roads was clustered, indicating environmental filtering by herbivory as the main pervasive disturbance in Caatinga ecosystems, since traits related to herbivory deterrence were conserved within phylogenetic lineages and were filtered in near roads. Thus, roads should be considered degradation conduits causing taxonomic, phylogenetic and functional impoverishment of Caatinga vegetation.

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