scholarly journals Intra-specific variability of hindlimb length in the palmate newt: an indicator of population isolation induced by habitat fragmentation?

2016 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 20160066 ◽  
Author(s):  
Audrey Trochet ◽  
Hugo Le Chevalier ◽  
Boris Baillat ◽  
Laurent Barthe ◽  
Gilles Pottier ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Fragmentation ◽  
Environmental Variables ◽  
Morphological Traits ◽  
Dispersal Ability ◽  
Locomotor Performance ◽  
Habitat Types ◽  
Population Isolation ◽  
Population System ◽  
Heterogeneous Landscape ◽  
Palmate Newt

Habitat fragmentation is one of the main drivers of global amphibian decline. Anthropogenic landscape elements can act as barriers, hindering the dispersal that is essential for maintaining gene flow between populations. Dispersal ability can be influenced by locomotor performance, which in turn can depend on morphological traits, such as hindlimb length (HLL) in amphibians. Here, we tested relationships between HLL and environmental variables—road types, forests and agricultural lands—among 35 sub-populations of palmate newts ( Lissotriton helveticus ) in southwestern France. We expected roads to select for short-legged newts due to a higher mortality of more mobile individuals (long-legged newts) when crossing roads. Accordingly, short-legged newts were found in the vicinity of roads, whereas long-legged newts were found closer to forests and in ponds close geographically to another water body. HLL in newts was hence influenced by habitat types in a heterogeneous landscape, and could therefore be used as an indicator of population isolation in a meta-population system.

scholarly journals The role of dispersal for shaping phylogeographical structure of flightless beetles from the Andes

PeerJ ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. e7226 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sofia I. Muñoz-Tobar ◽  
Michael S. Caterino
Keyword(s):  
Mitochondrial Gene ◽  
Ground Beetle ◽  
Population Level ◽  
Population Subdivision ◽  
Dispersal Ability ◽  
Population Isolation ◽  
Small Areas ◽  
Maximum Entropy Models ◽  
The Andes

Background Páramo is a tropical alpine ecosystem present in the northern Andes. Its patchy distribution imposes limits and barriers to specialist inhabitants. We aim to assess the effects of this habitat distribution on divergence across two independently flightless ground beetle lineages, in the genera Dyscolus and Dercylus. Methods One nuclear and one mitochondrial gene from 110 individuals from 10 sites across the two lineages were sequenced and analyzed using a combination of phylogenetics, population genetic analyses, and niche modeling methods. Results The two lineages show different degrees of population subdivision. Low levels of gene flow were found in Dyscolus alpinus, where one dominant haplotype is found in four out of the six populations analyzed for both molecular markers. However, complete population isolation was revealed in species of the genus Dercylus, where high levels of differentiation exist at species and population level for both genes. Maximum entropy models of species in the Dercylus lineage show overlapping distributions. Still, species distributions appear to be restricted to small areas across the Andes. Conclusion Even though both beetle lineages are flightless, the dispersal ability of each beetle lineage appears to influence the genetic diversity across fragmented páramo populations, where Dyscolus alpinus appears to be a better disperser than species in the genus Dercylus.

Genetic effects of habitat fragmentation and population isolation on Etheostoma raneyi (Percidae)

2012 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 859-872 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ken A. Sterling ◽  
David H. Reed ◽  
Brice P. Noonan ◽  
Melvin L. Warren
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Fragmentation ◽  
Genetic Effects ◽  
Population Isolation

scholarly journals The accelerating anuran: evolution of locomotor performance in cane toads ( Rhinella marina , Bufonidae) at an invasion front

2020 ◽  
Vol 287 (1938) ◽  
pp. 20201964 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cameron M. Hudson ◽  
Marta Vidal-García ◽  
Trevor G. Murray ◽  
Richard Shine
Keyword(s):  
Morphological Traits ◽  
High Speed ◽  
Morphological Changes ◽  
Locomotor Performance ◽  
Rhinella Marina ◽  
Invasion Front ◽  
In Captivity ◽  
Tropical Australia ◽  
Range Core ◽  
Locomotor Ability

As is common in biological invasions, the rate at which cane toads ( Rhinella marina ) have spread across tropical Australia has accelerated through time. Individuals at the invasion front travel further than range-core conspecifics and exhibit distinctive morphologies that may facilitate rapid dispersal. However, the links between these morphological changes and locomotor performance have not been clearly documented. We used raceway trials and high-speed videography to document locomotor traits (e.g. hop distances, heights, velocities, and angles of take-off and landing) of toads from range-core and invasion-front populations. Locomotor performance varied geographically, and this variation in performance was linked to morphological features that have evolved during the toads' Australian invasion. Geographical variation in morphology and locomotor ability was evident not only in wild-caught animals, but also in individuals that had been raised under standardized conditions in captivity. Our data thus support the hypothesis that the cane toad's invasion across Australia has generated rapid evolutionary shifts in dispersal-relevant performance traits, and that these differences in performance are linked to concurrent shifts in morphological traits.

scholarly journals Diversification of Aeonium Species Across Macaronesian Archipelagos: Correlations Between Genome-Size Variation and Their Conservation Status

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miguel Brilhante ◽  
Guilherme Roxo ◽  
Sílvia Catarino ◽  
Patrícia dos Santos ◽  
J. Alfredo Reyes-Betancort ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Genome Size ◽  
Environmental Variables ◽  
Morphological Traits ◽  
Conservation Status ◽  
Size Variation ◽  
Ecological Niches ◽  
Conservation Priorities ◽  
Genome Size Variation ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Macaronesian Islands

The rich endemic flora of the Macaronesian Islands places these oceanic archipelagos among the top biodiversity hotspots worldwide. The radiations that have determined the evolution of many of these insular lineages resulted in a wealth of endemic species, many of which occur in a wide range of ecological niches, but show small distribution areas in each of them. Aeonium (Crassulaceae) is the most speciose lineage in the Canary Islands (ca. 40 taxa), and as such can be considered a good model system to understand the diversification dynamics of oceanic endemic floras. The present study aims to assess the genome size variation within Aeonium distribution, i.e., the Macaronesian archipelagos of Madeira, Canaries and Cabo Verde, and analyse it together with information on distribution (i.e., geography and conservation status), taxonomy (i.e., sections), morphological traits (i.e., growth-form), geological data (i.e., island's geological age), and environmental variables (i.e., altitude, annual mean temperature, and precipitation). Based on extensive fieldwork, a cytogeographic screening of 24 Aeonium species was performed. The conservation status of these species was assessed based on IUCN criteria. 61% of the taxa were found to be threatened (4% Endangered and 57% Vulnerable). For the first time, the genome size of a comprehensive sample of Aeonium across the Macaronesian archipelagos was estimated, and considerable differences in Cx-values were found, ranging from 0.984 pg (A. dodrantale) to 2.768 pg (A. gorgoneum). An overall positive correlation between genome size and conservation status was found, with the more endangered species having the larger genomes on average. However, only slight relationships were found between genome size, morphological traits, and environmental variables. These results underscore the importance of characterizing the cytogenomic diversity and conservation status of endemic plants found in Macaronesian Islands, providing, therefore, new data to establish conservation priorities.

Dispersal ability determines the genetic effects of habitat fragmentation in three species of aquatic insect

2010 ◽  
Vol 20 (5) ◽  
pp. 574-579 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kozo Watanabe ◽  
Michael T. Monaghan ◽  
Yasuhiro Takemon ◽  
Tatsuo Omura
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Fragmentation ◽  
Aquatic Insect ◽  
Genetic Effects ◽  
Dispersal Ability

Diggings by Feral Pigs Within the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area of North Queensland

1997 ◽  
Vol 24 (5) ◽  
pp. 591 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Mitchell ◽  
R. Mayer
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Variables ◽  
World Heritage ◽  
Habitat Types ◽  
Feral Pigs ◽  
Wet Tropics ◽  
World Heritage Area ◽  
Heritage Area

The association of ground-digging activity of feral pigs with a range of environmental variables was examined in the wet tropics World Heritage Area of north Queensland. Approximately 4% of the surveyed ground was disturbed by digging activity of feral pigs. Significant differences in diggings were detected between highland and lowland areas and between habitat types. Diggings were more prevalent in lowland areas and coastal swamp habitats. Diggings were positively associated with roads, tracks and moist drainage lines.

scholarly journals A database of functional traits for spiders from native forests of the Iberian Peninsula and Macaronesia

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nuria Macías-Hernández ◽  
Cândida Ramos ◽  
Marc Domènech ◽  
Sara Febles ◽  
Irene Santos ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Iberian Peninsula ◽  
Morphological Traits ◽  
Functional Trait ◽  
Foraging Strategy ◽  
Dispersal Ability ◽  
Trophic Specialization ◽  
Spider Species ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Direct Measurements ◽  
Total Body

There is an increasing demand for databases including species trait information for biodiversity and community ecology studies. The existence of trait databases is useful for comparative studies within taxa or geographical regions, but there is low availability of databases for certain organisms. Here we present an open access functional trait database for spiders from Macaronesia and the Iberian Peninsula, recording several morphological and ecological traits related to the species life histories, microhabitat and trophic preferences. We present a database that includes 12 biological traits for 506 spider species present in natural forests of the Iberian Peninsula (Spain) and three Macaronesian archipelagoes (Azores, Madeira and Canary Islands). The functional trait database consists of two sections: individual-level data for six morphological traits (total body size, prosoma length, prosoma width, prosoma height, tibia I length and fang length), based on direct measurements of 2844 specimens of all spider species; and species-level aggregate data for 12 traits (same 6 morphological traits as in the previous section plus dispersal ability, vertical stratification, circadian activity, foraging strategy, trophic specialization and colonization status), based on either the average of the direct measurements or bibliographic searches. individual-level data for six morphological traits (total body size, prosoma length, prosoma width, prosoma height, tibia I length and fang length), based on direct measurements of 2844 specimens of all spider species; and species-level aggregate data for 12 traits (same 6 morphological traits as in the previous section plus dispersal ability, vertical stratification, circadian activity, foraging strategy, trophic specialization and colonization status), based on either the average of the direct measurements or bibliographic searches. This functional trait database will serve as a data standard for currently ongoing analyses that require trait and functional diversity statistics.

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