scholarly journals Disease mediated changes to life history and demography threaten the survival of European amphibian populations

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lewis J. Campbell ◽  
Trenton W. J. Garner ◽  
Giulia Tessa ◽  
Benjamin C. Scheele ◽  
Amber G.F. Griffiths ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Life History ◽  
Infectious Diseases ◽  
Rana Temporaria ◽  
Life History Strategy ◽  
Adult Mortality ◽  
Population Declines ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Historical Presence ◽  
Population Demographic ◽  
The Impact

AbstractInfectious diseases can influence the life history strategy of their hosts and such influences subsequently impact the demography of infected populations, reducing viability independently of increased mortality or morbidity. Amphibians are the most threatened group of vertebrates and emerging infectious diseases play a large role in their population declines. Viruses of genus Ranavirus are responsible for one of the deadliest of these diseases. To date no work has evaluated the impact of ranaviruses on host life-history post metamorphosis or population demographic structure at the individual level. In this study, we used skeletochronology and morphology to evaluate the impact of ranaviruses on the demography of populations of European common frog (Rana temporaria) in the United Kingdom. We compared ecologically similar populations that differed only in their historical presence or absence of ranaviral disease. Our results suggest that ranaviruses are associated with shifts in the age structure of infected populations, potentially caused by increased adult mortality and associated shifts in the life history of younger age classes. Population projection models indicate that such age truncation could heighten the vulnerability of frog populations to stochastic environmental challenges. Our individual level data provide further compelling evidence that the emergence of infectious diseases can alter host demography, subsequently increasing population vulnerability to additional stressors.

scholarly journals An emerging viral pathogen truncates population age structure in a European amphibian and may reduce population viability

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lewis J Campbell ◽  
Trenton W J Garner ◽  
Giulia Tessa ◽  
Benjamin C Scheele ◽  
Amber G F Griffiths ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Infectious Diseases ◽  
Age Structure ◽  
Rana Temporaria ◽  
Emerging Infectious Diseases ◽  
Adult Mortality ◽  
Population Declines ◽  
Viral Pathogen ◽  
Historical Presence ◽  
Population Demographic ◽  
The Impact

Infectious diseases can alter the demography of their host populations, reducing their viability even in the absence of mass mortality. Amphibians are the most threatened group of vertebrates globally, and emerging infectious diseases play a large role in their continued population declines. Viruses belonging to the genus Ranavirus are responsible for one of the deadliest and most widespread of these diseases. To date, no work has used individual level data to investigate how ranaviruses affect population demographic structure. We used skeletochronology and morphology to evaluate the impact of ranaviruses on the age structure of populations of the European common frog (Rana temporaria) in the United Kingdom. We compared ecologically similar populations that differed only in their historical presence or absence of ranavirosis (the acute syndrome caused by ranavirus infection). Our results suggest that ranavirosis may truncate the age structure of R. temporaria populations. One potential explanation for such a shift might be increased adult mortality and subsequent shifts in the life history of younger age classes that increase reproductive output earlier in life. Additionally we constructed population projection models which indicated that such increased adult mortality could heighten the vulnerability of frog populations to stochastic environmental challenges.

scholarly journals An emerging viral pathogen truncates population age structure in a European amphibian and may reduce population viability

PeerJ ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. e5949 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lewis J. Campbell ◽  
Trenton W.J. Garner ◽  
Giulia Tessa ◽  
Benjamin C. Scheele ◽  
Amber G.F. Griffiths ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Infectious Diseases ◽  
Age Structure ◽  
Rana Temporaria ◽  
Emerging Infectious Diseases ◽  
Adult Mortality ◽  
Population Declines ◽  
Viral Pathogen ◽  
Historical Presence ◽  
Population Demographic ◽  
The Impact

Infectious diseases can alter the demography of their host populations, reducing their viability even in the absence of mass mortality. Amphibians are the most threatened group of vertebrates globally, and emerging infectious diseases play a large role in their continued population declines. Viruses belonging to the genus Ranavirus are responsible for one of the deadliest and most widespread of these diseases. To date, no work has used individual level data to investigate how ranaviruses affect population demographic structure. We used skeletochronology and morphology to evaluate the impact of ranaviruses on the age structure of populations of the European common frog (Rana temporaria) in the UK. We compared ecologically similar populations that differed most notably in their historical presence or absence of ranavirosis (the acute syndrome caused by ranavirus infection). Our results suggest that ranavirosis may truncate the age structure of R. temporaria populations. One potential explanation for such a shift might be increased adult mortality and subsequent shifts in the life history of younger age classes that increase reproductive output earlier in life. Additionally, we constructed population projection models which indicated that such increased adult mortality could heighten the vulnerability of frog populations to stochastic environmental challenges.

scholarly journals An emerging viral pathogen truncates population age structure in a European amphibian and may reduce population viability

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lewis J Campbell ◽  
Trenton W J Garner ◽  
Giulia Tessa ◽  
Benjamin C Scheele ◽  
Amber G F Griffiths ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Infectious Diseases ◽  
Age Structure ◽  
Rana Temporaria ◽  
Emerging Infectious Diseases ◽  
Adult Mortality ◽  
Population Declines ◽  
Viral Pathogen ◽  
Historical Presence ◽  
Population Demographic ◽  
The Impact

Infectious diseases can alter the demography of their host populations, reducing their viability even in the absence of mass mortality. Amphibians are the most threatened group of vertebrates globally, and emerging infectious diseases play a large role in their continued population declines. Viruses belonging to the genus Ranavirus are responsible for one of the deadliest and most widespread of these diseases. To date, no work has used individual level data to investigate how ranaviruses affect population demographic structure. We used skeletochronology and morphology to evaluate the impact of ranaviruses on the age structure of populations of the European common frog (Rana temporaria) in the United Kingdom. We compared ecologically similar populations that differed only in their historical presence or absence of ranavirosis (the acute syndrome caused by ranavirus infection). Our results suggest that ranavirosis may truncate the age structure of R. temporaria populations. One potential explanation for such a shift might be increased adult mortality and subsequent shifts in the life history of younger age classes that increase reproductive output earlier in life. Additionally we constructed population projection models which indicated that such increased adult mortality could heighten the vulnerability of frog populations to stochastic environmental challenges.

scholarly journals The impact of sex ratio and economic status on local birth rates

2013 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 20130027 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Chipman ◽  
E. Morrison
Keyword(s):  
Life History ◽  
Sex Ratio ◽  
Economic Status ◽  
Life History Strategy ◽  
Reproductive Behaviour ◽  
Female Competition ◽  
Birth Rates ◽  
Economically Deprived ◽  
Human Mating ◽  
The Impact

Human mating and reproductive behaviour can vary depending on various mechanisms, including the local sex ratio. Previous research shows that as sex ratios become female-biased, women from economically deprived areas are less likely to delay reproductive opportunities to wait for a high-investing mate but instead begin their reproductive careers sooner. Here, we show that the local sex ratio also has an impact on female fertility schedules. At young ages, a female-biased ratio is associated with higher birth rates in the poorest areas, whereas the opposite is true for the richest areas. At older ages, a female-biased ratio is associated with higher birth rates in the richest, but not the poorest areas. These patterns suggest that female–female competition encourages poorer women to adopt a fast life-history strategy and give birth early, and richer women to adopt a slow life-history strategy and delay reproduction.

scholarly journals Slow Life History Leaves Endangered Snake Vulnerable to Illegal Poaching

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chris Jolly ◽  
Brenton von Takach ◽  
Jonathan Webb
Keyword(s):  
Life History ◽  
Population Growth ◽  
Life Histories ◽  
Extinction Risk ◽  
Adult Mortality ◽  
Sensitivity Analyses ◽  
Wildlife Trade ◽  
Pet Trade ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Negative Population

Abstract Global wildlife trade is a multibillion-dollar industry and a significant driver of vertebrate extinction risk. Yet, few studies have quantified the impact of wild harvesting for the illicit pet trade on populations. Long-lived species, by virtue of their slow life history characteristics, may be unable to sustain even low levels of harvesting. Here, we assessed the impact of illegal poaching on a metapopulation of endangered broad-headed snakes (Hoplocephalus bungaroides) at gated (protected) and ungated (unprotected) populations. Because broad-headed snakes are long-lived, grow slowly and reproduce infrequently, populations are likely vulnerable to increases in adult mortality. Long-term data revealed that annual survival rates of snakes were significantly lower in the ungated population than the gated population, consistent with the hypothesis of human removal of snakes for the pet trade. Population viability analysis showed that the ungated population has a strongly negative population growth rate and is only prevented from ultimate extinction by dispersal of small numbers of individuals from the gated population. Sensitivity analyses showed that the removal of a small number of adult females was sufficient to impose negative population growth and suggests that threatened species with slow life histories are likely to be especially vulnerable to illegal poaching.

scholarly journals Life History, Fertility, and Short-Term Mating Motivation

2018 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 147470491880006 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aekyoung Kim ◽  
Hannah Bradshaw ◽  
Kristina M. Durante ◽  
Sarah E. Hill
Keyword(s):  
Life History ◽  
Early Life ◽  
Life History Strategy ◽  
Single Women ◽  
Relationship Status ◽  
Cycle Phase ◽  
High Fertility ◽  
Ovulatory Cycle ◽  
Short Term ◽  
The Impact

The current research examines the impact of women’s early-life socioeconomic status (SES; used as a proxy measure of life history strategy), relationship status, and ovulatory cycle phase on their desire for short-term mating. Results revealed that during the periovulatory phase (i.e., the high-fertility phase of the monthly ovulatory cycle), single women from low SES environments expressed an increased desire for short-term mating, whereas the opposite was found for single women from high SES environments. No such pattern was found for partnered women. These results suggest that one’s early-life environment and relationship status may play a key role in how women respond to internal fertility cues, providing important new insights into factors that may moderate ovulatory shifts in mating behavior. Results provide some of the first evidence that one’s developmental history may alter the expression of ovulatory cycle adaptations.

scholarly journals CLASH: Climate (change) and cultural evolution of intergroup conflict

2017 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 457-471 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul A. M. van Lange ◽  
Maria I. Rinderu ◽  
Brad J. Bushman
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Life History ◽  
Seasonal Variation ◽  
Theoretical Model ◽  
Income Inequality ◽  
Cultural Evolution ◽  
Life History Strategy ◽  
Self Control ◽  
Intergroup Conflict ◽  
The Impact

Aggression and violence levels generally increase as one moves closer to the equator, but why? We developed a new theoretical model, CLimate, Aggression, and Self-control in Humans (CLASH; van Lange, Rinderu, & Bushman, 2017b, 2017c), to understand differences within and between countries in aggression and violence in terms of differences in climate. Colder temperatures, and especially larger degrees of seasonal variation in climate, call for individuals and groups to adopt a slower life history strategy, revealed in a greater focus on the future (vs. present) and a stronger focus on self-control—variables that are known to inhibit aggression and violence. Other variables (e.g., wealth, income inequality, parasite stress) are also linked to both climate differences and to aggression and violence differences. When people think of the consequences of climate change, they rarely think of the impact on aggression and violence levels, but they should. CLASH has broad implications for the effects of climate change on intergroup conflict.

scholarly journals Slow life history leaves endangered snake vulnerable to illegal collecting

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chris J. Jolly ◽  
Brenton Von Takach ◽  
Jonathan K. Webb
Keyword(s):  
Life History ◽  
Population Growth ◽  
Life Histories ◽  
Extinction Risk ◽  
Adult Mortality ◽  
Sensitivity Analyses ◽  
Wildlife Trade ◽  
Pet Trade ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Negative Population

AbstractGlobal wildlife trade is a multibillion-dollar industry and a significant driver of vertebrate extinction risk. Yet, few studies have quantified the impact of wild harvesting for the illicit pet trade on populations. Long-lived species, by virtue of their slow life history characteristics, may be unable to sustain even low levels of collecting. Here, we assessed the impact of illegal collecting on populations of endangered broad-headed snakes (Hoplocephalus bungaroides) at gated (protected) and ungated (unprotected) sites. Because broad-headed snakes are long-lived, grow slowly and reproduce infrequently, populations are likely vulnerable to increases in adult mortality. Long-term data revealed that annual survival rates of snakes were significantly lower in the ungated population than the gated population, consistent with the hypothesis of human removal of snakes for the pet trade. Population viability analysis showed that the ungated population has a strongly negative population growth rate and is only prevented from ultimate extinction by dispersal of small numbers of individuals from the gated population. Sensitivity analyses showed that the removal of a small number of adult females was sufficient to impose negative population growth and suggests that threatened species with slow life histories are likely to be especially vulnerable to illegal collecting.

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