Thermal niche dimensionality could limit species’ responses to temperature changes: Insights from dung beetles

AbstractUnderstanding the consequences of climate change requires understanding how temperature controls species’ responses across key biological aspects, as well as the coordination of thermal responses across these aspects. We study the role of temperature in determining the species’ diel, seasonal, and geographical occurrence, using dung beetles as a model system. We found that temperature has relatively low −but not negligible− effects in the three spatiotemporal scales, once accounting for alternative factors. More importantly, the estimated thermal responses were largely incongruent across scales. This shows that species have multidimensional thermal niches, entailing that adjustments to fulfil temperature requirements for one biological aspect, such as seasonal ontogenetic cycles, may result in detrimental effects on other aspects, like diel activity. These trade-offs can expose individuals to inadequate temperatures, reducing populations’ performance. Paradoxically, the relatively weak effects of temperature we found may have serious consequences for species’ responses to warming if temperature regulates essential aspects of species’ biology in divergent ways.

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Food-web dynamics under climate change

Proceedings of The Royal Society B Biological Sciences ◽

10.1098/rspb.2017.1772 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 284 (1867) ◽

pp. 20171772 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Lai Zhang ◽

Daisuke Takahashi ◽

Martin Hartvig ◽

Ken H. Andersen

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Food Web ◽

Ecosystem Function ◽

Trophic Levels ◽

Physiological Effects ◽

Ecological Communities ◽

Temperature Changes ◽

Thermal Niche ◽

The Impact ◽

Food Web Model

Climate change affects ecological communities through its impact on the physiological performance of individuals. However, the population dynamic of species well inside their thermal niche is also determined by competitors, prey and predators, in addition to being influenced by temperature changes. We use a trait-based food-web model to examine how the interplay between the direct physiological effects from temperature and the indirect effects due to changing interactions between populations shapes the ecological consequences of climate change for populations and for entire communities. Our simulations illustrate how isolated communities deteriorate as populations go extinct when the environment moves outside the species' thermal niches. High-trophic-level species are most vulnerable, while the ecosystem function of lower trophic levels is less impacted. Open communities can compensate for the loss of ecosystem function by invasions of new species. Individual populations show complex responses largely uncorrelated with the direct impact of temperature change on physiology. Such complex responses are particularly evident during extinction and invasion events of other species, where climatically well-adapted species may be brought to extinction by the changed food-web topology. Our results highlight that the impact of climate change on specific populations is largely unpredictable, and apparently well-adapted species may be severely impacted.

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Thermal niche helps to explain the ability of dung beetles to exploit disturbed habitats

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-020-70284-8 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Victoria C. Giménez Gómez ◽

José R. Verdú ◽

Gustavo A. Zurita

Keyword(s):

Dung Beetles ◽

Thermal Niche ◽

Disturbed Habitats

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Cryo-TEM of amphiphilic polymer and amphiphile/polymer solutions

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100150216 ◽

1993 ◽

Vol 51 ◽

pp. 876-877

Author(s):

Yeshayahu Talmon

Keyword(s):

Microstructural Characterization ◽

Building Blocks ◽

Quantitative Information ◽

Physical Models ◽

Specimen Preparation ◽

Time Resolved ◽

Temperature Changes ◽

Temperature And Humidity ◽

Microstructured Fluids ◽

Air Streams

To achieve complete microstructural characterization of self-aggregating systems, one needs direct images in addition to quantitative information from non-imaging, e.g., scattering or Theological measurements, techniques. Cryo-TEM enables us to image fluid microstructures at better than one nanometer resolution, with minimal specimen preparation artifacts. Direct images are used to determine the “building blocks” of the fluid microstructure; these are used to build reliable physical models with which quantitative information from techniques such as small-angle x-ray or neutron scattering can be analyzed.To prepare vitrified specimens of microstructured fluids, we have developed the Controlled Environment Vitrification System (CEVS), that enables us to prepare samples under controlled temperature and humidity conditions, thus minimizing microstructural rearrangement due to volatile evaporation or temperature changes. The CEVS may be used to trigger on-the-grid processes to induce formation of new phases, or to study intermediate, transient structures during change of phase (“time-resolved cryo-TEM”). Recently we have developed a new CEVS, where temperature and humidity are controlled by continuous flow of a mixture of humidified and dry air streams.

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Large-scale spatial ecology of dung beetles

Ecography ◽

10.1034/j.1600-0587.2001.d01-207.x ◽

2001 ◽

Vol 24 (5) ◽

pp. 511-524 ◽

Cited By ~ 24

Author(s):

Tomas Roslin

Keyword(s):

Spatial Ecology ◽

Large Scale ◽

Dung Beetles

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Application of pyrometer and standard sample to determine surface temperature of studied materials

Izmeritel`naya Tekhnika ◽

10.32446/0368-1025it.2019-12-9-13 ◽

2019 ◽

pp. 9-13

Author(s):

V.Ya. Mendeleyev ◽

V.A. Petrov ◽

A.V. Yashin ◽

A.I. Vangonen ◽

O.K. Taganov

Keyword(s):

Composite Material ◽

Surface Temperature ◽

Relative Error ◽

Wavelength Range ◽

Standard Sample ◽

A Priori ◽

Temperature Changes ◽

Surface Temperatures ◽

Relative Errors ◽

Normal Emissivity

Determining the surface temperature of materials with unknown emissivity is studied. A method for determining the surface temperature using a standard sample of average spectral normal emissivity in the wavelength range of 1,65–1,80 μm and an industrially produced Metis M322 pyrometer operating in the same wavelength range. The surface temperature of studied samples of the composite material and platinum was determined experimentally from the temperature of a standard sample located on the studied surfaces. The relative error in determining the surface temperature of the studied materials, introduced by the proposed method, was calculated taking into account the temperatures of the platinum and the composite material, determined from the temperature of the standard sample located on the studied surfaces, and from the temperature of the studied surfaces in the absence of the standard sample. The relative errors thus obtained did not exceed 1,7 % for the composite material and 0,5% for the platinum at surface temperatures of about 973 K. It was also found that: the inaccuracy of a priori data on the emissivity of the standard sample in the range (–0,01; 0,01) relative to the average emissivity increases the relative error in determining the temperature of the composite material by 0,68 %, and the installation of a standard sample on the studied materials leads to temperature changes on the periphery of the surface not exceeding 0,47 % for composite material and 0,05 % for platinum.

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