scholarly journals Early onset of breeding season in the green toad Bufotes viridis in Western Poland

Herpetozoa ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 32 ◽  
pp. 109-112
Author(s):  
Mikołaj Kaczmarski ◽  
Klaudia Szala ◽  
Janusz Kloskowski
Keyword(s):  
Early Onset ◽  
Central And Eastern Europe ◽  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Reproductive Activity ◽  
Breeding Phenology ◽  
Warm Spring ◽  
Breeding Date ◽  
Green Toad ◽  
Highly Sensitive ◽  
Population Consequences

Amphibians are highly sensitive to environmental changes such as climate warming. Here, we report unusually early oviposition in two spatially isolated urban subpopulations of the green toad Bufotesviridis Laurenti, 1768, in Poznań, Western Poland. To our knowledge, we report the earliest breeding date for Central and Eastern Europe, for areas of similar latitude. We ascribe the early onset of B.viridis reproduction to an exceptionally warm spring in Western Poland in 2017. B.viridis shows flexibility in the timing of reproductive activity, however, shifts in breeding phenology may have both beneficial and detrimental population consequences.

scholarly journals Temporal changes in reproductive success and optimal breeding decisions in a long-distance migratory bird

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Cynthia Reséndiz-Infante ◽  
Gilles Gauthier
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Success ◽  
Clutch Size ◽  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Migratory Bird ◽  
Laying Date ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Breeding Phenology ◽  
Additional Time ◽  
Long Distance ◽  
Seasonal Decline

AbstractMany avian migrants have not adjusted breeding phenology to climate warming resulting in negative consequences for their offspring. We studied seasonal changes in reproductive success of the greater snow goose (Anser caerulescens atlantica), a long-distance migrant. As the climate warms and plant phenology advances, the mismatch between the timing of gosling hatch and peak nutritive quality of plants will increase. We predicted that optimal laying date yielding highest reproductive success occurred earlier over time and that the seasonal decline in reproductive success increased. Over 25 years, reproductive success of early breeders increased by 42%, producing a steeper seasonal decline in reproductive success. The difference between the laying date producing highest reproductive success and the median laying date of the population increased, which suggests an increase in the selection pressure for that trait. Observed clutch size was lower than clutch size yielding the highest reproductive success for most laying dates. However, at the individual level, clutch size could still be optimal if the additional time required to acquire nutrients to lay extra eggs is compensated by a reduction in reproductive success due to a delayed laying date. Nonetheless, breeding phenology may not respond sufficiently to meet future environmental changes induced by warming temperatures.

scholarly journals Bioluminescence dynamics in single germinating bacterial spores reveal metabolic heterogeneity

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (170) ◽  
pp. 20200350
Author(s):  
Zak Frentz ◽  
Jonathan Dworkin
Keyword(s):  
Cell Fate ◽  
Quantitative Measurement ◽  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Reducing Power ◽  
Extreme Case ◽  
Bacterial Bioluminescence ◽  
Highly Sensitive ◽  
Germination Timing ◽  
Metabolic Heterogeneity ◽  
Spore Forming Bacteria

Spore-forming bacteria modulate their metabolic rate by over five orders of magnitude as they transition between dormant spores and vegetative cells and thus represent an extreme case of phenotypic variation. During environmental changes in nutrient availability, clonal populations of spore-forming bacteria exhibit individual differences in cell fate, the timing of phenotypic transitions and gene expression. One potential source of this variability is metabolic heterogeneity, but this has not yet been measured, as existing single-cell methods are not easily applicable to spores due to their small size and strong autofluorescence. Here, we use the bacterial bioluminescence system and a highly sensitive microscope to measure metabolic dynamics in thousands of B. subtilis spores as they germinate. We observe and quantitate large variations in the bioluminescence dynamics across individual spores that can be decomposed into contributions from variability in germination timing, the amount of endogenously produced luminescence substrate and the intracellular reducing power. This work shows that quantitative measurement of spore metabolism is possible and thus it opens avenues for future study of the thermodynamic nature of dormant states.

scholarly journals Interlaboratory Diagnostic Validation of Conformation-Sensitive Capillary Electrophoresis for Mutation Scanning

2010 ◽  
Vol 56 (4) ◽  
pp. 593-602 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher J Mattocks ◽  
Gemma Watkins ◽  
Daniel Ward ◽  
Tom Janssens ◽  
Ermanno AJ Bosgoed ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Capillary Electrophoresis ◽  
Early Onset ◽  
High Standard ◽  
Automated Analysis ◽  
Nucleotide Substitutions ◽  
Mutation Scanning ◽  
Manual Analysis ◽  
Highly Sensitive ◽  
Bionumerics Software

Abstract Background: Indirect alternatives to sequencing as a method for mutation scanning are of interest to diagnostic laboratories because they have the potential for considerable savings in both time and costs. Ideally, such methods should be simple, rapid, and highly sensitive, and they should be validated formally to a very high standard. Currently, most reported methods lack one or more of these characteristics. We describe the optimization and validation of conformation-sensitive capillary electrophoresis (CSCE) for diagnostic mutation scanning. Methods: We initially optimized the performance of CSCE with a systematic panel of plasmid-based controls. We then compared manual analysis by visual inspection with automated analysis by BioNumerics software (Applied Maths) in a blinded interlaboratory validation with 402 BRCA1 (breast cancer 1, early onset) and BRCA2 (breast cancer 1, early onset) variants previously characterized by Sanger sequencing. Results: With automated analysis, we demonstrated a sensitivity of >99% (95% CI), which is indistinguishable from the sensitivity for conventional sequencing by capillary electrophoresis. The 95% CI for specificity was 90%–93%; thus, CSCE greatly reduces the number of fragments that need to be sequenced to fully characterize variants. By manual analysis, the 95% CIs for sensitivity and specificity were 98.3%–99.4% and 93.1%–95.5%, respectively. Conclusions: CSCE is amenable to a high degree of automation, and analyses can be multiplexed to increase both capacity and throughput. We conclude that once it is optimized, CSCE combined with analysis with BioNumerics software is a highly sensitive and cost-effective mutation-scanning technique suitable for routine genetic diagnostic analysis of heterozygous nucleotide substitutions, small insertions, and deletions.

scholarly journals Characterization of oxidative stress biomarkers in a freshwater anomuran crab

2017 ◽  
Vol 78 (1) ◽  
pp. 61-67 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. C. P. Borges ◽  
J. F. G. Piassão ◽  
M. O. Paula ◽  
S. Sepp ◽  
C. F. S. Bez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Oxidative Stress ◽  
Seasonal Variations ◽  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Oxidative Stress Biomarkers ◽  
Stress Biomarkers ◽  
Physicochemical Variables ◽  
Highly Sensitive ◽  
Freshwater Crustacean ◽  
Environmental Responses ◽  
Oxidative Biomarkers

Abstract In general, environmental responses at level of populations or communities are preceded by alterations at lower biological levels which can be efficiently detected by the analysis of biomarkers. We analyzed the oxidative biomarkers TBARS and Catalase in Aegla singularis, a freshwater crustacean highly sensitive to environmental changes. The objective was to address if are differences in these biomarkers related to the gender as well if they are influenced by seasonal or water physicochemical variables. The results showed differences in biomarkers profile related to the gender. In female crabs were not sensitive to seasonal variations throughout the study period. However, in males the biomarkers evaluated were higher in the winter as compared to remaining seasons and showed tendency of negative correlation with water temperature and pH. This study highlights that gender, seasonal variations and physicochemical variables can influence oxidative stress biomarkers in A. singularis. Female crabs probably are better suited as a model for biomarker application in environmental studies, because their insensibility to seasonal variations can facilitate the observations of responses related specifically to environmental disturbances.

scholarly journals Evolutionary heritage shapes tree distributions along an Amazon-to-Andes elevation gradient

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andy R. Griffiths ◽  
Miles R. Silman ◽  
William Farfán Rios ◽  
Kenneth J. Feeley ◽  
Karina García Cabrera ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Census Data ◽  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Elevation Gradient ◽  
Cloud Base ◽  
Valuable Insight ◽  
Montane Forests ◽  
Peruvian Andes ◽  
Habitat Specialisation ◽  
Tropical Montane Forests ◽  
Highly Sensitive

ABSTRACTUnderstanding how evolutionary constraints shape the elevational distributions of tree lineages provides valuable insight into the future of tropical montane forests under global change. With narrow elevational ranges, high taxonomic turnover, frequent habitat specialisation, and exceptional levels of endemism, tropical montane forests and trees are predicted to be highly sensitive to environmental change. Using plot census data from a gradient traversing >3000 m in elevation on the Amazonian flank of the Peruvian Andes, we employ phylogenetic approaches to assess the influence of evolutionary heritage on distribution trends of trees at the genus level. We find that closely related lineages tend to occur at similar mean elevations, with sister genera pairs occurring a mean 254 m in elevation closer to each other than the mean elevational difference for all genera pairs. We also demonstrate phylogenetic clustering both above and below 1750 m a.s.l, corresponding roughly to the cloud-base ecotone. Belying these general trends, some lineages occur across many different elevations. However, these highly plastic lineages are not phylogenetically clustered. Overall, our findings suggest that tropical montane forests are home to unique tree lineage diversity, constrained by their evolutionary heritage and vulnerable to substantial losses under environmental changes, such as rising temperatures or an upward shift of the cloud base.

scholarly journals The contribution of tephra constituents during biogenic silica determination: implications for soil and palaeoecological studies

2015 ◽  
Vol 12 (12) ◽  
pp. 3789-3804 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. Clymans ◽  
L. Barão ◽  
N. Van der Putten ◽  
S. Wastegård ◽  
G. Gísladóttir ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Biogenic Silica ◽  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Biological Effects ◽  
Volcanic Glass ◽  
Alkaline Media ◽  
Glass Shard ◽  
Dissolution Properties ◽  
Highly Sensitive ◽  
Alkaline Dissolution ◽  
Glass Shards

Abstract. Biogenic silica (BSi) is used as a proxy by soil scientists to identify biological effects on the Si cycle and by palaeoecologists to study environmental changes. Alkaline extractions are typically used to measure BSi in both terrestrial and aquatic environments. The dissolution properties of volcanic glass in tephra deposits and their nanocrystalline weathering products are hypothesized to overlap those of BSi; however, data to support this behaviour are lacking. The potential that Si-bearing fractions dissolve in alkaline media (SiAlk) that do not necessarily correspond to BSi brings the applicability of BSi as a proxy into question. Here, analysis of 15 samples reported as tephra-containing allows us to reject the hypothesis that tephra constituents produce an identical dissolution signal to that of BSi during alkaline extraction. We found that dissolution of volcanic glass shards is incomplete during alkaline dissolution. Simultaneous measurement of Al and Si used here during alkaline dissolution provides an important parameter to enable us to separate glass shard dissolution from dissolution of BSi and other Si-bearing fractions. The contribution from volcanic glass shards (between 0.2 and 4 wt % SiO2), the main constituent of distal tephra, during alkaline dissolution can be substantial depending on the total SiAlk. Hence, soils and lake sediments with low BSi concentrations are highly sensitive to the additional dissolution from tephra constituents and its weathering products. We advise evaluation of the potential for volcanic or other non-biogenic contributions for all types of studies using BSi as an environmental proxy.

scholarly journals Simultaneous Ligand and Receptor Tracking through NMR Spectroscopy Enabled by Distinct 19F Labels

2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (15) ◽  
pp. 3658 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey R. Simmons ◽  
Alexandre Murza ◽  
Michael D. Lumsden ◽  
Calem Kenward ◽  
Éric Marsault ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nmr Spectroscopy ◽  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Chemical Shifts ◽  
Spin Dynamics ◽  
Conformational Sampling ◽  
Unambiguous Tracking ◽  
Binding Preference ◽  
Binding Event ◽  
Highly Sensitive ◽  
Α Helix

To probe ligand-receptor binding at the atomic-level, a frequent approach involves multidimensional nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy experiments relying on 13C- and/or 15N-enrichment alongside 1H. Alternatively, the lack of fluorine in biomolecules may be exploited through specific incorporation of 19F nuclei into a sample. The 19F nucleus is highly sensitive to environmental changes and allows for one-dimensional NMR spectroscopic study, with perturbation to chemical shift and spin dynamics diagnostic of structural change, ligand binding, and modified conformational sampling. This was applied to the apelinergic system, which comprises a rhodopsin-like G protein-coupled receptor (the apelin receptor (AR)/APJ) and two families of cognate ligands, the apelin and apela (ELABELA/toddler) peptides. Specifically, AR fragments consisting of either the N-terminal tail and first transmembrane (TM) α-helix (AR55) or the first three transmembrane α-helices (TM1-3) were prepared with biosynthetic fluorotryptophan incorporation. Interactions of each AR fragment with a high-affinity, 2,4,5-trifluorophenylalanine labeled apelin analogue were compared by 19F NMR. Distinct ranges of 19F chemical shifts for ligand and receptor provide unambiguous tracking of both species, with distinct binding behaviour observed for each AR fragment implying that AR55 is not sufficient to recapitulate the physiological binding event. Site-specific perturbation was also apparent for the apelin analogue as a function of substitution site, indicating an orientational binding preference. As a whole, this strategy of distinctive 19F labelling for ligand and receptor provides a relatively fast (i.e., employing 1D NMR experiments) and highly sensitive method to simultaneously and definitively track binding in both species.

scholarly journals Non-invasive methods to measure inter-renal function in aquatic salamanders—correlating fecal corticosterone to the environmental and physiologic conditions of captive Necturus

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew H Nagel ◽  
Mark Beshel ◽  
Christopher J DeChant ◽  
Sarah M Huskisson ◽  
Mark K Campbell ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Renal Function ◽  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Reproductive Activity ◽  
Acth Challenge ◽  
Non Invasive ◽  
Breeding Activity ◽  
Faecal Corticosterone Metabolites ◽  
Aquatic Salamanders ◽  
Corticosterone Metabolites

We measured faecal corticosterone metabolites (fCMs) in aquatic salamander Necturus to understand how inter-renal function changes throughout seasonal environmental changes and associated reproductive activity. fCMs elevated with lower water temperatures and breeding activity. To overcome some challenges associated with faecal hormone collection/analysis, waterborne corticosterone (wCM) was validated through ACTH challenge.

scholarly journals Shift in demographic structure and increased reproductive activity of loggerhead turtles in the French Mediterranean Sea revealed by long-term monitoring

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Fanny Girard ◽  
Sidonie Catteau ◽  
Delphine Gambaiani ◽  
Olivia Gérigny ◽  
Jean Baptiste Sénégas ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Size Structure ◽  
Reproductive Activity ◽  
Western Mediterranean ◽  
Surface Warming ◽  
The North ◽  
Western Mediterranean Basin ◽  
Loggerhead Turtles ◽  
Nesting Sites ◽  
Nesting Activity

AbstractClimate-induced environmental changes are profoundly impacting marine ecosystems and altering species distribution worldwide. Migratory organisms, including sea turtles, are expected to be particularly sensitive to these variations. Here, we studied changes in the size structure and reproductive activity of loggerhead turtles in the French Mediterranean over 30 years. Overall, there was a significant increase in the size of observed loggerheads between 1990 and 2020. However, this increase was only significant during the breeding/nesting season (May to September) and was driven by the increased presence of adults. Furthermore, nesting activity along the French coast was detected in 2002 for the first time in more than 50 years, and has become frequent after 2014, with nests discovered every year. The number of eggs laid as well as incubation duration and success varied among sites but fell within the range reported at established Mediterranean nesting sites. These observations, along with recent reports of breeding activity and evidence of significant sea surface warming, suggest that the north-western Mediterranean basin has become increasingly suitable to loggerhead turtles. We postulate that this range expansion is the result of climate change and propose that emerging nesting activity in France should be closely monitored and guarded against human activities.

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