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Otalora K, Riera JL, Tavecchia G, Rotger A, Igual JM, Trotta JP, Baldo L. Population genetics and phylogeographic history of the insular lizard Podarcis lilfordi (Gunther, 1874) from the Balearic Islands based on genome-wide polymorphic data. Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e11407. [PMID: 38799398 PMCID: PMC11116764 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.11407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2024] [Revised: 04/12/2024] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Islands provide a great system to explore the processes that maintain genetic diversity and promote local adaptation. We explored the genomic diversity of the Balearic lizard Podarcis lilfordi, an endemic species characterized by numerous small insular populations with large phenotypic diversity. Using the newly available genome for this species, we characterized more than 300,000 SNPs, merging genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) data with previously published restriction site-associated DNA sequencing (RAD-Seq) data, providing a dataset of 16 island populations (191 individuals) across the range of species distribution (Menorca, Mallorca, and Cabrera). Results indicate that each islet hosts a well-differentiated population (F ST = 0.247 ± 0.09), with no recent immigration/translocation events. Contrary to expectations, most populations harbor a considerable genetic diversity (mean nucleotide diversity, P i = 0.144 ± 0.021), characterized by overall low inbreeding values (F IS < 0.1). While the genetic diversity significantly decreased with decreasing islet surface, maintenance of substantial genetic diversity even in tiny islets suggests variable selection or other mechanisms that buffer genetic drift. Maximum-likelihood tree based on concatenated SNP data confirmed the existence of the two major independent lineages of Menorca and Mallorca/Cabrera. Multiple lines of evidence, including admixture and root testing, robustly placed the origin of the species in the Mallorca Island, rather than in Menorca. Outlier analysis mainly retrieved a strong signature of genome differentiation between the two major archipelagos, especially in the sexual chromosome Z. A set of proteins were target of multiple outliers and primarily associated with binding and catalytic activity, providing interesting candidates for future selection studies. This study provides the framework to explore crucial aspects of the genetic basis of phenotypic divergence and insular adaptation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherin Otalora
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Biology FacultyUniversity of Barcelona (UB)BarcelonaSpain
- Fundación FUNMAJO, EBA, RAIEC, Biodiversity BranchTunjaBoyacáColombia
| | - Joan Lluís Riera
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Biology FacultyUniversity of Barcelona (UB)BarcelonaSpain
| | - Giacomo Tavecchia
- Animal Demography and Ecology Unit (GEDA‐IMEDEA, CSIC‐UIB)EsporlesSpain
| | - Andreu Rotger
- Animal Demography and Ecology Unit (GEDA‐IMEDEA, CSIC‐UIB)EsporlesSpain
| | - José Manuel Igual
- Animal Demography and Ecology Unit (GEDA‐IMEDEA, CSIC‐UIB)EsporlesSpain
| | - Jean‐Remi Paul Trotta
- CNAG‐CRG, Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG)Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST)BarcelonaSpain
| | - Laura Baldo
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Biology FacultyUniversity of Barcelona (UB)BarcelonaSpain
- Institute for Research on Biodiversity (IRBio)University of Barcelona (UB)BarcelonaSpain
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Rotger A, Tenan S, Igual JM, Bonner S, Tavecchia G. Life span, growth, senescence and island syndrome: Accounting for imperfect detection and continuous growth. J Anim Ecol 2023; 92:183-194. [PMID: 36367397 PMCID: PMC10099801 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2022] [Accepted: 11/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Small vertebrates on islands are expected to attain a larger body size, and a greater survival than their mainland counterparts. Comparative studies have questioned whether lizards exhibit this set of adaptations, referred to as the 'island syndrome'. We collected data on 730 individuals the endemic Lilford's lizard Podarcis lilfordi throughout a 10-year period on a small island of the Balearic archipelago (Spain). We coupled a growth function with a capture-mark-recapture model to simultaneously estimate size- and sex-dependent growth rate and survival. To put our results into a wider context, we conducted a systematic review of growth, life span and age at maturity in different Podarcis species comparing insular and mainland populations. We found a low average growth coefficient (0.56 and 0.41 year-1 for males and females to reach an asymptotic size of 72.3 and 65.6 mm respectively), a high annual survival probability of 0.81 and 0.79 in males and females, and a large variability between individuals in growth parameters. Survival probability decreased with body size in both sexes, indicating a senescence pattern typical of long-lived species or in populations with a low extrinsic mortality. Assuming a constant survival after sexual maturity, at about 2 years old, the average life span was 6.18 years in males and 8.99 in females. The oldest animal was a male last captured at an estimated age of ≥13 years and still alive at the end of the study. Our results agree with the predictions of the 'island syndrome' for survival, life span and growth parameters. A comparative analysis of these values across 29 populations of 16 different species of Podarcis indicated that insular lizards grow slower and live longer than their mainland counterparts. However, our data differed from other island populations of the same species, suggesting that island-specific characteristics play an additional role to isolation. Within this study we developed an analytical approach to study the body size-dependent survival of small reptiles. We discuss its applicability to contrast hypotheses on senescence in different sexes of this species, and provide the code used to integrate the growth and capture-mark-recapture models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreu Rotger
- Animal Demography and Ecology Unit, GEDA - IMEDEA (CSIC/UIB), Esporles, Spain.,MUSE - Science Museum, Corso del Lavoro e della Scienza, Trento, Italy
| | - Simone Tenan
- National Research Council, Institute of Marine Sciences (CNR-ISMAR), Venezia, Italy
| | - José-Manuel Igual
- Animal Demography and Ecology Unit, GEDA - IMEDEA (CSIC/UIB), Esporles, Spain
| | - Simon Bonner
- University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Giacomo Tavecchia
- Animal Demography and Ecology Unit, GEDA - IMEDEA (CSIC/UIB), Esporles, Spain
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Gaya HE, Smith LL, Moore CT. Accounting for spatial heterogeneity in visual obstruction in line‐transect distance sampling of gopher tortoises. J Wildl Manage 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.22338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Heather E. Gaya
- Georgia Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources University of Georgia 180 E. Green Street Athens GA 30602 USA
| | - Lora L. Smith
- Jones Center at Ichauway 3988 Jones Center Drive Newton GA 39870 USA
| | - Clinton T. Moore
- U.S. Geological Survey, Georgia Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources University of Georgia 180 E. Green Street Athens GA 30605 USA
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Wang Z, Li Y, Jain A, Pierce NE. Agent-based models reveal limits of mark-release-recapture estimates for the rare butterfly, Bhutanitis thaidina (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae). INSECT SCIENCE 2022; 29:550-566. [PMID: 34263543 DOI: 10.1111/1744-7917.12949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2021] [Revised: 06/15/2021] [Accepted: 06/16/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Insect diversity and abundance are in drastic decline worldwide, but quantifying insect populations to better conserve them is a difficult task. Mark-release-recapture (MRR) is widely used as an ecological indicator for insect populations, but the accuracy of MRR estimates can vary with factors such as spatial scale, sampling effort and models of inference. We conducted a 3-year MRR study of B. thaidina in Yanzigou valley, Mt. Gongga but failed to obtain sufficient data for a robust population estimate. This prompted us to integrate B. thaidina life history information to parameterize agent-based models and evaluate the conditions under which successful MRR studies could be conducted. We evaluated: (1) the performance of MRR models under different landscape types, and (2) the influence of experimental design on the accuracy and variance of MRR-based estimates. Our simulations revealed systematic underestimates of true population parameters by MRR models when sampling effort was insufficient. In a total of 2772 simulations, subjective decisions in sampling protocol (e.g., frequency, number of sampling locations, use of spatially explicit models, type of estimands) accounted for nearly half of the variation in estimates. We conclude that MRR-based estimates could be improved with the addition of more field-specific parameters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhengyang Wang
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology and Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Yuanheng Li
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology and Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Anuj Jain
- Nature Society (Singapore), Singapore, Singapore
| | - Naomi E Pierce
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology and Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
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Piquet JC, López-Darias M. Invasive snake causes massive reduction of all endemic herpetofauna on Gran Canaria. Proc Biol Sci 2021; 288:20211939. [PMID: 34875190 PMCID: PMC8651408 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2021.1939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2021] [Accepted: 11/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Invasive snakes represent a serious threat to island biodiversity, being responsible for far-reaching impacts that are noticeably understudied, particularly regarding native reptiles. We analysed the impact of the invasive California kingsnake, Lampropeltis californiae-recently introduced in the Canary Islands-on the abundance of all endemic herpetofauna of the island of Gran Canaria. We quantified the density in invaded and uninvaded sites for the Gran Canaria giant lizard, Gallotia stehlini, the Gran Canaria skink, Chalcides sexlineatus, and Boettger's wall gecko, Tarentola boettgeri. We used spatially explicit capture-recapture and distance-sampling methods for G. stehlini and active searches under rocks for the abundance of the other two reptiles. The abundance of all species was lower in invaded sites, with a reduction in the number of individuals greater than 90% for G. stehlini, greater than 80% for C. sexlineatus and greater than 50% for T. boettgeri in invaded sites. Our results illustrate the severe impact of L. californiae on the endemic herpetofauna of Gran Canaria and highlight the need for strengthened measures to manage this invasion. We also provide further evidence of the negative consequences of invasive snakes on island reptiles and emphasize the need for further research on this matter on islands worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julien C. Piquet
- Island Ecology and Evolution Research Group, Instituto de Productos Naturales y Agrobiología (IPNA-CSIC), 38206 La Laguna, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain
| | - Marta López-Darias
- Island Ecology and Evolution Research Group, Instituto de Productos Naturales y Agrobiología (IPNA-CSIC), 38206 La Laguna, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain
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Rotger A, Igual JM, Genovart M, Rodríguez V, Ramon C, Pérez-Mellado V, Bibiloni G, Rita J, Tavecchia G. Contrasting Adult Body-Size in Sister Populations of the Balearic Lizard, Podarcis lilfordi (Günther 1874) Suggests Anthropogenic Selective Pressures. HERPETOLOGICAL MONOGRAPHS 2021. [DOI: 10.1655/herpmonographs-d-19-00005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Andreu Rotger
- Animal Demography and Ecology Unit, IMEDEA, CSIC-UIB, Miquel Marquès 21, 07190 Esporles, Spain
| | - José Manuel Igual
- Animal Demography and Ecology Unit, IMEDEA, CSIC-UIB, Miquel Marquès 21, 07190 Esporles, Spain
| | | | - Virginia Rodríguez
- Human Genetic Group, University of the Balearic Islands, ctra. Valldemossa, km 7.5, 07122 Palma de Mallorca, Spain
| | - Cori Ramon
- Departamento de Biologia, Universitat de les Illes Balears, ctra. Valldemossa km 7,5, 07122 Palma de Mallorca, Spain
| | | | - Gabriel Bibiloni
- Departamento de Biologia, Universitat de les Illes Balears, ctra. Valldemossa km 7,5, 07122 Palma de Mallorca, Spain
| | - Juan Rita
- Departamento de Biologia, Universitat de les Illes Balears, ctra. Valldemossa km 7,5, 07122 Palma de Mallorca, Spain
| | - Giacomo Tavecchia
- Animal Demography and Ecology Unit, IMEDEA, CSIC-UIB, Miquel Marquès 21, 07190 Esporles, Spain
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Wuesthoff EF, Fuller TK, Sutherland C, Kamilar JM, Ramanankirahina R, Rakotondravony R, Rouse S, Radespiel U. Differential habitat use by sympatric species of mouse lemurs across a mangrove–dry forest habitat gradient. J Mammal 2021. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyab082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Understanding the mechanisms by which similar species coexist in sympatry is a major driver of ecological research. Niche partitioning and ecological plasticity can facilitate spatial and habitat use overlap between generalist and specialist species. Mouse lemurs (Microcebus spp.) are a highly speciose group of small primates that are endemic to the forests of Madagascar. In northwestern Madagascar, the relatively widespread M. murinus occurs sympatrically with the microendemic M. ravelobensis. We investigated spatial distributions and densities of these two species across a mangrove–dry forest habitat gradient in Mariarano commune. We used capture-mark-recapture techniques and nocturnal line transect surveys along six transects during June and July 2017. Spatial capture-recapture and distance sampling models were used to estimate lemur densities across habitat types. The congeners displayed differential patterns of spatial distribution and densities. Microcebus murinus was found in similar densities across all habitat types, while M. ravelobensis was found at much higher densities in dry forests compared with mangroves. This suggests that the generalist M. murinus uses a wider array of habitats more evenly than the specialist M. ravelobensis. Our study provides empirical evidence of how cryptic lemur species differ in their habitat use and distribution across an environmental gradient and provides new insights into their ecology in an understudied habitat. Lemurs are one of the most threatened groups of mammals in the world, and understanding how these species are distributed across different forest types is crucial for planning and implementing conservation measures to protect lemur habitat.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric F Wuesthoff
- Department of Environmental Conservation, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, USA
| | - Todd K Fuller
- Department of Environmental Conservation, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, USA
| | - Christopher Sutherland
- Department of Environmental Conservation, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, USA
- Centre for Research into Ecological and Environmental Modelling, University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews, Scotland, United Kingdom
| | - Jason M Kamilar
- Department of Anthropology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, USA
- Graduate Program in Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, USA
| | | | - Romule Rakotondravony
- Faculté des Sciences, de Technologies et de l’Environnement, University of Mahajanga, 5 Rue Georges V - Immeuble KAKAL, Mahajanga Be, BP, Mahajanga, Madagascar
| | - Sarah Rouse
- School of Geography and the Environment, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Ute Radespiel
- Institute of Zoology, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Bünteweg, Hannover, Germany
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8
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Rotger A, Igual JM, Tavecchia G. Contrasting size-dependent life history strategies of an insular lizard. Curr Zool 2021; 66:625-633. [PMID: 33391361 PMCID: PMC7769582 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zoaa019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2020] [Accepted: 04/03/2020] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
In many species with continuous growth, body size is an important driver of life-history tactics and its relative importance is thought to reflect the spatio-temporal variability of selective pressures. We developed a deterministic size-dependent integral projection model for 3 insular neighboring lizard populations with contrasting adult body sizes to investigate how size-related selective pressures can influence lizard life-history tactics. For each population, we broke down differences in population growth rates into contributions from size-dependent body growth, survival, and fecundity. A life table response experiment (LTRE) was used to compare the population dynamics of the 3 populations and quantify the contributions of intrinsic demographic coefficients of each population to the population growth rate (λ). Perturbation analyses revealed that the largest adults contributed the most to the population growth rate, but this was not true in the population with the smallest adults and size-independent fertility. Although we were not able to identify a single factor responsible for this difference, the combination of the demographic model on a continuous trait coupled with an LTRE analysis revealed how individuals from sister populations of the same species follow different life strategies and showed different compensatory mechanisms among survival, individual body growth, and fertility. Our results indicate that body size can play a contrasting role even in closely-related and closely-spaced populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreu Rotger
- Animal Demography and Ecology Unit, GEDA, IMEDEA (CSIC-UIB), c M. Marques 21, 01790, Esporles, Spain
| | - José Manuel Igual
- Animal Demography and Ecology Unit, GEDA, IMEDEA (CSIC-UIB), c M. Marques 21, 01790, Esporles, Spain
| | - Giacomo Tavecchia
- Animal Demography and Ecology Unit, GEDA, IMEDEA (CSIC-UIB), c M. Marques 21, 01790, Esporles, Spain
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9
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Santamaría S, Enoksen CA, Olesen JM, Tavecchia G, Rotger A, Igual JM, Traveset A. Diet composition of the lizard Podarcis lilfordi (Lacertidae) on 2 small islands: an individual-resource network approach. Curr Zool 2019; 66:39-49. [PMID: 32467703 PMCID: PMC7245015 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zoz028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2019] [Accepted: 05/14/2019] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite it is widely accepted that intrapopulation variation is fundamental to ecological and evolutionary processes, this level of information has only recently been included into network analysis of species/population interactions. When done, it has revealed non-random patterns in the distribution of trophic resources. Nestedness in resource use among individuals is the most recurrent observed pattern, often accompanied by an absence of modularity, but no previous studies examine bipartite modularity. We use network analysis to describe the diet composition of the Balearic endemic lizard Podarcis lilfordi in 2 islets at population and individual levels, based on the occurrence of food items in fecal samples. Our objectives are to 1) compare niche structure at both levels, 2) characterize niche partition using nestedness and modularity, and 3) assess how size, sex, season, and spatial location influence niche structure. At population-level niche width was wide, but narrow at the level of the individual. Both islet networks were nested, indicating similar ranking of the food preferences among individuals, but also modular, which was partially explained by seasonality. Sex and body size did not notably affect diet composition. Large niche overlap and therefore possibly relaxed competition were observed among females in one of the islets and during spring on both islets. Likewise, higher modularity in autumn suggests that higher competition could lead to specialization in both populations, because resources are usually scarce in this season. The absence of spatial location influence on niche might respond to fine-grained spatio-temporally distribution of food resources. Behavioral traits, not included in this study, could also influence resource partitioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Santamaría
- Global Change Research Group, Inst. Mediterrani d'Estudis Avançats (CSIC-UIB), C/Miquel Marquès 21, E07190 Esporles, Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Spain
| | - Camilla Aviaaja Enoksen
- Section for Ecoinformatics & Biodiversity, Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Aarhus C, 8000, Denmark
| | - Jens M Olesen
- Section for Ecoinformatics & Biodiversity, Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Aarhus C, 8000, Denmark
| | - Giacomo Tavecchia
- Animal Ecology and Demography Group, Inst. Mediterrani d'Estudis Avançats (CSIC-UIB), C/Miquel Marquès 21, Esporles, Mallorca, Balearic Islands, E07190, Spain
| | - Andreu Rotger
- Animal Ecology and Demography Group, Inst. Mediterrani d'Estudis Avançats (CSIC-UIB), C/Miquel Marquès 21, Esporles, Mallorca, Balearic Islands, E07190, Spain
| | - José Manuel Igual
- Animal Ecology and Demography Group, Inst. Mediterrani d'Estudis Avançats (CSIC-UIB), C/Miquel Marquès 21, Esporles, Mallorca, Balearic Islands, E07190, Spain
| | - Anna Traveset
- Global Change Research Group, Inst. Mediterrani d'Estudis Avançats (CSIC-UIB), C/Miquel Marquès 21, E07190 Esporles, Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Spain
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Littleford‐Colquhoun BL, Clemente C, Thompson G, Cristescu RH, Peterson N, Strickland K, Stuart‐Fox D, Frere CH. How sexual and natural selection shape sexual size dimorphism: Evidence from multiple evolutionary scales. Funct Ecol 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Christofer Clemente
- School of Science and Engineering University of the Sunshine Coast Sippy Downs Queensland Australia
| | - Graham Thompson
- Terrestrial Ecosystems Mount Claremont Western Australia Australia
| | - Romane H. Cristescu
- School of Science and Engineering University of the Sunshine Coast Sippy Downs Queensland Australia
| | - Nicola Peterson
- School of Science and Engineering University of the Sunshine Coast Sippy Downs Queensland Australia
| | - Kasha Strickland
- School of Science and Engineering University of the Sunshine Coast Sippy Downs Queensland Australia
| | - Devi Stuart‐Fox
- School of Biosciences The University of Melbourne Melbourne Victoria Australia
| | - Celine H. Frere
- School of Science and Engineering University of the Sunshine Coast Sippy Downs Queensland Australia
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Furnas BJ, Newton DS, Capehart GD, Barrows CW. Hierarchical distance sampling to estimate population sizes of common lizards across a desert ecoregion. Ecol Evol 2019; 9:3046-3058. [PMID: 30962880 PMCID: PMC6434545 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.4780] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2018] [Revised: 11/06/2018] [Accepted: 11/09/2018] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Multispecies wildlife monitoring across large geographical regions is important for effective conservation planning in response to expected impacts from climate change and land use. Unlike many species of birds, mammals, and amphibians which can be efficiently sampled using automated sensors including cameras and sound recorders, reptiles are often much more challenging to detect, in part because of their typically cryptic behavior and generally small body sizes. Although many lizard species are more active during the day which makes them easier to detect using visual encounter surveys, they may be unavailable for sampling during certain periods of the day or year due to their sensitivity to temperature. In recognition of these sampling challenges, we demonstrate application of a recent innovation in distance sampling that adjusts for temporary emigration between repeat survey visits. We used transect surveys to survey lizards at 229 sites throughout the Mojave Desert in California, USA, 2016. We estimated a total population size of 82 million (90% CI: 65-99 million) for the three most common species of lizards across this 66,830 km2 ecoregion. We mapped how density at the 1-km2 scale was predicted to vary with vegetation cover and human development. We validated these results against independent surveys from the southern portion of our study area. Our methods and results demonstrate how multispecies monitoring programs spanning arid ecoregions can better incorporate information about reptiles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brett J. Furnas
- Wildlife Investigations LaboratoryCalifornia Department of Fish and WildlifeRancho CordovaCalifornia
| | - D. Scott Newton
- Wildlife BranchCalifornia Department of Fish and WildlifeSacramentoCalifornia
| | | | - Cameron W. Barrows
- Center for Conservation BiologyUniversity of California RiversideRiversideCalifornia
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12
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Wind farms have cascading impacts on ecosystems across trophic levels. Nat Ecol Evol 2018; 2:1854-1858. [PMID: 30397304 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-018-0707-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2018] [Accepted: 10/01/2018] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Wind farms are a cleaner alternative to fossil fuels for mitigating the effects of climate change, but they also have complex ecological consequences. In the biodiversity hotspot of the Western Ghats in India, we find that wind farms reduce the abundance and activity of predatory birds (for example, Buteo, Butastur and Elanus species), which consequently increases the density of lizards, Sarada superba. The cascading effects of wind turbines on lizards include changes in behaviour, physiology and morphology that reflect a combination of predator release and density-dependent competition. By adding an effective trophic level to the top of food webs, we find that wind farms have emerging impacts that are greatly underestimated. There is thus a strong need for an ecosystem-wide view when aligning green-energy goals with environment protection.
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13
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Rotger A, Igual J, Smith J, Tavecchia G. Relative role of population density and climatic factors in shaping the body growth rate of Lilford’s Wall Lizard (Podarcis lilfordi). CAN J ZOOL 2016. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2015-0188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The body growth rate in small reptiles is modulated by per-capita food resources and recent evidences suggested that this constraint is the mechanism underlying differences between cohorts. Per-capita food resources depend on population size and climatic factors, but their relative role in explaining the variations in growth rate is unclear. We used morphological data collected over 6 years to model the body growth of an insular lizard (Lilford’s Wall Lizard, Podarcis lilfordi (Günther, 1874)). We used nonlinear equations to describe the appropriate length-at-age relationship. For each sex, seasonal growth was observed and the oscillatory von Bertalanffy curve was fitted to the data. Three age classes were recognized, and we investigated the relative role of density, spring rainfall, and temperature in explaining the variation of the growth rate in each sex-by-age class. Results showed that the relative role of density and climatic factors varied according to the age considered. While population size and temperature had a negative effect on the growth rate of juveniles, rainfall had a positive influence on the growth of subadults. Adult growth was near zero and constant over time. The different role of density-dependent and climatic factors in explaining age-dependent growth rate provides an important insight in understanding lizard population dynamics and life-history tactics.
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Affiliation(s)
- A. Rotger
- Population Ecology Group, Institut Mediterrani d’Estudis Avançats IMEDEA (CSIC–UIB), c. Miguel Marques 21, 07190, Esporles, Mallorca, Spain
| | - J.M. Igual
- Population Ecology Group, Institut Mediterrani d’Estudis Avançats IMEDEA (CSIC–UIB), c. Miguel Marques 21, 07190, Esporles, Mallorca, Spain
| | - J.J. Smith
- Advocates for Snake Preservation, P.O. Box 40493, Tucson, AZ 85717, USA
| | - G. Tavecchia
- Population Ecology Group, Institut Mediterrani d’Estudis Avançats IMEDEA (CSIC–UIB), c. Miguel Marques 21, 07190, Esporles, Mallorca, Spain
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Moya Ó, Mansilla PL, Madrazo S, Igual JM, Rotger A, Romano A, Tavecchia G. APHIS: A new software for photo-matching in ecological studies. ECOL INFORM 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoinf.2015.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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