1
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Is Fluctuating Asymmetry a Sufficient Indicator of Stress Level in Two Lizard Species (Zootoca vivipara and Lacerta agilis) from Alpine Habitats? Symmetry (Basel) 2023. [DOI: 10.3390/sym15030721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Alpine habitats are exposed to increasing anthropogenic pressure and climate change. The negative impacts can lead to chronic stress that can affect the survival and reproductive success of individuals and even lead to population extinction. In this study, we analyse different morphological and ecological traits and indices of abiotic and biotic stressors (such as head size and shape, fluctuating asymmetry, body condition index, tail autotomy, and population abundance) in alpine and subalpine populations of two lacertid species (Zootoca vivipara and Lacerta agilis) from Serbia and North Macedonia. These lizards live under different conditions: allotopy/syntopy, different anthropogenic pressure, and different levels of habitat protection. We found differences between syntopic and allotopic populations in pileus size, body condition index (in both species), pileus shape, fluctuating asymmetry (in L. agilis), and abundance (in Z. vivipara). Differences between populations under anthropogenic pressure and populations without it were observed in pileus shape, body condition index (in both species), pileus size, fluctuating asymmetry, tail autotomy and abundance (in L. agilis). On the basis of our results, it is necessary to include other stress indicators in addition to fluctuating asymmetry to quickly observe and quantify the negative effects of threat factors and apply protective measures.
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2
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Hierlmeier VR, Struck N, Krapf P, Kopf T, Hofinger AM, Leitner V, Stromberger PJE, Freier KP, Steiner FM, Schlick‐Steiner BC. Persistent, Bioaccumulative, and Toxic Chemicals in Wild Alpine Insects: A Methodological Case Study. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY 2022; 41:1215-1227. [PMID: 35088916 PMCID: PMC9311829 DOI: 10.1002/etc.5303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2021] [Revised: 07/29/2021] [Accepted: 01/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
With their high persistence in the environment and their potential for long-range atmospheric transport, persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic chemicals (PBTs) may be among the numerous anthropogenic threats to insect populations worldwide. The effects of PBTs on insects have been investigated in the laboratory, but topical field studies are scarce. A reason might be the multiple challenges faced by PBT-related field studies on wild insects. We studied two species of bumblebees (Bombus spp.) and of ants (Formica spp.) in two high-elevation locations in the Austrian and German Alps to tackle two of these challenges. First, PBTs occur in minuscule concentrations compared with other substances in the environment. Therefore, the practicability of body burden data from pooled individuals was tested. Second, fitness proxies like fecundity, which typically are endpoints for chemical toxicity, are difficult to quantify in the field. Hence, fluctuating asymmetry of bumblebee wings and ant heads was tested as an alternative endpoint. To exclude the possibility that fluctuating asymmetry was caused by genetic stressors, inbreeding levels were estimated using population-genetic markers, and their relationships to fluctuating asymmetry in the same individuals were assessed. We successfully quantified polychlorinated biphenyls and Hg as PBTs using the pooled samples and found PBT data from pooled individuals useful, in that significant correlations to fluctuating asymmetry were identified in bumblebees and ants. This finding confirmed the potential of fluctuating asymmetry to indicate PBT effects in wild insects. Inbreeding did not interfere with PBT links to fluctuating asymmetry in any instance. Our findings contribute to the development of a quantitative methodological framework for investigating the effects of persistent environmental chemicals on wild insects. Environ Toxicol Chem 2022;41:1215-1227. © 2022 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronika Rosa Hierlmeier
- Department of EcologyUniversity of InnsbruckInnsbruckAustria
- Bavarian Environment AgencyGarmisch‐PartenkirchenGermany
| | - Nils Struck
- Department of EcologyUniversity of InnsbruckInnsbruckAustria
| | - Patrick Krapf
- Department of EcologyUniversity of InnsbruckInnsbruckAustria
| | - Timotheus Kopf
- Department of EcologyUniversity of InnsbruckInnsbruckAustria
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3
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Simbula G, Vignoli L, Carretero MA, Kaliontzopoulou A. Fluctuating asymmetry as biomarker of pesticides exposure in the Italian wall lizards (Podarcis siculus). ZOOLOGY 2021; 147:125928. [PMID: 34022741 DOI: 10.1016/j.zool.2021.125928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2020] [Revised: 02/05/2021] [Accepted: 04/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The extensive use of pesticides in agricultural environments produces drastic effects on wildlife, hence the need for less invasive indicators of environmental stress to monitoring the impact of agriculture treatments on biological systems. Fluctuating asymmetry (FA), as measure of developmental instability, has recently been proposed as reliable biomarker of populations stress due to environmental disturbance. We investigate femoral pores (FP) and dorsal head shape (HS) traits in populations of the Italian wall lizard inhabiting agricultural environments to examine whether different pesticide exposures (conventional, organic and control) can cause distinctive degree of FA. High-resolution photographs of FP and HS were taken in the field with a digital camera. The number of FP were counted twice on both sides and HS was analysed using geometric morphometrics with 25 landmarks and 12 semilandmarks. Individuals under conventional management showed higher levels of FA compared to control ones, and females exhibited higher FA levels than males for the FP. However, no significant difference was found for the HS trait. Our study provided evidence that FA may have a real potential as biomarker of population stress in wall lizards, highlighting the importance in the choice of the experimental design and the traits adopted for estimating DI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Simbula
- Dipartimento di Scienze, Università Roma Tre, Viale G. Marconi 446, Rome, 00146, Italy.
| | - Leonardo Vignoli
- Dipartimento di Scienze, Università Roma Tre, Viale G. Marconi 446, Rome, 00146, Italy.
| | - Miguel A Carretero
- CIBIO - Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Universidade do Porto, Campus Agrário de Vairão, Vairão, 4485-661, Portugal; Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade do Porto, R. Campo Alegre, s/n, Porto, 4169 - 007, Portugal.
| | - Antigoni Kaliontzopoulou
- CIBIO - Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Universidade do Porto, Campus Agrário de Vairão, Vairão, 4485-661, Portugal.
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4
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Loy A, Ciucci P, Guidarelli G, Roccotelli E, Colangelo P. Developmental instability and phenotypic evolution in a small and isolated bear population. Biol Lett 2021; 17:20200729. [PMID: 33878275 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2020.0729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
We explored fluctuating asymmetry (FA) and morphological integration (MI) in the skull of the small, highly inbred and divergent Apennine bear (Ursus arctos marsicanus), to explore its uniqueness and investigate any potential effects of inbreeding depression. We used 3D geometric morphometrics contrasting Apennine bears with other two large outbred bear populations from Scandinavia and Kamchatka as controls. Shape divergence and variability were explored by a principal component analysis on aligned coordinates of 39 landmarks. Procrustes ANOVA, morphological disparity and the global integration index were used to explore FA, shape variance and MI. By remarking Apennine bears as a highly divergent phenotype, we recorded the highest FA and deviation from self-similarity compared with the other two control populations. We conclude that Apennine bears are likely facing developmental instability as a consequence of inbreeding depression, whereas the divergent trait covariance pattern may represent a potential source of evolutionary novelties. We discuss the implications for the conservation and management of this imperiled taxon.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Loy
- Envix Lab, Department of Biosciences and Territory, University of Molise, 86090 Pesche (IS), Italy
| | - P Ciucci
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies 'Charles Darwin', University of Rome La Sapienza, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - G Guidarelli
- Envix Lab, Department of Biosciences and Territory, University of Molise, 86090 Pesche (IS), Italy
| | - E Roccotelli
- Envix Lab, Department of Biosciences and Territory, University of Molise, 86090 Pesche (IS), Italy
| | - P Colangelo
- Research Institute on Terrestrial Ecosystems, National Research Council, 00015 Montelibretti, Rome, Italy
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5
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Variation in shell morphology of the European pond turtle, Emys orbicularis, in fragmented central European populations. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2020. [DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blaa184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
The European pond turtle (Emys orbicularis) is a widely distributed freshwater species inhabiting much of Europe, but it is often in population decrease or is locally extinct. In this study, we sampled five central European populations, of which four were autochthonous and one was introduced outside the native range. Moreover, two of the native populations were relatively isolated and at the periphery of the species, range. Using the frequency of shell anomalies, a geometric morphometric framework and an analysis of fluctuating asymmetry, we aimed to determine the degree of morphological differentiation among different populations. Significantly, a smaller number of individuals with a malformed shell or scutes occurred in the native core range population, which potentially has a high level of gene flow (Hungary). Although neither canonical variate analysis nor the morphological disparity analysis showed distinct differences between populations, we found significantly higher shell asymmetry in the two marginal populations (Austria and Slovakia) compared with the core range populations. Our results might thus support the central–marginal hypothesis and indicate potential genetically based conservation problems owing to demographic bottlenecks and/or isolation in marginal populations.
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6
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Galataud J, Delatte H, Techer MA, Simiand C, Sookar P, Reynaud B, Clémencet J. When European meets African honeybees (Apis mellifera L.) in the tropics: Morphological changes related to genetics in Mauritius Island (South-West Indian Ocean). PLoS One 2020; 15:e0242053. [PMID: 33211716 PMCID: PMC7676661 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0242053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2019] [Accepted: 10/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The previous genetic characterization of the honeybee population of Mauritius Island (Indian Ocean) revealed an ongoing process of hybridization between the first established African subspecies Apis mellifera unicolor and recently imported European subspecies (A. m. ligustica, A. m. carnica and A. m. mellifera). This context offers the rare opportunity to explore the influence of hybridization between African and European honeybees on phenotypic traits out of the case largely studied of the Africanized honeybee (hybrid between A. m. scutellata from South Africa and European subspecies). We thus conducted geometric morphometric analyses on forewings of 283 workers genetically characterized at 14 microsatellite loci to evaluate (1) if the morphological variability coincides well with the neutral genetic variability, (2) if hybrids exhibited rather parental, intermediate or transgressive traits, and (3) to test if fluctuating asymmetry (FA) of size and shape, as a measure of developmental stability, was elevated in hybrids (due to genetic stress) and/or European bees (due to unsuitable environment) compared to African bees. A strong concordance was found between morphological variability and neutral genetic variability, especially for wing shape, based on partial least-square analyses (PLS). However, on average, the morphology of hybrids was more similar to the African bees, potentially reflecting the dynamics and direction of introgression. Significant FA for wing size as well as wing shape was detected, suggesting the overall presence of stress during the development of the studied individuals. In contrast, the asymmetry levels do not differ according to the ancestry (African, European or hybrid) of the individuals. Therefore, if ongoing hybridization contributed to increasing the genetic and phenotypic diversity of the populations and influences its adaptive potential, developmental stressors could not be identified and their evolutionary consequences remain uncertain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julien Galataud
- Université de La Réunion, UMR PVBMT, La Réunion, France
- * E-mail: (JG); (JC)
| | - Hélène Delatte
- CIRAD, UMR PVBMT, 7 chemin de l’Irat, Ligne Paradis, Saint Pierre, La Réunion, France
| | | | - Christophe Simiand
- CIRAD, UMR PVBMT, 7 chemin de l’Irat, Ligne Paradis, Saint Pierre, La Réunion, France
| | - Preeaduth Sookar
- Ministry of Agro Industry and Food Security, Agricultural Services, Reduit, Mauritius
| | - Bernard Reynaud
- Université de La Réunion, UMR PVBMT, Saint Pierre, La Réunion, France
| | - Johanna Clémencet
- Université de La Réunion, UMR PVBMT, La Réunion, France
- * E-mail: (JG); (JC)
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Vukov T, Mirč M, Tomašević Kolarov N, Stamenković S. Urbanization and the common wall lizard (
Podarcis muralis
) in the Pannonian basin, Serbia: nowhere safe? J Zool (1987) 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/jzo.12735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- T. Vukov
- Department of Evolutionary Biology Institute for Biological Research ‘Siniša Stanković’ University of Belgrade Belgrade Serbia
| | - M. Mirč
- Department of Evolutionary Biology Institute for Biological Research ‘Siniša Stanković’ University of Belgrade Belgrade Serbia
| | - N. Tomašević Kolarov
- Department of Evolutionary Biology Institute for Biological Research ‘Siniša Stanković’ University of Belgrade Belgrade Serbia
| | - S. Stamenković
- Faculty of Biology University of Belgrade Belgrade Serbia
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8
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Abramjan A, Frýdlová P, Jančúchová-Lásková J, Suchomelová P, Landová E, Yavruyan E, Frynta D. Comparing developmental stability in unisexual and bisexual rock lizards of the genus Darevskia. Evol Dev 2019; 21:175-187. [PMID: 30887666 DOI: 10.1111/ede.12286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2018] [Revised: 02/14/2019] [Accepted: 02/27/2019] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Parthenogenetic species are usually considered to be short-lived due to the accumulation of adverse mutations, lack of genetic variability, and inability to adapt to changing environment. If so, one may expect that the phenotype of clonal organisms may reflect such genetic and/or environmental stress. To test this hypothesis, we compared the developmental stability of bisexual and parthenogenetic lizards of the genus Darevskia. We assessed asymmetries in three meristic traits: ventral, preanal, and supratemporal scales. Our results suggest that the amount of ventral and preanal asymmetries is significantly higher in clones compared with their maternal, but not paternal, progenitor species. However, it is questionable, whether this is a consequence of clonality, as it may be considered a mild form of outbreeding depression as well. Moreover, most ventral asymmetries were found in the bisexual species Darevskia valentini. We suggest that greater differences in asymmetry levels among bisexuals may be, for instance, a consequence of the population size: the smaller the population, the higher the inbreeding and the developmental instability. On the basis of the traits examined in this study, the parthenogens do not seem to be of significantly poorer quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andran Abramjan
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Petra Frýdlová
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | | | - Petra Suchomelová
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Eva Landová
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Eduard Yavruyan
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Laboratory of Biology, Zoology, and Ecology, Institute of Biomedicine and Pharmacy, Russian-Armenian (Slavonic) University, Yerevan, Armenia
| | - Daniel Frynta
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
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9
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Goczal J, Rossa R, Nawrocka A, Sweeney JD, Tofilski A. Developmental Costs of Biological Invasion: The Exotic Wood Borer Tetropium fuscum (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) is More Asymmetric and Smaller in Invaded Area. ENVIRONMENTAL ENTOMOLOGY 2018; 47:982-989. [PMID: 29684113 DOI: 10.1093/ee/nvy059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2017] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Biological invasions provide a unique opportunity to gain insight into basic biological processes occurring under new circumstances. During the process of establishment, exotic species are exposed to various stressors which may affect their development. Presence of the stressors is often detected by measurements of left-right body asymmetry, which consists of two main components: fluctuating asymmetry and directional asymmetry. Fluctuating asymmetry constitutes random differences between the two body sides, whereas directional asymmetry occurs when a particular trait is bigger on one of the sides. The relation between these two asymmetry components is still not fully understood. Our goal was to investigate the potential differences in asymmetry patterns between native and invasive populations of Tetropium fuscum (Fabr. 1787) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae), a harmful forest pest native to Europe and introduced to North America. Wing asymmetry assessment was based on the geometric morphometrics of hind wings. We found that specimens from invaded area were markedly smaller and have more asymmetric wings than individuals from native population, suggesting some unfavorable conditions in the invaded area. Moreover, we found significant directional asymmetry in the native but not in the invasive population. On the other hand, differences between left and right hind wings were similar in the native and invasive populations, in terms of direction. This suggests that a high level of fluctuating asymmetry in the invasive population may blur the intrinsic directional asymmetry and hinder its detection. Our data show that fluctuating asymmetry has a potential as an indicator of developmental stress in invasive species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jakub Goczal
- Institute of Forest Ecosystem Protection, University of Agriculture in Krakow, Krakow, Poland
| | - Robert Rossa
- Institute of Forest Ecosystem Protection, University of Agriculture in Krakow, Krakow, Poland
| | - Anna Nawrocka
- Department of Pomology and Apiculture, University of Agriculture in Krakow, Krakow, Poland
| | - Jon David Sweeney
- Natural Resources Canada, Canadian Forest Service, Fredericton, NB, Canada
| | - Adam Tofilski
- Department of Pomology and Apiculture, University of Agriculture in Krakow, Krakow, Poland
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10
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Ghemari C, Ayari A, Hamdi N, Waterlot C, Douay F, Nasri-Ammar K. Measure of environmental stress on Porcellio laevis Latreille, 1804 sampled near active Tunisian industrial areas. ECOTOXICOLOGY (LONDON, ENGLAND) 2018; 27:729-741. [PMID: 29931544 DOI: 10.1007/s10646-018-1955-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/31/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
This study aimed to observe the type of asymmetry exhibited by Porcellio laevis sampled from 15 sites belonging to Tunisian industrialized areas. Physicochemical parameters such as pH, organic matter and CaCO3 contents were measured in soils. Moreover, Cd, Pb, Zn, and Cu concentrations were determined in both soils and woodlice. Additionally, 10 metrical traits were measured to evaluate the type of asymmetry on individuals: the basis, the second and the third articles of the antenna, the first article of the flagellum of the antenna and the merus, the carpus, and the propodus of the sixth and the seventh pereopods. Among the 531 measured individuals, 432 exhibited fluctuating asymmetry (FA) while the remaining individuals exhibited antisymmetry or directional asymmetry. The data obtained were analyzed using a multivariate statistical analysis. Contrary to our hypothesis, the results showed that individuals from contaminated sites have a low FA level, whereas those from uncontaminated sites have a high FA level, particularly females but with some exceptions. Variations in FA level in the traits and populations studied and its usefulness as a stress indicator were discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chedliya Ghemari
- University of Tunis El Manar, Faculty of Science of Tunis, RU11SE11 Research Unit of Bio-ecology and Evolutionary Systematic, 2092 Manar II, Tunis, Tunisia.
| | - Anas Ayari
- University of Tunis El Manar, Faculty of Science of Tunis, RU11SE11 Research Unit of Bio-ecology and Evolutionary Systematic, 2092 Manar II, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Nabil Hamdi
- University of Tunis El Manar, Faculty of Science of Tunis, RU11SE11 Research Unit of Bio-ecology and Evolutionary Systematic, 2092 Manar II, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Christophe Waterlot
- Yncréa Hauts-de-France, Laboratoire Génie Civil et géo-Environnement (LGCgE), 48 boulevard Vauban 59046, Lille Cedex, France
| | - Francis Douay
- Yncréa Hauts-de-France, Laboratoire Génie Civil et géo-Environnement (LGCgE), 48 boulevard Vauban 59046, Lille Cedex, France
| | - Karima Nasri-Ammar
- University of Tunis El Manar, Faculty of Science of Tunis, RU11SE11 Research Unit of Bio-ecology and Evolutionary Systematic, 2092 Manar II, Tunis, Tunisia
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11
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Meik JM, Schaack S, Flores-Villela O, Streicher JW. Integrative taxonomy at the nexus of population divergence and speciation in insular speckled rattlesnakes. J NAT HIST 2018. [DOI: 10.1080/00222933.2018.1429689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jesse M. Meik
- Department of Biological Sciences, Tarleton State University, Stephenville, TX, USA
| | - Sarah Schaack
- Department of Biology, Reed College, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Oscar Flores-Villela
- Museo de Zoología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, Mexico
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Scalici M, Traversetti L, Spani F, Malafoglia V, Colamartino M, Persichini T, Cappello S, Mancini G, Guerriero G, Colasanti M. Shell fluctuating asymmetry in the sea-dwelling benthic bivalve Mytilus galloprovincialis (Lamarck, 1819) as morphological markers to detect environmental chemical contamination. ECOTOXICOLOGY (LONDON, ENGLAND) 2017; 26:396-404. [PMID: 28188591 DOI: 10.1007/s10646-017-1772-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/02/2017] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Investigations on asymmetries showed that deviations from perfect bilateral symmetry are interpreted as environmental changes inducing developmental instability. Since morphological abnormalities increase with pollution, deformations may be considered indicators of the organism exposition to pollution. Therefore, the onset of asymmetry in otherwise normally symmetrical traits has been used as a measure of some stresses as well. In this context, we studied how marine pollution affects the valve morphological alterations in the mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis. We used 180 specimens (30 per site) from the aquaculture area of Goro (River Po delta, northern Adriatic Sea), translocated, and released within 50 × 50 × 50 cm cages in five sites: two disturbed and one undisturbed near Naples (eastern Tyrrhenian Sea), and one disturbed and one undisturbed near Siracusa (western Ionian Sea). Disturbed sites were stressed by heavy industrialization and heavy tankers traffic of crude and refined oil, and were defined basing on sediment contamination. In particular, by the cone-beam computed tomography we obtained 3D virtual valve surfaces to be analyzed by the geometric morphometric techniques. Specifically, we focused the levels of the shell shape fluctuating asymmetry in relation to the degrees of marine pollution in different sites of the Tyrrhenian Sea. The Mahalanobis distances (interpreted as proxy of the individual shape asymmetry deviation from the mean asymmetry) significantly regressed with the sediment contamination gradient. Indeed, although the left-right differences were normally distributed in each studied site, the individual asymmetry scores (IAS) significantly varied amongst the investigated sites. IAS showed higher values in disturbed areas than those of undisturbed ones in both Tyrrhenian and Ionian Sea. Our results are consistent with past studies on molluscans and other taxa, demonstrating some detrimental effects of chemicals on organisms, although the investigated morphological marker did not discriminate the real disturbance source. Our findings indicate that the mussels act as a prognostic tool for sea pollution levels driving detrimental effects on benthic community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Massimiliano Scalici
- Department of Sciences, University Roma Tre, Viale Guglielmo Marconi 446, Rome, 00146, Italy.
| | - Lorenzo Traversetti
- Department of Sciences, University Roma Tre, Viale Guglielmo Marconi 446, Rome, 00146, Italy
| | - Federica Spani
- Department of Sciences, University Roma Tre, Viale Guglielmo Marconi 446, Rome, 00146, Italy
| | - Valentina Malafoglia
- Department of Sciences, University Roma Tre, Viale Guglielmo Marconi 446, Rome, 00146, Italy
- Institute for Research on Pain, ISAL-Foundation, Via San Salvador 204, Rimini, Torre Pedrera, 47922, Italy
| | - Monica Colamartino
- Department of Sciences, University Roma Tre, Viale Guglielmo Marconi 446, Rome, 00146, Italy
| | - Tiziana Persichini
- Department of Sciences, University Roma Tre, Viale Guglielmo Marconi 446, Rome, 00146, Italy
| | - Simone Cappello
- National Research Center, Institute for Coastal Marine Environment, Spianata S. Raineri 86, Messina, 98122, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Mancini
- Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Catania, Via A. Doria 6, Catania, 95123, Italy
| | - Giulia Guerriero
- Department of Biology, University Federico II, Via Cinthia 26, Naples, 80126, Italy
| | - Marco Colasanti
- Department of Sciences, University Roma Tre, Viale Guglielmo Marconi 446, Rome, 00146, Italy
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Soloaga A, Pueta M, Cruz FB, Kembro JM, Marin RH. Chronic stress in Lizards: Studies on the Behavior and Benzodiazepine Receptors in Liolaemus koslowskyi and Cnemidophorus tergolaevigatus. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2017; 325:713-725. [PMID: 28198153 DOI: 10.1002/jez.2063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2016] [Revised: 01/09/2017] [Accepted: 01/10/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Behavioral and physiological adaptive responses of animals facing chronic exposure to a single stressor may allow them to overcome its negative effects for future exposures to similar stressful situations. At chemical level, the GABAA /benzodiazepine complex is considered one of the main receptor systems involved in the modulation of stress-induced responses. Here, we describe the behavioral responses of two different lizard species, Liolaemus koslowskyi and Cnemidophorus tergolaevigatus exposed to three potential chronic stressful treatments: (a) high temperature, (b) forced swimming, and (c) simulated predator. Additionally, we aimed to determine in those lizards whether the central-type benzodiazepine receptor (CBR; an allosteric modulator site of the GABAA receptor) is related to adaptive responses to those stressful stimulations. Our results revealed that the simulated predator was the stress condition that showed the largest difference in behavioral responses between the two species, resembling previously described strategies in nature. The basal affinity of CBRs (obtained from undisturbed animals) showed differences between both species, and the simulated predator was the only stressor that altered the affinity of CBRs. L. koslowskyi CBRs showed a decreased receptor affinity, whereas C. tergolaevigatus showed an increased receptor affinity in comparison to their respective control groups. We show for the first time the effects of different types of stressors upon behavioral responses and CBR biochemical parameters in two lizard species. Our findings suggest a potential GABA/benzodiazepine role in the ability of lizards to cope with a repeated exposure to a stressful (e.g., predator) condition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandra Soloaga
- Centro Regional de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia Tecnológica, La Rioja (CONICET), Anillaco, La Rioja, Argentina
| | - Mariana Pueta
- Laboratorio de Fotobiología, Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente (CONICET-UNComa), San Carlos de Bariloche, Río Negro, Argentina.,Departamento de Biología General, Centro Regional Universitario Bariloche, Universidad Nacional del Comahue, San Carlos de Bariloche, Río Negro, Argentina
| | - Félix Benjamín Cruz
- Laboratorio de Fotobiología, Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente (CONICET-UNComa), San Carlos de Bariloche, Río Negro, Argentina
| | - Jackelyn Melissa Kembro
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas y Tecnológicas (IIByT, CONICET-FCEFyN-UNC) and Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología de los alimentos (ICTA), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Raul Hector Marin
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas y Tecnológicas (IIByT, CONICET-FCEFyN-UNC) and Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología de los alimentos (ICTA), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
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14
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Băncilă R, Arntzen J. Isolation of lizard populations measured with molecular genetic data – Podarcis guadarramae in the Ria de Arosa archipelago. AMPHIBIA-REPTILIA 2016. [DOI: 10.1163/15685381-00003066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Under a documented paleogeographic history of the Ria de Arosa archipelago, northwestern Spain, predictions can be made on the duration and strength of isolation of Podarcis guadarramae lizard populations that were ‘captured’ on the islands when sea-levels rose. We predict that genetic diversity: i) is lower on islands than on the mainland, ii) increases with island size, and iii) decreases with increasing distance from the mainland. We also predict that the population genetic structure across islands and the mainland conforms to a pattern of isolation by distance (iv). To test these hypotheses, we analysed a panel of nine highly polymorphic microsatellite loci. The first (i) hypothesis was corroborated. We discuss our findings in the light of the effects of habitat fragmentation and lizard conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raluca I. Băncilă
- Naturalis Biodiversity Center, P.O. Box 9517, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands
- Institute of Speleology “Emil Racoviţă”, 13 Septembrie Road, 050711, Bucharest, Romania
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, University Ovidius Constanţa, Blv. Mamaia 124, Constanţa, Romania
| | - Jan W. Arntzen
- Naturalis Biodiversity Center, P.O. Box 9517, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands
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15
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Sacchi R, Mangiacotti M, Scali S, Sannolo M, Zuffi MAL, Pellitteri-Rosa D, Bellati A, Galeotti P, Fasola M. Context-dependent expression of sexual dimorphism in island populations of the common wall lizard (Podarcis muralis). Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2015. [DOI: 10.1111/bij.12450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Sacchi
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra e dell'Ambiente; Università di Pavia; Via Taramelli 24 I-27100 Pavia Italy
| | - Marco Mangiacotti
- Museo Civico di Storia Naturale; Corso Venezia 55; I-20121 Milano Italy
| | - Stefano Scali
- Museo Civico di Storia Naturale; Corso Venezia 55; I-20121 Milano Italy
| | - Marco Sannolo
- Museo Civico di Storia Naturale; Corso Venezia 55; I-20121 Milano Italy
| | - Marco A. L. Zuffi
- Museo di Storia Naturale e del Territorio; Università di Pisa; Via Roma 79 I-56011 Calci (Pisa) Italy
| | - Daniele Pellitteri-Rosa
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra e dell'Ambiente; Università di Pavia; Via Ferrata 9 I-27100 Pavia Italy
| | - Adriana Bellati
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra e dell'Ambiente; Università di Pavia; Via Ferrata 9 I-27100 Pavia Italy
| | - Paolo Galeotti
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra e dell'Ambiente; Università di Pavia; Via Ferrata 9 I-27100 Pavia Italy
| | - Mauro Fasola
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra e dell'Ambiente; Università di Pavia; Via Ferrata 9 I-27100 Pavia Italy
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16
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Lazić MM, Carretero MA, Crnobrnja-Isailović J, Kaliontzopoulou A. Effects of environmental disturbance on phenotypic variation: an integrated assessment of canalization, developmental stability, modularity, and allometry in lizard head shape. Am Nat 2014; 185:44-58. [PMID: 25560552 DOI: 10.1086/679011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
When populations experience suboptimal conditions, the mechanisms involved in the regulation of phenotypic variation can be challenged, resulting in increased phenotypic variance. This kind of disturbance can be diagnosed by using morphometric tools to study morphological patterns at different hierarchical levels and evaluate canalization, developmental stability, integration, modularity, and allometry. We assess the effect of urbanization on phenotypic variation in the common wall lizard (Podarcis muralis) by using geometric morphometrics to assess disturbance to head shape development. The head shapes of urban lizards were more variable and less symmetric, suggesting that urban living is more likely to disturb development. Head shape variation was congruent within and across individuals, which indicated that canalization and developmental stability are two related phenomena in these organisms. Furthermore, urban lizards exhibited smaller mean head sizes, divergent size-shape allometries, and increased deviation from within-group allometric lines. This suggests that mechanisms regulating head shape allometry may also be disrupted. The integrated evaluation of several measures of developmental instability at different hierarchical levels, which provided in this case congruent results, can be a powerful methodological guide for future studies, as it enhances the detection of environmental disturbances on phenotypic variation and aids biological interpretation of the results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marko M Lazić
- Department of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Sciences and Mathematics, University of Niš, Niš, Serbia
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17
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Olivero P, Vrech D, Peretti A, Mattoni C. Patterns of asymmetry in body traits and genitalia in two distant populations of a Neotropical scorpion. J NAT HIST 2014. [DOI: 10.1080/00222933.2014.951086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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