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Boast AP, Wood JR, Bolstridge N, Perry GLW, Wilmshurst JM. Ancient and modern scats record broken ecological interactions and a decline in dietary breadth of the critically endangered kākāpō parrot (Strigops habroptilus). Front Ecol Evol 2023. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2023.1058130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Threatened animal taxa are often absent from most of their original habitats, meaning their ecological niche cannot be fully captured by contemporary data alone. Although DNA metabarcoding of scats and coprolites (palaeofaeces) can identify the past and present species interactions of their depositors, the usefulness of coprolites in conservation biology is untested as few endangered taxa have known coprolite records. Here, we perform multilocus metabarcoding sequencing and palynological analysis of dietary plants of >100 coprolites (estimated to date from c. 400–1900 A.D.) and > 100 frozen scats (dating c. 1950 A.D. to present) of the critically endangered, flightless, herbivorous kākāpō (Strigops habroptilus), a species that disappeared from its natural range in Aotearoa-New Zealand (NZ) after the 13th C. A.D. We identify 24 orders, 56 families and 67 native plant genera unrecorded in modern kākāpō diets (increases of 69, 108 and 75% respectively). We found that southern beeches (Nothofagaceae), which are important canopy-forming trees and not an important kākāpō food today, dominated kākāpō diets in upland (c. >900 m elevation) habitats. We also found that kākāpō frequently consumed hemiparasitic mistletoes (Loranthaceae) and the holoparasitic wood rose (Dactylanthus taylorii), taxa which are nutrient rich, and now threatened by mammalian herbivory and a paucity of dispersers and pollinators. No single dataset or gene identified all taxa in our dataset, demonstrating the value of multiproxy or multigene datasets in studies of animal diets. Our results highlight how contemporary data may considerably underestimate the full dietary breadth of threatened species and demonstrate the potential value of coprolite analysis in conservation biology.
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A Critical Assessment of the Congruency between Environmental DNA and Palaeoecology for the Biodiversity Monitoring and Palaeoenvironmental Reconstruction. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19159445. [PMID: 35954801 PMCID: PMC9368151 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19159445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Revised: 07/25/2022] [Accepted: 07/27/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
The present study suggests that standardized methodology, careful site selection, and stratigraphy are essential for investigating ancient ecosystems in order to evaluate biodiversity and DNA-based time series. Based on specific keywords, this investigation reviewed 146 publications using the SCOPUS, Web of Science (WoS), PUBMED, and Google Scholar databases. Results indicate that environmental deoxyribose nucleic acid (eDNA) can be pivotal for assessing and conserving ecosystems. Our review revealed that in the last 12 years (January 2008–July 2021), 63% of the studies based on eDNA have been reported from aquatic ecosystems, 25% from marine habitats, and 12% from terrestrial environments. Out of studies conducted in aquatic systems using the environmental DNA (eDNA) technique, 63% of the investigations have been reported from freshwater ecosystems, with an utmost focus on fish diversity (40%). Further analysis of the literature reveals that during the same period, 24% of the investigations using the environmental DNA technique were carried out on invertebrates, 8% on mammals, 7% on plants, 6% on reptiles, and 5% on birds. The results obtained clearly indicate that the environmental DNA technique has a clear-cut edge over other biodiversity monitoring methods. Furthermore, we also found that eDNA, in conjunction with different dating techniques, can provide better insight into deciphering eco-evolutionary feedback. Therefore, an attempt has been made to offer extensive information on the application of dating methods for different taxa present in diverse ecosystems. Last, we provide suggestions and elucidations on how to overcome the caveats and delineate some of the research avenues that will likely shape this field in the near future. This paper aims to identify the gaps in environmental DNA (eDNA) investigations to help researchers, ecologists, and decision-makers to develop a holistic understanding of environmental DNA (eDNA) and its utility as a palaeoenvironmental contrivance.
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3
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Digging in a 120 years-old lunch: What can we learn from collection specimens of extinct species? PLoS One 2022; 17:e0270032. [PMID: 35793291 PMCID: PMC9258829 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0270032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2021] [Accepted: 06/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Studying collection specimens is often the only way to unravel information about recent extinctions. These can reveal knowledge on threats and life traits related to extinction, and contribute, by extrapolation, to the conservation of extant species. However, high-throughput sequencing methods have rarely been applied to extinct species to reveal information on their ecology. Insular species are especially prone to extinction. We studied the gut contents of three specimens of the extinct giant skink Chioninia coctei of the Cabo Verde Islands using microscopy and DNA-metabarcoding. The presence of Tachygonetria adult nematodes suggests plants as important diet items. Our metabarcoding approach also identified plants and, additionally, invertebrates, supporting the hypothesis of C. coctei’s generalist diet. The absence of vertebrates in the digestive contents may reflect the decline of seabirds on the Desertas Islands that could have contributed to the debilitation of the giant skink, already depleted by persecution and severe droughts. Even with a small sample size, this study contributes to shedding light on the trophic roles of this enigmatic extinct species and emphasizes the need to develop holistic conservation plans for island threatened taxa. Additionally, it illustrates the potential of integrating up-to-date molecular methods with traditional approaches to studying collection specimens to help to solve ecological puzzles in other ecosystems.
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4
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Verry AJF, Lubbe P, Mitchell KJ, Rawlence NJ. Thirty years of ancient DNA and the faunal biogeography of Aotearoa New Zealand: lessons and future directions. J R Soc N Z 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/03036758.2022.2093227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Alexander J. F. Verry
- Otago Palaeogenetics Laboratory, Department of Zoology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
- Centre for Anthropobiology and Genomics of Toulouse, Faculté de Médecine Purpan, Université de Toulouse, Université Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France
| | - Pascale Lubbe
- Department of Anatomy, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Kieren J. Mitchell
- Otago Palaeogenetics Laboratory, Department of Zoology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Nicolas J. Rawlence
- Otago Palaeogenetics Laboratory, Department of Zoology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
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5
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Perry GLW, Wilmshurst JM, Wood JR. Reconstructing ecological functions provided by extinct fauna using allometrically informed simulation models: An in silico framework for ‘movement palaeoecology’. Funct Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13904] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Janet M. Wilmshurst
- School of Environment University of Auckland Auckland New Zealand
- Manaaki Whenua‐Landcare Research Lincoln New Zealand
| | - Jamie R. Wood
- Manaaki Whenua‐Landcare Research Lincoln New Zealand
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Witt KE, Yarlagadda K, Allen JM, Bader AC, Simon ML, Kuehn SR, Swanson KS, Cross TWL, Hedman KM, Ambrose SH, Malhi RS. Integrative analysis of DNA, macroscopic remains and stable isotopes of dog coprolites to reconstruct community diet. Sci Rep 2021; 11:3113. [PMID: 33542301 PMCID: PMC7862676 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-82362-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2020] [Accepted: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Paleofeces or coprolites are often used to reconstruct diet at archaeological sites, usually using macroscopic analyses or targeted DNA amplification and sequencing. Here we present an integrative analysis of dog coprolites, combining macroscopic analyses, stable isotope measurements, and DNA shotgun sequencing to examine diet and health status. Dog coprolites used in this study were recovered from the Janey B. Goode and East Saint Louis archaeological sites, both of which are located in the American Bottom, an extensive Mississippi River floodplain in Southwestern Illinois. Based on the context of recovery, coprolites are assigned to the Late Woodland and Terminal Late Woodland periods (ca. 600-1050 AD). Given the scarcity of human remains from this time period, these dog coprolites can be useful as a proxy for understanding human diet during the Late Woodland period. We find that the Late Woodland dogs consumed a variety of fish as well as bird and plant taxa, possibly including maize, and also harbored intestinal parasites and pathogenic bacteria. By sequencing the fecal microbiome of the coprolites, we find some similarities to modern dog microbiomes, as well as specific taxa that can be used to discriminate between modern and ancient microbiomes, excluding soil contaminants. As dogs are often used as a surrogate to assess human diet, humans living with these dogs likely had a similar diet and were affected by similar parasites. These analyses, when integrated, show a more comprehensive view of ancient dog and human diet and health in the region during the initial expansion of maize agriculture than any individual method could alone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelsey E Witt
- Program in Ecology, Evolution and Conservation Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana-Champaign, IL, USA.
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Center for Computational and Molecular Biology, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA.
| | - Karthik Yarlagadda
- Department of Anthropology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana-Champaign, IL, USA
| | - Julie M Allen
- Biology Department, University of Nevada Reno, Reno, NV, USA
| | - Alyssa C Bader
- Department of Anthropology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana-Champaign, IL, USA
- Sealaska Heritage Institute, Juneau, AK, USA
| | - Mary L Simon
- Illinois State Archaeological Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Steven R Kuehn
- Illinois State Archaeological Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Kelly S Swanson
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
- Division of Nutritional Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Medicine, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Tzu-Wen L Cross
- Division of Nutritional Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Kristin M Hedman
- Illinois State Archaeological Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Stanley H Ambrose
- Program in Ecology, Evolution and Conservation Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana-Champaign, IL, USA
- Department of Anthropology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana-Champaign, IL, USA
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Ripan S Malhi
- Program in Ecology, Evolution and Conservation Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana-Champaign, IL, USA
- Department of Anthropology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana-Champaign, IL, USA
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
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Liu Y, Weyrich LS, Llamas B. More Arrows in the Ancient DNA Quiver: Use of Paleoepigenomes and Paleomicrobiomes to Investigate Animal Adaptation to Environment. Mol Biol Evol 2020; 37:307-319. [PMID: 31638147 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msz231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Whether and how epigenetic mechanisms and the microbiome play a role in mammalian adaptation raised considerable attention and controversy, mainly because they have the potential to add new insights into the Modern Synthesis. Recent attempts to reconcile neo-Darwinism and neo-Lamarckism in a unified theory of molecular evolution give epigenetic mechanisms and microbiome a prominent role. However, supporting empirical data are still largely missing. Because experimental studies using extant animals can hardly be done over evolutionary timescales, we propose that advances in ancient DNA techniques provide a valid alternative. In this piece, we evaluate 1) the possible roles of epigenomes and microbiomes in animal adaptation, 2) advances in the retrieval of paleoepigenome and paleomicrobiome data using ancient DNA techniques, and 3) the plasticity of either and interactions between the epigenome and the microbiome, while emphasizing that it is essential to take both into account, as well as the underlying genetic factors that may confound the findings. We propose that advanced ancient DNA techniques should be applied to a wide range of past animals, so novel dynamics in animal evolution and adaption can be revealed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yichen Liu
- Australian Centre for Ancient DNA, School of Biological Sciences, Environment Institute, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Laura S Weyrich
- Australian Centre for Ancient DNA, School of Biological Sciences, Environment Institute, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Bastien Llamas
- Australian Centre for Ancient DNA, School of Biological Sciences, Environment Institute, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
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8
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Díaz FP, Latorre C, Carrasco-Puga G, Wood JR, Wilmshurst JM, Soto DC, Cole TL, Gutiérrez RA. Multiscale climate change impacts on plant diversity in the Atacama Desert. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2019; 25:1733-1745. [PMID: 30706600 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.14583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2018] [Accepted: 01/17/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Comprehending ecological dynamics requires not only knowledge of modern communities but also detailed reconstructions of ecosystem history. Ancient DNA (aDNA) metabarcoding allows biodiversity responses to major climatic change to be explored at different spatial and temporal scales. We extracted aDNA preserved in fossil rodent middens to reconstruct late Quaternary vegetation dynamics in the hyperarid Atacama Desert. By comparing our paleo-informed millennial record with contemporary observations of interannual variations in diversity, we show local plant communities behave differentially at different timescales. In the interannual (years to decades) time frame, only annual herbaceous expand and contract their distributional ranges (emerging from persistent seed banks) in response to precipitation, whereas perennials distribution appears to be extraordinarily resilient. In contrast, at longer timescales (thousands of years) many perennial species were displaced up to 1,000 m downslope during pluvial events. Given ongoing and future natural and anthropogenically induced climate change, our results not only provide baselines for vegetation in the Atacama Desert, but also help to inform how these and other high mountain plant communities may respond to fluctuations of climate in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisca P Díaz
- Departamento de Genética Molecular y Microbiología, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- FONDAP Center for Genome Regulation & Millennium Institute for Integrative Biology (iBio), Santiago, Chile
| | - Claudio Latorre
- Departamento de Ecología, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Institute of Ecology and Biodiversity (IEB), Ñuñoa, Santiago, Chile
| | - Gabriela Carrasco-Puga
- Departamento de Genética Molecular y Microbiología, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- FONDAP Center for Genome Regulation & Millennium Institute for Integrative Biology (iBio), Santiago, Chile
| | - Jamie R Wood
- Manaaki Whenua - Landcare Research, Lincoln, New Zealand
| | - Janet M Wilmshurst
- Manaaki Whenua - Landcare Research, Lincoln, New Zealand
- School of Environment, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Daniela C Soto
- Departamento de Genética Molecular y Microbiología, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- FONDAP Center for Genome Regulation & Millennium Institute for Integrative Biology (iBio), Santiago, Chile
| | - Theresa L Cole
- Manaaki Whenua - Landcare Research, Lincoln, New Zealand
- Department of Zoology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Rodrigo A Gutiérrez
- Departamento de Genética Molecular y Microbiología, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- FONDAP Center for Genome Regulation & Millennium Institute for Integrative Biology (iBio), Santiago, Chile
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9
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Wood JR, Wilmshurst JM. Comparing the effects of asynchronous herbivores on New Zealand montane vegetation communities. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0214959. [PMID: 30947249 PMCID: PMC6448933 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0214959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2018] [Accepted: 03/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Large herbivores facilitate a range of important ecological processes yet globally have experienced high rates of decline and extinction over the past 50,000 years. To some extent this lost function may be replaced through the introduction of ecological surrogate taxa, either by active management or via historic introductions. However, comparing the ecological effects of herbivores that existed in the same location, but at different times, can be a challenging proposition. Here we provide an example from New Zealand that demonstrates an approach for making such comparisons. In New Zealand it has been suggested that post-19th Century mammal introductions (e.g. deer and hare) may have filled ecological niches left vacant after the 15th Century AD extinction of large avian herbivores (moa). We quantified pollen assemblages from fecal samples deposited by these two asynchronous herbivore communities to see whether they were comparable. The fecal samples were collected at the same location, and in a native-dominated vegetation community that has experience little anthropogenic disturbance and their contents reflect both the local habitat and diet preferences of the depositing herbivore. The results reveal that the current forest understory is relatively sparse and species depauperate compared to the prehistoric state, indicating that deer and moa had quite different impacts on the local vegetation community. The study provides an example of how combining coprolite and fecal analyses of prehistoric and modern herbivores may clarify the degree of ecological overlap between asynchronous herbivore communities and provide insights into the extent of ecological surrogacy provided by introduced taxa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jamie R. Wood
- Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research, Lincoln, New Zealand
- * E-mail:
| | - Janet M. Wilmshurst
- Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research, Lincoln, New Zealand
- School of Environment, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
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10
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Past, present, and future perspectives of environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding: A systematic review in methods, monitoring, and applications of global eDNA. Glob Ecol Conserv 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2019.e00547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 303] [Impact Index Per Article: 60.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
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11
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Makiola A, Dickie IA, Holdaway RJ, Wood JR, Orwin KH, Lee CK, Glare TR. Biases in the metabarcoding of plant pathogens using rust fungi as a model system. Microbiologyopen 2018; 8:e00780. [PMID: 30585441 PMCID: PMC6612544 DOI: 10.1002/mbo3.780] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2018] [Revised: 11/14/2018] [Accepted: 11/15/2018] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Plant pathogens such as rust fungi (Pucciniales) are of global economic and ecological importance. This means there is a critical need to reliably and cost-effectively detect, identify, and monitor these fungi at large scales. We investigated and analyzed the causes of differences between next-generation sequencing (NGS) metabarcoding approaches and traditional DNA cloning in the detection and quantification of recognized species of rust fungi from environmental samples. We found significant differences between observed and expected numbers of shared rust fungal operational taxonomic units (OTUs) among different methods. However, there was no significant difference in relative abundance of OTUs that all methods were capable of detecting. Differences among the methods were mainly driven by the method's ability to detect specific OTUs, likely caused by mismatches with the NGS metabarcoding primers to some Puccinia species. Furthermore, detection ability did not seem to be influenced by differences in sequence lengths among methods, the most appropriate bioinformatic pipeline used for each method, or the ability to detect rare species. Our findings are important to future metabarcoding studies, because they highlight the main sources of difference among methods, and rule out several mechanisms that could drive these differences. Furthermore, strong congruity among three fundamentally different and independent methods demonstrates the promising potential of NGS metabarcoding for tracking important taxa such as rust fungi from within larger NGS metabarcoding communities. Our results support the use of NGS metabarcoding for the large-scale detection and quantification of rust fungi, but not for confirming the absence of species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Makiola
- Agroécologie, AgroSup Dijon, INRAUniversité Bourgogne, Université Bourgogne Franche‐ComtéDijonFrance,Bio‐Protection Research CentreLincoln UniversityLincolnNew Zealand
| | - Ian A. Dickie
- Bio‐Protection Research Centre, School of Biological SciencesUniversity of CanterburyNew Zealand
| | | | - Jamie R. Wood
- Manaaki Whenua – Landcare ResearchLincolnNew Zealand
| | - Kate H. Orwin
- Manaaki Whenua – Landcare ResearchLincolnNew Zealand
| | - Charles K. Lee
- Waikato DNA Sequencing Facility, School of ScienceUniversity of WaikatoHamiltonNew Zealand
| | - Travis R. Glare
- Bio‐Protection Research CentreLincoln UniversityLincolnNew Zealand
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12
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Coprolites reveal ecological interactions lost with the extinction of New Zealand birds. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2018; 115:1546-1551. [PMID: 29440415 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1712337115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Over the past 50,000 y, biotic extinctions and declines have left a legacy of vacant niches and broken ecological interactions across global terrestrial ecosystems. Reconstructing the natural, unmodified ecosystems that preceded these events relies on high-resolution analyses of paleoecological deposits. Coprolites are a source of uniquely detailed information about trophic interactions and the behaviors, gut parasite communities, and microbiotas of prehistoric animal species. Such insights are critical for understanding the legacy effects of extinctions on ecosystems, and can help guide contemporary conservation and ecosystem restoration efforts. Here we use high-throughput sequencing (HTS) of ancient eukaryotic DNA from coprolites to reconstruct aspects of the biology and ecology of four species of extinct moa and the critically endangered kakapo parrot from New Zealand (NZ). Importantly, we provide evidence that moa and prehistoric kakapo consumed ectomycorrhizal fungi, suggesting these birds played a role in dispersing fungi that are key to NZ's natural forest ecosystems. We also provide the first DNA-based evidence that moa frequently supplemented their broad diets with ferns and mosses. Finally, we also find parasite taxa that provide insight into moa behavior, and present data supporting the hypothesis of coextinction between moa and several parasite species. Our study demonstrates that HTS sequencing of coprolites provides a powerful tool for resolving key aspects of ancient ecosystems and may rapidly provide information not obtainable by conventional paleoecological techniques, such as fossil analyses.
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13
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Carpenter JK, Wood JR, Wilmshurst JM, Kelly D. An avian seed dispersal paradox: New Zealand's extinct megafaunal birds did not disperse large seeds. Proc Biol Sci 2018; 285:rspb.2018.0352. [PMID: 29669903 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2018.0352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2018] [Accepted: 03/26/2018] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Often the mutualistic roles of extinct species are inferred based on plausible assumptions, but sometimes palaeoecological evidence can overturn such inferences. We present an example from New Zealand, where it has been widely assumed that some of the largest-seeded plants were dispersed by the giant extinct herbivorous moa (Dinornithiformes). The presence of large seeds in preserved moa gizzard contents supported this hypothesis, and five slow-germinating plant species (Elaeocarpus dentatus, E. hookerianus, Prumnopitys ferruginea, P. taxifolia, Vitex lucens) with thick seedcoats prompted speculation about whether these plants were adapted for moa dispersal. However, we demonstrate that all these assumptions are incorrect. While large seeds were present in 48% of moa gizzards analysed, analysis of 152 moa coprolites (subfossil faeces) revealed a very fine-grained consistency unparalleled in extant herbivores, with no intact seeds larger than 3.3 mm diameter. Secondly, prolonged experimental mechanical scarification of E. dentatus and P. ferruginea seeds did not reduce time to germination, providing no experimental support for the hypothesis that present-day slow germination results from the loss of scarification in moa guts. Paradoxically, although moa were New Zealand's largest native herbivores, the only seeds to survive moa gut passage intact were those of small-seeded herbs and shrubs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna K Carpenter
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand
| | - Jamie R Wood
- Landcare Research, Lincoln, Canterbury 7640, New Zealand
| | - Janet M Wilmshurst
- Landcare Research, Lincoln, Canterbury 7640, New Zealand.,School of Environment, University of Auckland, Auckland 1142, New Zealand
| | - Dave Kelly
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand
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14
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Llamas B, Willerslev E, Orlando L. Human evolution: a tale from ancient genomes. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2017; 372:rstb.2015.0484. [PMID: 27994125 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2015.0484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/05/2016] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The field of human ancient DNA (aDNA) has moved from mitochondrial sequencing that suffered from contamination and provided limited biological insights, to become a fully genomic discipline that is changing our conception of human history. Recent successes include the sequencing of extinct hominins, and true population genomic studies of Bronze Age populations. Among the emerging areas of aDNA research, the analysis of past epigenomes is set to provide more new insights into human adaptation and disease susceptibility through time. Starting as a mere curiosity, ancient human genetics has become a major player in the understanding of our evolutionary history.This article is part of the themed issue 'Evo-devo in the genomics era, and the origins of morphological diversity'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bastien Llamas
- Australian Centre for ADNA, School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia 5005, Australia
| | - Eske Willerslev
- Centre for GeoGenetics, Natural History Museum of Denmark, Øster Voldgade 5-7, 1350 K Copenhagen, Denmark.,Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK.,Wellcome Genome Campus Hinxton, Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Cambridge CB10 1SA, UK
| | - Ludovic Orlando
- Centre for GeoGenetics, Natural History Museum of Denmark, Øster Voldgade 5-7, 1350 K Copenhagen, Denmark .,Laboratoire d'Anthropobiologie Moléculaire et d'Imagerie de Synthèse, Université de Toulouse, University Paul Sabatier, CNRS UMR 5288, 31000 Toulouse, France
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15
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Deiner K, Bik HM, Mächler E, Seymour M, Lacoursière-Roussel A, Altermatt F, Creer S, Bista I, Lodge DM, de Vere N, Pfrender ME, Bernatchez L. Environmental DNA metabarcoding: Transforming how we survey animal and plant communities. Mol Ecol 2017; 26:5872-5895. [PMID: 28921802 DOI: 10.1111/mec.14350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 590] [Impact Index Per Article: 84.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2016] [Revised: 08/31/2017] [Accepted: 09/05/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The genomic revolution has fundamentally changed how we survey biodiversity on earth. High-throughput sequencing ("HTS") platforms now enable the rapid sequencing of DNA from diverse kinds of environmental samples (termed "environmental DNA" or "eDNA"). Coupling HTS with our ability to associate sequences from eDNA with a taxonomic name is called "eDNA metabarcoding" and offers a powerful molecular tool capable of noninvasively surveying species richness from many ecosystems. Here, we review the use of eDNA metabarcoding for surveying animal and plant richness, and the challenges in using eDNA approaches to estimate relative abundance. We highlight eDNA applications in freshwater, marine and terrestrial environments, and in this broad context, we distill what is known about the ability of different eDNA sample types to approximate richness in space and across time. We provide guiding questions for study design and discuss the eDNA metabarcoding workflow with a focus on primers and library preparation methods. We additionally discuss important criteria for consideration of bioinformatic filtering of data sets, with recommendations for increasing transparency. Finally, looking to the future, we discuss emerging applications of eDNA metabarcoding in ecology, conservation, invasion biology, biomonitoring, and how eDNA metabarcoding can empower citizen science and biodiversity education.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristy Deiner
- Atkinson Center for a Sustainable Future, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Holly M Bik
- Department of Nematology, University of California, Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Elvira Mächler
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Department of Aquatic Ecology, Dübendorf, Switzerland.,Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Mathew Seymour
- Molecular Ecology and Fisheries Genetics Laboratory, School of Biological Sciences, Environment Centre Wales Building, Bangor University, Bangor, Gwynedd, UK
| | | | - Florian Altermatt
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Department of Aquatic Ecology, Dübendorf, Switzerland.,Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Simon Creer
- Molecular Ecology and Fisheries Genetics Laboratory, School of Biological Sciences, Environment Centre Wales Building, Bangor University, Bangor, Gwynedd, UK
| | - Iliana Bista
- Molecular Ecology and Fisheries Genetics Laboratory, School of Biological Sciences, Environment Centre Wales Building, Bangor University, Bangor, Gwynedd, UK.,Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Hinxton, Cambridgeshire, UK
| | - David M Lodge
- Atkinson Center for a Sustainable Future, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Natasha de Vere
- Conservation and Research Department, National Botanic Garden of Wales, Llanarthne, Carmarthenshire, UK.,Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences, Aberystwyth University, Aberystwyth, UK
| | - Michael E Pfrender
- Department of Biological Sciences and Environmental Change Initiative, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA
| | - Louis Bernatchez
- IBIS (Institut de Biologie Intégrative et des Systèmes), Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
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16
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Cole TL, Wood JR. The ancient DNA revolution: the latest era in unearthing New Zealand’s faunal history. NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY 2017. [DOI: 10.1080/03014223.2017.1376690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Theresa L. Cole
- Department of Zoology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
- Long Term Ecology Lab, Landcare Research, Lincoln, New Zealand
| | - Jamie R. Wood
- Long Term Ecology Lab, Landcare Research, Lincoln, New Zealand
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17
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Time to Spread Your Wings: A Review of the Avian Ancient DNA Field. Genes (Basel) 2017; 8:genes8070184. [PMID: 28718817 PMCID: PMC5541317 DOI: 10.3390/genes8070184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2017] [Revised: 06/27/2017] [Accepted: 07/10/2017] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Ancient DNA (aDNA) has the ability to inform the evolutionary history of both extant and extinct taxa; however, the use of aDNA in the study of avian evolution is lacking in comparison to other vertebrates, despite birds being one of the most species-rich vertebrate classes. Here, we review the field of “avian ancient DNA” by summarising the past three decades of literature on this topic. Most studies over this time have used avian aDNA to reconstruct phylogenetic relationships and clarify taxonomy based on the sequencing of a few mitochondrial loci, but recent studies are moving toward using a comparative genomics approach to address developmental and functional questions. Applying aDNA analysis with more practical outcomes in mind (such as managing conservation) is another increasingly popular trend among studies that utilise avian aDNA, but the majority of these have yet to influence management policy. We find that while there have been advances in extracting aDNA from a variety of avian substrates including eggshell, feathers, and coprolites, there is a bias in the temporal focus; the majority of the ca. 150 studies reviewed here obtained aDNA from late Holocene (100–1000 yBP) material, with few studies investigating Pleistocene-aged material. In addition, we identify and discuss several other issues within the field that require future attention. With more than one quarter of Holocene bird extinctions occurring in the last several hundred years, it is more important than ever to understand the mechanisms driving the evolution and extinction of bird species through the use of aDNA.
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18
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Green EJ, Speller CF. Novel Substrates as Sources of Ancient DNA: Prospects and Hurdles. Genes (Basel) 2017; 8:E180. [PMID: 28703741 PMCID: PMC5541313 DOI: 10.3390/genes8070180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2017] [Revised: 06/22/2017] [Accepted: 07/10/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Following the discovery in the late 1980s that hard tissues such as bones and teeth preserve genetic information, the field of ancient DNA analysis has typically concentrated upon these substrates. The onset of high-throughput sequencing, combined with optimized DNA recovery methods, has enabled the analysis of a myriad of ancient species and specimens worldwide, dating back to the Middle Pleistocene. Despite the growing sophistication of analytical techniques, the genetic analysis of substrates other than bone and dentine remain comparatively "novel". Here, we review analyses of other biological substrates which offer great potential for elucidating phylogenetic relationships, paleoenvironments, and microbial ecosystems including (1) archaeological artifacts and ecofacts; (2) calcified and/or mineralized biological deposits; and (3) biological and cultural archives. We conclude that there is a pressing need for more refined models of DNA preservation and bespoke tools for DNA extraction and analysis to authenticate and maximize the utility of the data obtained. With such tools in place the potential for neglected or underexploited substrates to provide a unique insight into phylogenetics, microbial evolution and evolutionary processes will be realized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleanor Joan Green
- BioArCh, Department of Archaeology, University of York, Wentworth Way, York YO10 5DD, UK.
| | - Camilla F Speller
- BioArCh, Department of Archaeology, University of York, Wentworth Way, York YO10 5DD, UK.
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19
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Arnold AE, Andersen EM, Taylor MJ, Steidl RJ. Using cytochrome b to identify nests and museum specimens of cryptic songbirds. CONSERV GENET RESOUR 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s12686-016-0680-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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20
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Wood JR, Perry GLW, Wilmshurst JM. Using palaeoecology to determine baseline ecological requirements and interaction networks for de‐extinction candidate species. Funct Ecol 2016. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.12773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Jamie R. Wood
- Long‐term Ecology Lab Landcare Research PO Box 69040 Lincoln7640 New Zealand
| | - George L. W. Perry
- School of Environment The University of Auckland Private Bag 92019 Auckland1142 New Zealand
| | - Janet M. Wilmshurst
- Long‐term Ecology Lab Landcare Research PO Box 69040 Lincoln7640 New Zealand
- School of Environment The University of Auckland Private Bag 92019 Auckland1142 New Zealand
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21
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Birks HJB, Birks HH. How have studies of ancient DNA from sediments contributed to the reconstruction of Quaternary floras? THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2016; 209:499-506. [PMID: 26402315 DOI: 10.1111/nph.13657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2015] [Accepted: 08/03/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
499 I. 499 II. 500 III. 500 IV. 500 V. 500 VI. 501 VII. 502 VIII. 504 504 References 505 SUMMARY: Ancient DNA (aDNA) from lake sediments, peats, permafrost soils, preserved megafaunal gut contents and coprolites has been used to reconstruct late-Quaternary floras. aDNA is either used alone for floristic reconstruction or compared with pollen and/or macrofossil results. In comparative studies, aDNA may complement pollen and macrofossil analyses by increasing the number of taxa found. We discuss the relative contributions of each fossil group to taxon richness and the number of unique taxa found, and situations in which aDNA has refined pollen identifications. Pressing problems in aDNA studies are contamination and ignorance about taphonomy (transportation, incorporation, and preservation in sediments). Progress requires that these problems are reduced to allow aDNA to reach its full potential contribution to reconstructions of Quaternary floras.
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Affiliation(s)
- H John B Birks
- Department of Biology, University of Bergen, and Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research, Postbox 7803, N-5020, Bergen, Norway
- Environmental Change Research Centre, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Hilary H Birks
- Department of Biology, University of Bergen, and Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research, Postbox 7803, N-5020, Bergen, Norway
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22
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Abstract
Aggregation of the German cockroach, Blattella germanica, is regulated by fecal aggregation agents (pheromones), including volatile carboxylic acids (VCAs). We demonstrate that the gut microbial community contributes to production of these semiochemicals. Chemical analysis of the fecal extract of B. germanica revealed 40 VCAs. Feces from axenic cockroaches (no microorganisms in the alimentary tract) lacked 12 major fecal VCAs, and 24 of the remaining compounds were represented at extremely low amounts. Olfactory and aggregation bioassays demonstrated that nymphs strongly preferred the extract of control feces over the fecal extract of axenic cockroaches. Additionally, nymphs preferred a synthetic blend of 6 fecal VCAs over a solvent control or a previously identified VCA blend. To test whether gut bacteria contribute to the production of fecal aggregation agents, fecal aerobic bacteria were cultured, isolated, and identified. Inoculation of axenic cockroaches with individual bacterial taxa significantly rescued the aggregation response to the fecal extract, and inoculation with a mix of six bacterial isolates was more effective than with single isolates. The results indicate that the commensal gut microbiota contributes to production of VCAs that act as fecal aggregation agents and that cockroaches discriminate among the complex odors that emanate from a diverse microbial community. Our results highlight the pivotal role of gut bacteria in mediating insect-insect communication. Moreover, because the gut microbial community reflects the local environment, local plasticity in fecal aggregation pheromones enables colony-specific odors and fidelity to persistent aggregation sites.
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23
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Parducci L, Väliranta M, Salonen JS, Ronkainen T, Matetovici I, Fontana SL, Eskola T, Sarala P, Suyama Y. Proxy comparison in ancient peat sediments: pollen, macrofossil and plant DNA. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2015; 370:20130382. [PMID: 25487333 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2013.0382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
We compared DNA, pollen and macrofossil data obtained from Weichselian interstadial (age more than 40 kyr) and Holocene (maximum age 8400 cal yr BP) peat sediments from northern Europe and used them to reconstruct contemporary floristic compositions at two sites. The majority of the samples provided plant DNA sequences of good quality with success amplification rates depending on age. DNA and sequencing analysis provided five plant taxa from the older site and nine taxa from the younger site, corresponding to 7% and 15% of the total number of taxa identified by the three proxies together. At both sites, pollen analysis detected the largest (54) and DNA the lowest (10) number of taxa, but five of the DNA taxa were not detected by pollen and macrofossils. The finding of a larger overlap between DNA and pollen than between DNA and macrofossils proxies seems to go against our previous suggestion based on lacustrine sediments that DNA originates principally from plant tissues and less from pollen. At both sites, we also detected Quercus spp. DNA, but few pollen grains were found in the record, and these are normally interpreted as long-distance dispersal. We confirm that in palaeoecological investigations, sedimentary DNA analysis is less comprehensive than classical morphological analysis, but is a complementary and important tool to obtain a more complete picture of past flora.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Parducci
- Department of Ecology and Genetics, Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University, Norbyvägen 18D, 75236 Uppsala, Sweden Centre for GeoGenetics, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, ØsterVoldgade 5-7, 1350 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Minna Väliranta
- Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, PO Box 65, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - J Sakari Salonen
- Department of Geosciences and Geography, University of Helsinki, PO Box 64, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Tiina Ronkainen
- Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, PO Box 65, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Irina Matetovici
- Molecular Biology Centre, Interdisciplinary Research Institute on Bio-Nano-Sciences, Babes-Bolyai-University ClujNapoca, 42 TreboniuLaurian Street, 400271 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Sonia L Fontana
- School of Geography, Archaeology and Palaeoecology, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast BT7 1NN, UK
| | - Tiina Eskola
- Department of Geosciences, University of Oulu, PO Box 3000, 90014 Oulu, Finland
| | - Pertti Sarala
- Geological Survey of Finland, PO Box 77, 96101 Rovaniemi, Finland
| | - Yoshihisa Suyama
- Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tohoku University, 232-3 Yomogida, Naruko-onsen, Osaki, Miyagi 989-6711, Japan
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24
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De Baets K, Dentzien-Dias P, Upeniece I, Verneau O, Donoghue PCJ. Constraining the Deep Origin of Parasitic Flatworms and Host-Interactions with Fossil Evidence. ADVANCES IN PARASITOLOGY 2015; 90:93-135. [PMID: 26597066 DOI: 10.1016/bs.apar.2015.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Novel fossil discoveries have contributed to our understanding of the evolutionary appearance of parasitism in flatworms. Furthermore, genetic analyses with greater coverage have shifted our views on the coevolution of parasitic flatworms and their hosts. The putative record of parasitic flatworms is consistent with extant host associations and so can be used to put constraints on the evolutionary origin of the parasites themselves. The future lies in new molecular clock analyses combined with additional discoveries of exceptionally preserved flatworms associated with hosts and coprolites. Besides direct evidence, the host fossil record and biogeography have the potential to constrain their evolutionary history, albeit with caution needed to avoid circularity, and a need for calibrations to be implemented in the most conservative way. This might result in imprecise, but accurate divergence estimates for the evolution of parasitic flatworms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenneth De Baets
- Fachgruppe PaläoUmwelt, GeoZentrum Nordbayern, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Paula Dentzien-Dias
- Núcleo de Oceanografia Geológica, Instituto de Oceanografia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande, Rio Grande, Brazil
| | - Ieva Upeniece
- Department of Geology, University of Latvia, Riga, Latvia
| | - Olivier Verneau
- Centre de Formation et de Recherche sur les Environnements Méditerranéens, University of Perpignan Via Domitia, Perpignan, France; CNRS, Centre de Formation et de Recherche sur les Environnements Méditerranéens, Perpignan, France; Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa
| | - Philip C J Donoghue
- School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Life Science Building, Bristol, UK
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25
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Collins CJ, Rawlence NJ, Prost S, Anderson CNK, Knapp M, Scofield RP, Robertson BC, Smith I, Matisoo-Smith EA, Chilvers BL, Waters JM. Extinction and recolonization of coastal megafauna following human arrival in New Zealand. Proc Biol Sci 2014; 281:20140097. [PMID: 24827440 PMCID: PMC4046402 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2014.0097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2014] [Accepted: 04/14/2014] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Extinctions can dramatically reshape biological communities. As a case in point, ancient mass extinction events apparently facilitated dramatic new evolutionary radiations of surviving lineages. However, scientists have yet to fully understand the consequences of more recent biological upheaval, such as the megafaunal extinctions that occurred globally over the past 50 kyr. New Zealand was the world's last large landmass to be colonized by humans, and its exceptional archaeological record documents a vast number of vertebrate extinctions in the immediate aftermath of Polynesian arrival approximately AD 1280. This recently colonized archipelago thus presents an outstanding opportunity to test for rapid biological responses to extinction. Here, we use ancient DNA (aDNA) analysis to show that extinction of an endemic sea lion lineage (Phocarctos spp.) apparently facilitated a subsequent northward range expansion of a previously subantarctic-limited lineage. This finding parallels a similar extinction-replacement event in penguins (Megadyptes spp.). In both cases, an endemic mainland clade was completely eliminated soon after human arrival, and then replaced by a genetically divergent clade from the remote subantarctic region, all within the space of a few centuries. These data suggest that ecological and demographic processes can play a role in constraining lineage distributions, even for highly dispersive species, and highlight the potential for dynamic biological responses to extinction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine J Collins
- Allan Wilson Centre for Molecular Ecology and Evolution, Department of Zoology, University of Otago, Dunedin 9016, New Zealand
| | - Nicolas J Rawlence
- Allan Wilson Centre for Molecular Ecology and Evolution, Department of Zoology, University of Otago, Dunedin 9016, New Zealand
| | - Stefan Prost
- Allan Wilson Centre for Molecular Ecology and Evolution, Department of Anatomy, University of Otago, Dunedin 9016, New Zealand Department of Bioinformatics and Genetics, Swedish Museum of Natural History, 10405 Stockholm, Sweden Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720-3140, USA
| | | | - Michael Knapp
- Allan Wilson Centre for Molecular Ecology and Evolution, Department of Anatomy, University of Otago, Dunedin 9016, New Zealand School of Biological Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, LL57 2UW, Wales, UK
| | | | - Bruce C Robertson
- Allan Wilson Centre for Molecular Ecology and Evolution, Department of Zoology, University of Otago, Dunedin 9016, New Zealand
| | - Ian Smith
- Department of Anthropology and Archaeology, University of Otago, Dunedin 9016, New Zealand
| | - Elizabeth A Matisoo-Smith
- Allan Wilson Centre for Molecular Ecology and Evolution, Department of Anatomy, University of Otago, Dunedin 9016, New Zealand
| | - B Louise Chilvers
- Department of Conservation, Marine Species and Threats, Wellington 6011, New Zealand
| | - Jonathan M Waters
- Allan Wilson Centre for Molecular Ecology and Evolution, Department of Zoology, University of Otago, Dunedin 9016, New Zealand
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26
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Wood JR, Wilmshurst JM. Age of North Island giant moa (Dinornis novaezealandiae) bones found on the forest floor in the Ruahine Range. J R Soc N Z 2013. [DOI: 10.1080/03036758.2012.751038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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27
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Lee DE, Conran JG, Bannister JM, Kaulfuss U, Mildenhall DC. A fossil Fuchsia (Onagraceae) flower and an anther mass with in situ pollen from the early Miocene of New Zealand. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY 2013; 100:2052-2065. [PMID: 24107580 DOI: 10.3732/ajb.1200643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
PREMISE OF THE STUDY Fuchsia (Onagraceae) anthers, pollen, and an ornithophilous Fuchsia-like flower from an earliest Miocene lacustrine diatomite deposit at Foulden Maar, southern New Zealand confirm a long record for Fuchsia in New Zealand and probably an equally long history for its distinctive honeyeater pollination syndrome. The anthers contain in situ pollen of the fossil palynomorph previously assigned to Diporites aspis Pocknall et Mildenh. (Onagraceae: Fuchsia L.). • METHODS We undertook comparative studies of the flower and anther morphology of the newly discovered macrofossils and compared the in situ pollen grains from the anthers with dispersed pollen grains from extant species. • KEY RESULTS The anther mass is referred to a new, extinct species, Fuchsia antiqua D.E.Lee, Conran, Bannister, U.Kaulfuss & Mildenh. (Onagraceae), and is associated with a fossilized Fuchsia-like flower from the same small mining pit. Because Diporites van der Hammen is typified by a fungal sporomorph, the replacement name for D. aspis is Koninidites aspis (Pocknall & Mildenh.) Mildenh. gen. & comb. nov. Phylogenetic placement of the fossils agrees with a proximal position to either sect. Skinnera or sect. Procumbentes. These are the oldest macrofossils of Fuchsia globally. • CONCLUSIONS The floral structures are remarkably similar to those of modern New Zealand Fuchsia. They suggest that the distinctive honeyeater bird-pollination syndrome/association seen in modern New Zealand was already established by the late Oligocene-earliest Miocene. The implications for the biogeography and paleoecology of Fuchsia in Australasia are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daphne E Lee
- Department of Geology, University of Otago, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin, New Zealand
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Resolving lost herbivore community structure using coprolites of four sympatric moa species (Aves: Dinornithiformes). Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2013; 110:16910-5. [PMID: 24082104 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1307700110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Knowledge of extinct herbivore community structuring is essential for assessing the wider ecological impacts of Quaternary extinctions and determining appropriate taxon substitutes for rewilding. Here, we demonstrate the potential for coprolite studies to progress beyond single-species diet reconstructions to resolving community-level detail. The moa (Aves: Dinornithiformes) of New Zealand are an intensively studied group of nine extinct herbivore species, yet many details of their diets and community structuring remain unresolved. We provide unique insights into these aspects of moa biology through analyses of a multispecies coprolite assemblage from a rock overhang in a montane river valley in southern New Zealand. Using ancient DNA (aDNA), we identified 51 coprolites, which included specimens from four sympatric moa species. Pollen, plant macrofossils, and plant aDNA from the coprolites chronicle the diets and habitat preferences of these large avian herbivores during the 400 y before their extinction (∼1450 AD). We use the coprolite data to develop a paleoecological niche model in which moa species were partitioned based on both habitat (forest and valley-floor herbfield) and dietary preferences, the latter reflecting allometric relationships between body size, digestive efficiency, and nutritional requirements. Broad ecological niches occupied by South Island giant moa (Dinornis robustus) and upland moa (Megalapteryx didinus) may reflect sexual segregation and seasonal variation in habitat use, respectively. Our results show that moa lack extant ecological analogs, and their extinction represents an irreplaceable loss of function from New Zealand's terrestrial ecosystems.
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29
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Santiago-Rodriguez TM, Narganes-Storde YM, Chanlatte L, Crespo-Torres E, Toranzos GA, Jimenez-Flores R, Hamrick A, Cano RJ. Microbial communities in pre-columbian coprolites. PLoS One 2013; 8:e65191. [PMID: 23755194 PMCID: PMC3673975 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0065191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2013] [Accepted: 04/22/2013] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The study of coprolites from earlier cultures represents a great opportunity to study an “unaltered” composition of the intestinal microbiota. To test this, pre-Columbian coprolites from two cultures, the Huecoid and Saladoid, were evaluated for the presence of DNA, proteins and lipids by cytochemical staining, human and/or dog-specific Bacteroides spp. by PCR, as well as bacteria, fungi and archaea using Terminal Restriction Fragment analyses. DNA, proteins and lipids, and human-specific Bacteroides DNA were detected in all coprolites. Multidimensional scaling analyses resulted in spatial arrangements of microbial profiles by culture, further supported by cluster analysis and ANOSIM. Differences between the microbial communities were positively correlated with culture, and SIMPER analysis indicated 68.8% dissimilarity between the Huecoid and Saladoid. Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes and methanogens were found in all coprolite samples. Propionebacteria, Shewanella and lactic acid bacteria dominated in the Huecoid samples, while Acidobacteria, and peptococci were dominant in Saladoid samples. Yeasts, including Candida albicans and Crypotococcus spp. were found in all samples. Basidiomycetes were the most notable fungi in Huecoid samples while Ascomycetes predominated in Saladoid samples, suggesting differences in dietary habits. Our study provides an approach for the study of the microbial communities of coprolite samples from various cultures.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yvonne M. Narganes-Storde
- Center for Archaeological Research, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico, United States of America
| | - Luis Chanlatte
- Center for Archaeological Research, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico, United States of America
| | - Edwin Crespo-Torres
- Center for Archaeological Research, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico, United States of America
| | - Gary A. Toranzos
- Department of Biology, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico, United States of America
| | - Rafael Jimenez-Flores
- Dairy Products Technology Center, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, California, United States of America
| | - Alice Hamrick
- Center for Applications in Biotechnology, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, California, United States of America
| | - Raul J. Cano
- Center for Applications in Biotechnology, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, California, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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30
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Wood JR, Wilmshurst JM, Rawlence NJ, Bonner KI, Worthy TH, Kinsella JM, Cooper A. A megafauna's microfauna: gastrointestinal parasites of New Zealand's extinct moa (Aves: Dinornithiformes). PLoS One 2013; 8:e57315. [PMID: 23451203 PMCID: PMC3581471 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0057315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2012] [Accepted: 01/21/2013] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
We perform the first multidisciplinary study of parasites from an extinct megafaunal clade using coprolites from the New Zealand moa (Aves: Dinornithiformes). Ancient DNA and microscopic analyses of 84 coprolites deposited by four moa species (South Island giant moa, Dinornis robustus; little bush moa, Anomalopteryx didiformis; heavy-footed moa, Pachyornis elephantopus; and upland moa, Megalapteryx didinus) reveal an array of gastrointestinal parasites including coccidians (Cryptosporidium and members of the suborder Eimeriorina), nematodes (Heterakoidea, Trichostrongylidae, Trichinellidae) and a trematode (Echinostomida). Parasite eggs were most prevalent and diverse in coprolites from lowland sites, where multiple sympatric moa species occurred and host density was therefore probably higher. Morphological and phylogenetic evidence supports a possible vicariant Gondwanan origin for some of the moa parasites. The discovery of apparently host-specific parasite taxa suggests paleoparasitological studies of megafauna coprolites may provide useful case-studies of coextinction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jamie R Wood
- Landcare Research, Lincoln, Canterbury, New Zealand.
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Wood JR, Wilmshurst JM, Worthy TH, Holzapfel AS, Cooper A. A lost link between a flightless parrot and a parasitic plant and the potential role of coprolites in conservation paleobiology. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2012; 26:1091-1099. [PMID: 23025275 DOI: 10.1111/j.1523-1739.2012.01931.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2011] [Accepted: 05/26/2012] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Late Quaternary extinctions and population fragmentations have severely disrupted animal-plant interactions globally. Detection of disrupted interactions often relies on anachronistic plant characteristics, such as spines in the absence of large herbivores or large fruit without dispersers. However, obvious anachronisms are relatively uncommon, and it can be difficult to prove a direct link between the anachronism and a particular faunal taxon. Analysis of coprolites (fossil feces) provides a novel way of exposing lost interactions between animals (depositors) and consumed organisms. We analyzed ancient DNA to show that a coprolite from the South Island of New Zealand was deposited by the rare and threatened kakapo (Strigops habroptilus), a large, nocturnal, flightless parrot. When we analyzed the pollen and spore content of the coprolite, we found pollen from the cryptic root-parasite Dactylanthus taylorii. The relatively high abundance (8.9% of total pollen and spores) of this zoophilous pollen type in the coprolite supports the hypothesis of a former direct feeding interaction between kakapo and D. taylorii. The ranges of both species have contracted substantially since human settlement, and their present distributions no longer overlap. Currently, the lesser short-tailed bat (Mystacina tuberculata) is the only known native pollinator of D. taylorii, but our finding raises the possibility that birds, and other small fauna, could have once fed on and pollinated the plant. If confirmed, through experimental work and observations, this finding may inform conservation of the plant. For example, it may be possible to translocate D. taylorii to predator-free offshore islands that lack bats but have thriving populations of endemic nectar-feeding birds. The study of coprolites of rare or extinct taxonomic groups provides a unique way forward to expand existing knowledge of lost plant and animal interactions and to identify pollination and dispersal syndromes. This approach of linking paleobiology with neoecology offers significant untapped potential to help inform conservation and restoration plans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jamie R Wood
- Landcare Research, P.O. Box 40, Lincoln, Canterbury 7640, New Zealand.
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