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Girgente JS, McIntyre NE. Watershed-Mediated Ecomorphological Variation: A Case Study with the Twin-Striped Clubtail Dragonfly ( Hylogomphus geminatus). INSECTS 2023; 14:754. [PMID: 37754722 PMCID: PMC10531528 DOI: 10.3390/insects14090754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023]
Abstract
Anthropogenic land-cover change is modifying ecosystems at an accelerating rate. Changes to ecomorphologically variable taxa within those ecosystems serve as early-warning signs that resources on which humans and other animals depend are being altered. One known ecomorphologically variable taxon is Hylogomphus geminatus, a species of dragonfly in the southeastern United States that shows pronounced variation in total body length across its limited geographic range. We measured total length of live as well as preserved museum specimens of H. geminatus and the sympatric species Progomphus obscurus (as a means for comparison). Both species showed significant size differences linked to HUC-8 watersheds in which they occur. H. geminatus showed additional significant differences on either side of the Apalachicola River, Florida, for all comparisons by sex. In overlapping watersheds, the species tended to show the same trends in length relative to their respective averages. Smaller body length was associated with more urban and agricultural land cover. These findings indicate that ecomorphological variation is tied to the watershed scale and point to significant variations on either side of the Apalachicola River. More thorough future analyses would be needed to verify trends in body length and identify the drivers behind them.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Nancy E. McIntyre
- Department of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409, USA
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Willacker JJ, Eagles-Smith CA, Nelson SJ, Flanagan Pritz CM, Krabbenhoft DP. The influence of short-term temporal variability on the efficacy of dragonfly larvae as mercury biosentinels. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 867:161469. [PMID: 36632899 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.161469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2022] [Revised: 01/04/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Mercury (Hg) exposure to fish, wildlife, and humans is widespread and of global concern, thus stimulating efforts to reduce emissions. Because the relationships between rates of inorganic Hg loading, methylmercury (MeHg) production, and bioaccumulation are extremely complex and challenging to predict, there is a need for reliable biosentinels to understand the distribution of Hg in the environment and monitor the effectiveness of reduction efforts. However, it is important to assess how temporal and spatial variation at multiple scales influences the efficacy of specific biosentinels. Seasonal and interannual variation in total Hg (THg) concentrations of dragonfly larvae were examined in relation to spatial variability among 21 sites in two U.S. national parks with contrasting ecologies and Hg deposition patterns. Dragonfly THg differed among sampling events at 17 of the 21 sites, but by an average of only 20.4 % across events, compared to an average difference of 52.7 % among sites. Further, THg concentrations did not follow consistent seasonal patterns across sites or years, suggesting that the observed temporal variation was unlikely to bias monitoring efforts. Importantly, for a specific site, there was no difference in % MeHg in dragonflies among sampling events. Finally, there was significant temporal variability in the biogeochemical factors (aqueous inorganic Hg, aqueous MeHg, DOC, SO4, and pH) influencing dragonfly THg, with the importance of individual factors varying by 2.4 to 4.3-fold across sampling events. Despite these results, it is noteworthy that the observed temporal variation in dragonfly THg concentrations was neither large nor consistent enough to bias spatial assessments. Thus, although this temporal variation may provide insights into the processes influencing biological Hg concentrations, it is unlikely to impair the use of dragonflies as biosentinels for monitoring spatial or temporal patterns at scales relevant to most mitigation efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- James J Willacker
- U.S. Geological Survey, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, 3200 SW Jefferson Way, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA.
| | - Collin A Eagles-Smith
- U.S. Geological Survey, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, 3200 SW Jefferson Way, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA
| | - Sarah J Nelson
- Appalachian Mountain Club, 361 Route 16, Gorham, NH 03581, USA
| | | | - David P Krabbenhoft
- U.S. Geological Survey, Upper Midwest Water Science Center, 1 Gifford Pinchot Dr, Madison, WI 53726, USA
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Yıldız D, Yalçın G, Jovanović B, Boukal DS, Vebrová L, Riha D, Stanković J, Savić-Zdraković D, Metin M, Akyürek YN, Balkanlı D, Filiz N, Milošević D, Feuchtmayr H, Richardson JA, Beklioğlu M. Effects of a microplastic mixture differ across trophic levels and taxa in a freshwater food web: In situ mesocosm experiment. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 836:155407. [PMID: 35469887 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.155407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Revised: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 04/16/2022] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
The ubiquitous presence of microplastics (MP) in aquatic ecosystems can affect organisms and communities in multiple ways. While MP research on aquatic organisms has primarily focused on marine ecosystems and laboratory experiments, the community-level effects of MP in freshwaters, especially in lakes, are poorly understood. To examine the impact of MP on freshwater lake ecosystems, we conducted the first in situ community-level mesocosm experiment testing the effects of MP on a model food web with zooplankton as main herbivores, odonate larvae as predators, and chironomid larvae as detritivores for seven weeks. The mesocosms were exposed to a mixture of the most abundant MP polymers found in freshwaters, added at two different concentrations in a single pulse to the water surface, water column and sediment. Water column MP concentrations declined sharply during the first two weeks of the experiment. Contrary to expectations, MP ingestion by zooplankton was low and limited mainly to large-bodied Daphnia, causing a decrease in biomass. Biomass of the other zooplankton taxa did not decrease. Presence of MP in the faecal pellets of odonate larvae that fed on zooplankton was indicative of a trophic transfer of MP. The results demonstrated that MP ingestion varies predictably with MP size, as well as body size and feeding preference of the organism, which can be used to predict the rates of transfer and further effects of MP on freshwater food webs. For chironomids, MP had only a low, short-term impact on emergence patterns while their wing morphology was significantly changed. Overall, the impact of MP exposure on the experimental food web and cross-ecosystem biomass transfer was lower than expected, but the experiment provided the first in situ observation of MP transfer to terrestrial ecosystems by emerging chironomids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dilvin Yıldız
- Department of Biological Sciences, Limnology Laboratory, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey; Earth System Science, Graduate School of Natural and Applied Science, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey.
| | - Gülce Yalçın
- Department of Biological Sciences, Limnology Laboratory, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey; Ecosystem Research and Implementation Centre, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey.
| | - Boris Jovanović
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
| | - David S Boukal
- Department of Ecosystem Biology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Czech Republic; Czech Academy of Sciences, Biology Centre, Institute of Entomology, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Lucie Vebrová
- Department of Ecosystem Biology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Derya Riha
- Department of Ecosystem Biology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Jelena Stanković
- Department of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Sciences and Mathematics, University of Niš, Niš, Serbia
| | - Dimitrija Savić-Zdraković
- Department of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Sciences and Mathematics, University of Niš, Niš, Serbia
| | - Melisa Metin
- Department of Biological Sciences, Limnology Laboratory, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Yasmin Naz Akyürek
- Department of Biological Sciences, Limnology Laboratory, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Deniz Balkanlı
- Department of Biological Sciences, Limnology Laboratory, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Nur Filiz
- Department of Biological Sciences, Limnology Laboratory, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey; Ecosystem Research and Implementation Centre, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Djuradj Milošević
- Department of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Sciences and Mathematics, University of Niš, Niš, Serbia
| | - Heidrun Feuchtmayr
- UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster, UK
| | - Jessica A Richardson
- UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster, UK
| | - Meryem Beklioğlu
- Department of Biological Sciences, Limnology Laboratory, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey; Ecosystem Research and Implementation Centre, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey.
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Franta P, Gebauer R, Veselý L, Buřič M, Szydłowska NZ, Drozd B. The Invasive Round Goby Neogobius melanostomus as a Potential Threat to Native Crayfish Populations. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:ani11082377. [PMID: 34438835 PMCID: PMC8388692 DOI: 10.3390/ani11082377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2021] [Revised: 08/06/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Neogobius melanostomus is a highly invasive fish that has colonized most major European rivers and is dispersing into their tributaries. Its foraging behaviour does not show particular prey preferences, which makes predicting its interactions with endangered members of the macrozoobenthic community in tributaries a challenge. We observed the interaction of N. melanostomus and crayfish juvenile or A. aquaticus in single- and multiple-prey systems to better predict its ecological impact. The results suggest an impact of N. melanostomus on crayfish similar to that on A. aquaticus, potentially making it a threat to crayfish population stability. Destabilization of a keystone species such as crayfish in river tributaries may lead to a trophic cascade in the ecosystem with irreversible consequences. Abstract Despite the spread of round goby Neogobius melanostomus into freshwater streams, there is a lack of information with respect to its effect on macroinvertebrate communities, especially crustaceans. We studied foraging efficiency of N. melanostomus on Procambarus virginalis and Asellus aquaticus, using a functional response (FR) approach. Stocking density of the prey species was manipulated to determine its effect on consumer utilization, with prey offered separately or combined at 1:1, 3:1, and 1:3 at each tested density. For both prey species, N. melanostomus exhibited type II FR, occasionally with a high proportion of non-consumptive mortality. Procambarus virginalis suffered a significantly higher attack rate compared to A. aquaticus. Neogobius melanostomus killed significantly more of the most prevalent prey, regardless of species. In trials with prey species of equal proportions, a difference in the number of each species killed was observed only at the highest density, at which P. virginalis was preferred. Neogobius melanostomus may be an important driver of population dynamics of prey species in the wild. The non-selective prey consumption makes N. melanostomus a potential threat to macrozoobenthic communities of river tributaries.
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Twining CW, Bernhardt JR, Derry AM, Hudson CM, Ishikawa A, Kabeya N, Kainz MJ, Kitano J, Kowarik C, Ladd SN, Leal MC, Scharnweber K, Shipley JR, Matthews B. The evolutionary ecology of fatty-acid variation: Implications for consumer adaptation and diversification. Ecol Lett 2021; 24:1709-1731. [PMID: 34114320 DOI: 10.1111/ele.13771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2020] [Revised: 12/20/2021] [Accepted: 04/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The nutritional diversity of resources can affect the adaptive evolution of consumer metabolism and consumer diversification. The omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA; 20:5n-3) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA; 22:6n-3) have a high potential to affect consumer fitness, through their widespread effects on reproduction, growth and survival. However, few studies consider the evolution of fatty acid metabolism within an ecological context. In this review, we first document the extensive diversity in both primary producer and consumer fatty acid distributions amongst major ecosystems, between habitats and amongst species within habitats. We highlight some of the key nutritional contrasts that can shape behavioural and/or metabolic adaptation in consumers, discussing how consumers can evolve in response to the spatial, seasonal and community-level variation of resource quality. We propose a hierarchical trait-based approach for studying the evolution of consumers' metabolic networks and review the evolutionary genetic mechanisms underpinning consumer adaptation to EPA and DHA distributions. In doing so, we consider how the metabolic traits of consumers are hierarchically structured, from cell membrane function to maternal investment, and have strongly environment-dependent expression. Finally, we conclude with an outlook on how studying the metabolic adaptation of consumers within the context of nutritional landscapes can open up new opportunities for understanding evolutionary diversification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cornelia W Twining
- Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Radolfzell, Germany.,Limnological Institute, University of Konstanz, Konstanz-Egg, Germany
| | - Joey R Bernhardt
- Department of Biology, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada.,Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Alison M Derry
- Département des Sciences Biologiques, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Cameron M Hudson
- Department of Fish Ecology and Evolution, Eawag, Center of Ecology, Evolution and Biochemistry, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Kastanienbaum, Switzerland
| | - Asano Ishikawa
- Ecological Genetics Laboratory, National Institute of Genetics, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Naoki Kabeya
- Department of Marine Biosciences, Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology (TUMSAT, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Martin J Kainz
- WasserCluster Lunz-Inter-university Center for Aquatic Ecosystems Research, Lunz am See, Austria
| | - Jun Kitano
- Ecological Genetics Laboratory, National Institute of Genetics, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Carmen Kowarik
- Department of Aquatic Ecology, Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Sarah Nemiah Ladd
- Ecosystem Physiology, Albert-Ludwigs-University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Miguel C Leal
- ECOMARE and CESAM - Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies and Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Kristin Scharnweber
- Department of Ecology and Genetics; Limnology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.,University of Potsdam, Plant Ecology and Nature Conservation, Potsdam-Golm, Germany
| | - Jeremy R Shipley
- Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Radolfzell, Germany.,Department of Fish Ecology and Evolution, Eawag, Center of Ecology, Evolution and Biochemistry, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Kastanienbaum, Switzerland
| | - Blake Matthews
- Department of Fish Ecology and Evolution, Eawag, Center of Ecology, Evolution and Biochemistry, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Kastanienbaum, Switzerland
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