Climate change from an ectotherm perspective: evolutionary consequences and demographic change in amphibian and reptilian populations

Biodiversity and Conservation, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 33(3), P. 905 - 927

Published: Feb. 14, 2024

Abstract Understanding how natural populations will respond to contemporary changes in climate is becoming increasingly urgent and of fundamental importance for the preservation future biodiversity. Among vertebrates, amphibians reptiles are more sensitive environmental perturbations than endotherms ectotherm diversity likely be disproportionally impacted by change. Notwithstanding concerns surrounding change resilience populations, accurately predicting population trajectories based on ecological physiological data alone remains challenging much can learnt studying have responded past. Genomic approaches now assay genetic at an unprecedented scale but date been relatively underutilised when demographic history reptiles. In this review, we first summarise changing climatic conditions may influence phenotype translate fitness dynamics. We then discuss relative role past shaping has traditionally approached a phylogeographic context expanding genomic resources species leveraged improve study demography many amphibian reptilian groups. An integrative approach that links known proximate effects due change, with ultimately enable us generate accurate models our ability assess

Language: Английский

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Bioinformatic Analysis of 1000 Amphibian Antimicrobial Peptides Uncovers Multiple Length-Dependent Correlations for Peptide Design and Prediction

Antibiotics, Journal Year: 2020, Volume and Issue: 9(8), P. 491 - 491

Published: Aug. 7, 2020

Amphibians are widely distributed on different continents, except for the polar regions. They important sources isolation, purification and characterization of natural compounds, including peptides with various functions. Innate immune antimicrobial (AMPs) play a critical role in warding off invading pathogens, such as bacteria, fungi, parasites, viruses. may also have other biological functions endotoxin neutralization, chemotaxis, anti-inflammation, wound healing. This article documents bioinformatic analysis over 1000 amphibian registered Antimicrobial Peptide Database (APD) past 18 years. These anuran were discovered Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, America from 1985 to 2019. Genomic peptidomic studies accelerated discovery pace underscored necessity establishing criteria peptide entry into APD. A total 99.9% less than 50 amino acids an average length 24 net charge +2.5. Interestingly, families (e.g., temporins, brevinins, esculentins) can be connected through multiple length-dependent relationships. With increase length, increases, while hydrophobic content decreases. In addition, glycine, leucine, lysine, proline all show linear correlations length. improve our understanding useful prediction design new potential applications treating infectious diseases, cancer diabetes.

Language: Английский

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Evolutionary principles guiding amphibian conservation

Evolutionary Applications, Journal Year: 2020, Volume and Issue: 13(5), P. 857 - 878

Published: March 3, 2020

Abstract The Anthropocene has witnessed catastrophic amphibian declines across the globe. A multitude of new, primarily human‐induced drivers decline may lead to extinction, but can also push species onto novel evolutionary trajectories. If these are recognized by biologists, they be engaged in conservation actions. Here, we summarize how principles stemming from concepts have been applied for purposes, and address emerging ideas at vanguard science. In particular, examine consequences increased drift inbreeding small populations their implications practical conservation. We then review studies connectivity between landscape level, which emphasized limiting influence anthropogenic structures degraded habitat on genetic cohesion. rapid pace environmental changes leads central question whether cope either adapting new conditions or shifting ranges. gloomily conclude that extinction seems far more likely than adaptation range shifts most species. That said, strategies employing principles, such as selective breeding, introduction adaptive variants through translocations, ecosystem interventions aimed decreasing phenotype–environment mismatch, engineering, effectively counter some areas spread invasive infectious diseases often had disastrous consequences, provided premier examples evolution with implications. Much done terms setting aside valuable should encompass both natural agricultural areas, well designing protected maximize phylogenetic functional diversity community. an explicit consideration application although certainly not a silver bullet, increase effectiveness short long term.

Language: Английский

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Pesticide-induced multigenerational effects on amphibian reproduction and metabolism

The Science of The Total Environment, Journal Year: 2021, Volume and Issue: 775, P. 145771 - 145771

Published: Feb. 11, 2021

Underlying drivers of species extinctions need to be better understood for effective conservation biodiversity. Nearly half all amphibian are at risk extinction, and pollution may a significant threat as seasonal high-level agrochemical use overlaps with critical windows larval development. The potential environmental chemicals reduce the fitness future generations have profound ecological evolutionary implications. This study characterized effects male developmental exposure environmentally relevant concentrations anti-androgenic pesticide linuron over two offspring in Xenopus tropicalis frogs. adult pesticide-exposed fathers (F1) showed reduced body size, decreased fertility, signs endocrine system disruption. Impacts were further propagated grand-offspring (F2), providing evidence transgenerational amphibians. F2 males demonstrated increased weight fat palmitoleic-to-palmitic acid ratio, plasma glucose levels. provides important cross-species paternal epigenetic inheritance pollutant-induced toxicity, supporting causal complex role contamination ongoing extinctions, particularly

Language: Английский

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The Amphibian Major Histocompatibility Complex—A Review and Future Outlook

Journal of Molecular Evolution, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: Jan. 7, 2025

Abstract The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) is a cluster of functionally related genes encoding proteins which, among other functions, mediate immune system activation. While the MHC many vertebrates has been extensively studied, less known about amphibian MHC. This represents an important knowledge gap because amphibians mark evolutionary transition from aquatic to terrestrial lifestyle and often maintain biphasic lifestyle. Hence, they tend be exposed both pathogen communities, providing opportunities gain fundamental insights into how responds different environmental challenges. Moreover, are globally threatened by invasive pathogens may play role in combating population decline. In this review, we summarize current state regarding identify differences with vertebrates. We also review number gene copies varies across groups MHC-based variation relates ontogeny, behaviour, disease, phylogeography. conclude identifying gaps proposing priorities for future research.

Language: Английский

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Recent habitat modification of a tropical dry forest hotspot drives population genetic divergence in the Mexican leaf frog: a landscape genetics approach

Heredity, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: April 19, 2025

Language: Английский

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The City as an Evolutionary Hothouse—The Search for Rapid Evolution in Urban Settings

Diversity, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 16(6), P. 308 - 308

Published: May 21, 2024

Cities are ubiquitous and, though a novel phenomenon by evolutionary standards, provide home for many species and exert particularly strong selection pressures on them. They thus offer unique opportunity to study rapid processes. We conducted scoping review of published studies documenting processes in urban environments, focusing primarily more recent work. Unfortunately, cities have not been attractive environments biological research remain poorly studied, despite slowly growing interest years. Nonetheless, we found the effects mutation, genetic drift, cities. However, show some geographic bias were always as conclusive might be desired. There is even support incipient speciation. Evidence across board less abundant than desirable, suggesting need data collection. The setting, with its stronger selection, common intermixing, abundance both human widespread potential non-human zoonosis hosts human-associated offers great opportunities further document evolution action explore conservation implications.

Language: Английский

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A soundscape approach for a short-term acoustic monitoring of a critically endangered Cuban frog

Biodiversity and Conservation, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: April 5, 2025

Language: Английский

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The Amphibian Genomics Consortium: advancing genomic and genetic resources for amphibian research and conservation

bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory), Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: July 1, 2024

Amphibians represent a diverse group of tetrapods, marked by deep divergence times between their three systematic orders and families. Studying amphibian biology through the genomics lens increases our understanding features this animal class that other terrestrial vertebrates. The need for genomic resources is more urgent than ever due to increasing threats group. are one most imperiled taxonomic groups, with approximately 41% species threatened extinction habitat loss, changes in land use patterns, disease, climate change, synergistic effects. Amphibian have provided better ontogenetic diversity, tissue regeneration, life history reproductive modes, antipredator strategies, resilience adaptive responses. They also serve as essential models studying broad traits, such evolutionary genome expansions contractions, they exhibit widest range sizes among all taxa possess multiple mechanisms genetic sex determination. Despite these features, sequencing amphibians has significantly lagged behind vertebrates, primarily challenges assembling large, repeat-rich genomes relative lack societal support. emergence long-read technologies, combined advanced molecular computational techniques improve scaffolding reduce workloads, now making it possible address some challenges. To promote accelerate production research international coordination collaboration, we launched Genomics Consortium (AGC, https://mvs.unimelb.edu.au/amphibian-genomics-consortium) early 2023. This burgeoning community already 282 members from 41 countries. AGC aims leverage capabilities its advance bridge implementation gap biologists, bioinformaticians, conservation practitioners. Here evaluate state field genomics, highlight previous studies, present overcome, call on communities unite part enable "leap" next level.

Language: Английский

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Context‐dependent dispersal determines relatedness and genetic structure in a patchy amphibian population

Molecular Ecology, Journal Year: 2021, Volume and Issue: 30(20), P. 5009 - 5028

Published: Sept. 7, 2021

Abstract Dispersal is a central process in ecology and evolution with far reaching consequences for the dynamics genetics of spatially structured populations (SSPs). Individuals can adjust their decisions to disperse according local fitness prospects, resulting context‐dependent dispersal. By determining dispersal rate, distance direction, these individual‐level further modulate demography, relatedness genetic structure SSPs. Here, we examined how influences great crested newt ( Triturus cristatus ) SSP. We collected capture–recapture data 5564 individuals 950 across an SSP northern Germany. added from six sites outside this assess gene flow at regional level. rates within were high but distances short. was context‐dependent: preferentially immigrated into high‐quality ponds where breeding probabilities higher. The studied behaved like patchy population, subpopulations each pond demographically interdependent. High led weak significant spatial At level, strong hierarchical very few first‐generation migrants as well low effective suggest presence independent demographic units. Overall, our study highlights importance habitat quality driving therefore demography Limited capacity long‐distance seems increase population leads isolation anthropogenic landscapes.

Language: Английский

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