Environmental change and the rate of phenotypic plasticity

Global Change Biology, Год журнала: 2022, Номер 28(18), С. 5337 - 5345

Опубликована: Июнь 21, 2022

With rapid and less predictable environmental change emerging as the 'new norm', understanding how individuals tolerate stress via plastic, often reversible changes to phenotype (i.e., phenotypic plasticity, RPP), remains a key issue in ecology. Here, we examine potential for better organisms overcome challenges within their own lifetimes by scrutinizing somewhat overlooked aspect of RPP, namely rate at which it can occur. Although recent advances field provide indication aspects where RPP rates may be particular ecological relevance, observe that current theoretical models do not consider evolutionary RPP. Whilst theory underscores importance predictability determining slope evolved reaction norm given trait much plasticity occur), hitherto neglected possibility is might more dynamic component this relationship than previously assumed. If itself evolve, empirical evidence foreshadows, have alter level environment perceived organism thus influence norm. However, optimality its dynamics different environments constraints imposed associated costs remain unexplored represent fruitful avenues exploration future treatments topic. We conclude reviewing published studies rates, providing suggestions improving measurement both terms experimental design statistical quantification plasticity.

Язык: Английский

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Beyond reaction norms: the temporal dynamics of phenotypic plasticity

Trends in Ecology & Evolution, Год журнала: 2023, Номер 39(1), С. 41 - 51

Опубликована: Сен. 15, 2023

Язык: Английский

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Effects of thermal fluctuations on biological processes: a meta-analysis of experiments manipulating thermal variability

Proceedings of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences, Год журнала: 2023, Номер 290(1992)

Опубликована: Фев. 8, 2023

Thermal variability is a key driver of ecological processes, affecting organisms and populations across multiple temporal scales. Despite the ubiquity variation, biologists lack quantitative synthesis observed consequences thermal wide range taxa, phenotypic traits experimental designs. Here, we conduct meta-analysis to investigate how properties organisms, their experienced regime whether in either past (prior an assay) or present (during affect performance relative experiencing constant environments. Our results—which draw upon 1712 effect sizes from 75 studies—indicate that effects are not unidirectional become more negative as mean temperature fluctuation increase. Exposure variation decreases greater extent than increases costs diminishing benefits broad set empirical studies. Further, identify life-history attributes predictably modify response variation. findings demonstrate on context-dependent, yet outcomes may be heightened warmer, variable climates.

Язык: Английский

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Developmental plasticity does not improve performance during a species interaction: Implications for species turnover

Ecology, Год журнала: 2025, Номер 106(1)

Опубликована: Янв. 1, 2025

Abstract Species interactions can contribute to species turnover when the outcomes of are context dependent (e.g., change along environmental gradients). Plasticity may this dynamic by altering tolerances interacting. Here, we explored how competitive interaction between two euryhaline fish, Poecilia reticulata and picta , is influenced acute developmental responses salinity. In Trinidad, P. confined freshwater despite being tolerant brackish water. fail occupy water because reduced tolerance salinity or competitively excludes them, developing in could alter dynamics either scenario. To test this, compared both absence competition, reared individuals water, tested consequences plasticity experiments which competed against conspecifics during exposure We found that (1) has a weaker than ; (2) developed perform best competing but poorly suggesting dependent; (3) did not benefit Our results suggest 's range limit part product lower leading decrease performance Adaptive been suggested be crucial colonization process, yet nonadaptive plastic as here expansion reinforce limits.

Язык: Английский

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High Capacity for Physiological Plasticity Occurs at a Slow Rate in Ectotherms

Ecology Letters, Год журнала: 2025, Номер 28(1)

Опубликована: Янв. 1, 2025

ABSTRACT Phenotypic plasticity enables organisms to express a phenotype that is optimal in their current environment. The ability of obtain the optimum determined by (i) capacity for plasticity, which facilitates phenotypic adjustment corresponding amplitude environmental change but also (ii) rate because this determines if expressed lags behind changes optimum. How of‐ and have co‐evolved will thus be critical resilience under different patterns change. To evaluate direction evolved relationship between capacity, we reanalysed experiments documenting time course thermal tolerance acclimation temperature across species ectothermic animals. We found with responds plastically are negatively correlated, pattern inconsistent theory regarding evolution plasticity.

Язык: Английский

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Temperature‐dependent responses to light and nutrients in phytoplankton

Ecology, Год журнала: 2025, Номер 106(3)

Опубликована: Март 1, 2025

Abstract Nutrients and light are major resources controlling growth, biomass, community structure of phytoplankton. When looking at those individually, resource uptake biochemical transformation, thereby also the demand for resources, have been shown to be temperature‐dependent. However, there is still a lack understanding how temperature controls response multiple although simultaneous limitation by common single species whole communities. We conducted multifactorial, gradient‐design experiment growing four freshwater phytoplankton under 125 combinations temperature, light, nutrients (5 × 5 levels). In three species, we found evidence an interactive effect on growth that was modulated temperature. The high‐level supply both algal rate generally exceeded sum their individual effects. Conversely, lowest rates occurred not necessarily level but most extreme light:nutrient ratios (either only or were highest other remained low supply). These light‐nutrient effects resulting in when highest. Our study demonstrates modulates magnitude growth. Consequently, these findings highlight importance considering understand show responses would over‐ underestimated interactions taken into account. results provide first indication resource‐dependent will change warming world resources.

Язык: Английский

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Environmental variability in aquatic ecosystems: Avenues for future multifactorial experiments

Limnology and Oceanography Letters, Год журнала: 2022, Номер 8(2), С. 247 - 266

Опубликована: Окт. 22, 2022

Abstract The relevance of considering environmental variability for understanding and predicting biological responses to changes has resulted in a recent surge variability‐focused ecological research. However, integration findings that emerge across studies identification remaining knowledge gaps aquatic ecosystems remain critical. Here, we address these aspects by: (1) summarizing relevant terms research including the components (characteristics) key interactions when multiple factors; (2) identifying conceptual frameworks consequences single multifactorial scenarios; (3) highlighting challenges bridging theoretical experimental involving transitioning from simple more complex (4) proposing improved approaches overcome current mismatches between predictions observations; (5) providing guide designing integrated experiments scales, degrees control, complexity light their specific strengths limitations.

Язык: Английский

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Resolving the consequences of gradual phenotypic plasticity for populations in variable environments

Ecological Monographs, Год журнала: 2021, Номер 91(4)

Опубликована: Июль 9, 2021

Abstract Phenotypic adjustments following environmental change are ubiquitous, and trait changes arising through phenotypic plasticity often lag behind their stimuli. Evolutionary biologists seeking to understand how adaptive can evolve have extensively studied this phenomenon. However, the ecological consequences of common features plastic responses variability, including gradual (i.e., slower than pace change), underappreciated. We present a framework based on unifying concept phenotype × environment performance landscapes that encompasses plasticity. Then, we experimentally investigate contexts where is important, using freshwater phytoplankton populations exposed thermal variation. Finally, our conceptual framework, develop mathematical model explains population dynamics in variable environments better alternative models. Understanding accounting for effects critical making vital predictions advancing ecology.

Язык: Английский

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The role of life stage and season in critical thermal limits of carrion beetles

Journal of Thermal Biology, Год журнала: 2025, Номер unknown, С. 104063 - 104063

Опубликована: Янв. 1, 2025

Язык: Английский

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Plasticity rates and capacities differ across traits and temperatures: Insights from physiological responses of aquatic organisms to salinity change

Functional Ecology, Год журнала: 2025, Номер unknown

Опубликована: Апрель 24, 2025

Abstract Phenotypic plasticity allows organisms to track changing trait optima under environmental variation. To what extent this is achieved will be jointly determined by the rate of and capacity for plasticity. Despite potential fitness implications these two components phenotypic plasticity, a quantitative understanding their variance across types conditions lacking. Here, we address knowledge gap compiling data from time‐course experiments that describe how range physiological traits aquatic ectotherms changes in response shift salinity. We then build upon recent analytical advances produce estimates each experiment are comparable traits. A total 324 originating 59 species fishes, sharks crustaceans were available analyses. For experiment, was assigned one five categories. Bivariate meta‐analyses used quantify temperature effects on rates capacities Our analyses show plastic responses change salinity differ among categories, interactive effect category differs capacity. Temperature more consistent than capacity, with higher temperatures being associated faster hormones, metabolites metabolic osmoregulatory enzymes. positive only found Within observed temperatures, hormones had consistently fastest predicted salinity, whereas categories enzymes relatively slow comparison. Plastic substantially those previously reported thermal tolerance. study adds growing evidence has important axes Further progress can deal fluctuating environments likely benefit increased theoretical empirical efforts within field research. Read free Plain Language Summary article Journal blog.

Язык: Английский

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