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opencc-zeroDec 2015View details →

Data from: Microhabitat selection in the common lizard: implications of biotic interactions, age, sex, local processes, and model transferability among populations

Modeling species' habitat requirements are crucial to assess impacts of global change, for conservation efforts and to test mechanisms driving species presence. While the influence of abiotic factors has been widely examined, the importance of biotic factors and biotic interactions, and the potential implications of local processes are not well understood. Testing their importance requires additional knowledge and analyses at local habitat scale. Here, we recorded the locations of species presence at the microhabitat scale and measured abiotic and biotic parameters in three different common lizard (Zootoca vivipara) populations using a standardized sampling protocol. Thereafter, space use models and cross-evaluations among populations were run to infer local processes and estimate the importance of biotic parameters, biotic interactions, sex, and age. Biotic parameters explained more variation than abiotic parameters, and intraspecific interactions significantly predicted the spatial distribution. Significant differences among populations in the relationship between abiotic parameters and lizard distribution, and the greater model transferability within populations than between populations are in line with effects predicted by local adaptation and/or phenotypic plasticity. These results underline the importance of including biotic parameters and biotic interactions in space use models at the population level. There were significant differences in space use between sexes, and between adults and yearlings, the latter showing no association with the measured parameters. Consequently, predictive habitat models at the population level taking into account different sexes and age classes are required to understand a specie's ecological requirements and to allow for precise conservation strategies. Our study therefore stresses that future predictive habitat models at the population level and their transferability should take these parameters into account.

Data from: Estimating the molecular evolutionary rates of mitochondrial genes referring to Quaternary Ice Age events with inferred population expansions and dispersals in Japanese Apodemus

Background: Determining reliable evolutionary rates of molecular markers is essential in illustrating historical episodes with phylogenetic inferences. Although emerging evidence has suggested a high evolutionary rate for intraspecific genetic variation, it is unclear how long such high evolutionary rates persist because a recent calibration point is rarely available. Other than using fossil evidence, it is possible to estimate evolutionary rates by relying on the well-established temporal framework of the Quaternary glacial cycles that would likely have promoted both rapid expansion events and interisland dispersal events. Results: We examined mitochondrial cytochrome b (Cytb) and control region (CR) gene sequences in two Japanese wood mouse species, Apodemus argenteus and A. speciosus, of temperate origin and found signs of rapid expansion in the population from Hokkaido, the northern island of Japan. Assuming that global warming after the last glacial period 7–10 thousand years before present (kyr BP) was associated with the expansion, the evolutionary rates (sites per million years, myr) of Cytb and CR were estimated as 11–16% and 22–32%, respectively, for A. argenteus, and 12–17% and 17–24%, respectively, for A. speciosus. Additionally, the significant signature of rapid expansion detected in the mtDNA sequences of A. speciosus from the remaining southern main islands, Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu, provided an estimated Cytb evolutionary rate of 3.1%/site/myr under the assumption of a postglacial population expansion event long ago, most probably at 130 kyr BP. Bayesian analyses using the higher evolutionary rate of 11–17%/site/myr for Cytb supported the recent demographic or divergence events associated with the Last Glacial Maximum. However, the slower evolutionary rate of 3.1%/site/myr would be reasonable for several divergence events that were associated with glacial periods older than 130 kyr BP. Conclusions: The faster and slower evolutionary rates of Cytb can account for divergences associated with the last and earlier glacial maxima, respectively, in the phylogenetic inference of murine rodents. The elevated evolutionary rate seemed to decline within 100,000 years.

opencc-zeroDec 2010View details →

Data from: Fecundity selection on ornamental plumage colour differs between ages and sexes and varies over small spatial scales

Avian plumage colours are some of the most conspicuous sexual ornaments, and yet standardized selection gradients for plumage colour have rarely been quantified. We examined patterns of fecundity selection on plumage colour in blue tits (Cyanistes caeruleus L.). When not accounting for environmental heterogeneity, we detected relatively few cases of selection. We found significant disruptive selection on adult male crown colour and yearling female chest colour and marginally nonsignificant positive linear selection on adult female crown colour. We discovered no new significant selection gradients with canonical rotation of the matrix of nonlinear selection. Next, using a long-term data set, we identified territory-level environmental variables that predicted fecundity to determine whether these variables influenced patterns of plumage selection. The first of these variables, the density of oaks within 50 m of the nest, influenced selection gradients only for yearling males. The second variable, an inverse function of nesting density, interacted with a subset of plumage selection gradients for yearling males and adult females, although the strength and direction of selection did not vary predictably with population density across these analyses. Overall, fecundity selection on plumage colour in blue tits appeared rare and inconsistent among sexes and age classes.

Data from: A longitudinal study of age-related changes in Haemoproteus infection in a passerine bird

Blood parasites such as malaria and related haemosporidians commonly infect vertebrate species including birds. Understanding age-specific patterns of parasite infections is crucial for quantifying the fitness consequences of parasitism for hosts and for understanding parasite transmission dynamics. We analyzed longitudinal and cross-sectional infection data in house martins Delichon urbica, a migratory bird suffering from intense haemosporidian infection. We separated within- from among-individual effects of age on prevalence. Our results showed that the probability of blood parasite infection increased as individual house martins aged. We also showed that the prevalence of infection decreased with age at last reproduction when controlling for age, showing a selective disappearance of infected birds from the population (i.e. selection). The estimated effect of age on prevalence was underestimated two- to three-fold if not accounting for such selection. This study highlights the importance of taking among-individual heterogeneity in the capacity to fight a disease into account because such heterogeneity can mask age-related patterns of infection. These findings emphasize the relevance of considering within- and among-individual patterns of infection in order to understand parasite-induced mortality and the potential for parasite transmission.

Data from: Determinants of age at first reproduction and lifetime breeding success revealed by full paternity assignment in a male ungulate

Age at first reproduction is an important determinant of individual variation in reproductive success in ungulates, but few studies have examined its relationship with later fitness-related traits in males. We used a long-term individual based study of a harvested moose population to quantify the individual reproductive performance and survival of males, as well as to examine the determinants of age at first reproduction and consequences of age at first reproduction on lifetime breeding success. The probability that a male successfully reproduced at the age of two was negatively related to the mean age of adult males in the population, but the relationship weakened with increasing population size. Large antlers and large body mass relative to other males in the population increased the number of calves sired at their first successful mating season. In addition, those that successfully reproduced as two year-olds were more likely to sire calves the next year, making them more productive at a given age compared to those that first reproduced at the age of three or older. We emphasize the importance for males to start reproducing as soon as possible in a harvested population to gain lifetime fitness benefits, as surviving the hunt is a major determinant of reproductive success in this population. We found no costs of early reproduction in males, hence leading to high individual heterogeneity in male reproductive performance. The apparent lack of reproductive costs could partly be explained by the age distribution in the population, individual variation in early-life body mass and antler size, and differences in probabilities of being killed during hunt between successful and unsuccessful males.

opencc-zeroMar 2020View details →

Sex and age differences in tree cavity dependence in a small arboreal marsupial

Many mammal species depend on tree cavities for shelter and for breeding. Some species may use tree cavities as well as other varied shelters but the extent of their dependence on tree cavities is unknown. One such species is the eastern pygmy-possum (Cercartetus nanus) from eastern Australia which typically shelters alone. I addressed four key questions: i) do different age and sex classes differ in their preferences for small (4 cm diameter) and large (10 cm diameter) cavities, ii) does the availability of large cavities influence female breeding status, iii) does the availability of large cavities influence where adult females and males are detected, and iv) does the availability of large cavities influence survival and abundance? I provisioned two 9-ha plots containing few (≤2 per ha) 'large' natural cavities with artificial cavities in different years. When plots were provisioned with small and large cavities breeding females (n = 46) showed a pronounced preference for sheltering in the large cavities whilst adult males (n = 67) and subadults (n = 40) preferred the small cavities. When one plot and not the other was provisioned with large cavities adult females were significantly more likely to be reproductive and be detected on the plot with large cavities, but survival was not influenced. Detection of adult males did not vary with large cavity provisioning. The abundance of adult pygmy-possums varied among years, being higher on the plot provisioned with large cavities when the other plot was not provisioned, but equivalent when both were provisioned. The findings of this study are consistent with the hypothesis that breeding females are dependent on a large cavity to raise a litter. Other mammal species around the world are likely to exhibit similar but currently unrecognised shelter site strategies which have implications for their management.

opencc-zeroDec 2016View details →

Data from: Effective implementation of age restrictions increases selectivity of sport hunting of the African lion

1. Sport hunting of wildlife can play a role in conservation but can also drive population declines if not managed sustainably. Previous simulation modelling found that large felid species could theoretically be hunted sustainably by restricting harvests to older individuals that have likely reproduced. Several African countries currently use age-based hunting for lions although the outcomes have yet to be evaluated in a wild population. 2. Here we provide the first empirical evidence that a system of incentives sufficiently encouraged age-based hunting and reduced offtake of a wild felid, thereby reducing the potential risk of unsustainable hunting on a threatened species. We examined long-term hunting data and the lion population trend in Niassa National Reserve, Mozambique. 3. To incentivise hunter compliance, a 'points' system was developed which rewards operators that harvest lions older than the 6-year minimum trophy age recommended for sustainable hunting and penalises operators that hunt 'underage' lions (<4 years). A key component of this system is the ecological application of key physical traits that predictably change with age in order to estimate (by hunters) and validate (by authorities) trophy individuals' ages pre- and post-mortem, respectively. Analysis of 138 lion hunts and 87 lion trophies from 2003-2015 revealed that after enforcement of age restrictions in 2006, hunters shifted harvests to suitably aged lions (>6 years), from 25% of offtakes in 2004 to 100% by 2014. 4. Simultaneously, the number of lions and percentage of quota harvested decreased, resulting in lower lion offtakes. Following an initial decrease after enforcement of the aging system, the percentage of hunts harvesting lions stabilised, demonstrating that hunters successfully located and aged older lions. 5. Synthesis and applications. Evidence suggests that age restrictions combined with an incentive-based points system regulated sport hunting and reduced pressure on the lion population. We attribute the successful implementation of this management system to: 1) committed, consistent enforcement by management authorities, 2) genuine involvement of all stakeholders from the start, 3) annual auditing by an independent third party, 4) the reliable, transparent, straight-forward aging process, and 5) the simple, pragmatic points system for incentivising hunter compliance. Our study demonstrates that the use of age restrictions can increase the selectivity of sport hunting and lower trophy offtakes to reduce the possibility of unsustainable sport hunting negatively impacting species populations in the absence of reliable estimates of population size. It must be noted, however, that there was no measurable change in the lion numbers over the past decade that could be attributed to the implementation of this policy alone.

opencc-zeroDec 2013View details →

Data from: Sex-specific patterns of aging on sexual ornaments and gametes

Sex differences in age-dependent mortality and reproductive success are predicted to drive the evolution of sexually dimorphic patterns of reproductive investment over life. However, this prediction has not been fully explored because it is difficult to measure primary and secondary sexual traits over the life spans of males and females. Here we studied a population of fowl, Gallus gallus, to gain longitudinal data on a sexual ornament (the comb), quantity of gametes produced, and gamete quality (sperm velocity and egg mass) of males and females. Our results reveal pronounced differences between the sexes in age-specific patterns of reproductive investment. In males, comb size decreased linearly with age, high sperm quality early in life was associated with reduced sperm quality late in life, and high sperm production was related to early death. In contrast, female comb size and egg mass were maximized at intermediate ages, and fecundity was independent of life span. Finally, the way traits were related in males did not change over life, whereas in females the association between fecundity and comb size changed from positive to negative over the lifetime of a female, indicating that aging may lead to trade-offs in investment between traits in females. These results show that males and females differ in reproductive investment with age, in terms of both the expression of individual traits and their phenotypic covariance.

Data from: Variations in age- and sex-specific survival rates help explain population trend in a discrete marine mammal population

1. Understanding the drivers underlying fluctuations in the size of animal populations is central to ecology, conservation biology and wildlife management. Reliable estimates of survival probabilities are key to population viability assessments, and patterns of variation in survival can help inferring the causal factors behind detected changes in population size. 2. We investigated whether variation in age and sex-specific survival probabilities could help explain the increasing trend in population size detected in a small, discrete population of bottlenose dolphins Tursiops truncatus off the east coast of Scotland. 3. To estimate annual survival probabilities we applied capture-recapture models to photo-identification data collected from 1989 to 2015. We used robust design models accounting for temporary emigration to estimate juvenile and adult survival, multi-state models to estimate sex-specific survival, and age-models to estimate calf survival. 4. We found strong support for an increase in juvenile/adult annual survival from 93.1% to 96.0% over the study period, most likely caused by a change in juvenile survival. Examination of sex-specific variation showed weaker support for this trend being a result of increasing female survival, which was overall higher than for males and animals of unknown sex. Calf survival was lower in the first than second year; a bias in estimating third-year survival will likely exist in similar studies. There was some support first-born calf survival being lower than for calves born subsequently. 5. Coastal marine mammal populations are subject to the impacts of environmental change, increasing anthropogenic disturbance and the effects of management measures. Survival estimates are essential to improve our understanding of population dynamics and help predict how future pressures may impact populations, but obtaining robust information on the life history of long-lived species is challenging. Our study illustrates how knowledge of survival can be increased by applying a robust analytical framework to photo-identification data.

Data from: Age‐dependent habitat relationships of a burned forest specialist emphasise the role of pyrodiversity in fire management

1. Variation in fire characteristics, termed pyrodiversity, plays an important role in structuring post-fire communities, but little is known about the importance of pyrodiversity for individual species. The availability of diverse post-fire habitats may be key for fire-associated species if they require different resources at different life history stages. 2. We tested for age-specific habitat relationships in the black-backed woodpecker, a post-fire specialist. We used radio-telemetry to track fledgling and adult woodpeckers in burned forests and built resource selection functions to compare the effect of stand-, tree-, and snag-level covariates between adults and fledglings. 3. Fledgling black-backed woodpeckers selected habitat with more live trees than adults, and used more heterogeneous habitats burned at lower severity, illustrating strong age-dependent effects on habitat selection. Within selected stands, fledglings were less likely to use snags and more likely to use live trees when compared to adults, but both age classes showed strong positive selection for larger-diameter trees (live and dead). Over the 60 days after leaving their nests, fledglings showed an increasing propensity to use snags rather than live trees. 4. Our results provide evidence that the predation–starvation hypothesis, which posits a trade-off between foraging efficiency and the need to minimize predation risk, plays a role in structuring the age-dependent habitat use of a burned forest specialist. Adult black-backed woodpeckers selected resources associated with food availability, but these resources occurred in relatively open, exposed habitat. Fledglings selected habitat that provided increased cover, perhaps as a strategy to reduce predation risk. 5. Synthesis and applications. Globally, fires are increasing in severity and extent, leading to increased focus on fire-associated species that play keystone roles in facilitating biodiversity resilience. Our findings suggest that a diversity of patches burned at different severities may benefit post-fire specialists like the black-backed woodpecker at multiple life history stages. The increasing prevalence of large, homogeneously high-severity "megafires" may present an emerging threat even to post-fire specialists, and we urge land managers to consider opportunities to promote pyrodiversity in the face of novel fire regimes.

Data from: Age-related mortality explains life history strategies of tropical and temperate songbirds

Life history theory attempts to explain why species differ in offspring number and quality, growth rate, and parental effort. I show that unappreciated interactions of these traits in response to age-related mortality risk challenge traditional perspectives and explain life history evolution in songbirds. Counter to a long-standing paradigm, tropical songbirds grow at similar overall rates to temperate species but grow wings relatively faster. These growth tactics are favored by predation risk, both in and after leaving the nest, and are facilitated by greater provisioning of individual offspring by parents. Increased provisioning of individual offspring depends on partitioning effort among fewer young because of constraints on effort from adult and nest mortality. These growth and provisioning responses to mortality risk finally explain the conundrum of small clutch sizes of tropical birds.

Data from: Blood-stage parasitaemia and age determine Plasmodium falciparum and P. vivax gametocytaemia in Papua New Guinea

A better understanding of human-to-mosquito transmission is crucial to control malaria. In order to assess factors associated with gametocyte carriage, 2083 samples were collected in a cross-sectional survey in Papua New Guinea. Plasmodium species were detected by light microscopy and qPCR and gametocytes by detection of pfs25 and pvs25 mRNA transcripts by reverse-transcriptase PCR (qRT-PCR). The parasite prevalence by PCR was 18.5% for Plasmodium falciparum and 13.0% for P. vivax. 52.5% of all infections were submicroscopic. Gametocytes were detected in 60% of P. falciparum-positive and 51% of P. vivax-positive samples. Each 10-fold increase in parasite density led to a 1.8-fold and 3.3-fold increase in the odds of carrying P. falciparum and P. vivax gametocytes. Thus the proportion of gametocyte positive and gametocyte densities was highest in young children carrying high asexual parasite densities and in symptomatic individuals. Dilution series of gametocytes allowed absolute quantification of gametocyte densities by qRT-PCR and showed that pvs25 expression is 10-20 fold lower than pfs25 expression. Between 2006 and 2010 parasite prevalence in the study site has decreased by half. 90% of the remaining infections were asymptomatic and likely constitute an important reservoir of transmission. However, mean gametocyte densities were low (approx. 1-2 gametocyte/μL) and it remains to be determined to what extent low-density gametocyte positive individuals are infective to mosquitos.

opencc-zeroDec 2012View details →

Data from: Intercolony movement of pre-breeding seabirds over oceanic scales: implications of cryptic age-classes for conservation and metapopulation dynamics

Aim: Demographic linkage between subpopulations plays a critical role in population processes. Metapopulation dynamics, however, remains one of the most poorly understood aspects of population biology. This is especially true for small, pelagic seabirds because their discrete subpopulations are located on offshore islands, separated by vast areas of open ocean, making monitoring logistically challenging. Seabird populations often contain large numbers of immature pre-breeders that may be important for subpopulation connectivity and demography, but are poorly studied. Here we provide evidence for intercolony movement of pre-breeding Leach's storm-petrels Oceanodroma leucorhoa among three colonies spanning the North Atlantic Ocean. We discuss their influence on metapopulation dynamics and the extinction risk of a subpopulation under threat from extreme predation. Location: North Atlantic Ocean Islands (Scotland, Canada & Iceland). Methods: We use a novel application of Bayesian stable isotope mixing models to infer recent movement of pre-breeding birds between three major breeding populations in the North Atlantic. Carbon and nitrogen stable isotope values from breeding birds (central place foragers) sampled at each colony were used as model sources and pre-breeding birds as model mixtures. Results: Of 134 pre-breeding Leach's storm-petrels sampled at three colonies across the North Atlantic, five had isotope mixing model estimates dissimilar (< 25%) to their colony of capture and were instead isotopically similar to another breeding region. Nineteen further pre-breeders had highly mixed signatures (< 50% for the colony of capture), indicating possible recent movement between colonies. Main conclusions: Our findings provide evidence for interpopulation connectivity of pre-breeding Leach's storm-petrels among colonies spanning the North Atlantic. These results highlight the significance of cryptic young age-classes in metapopulation dynamics and the demographic processes. Moreover, they provide us with a better understanding of how one subpopulation remains extant, despite experiencing extreme predation rates.

opencc-zeroDec 2018View details →

Data from: Increasing plant diversity of experimental grasslands alters the age and growth of Plantago lanceolata from younger and faster to older and slower

The persistence of plant populations depends on the ability of individuals to cope with the conditions provided by the community. So far, it is not known whether differences in the diversity and composition of plant communities affect the age structure of plant populations or the expression of stem anatomical traits reflecting investment into plant growth and storage. We analyzed annual growth rings in the secondary xylem and measured stem anatomical traits in individuals from 18 populations of Plantago lanceolata growing in a 12-year old grassland biodiversity experiment (Jena Experiment). Plant individuals of P. lanceolata were on average older and reproduced later with increasing species richness. Individuals of P. lanceolata were slightly younger and the age distribution within populations skewed to younger individuals in the presence of grasses. The presence of legumes did not affect mean age, but led to a more even age distribution within populations. The width of growth-related tissues (xylem, phloem, phellem) decreased with increasing species richness. Plant diversity-effects on storage-related tissues (pith, cortex) were less consistent, as pith showed increasing width with species richness, while cortex did not change with plant diversity. Our results imply that plant diversity effects on population age structure and the expression of stem anatomical traits of P. lanceolata reflect a trade-off: growth and turnover is fast at low diversity (younger age, higher allocation to growth-related tissue, faster generative reproduction), while it is slow at high diversity (older age, higher allocation to storage-related tissue, later generative reproduction).

opencc-zeroDec 2012View details →

Data from: Pilot study aging classification criteria for fledged juvenile white-winged doves

Nineteen eastern white-winged doves Zenaida asiatica asiatica were hatched and raised in captivity and used to develop an aging key that 1) quickly identifies juveniles based on a series of morphological features, and 2) provides estimates of juvenile age based on primary feather replacement. Birds were photographed every three days from 17 to 170 d posthatch to determine sequence of primary flight feather replacement; persistence of juvenile secondary coverts; and development of blue eye ring, black neck bars, and leg color. Eleven birds exhibited adult features such as absence of buffy-tipped primary coverts, blue eye-ring color, complete black neck bar, and red leg color at day 170 posthatch; two birds had these features as early as day 122. Replacement of primary feathers was variable among individuals beyond day 35 beginning with the third primary. Primary feather (primary notation P1–P10) replacement occurred gradually. By day 170, 2 of 17 birds had replaced all primary feathers, 3 birds had fully molted P9 but not P10, 8 birds had begun molting P9 but not P10, and 4 birds did not molt either P9 or P10. Increased variability in primary feather replacement occurred as juveniles progressed toward adulthood; this precluded accurate age estimates of older juveniles based exclusively on primary replacement. The present study provides a better understanding of the molting process that wildlife managers, biologists, and researchers can use at hunter check stations or during trapping and banding operations to separate age classes, which is necessary to establish hunting frameworks and to assess the population effects of harvest and other mortality factors. This pilot study provides the foundation needed for further investigations into developmental patterns of fledged juvenile white-winged doves and provides an aging key that represents an improvement over previous white-winged dove aging keys or reliance on aging keys of closely related species.

Data from: Effects of aging on timing of hibernation and reproduction

Small hibernators are long-lived for their size because seasonal dormancy greatly reduces predation risk. Thus, within a year, hibernators switch between states of contrasting mortality risk (active season versus hibernation), making them interesting species for testing the predictions of life-history theory. Accordingly, we hypothesized that, with advancing age and hence diminishing reproductive potential, hibernators should increasingly accept the higher predation risk associated with activity to increase the likelihood of current reproductive success. For edible dormice (Glis glis) we show that age strongly affects hibernation/activity patterns, and that this occurs via two pathways: (i) with increasing age, dormice are more likely to reproduce, which delays the onset of hibernation, and (ii) age directly advances emergence from hibernation in spring. We conclude that hibernation has to be viewed not merely as an energy saving strategy under harsh climatic conditions, but as an age-affected life-history trait that is flexibly used to maximize fitness.

opencc-zeroDec 2012View details →

Data from: Reproductive aging patterns in primates reveal that humans are distinct

Women rarely give birth after approximately 45 years of age, and they experience the cessation of reproductive cycles – menopause – at approximately 50 years of age, after a fertility decline lasting almost two decades. Such reproductive senescence in mid-lifespan is an evolutionary puzzle of enduring interest because it should be inherently disadvantageous. Further, comparative data on reproductive senescence from other primates, or indeed other mammals, remains relatively rare. Here we carried out the first detailed comparative study of reproductive senescence in seven species of nonhuman primates in natural populations, using long-term, individual-based data, and compared them to a population of humans experiencing natural fertility and mortality. In four of seven primate species we found that reproductive senescence occurred prior to death only in a small minority of individuals. In three primate species we found evidence of reproductive senescence that accelerated throughout adulthood; however, its initial rate was much lower than mortality, so that relatively few individuals experienced reproductive senescence before death. In contrast, the human population showed the predicted and well-known pattern in which reproductive senescence occurred prior to death for many women and its rate accelerated throughout adulthood. These results provide strong support for the hypothesis that reproductive senescence in mid-life, while apparent in natural-fertility, natural-mortality populations of humans, is generally absent in other primates living in such populations.

opencc-zeroJun 2021View details →

Sex, age, and acoustic mating interactions affect the immunity of Aedes aegypti offspring

Aedes aegypti is an important vector of several pathogenic arboviruses including dengue, chikungunya and Zika. Innovative approaches to control Aedes populations, involving synthetic transgenic modifications as well as Wolbachia bacteria, appear promising. For the various techniques requiring offspring inheritance of a trait, released males must successfully compete for mating partners against wildtype males. However, very little is known about mechanisms of mate selection in mosquitoes in general and in particular about potential correlations between mating success and offspring immune performance. Harmonic convergence signals have been proposed as a cue for females to predict male quality. We investigated whether offspring of converging parental pairs showed differences in immune competence compared to offspring derived from non-converging parental pairs using three different types of immune assays. We found that offspring immune responses (melanization response and response to a bacterial challenge) differed between offspring from converging and non-converging parents. However, immune responses were shaped by several interacting factors such as sex, age, reproductive status, and parental mating behavior. Parental mating behavior had a stronger effect on the immune response of male offspring than on female offspring. Further, a population of female offspring derived from converging parental pairs reached their peak dengue virus dissemination rate earlier compared to a population of offspring derived from non-converging parental pairs. Our results provide insight into a wide range of selective pressures shaping mosquito immune function. Evolutionary trade-offs between naturally and sexually selected traits can have important implications for disease transmission and control and should be considered in the development of reproductive control strategies.

Data from: Rapid sex-specific evolution of age at maturity is shaped by genetic architecture in Atlantic salmon

Understanding the mechanisms by which populations adapt to their environments is a fundamental aim in biology. However, it remains challenging to identify the genetic basis of traits, provide evidence of genetic changes and quantify phenotypic responses. Age at maturity in Atlantic salmon represents an ideal trait to study contemporary adaptive evolution as it has been associated with a single locus in the vgll3 region, and has also strongly changed in recent decades. Here, we provide an empirical example of contemporary adaptive evolution of a large effect locus driving contrasting sex-specific evolutionary responses at the phenotypic level. We identified an 18% decrease in the vgll3 allele associated with late maturity (L) in a large and diverse salmon population over 36 years, induced by sex-specific selection during the sea migration. Those genetic changes resulted in a significant evolutionary response in males only, due to sex-specific dominance patterns and vgll3 allelic effects. The vgll3 allelic and dominance effects differed greatly in a second population and were likely to generate different selection and evolutionary patterns. Our study highlights the importance of knowledge of genetic architecture to better understand fitness trait evolution and phenotypic diversity. It also emphasizes the potential role of adaptive evolution in the trend toward earlier maturation observed in numerous Atlantic salmon populations worldwide.

Data from: Scale-dependent variation in nitrogen cycling and soil fungal communities along gradients of forest composition and age in regenerating tropical dry forests

Rates of ecosystem nitrogen (N) cycling may be mediated by the presence of ectomycorrhizal fungi, which compete directly with free‐living microbes for N. In the regenerating tropical dry forests of Central America, the distribution of ectomycorrhizal trees is affected by succession and soil parent material, both of which may exert independent influence over soil N fluxes. In order to quantify these interacting controls, we used a scale‐explicit sampling strategy to examine soil N cycling at scales ranging from the microsite to ecosystem level. We measured fungal community composition, total and inorganic N pools, gross proteolytic rate, net N mineralization and microbial extracellular enzyme activity at multiple locations within 18 permanent plots that span dramatic gradients of soil N concentration, stand age and forest composition. The ratio of inorganic to organic N cycling was correlated with variation in fungal community structure, consistent with a strong influence of ectomycorrhiza on ecosystem‐scale N cycling. However, on average, > 61% of the variation in soil biogeochemistry occurred within plots, and the effects of forest composition were mediated by this local‐scale heterogeneity in total soil N concentrations. These cross‐scale interactions demonstrate the importance of a spatially explicit approach towards an understanding of controls on element cycling.