Find research datasets worth reusing
Search datasets from major research repositories and use ShareScore to quickly assess how well each record supports discovery, access, and reuse.
511
datasets available to search
ShareScore release 0.9.0
Dataset results
511 results for “climate effects”
Data from: Predicting ecological responses in a changing ocean: the effects of future climate uncertainty
Predicting how species will respond to climate change is a growing field in marine ecology, yet knowledge of how to incorporate the uncertainty from future climate data into these predictions remains a significant challenge. To help overcome it, this review separates climate uncertainty into its three components (scenario uncertainty, model uncertainty, and internal model variability) and identifies four criteria that constitute a thorough interpretation of an ecological response to climate change in relation to these parts (awareness, access, incorporation, communication). Through a literature review, the extent to which the marine ecology community has addressed these criteria in their predictions was assessed. Despite a high awareness of climate uncertainty, articles favoured the most severe emission scenario, and only a subset of climate models were used as input into ecological analyses. In the case of sea surface temperature, these models can have projections unrepresentative against a larger ensemble mean. Moreover, 91% of studies failed to incorporate the internal variability of a climate model into results. We explored the influence that the choice of emission scenario, climate model, and model realisation can have when predicting the future distribution of the pelagic fish, Electrona antarctica. Future distributions were highly influenced by the choice of climate model, and in some cases, internal variability was important in determining the direction and severity of the distribution change. Increased clarity and availability of processed climate data would facilitate more comprehensive explorations of climate uncertainty, and increase in the quality and standard of marine prediction studies.
Data from: Interactive effects of climate change and biodiversity loss on ecosystem functioning
Climate change and biodiversity loss are expected to simultaneously affect ecosystems, however research on how each driver mediates the effect of the other has been limited in scope. The multiple stressor framework emphasizes non-additive effects, but biodiversity may also buffer the effects of climate change, and climate change may alter which mechanisms underlie biodiversity-function relationships. Here, we performed an experiment using tank bromeliad ecosystems to test the various ways that rainfall changes and litter diversity may jointly determine ecological processes. Litter diversity and rainfall changes interactively affected multiple functions, but how depended on the process measured. High litter diversity buffered the effects of altered rainfall on detritivore communities, evidence of insurance against impacts of climate change. Altered rainfall affected the mechanisms by which litter diversity influenced decomposition, reducing the importance of complementary attributes of species ("complementarity effects"), and resulting in an increasing dependence on the maintenance of specific species ("dominance effects"). Finally, altered rainfall conditions prevented litter diversity from fuelling methanogenesis, because such changes in rainfall reduced microbial activity by 58%. Together, these results demonstrate that the effects of climate change and biodiversity loss on ecosystems cannot be understood in isolation and interactions between these stressors can be multifaceted.
Data from: The Rapoport effect and the climatic variability hypothesis in Early Jurassic ammonites
The increase of species range size towards high latitudes, known as the Rapoport's rule, remains one of the most debated and poorly understood macroecological patterns. Numerous studies have challenged both its universality and the main mechanism originally proposed to explain it, i.e. the climatic variability hypothesis. Here we study this pattern on a group of fossil marine organisms: the early Pliensbachian ammonites of the western Tethys. We further take into account the influence of the marked provincialism prevailing at that time, with a Mediterranean province (MED) and a Northwest European province (NWE) located on each side of a latitudinally-oriented palaeobiogeographic barrier. We find that only species from the NWE province display a Rapoport effect, whereas species from the more tropical MED province show a boundary effect and have larger range sizes in average. This dual pattern can be explained by an alternative climatic variability hypothesis that better captures latitudinal seasonal variations and outlines the influence of the intertropical zone, characterized by stable and homogeneous climate that allows species to disperse over very large areas, regardless of their thermal tolerance. Accordingly, the NWE province probably displayed a gradient of seasonal climatic variations which caused the emergence of a Rapoport effect, whereas the MED province was probably located in the intertropical zone where no gradient in species range size is expected. Our multi-scale approach further shows that the Rapoport effect is scale dependent and may be labile through time. This probably explains the conflicting results of previous studies carried out at various spatio-temporal scales.
Data from: The effects of climate warming and disturbance on the colonization potential of ornamental alien plant species
1. A large number of alien plant species have been introduced as ornamental garden plants to Europe, but relatively few have become invasive. Low climatic suitability may be limiting the current invasion potential of many alien ornamental species. However, with ongoing disturbance and climate change, this barrier may be reduced for some species. 2. Here we tested how colonization ability (a prerequisite for invasion) of frequently planted alien ornamentals depends on disturbance and heating, and on their species characteristics. We sowed seeds of 37 non-naturalized alien herbaceous garden-plant species into native grassland plots with and without disturbance, and with and without infrared heating lamps. To assess whether their responses differ from those within the regional wild flora, we also sowed 14 native species and 12 naturalized alien species. During two years, we assessed the likelihoods of germination, first-year survival, second-year survival and flowering of these 63 study species. 3. The heating treatment, which also reduced soil moisture, decreased all measures of colonization success, but more so for sown native species than for the non-naturalized and naturalized alien ones. The disturbance treatment increased colonization success, and because heating decreased productivity of the undisturbed grassland plots, it also increased invasibility of these plots. Average colonization success of non-naturalized aliens was reduced by heating, but some species were not affected or performed even better with heating, particularly those with an annual life span and a high seed mass. Winter hardiness improved colonization ability of non-naturalized aliens, but this advantage was reduced in the heated plots. 4. Synthesis. Disturbance increased and heating decreased the absolute colonization success of most of the 63 species sown. However, heating had stronger adverse effects on the resident grassland and sown native species than either type of sown alien species. Together, these results suggest that some alien plants may have greater colonization success relative to native plants under a warmer climate.
Data from: Seasonality in spatial distribution: climate and land use have contrasting effects on the species richness of breeding and wintering birds
Aim: Many studies have examined large-scale distributions of various taxa and their drivers, emphasizing the importance of climate, topography, and land-use. Most studies have dealt with distributions over a single season or annually without considering seasonality. However, animal distributions and their drivers can differ among seasons because many animals migrate to suitable climates and areas with abundant prey resources. We aim to clarify seasonality in bird distributions and their drivers. Location: Japan. Methods: We examined the effects of climate (annual mean temperature, snow depth), topography (elevation), and land use (extent of surrounding habitat) on bird species richness, in the breeding and wintering seasons separately, using nationwide data (254 forest and 43 grassland sites, respectively). We separately analyzed the species richness of all species, residents, short-, and long-distance migrants in forests and grasslands. Results: In the breeding season, the annual mean temperature negatively affected all groups (except for forest and grassland residents), and the extent of surrounding habitat positively affected many groups. By contrast, in the wintering season, temperature positively affected all groups (except for forest residents), and the extent of surrounding habitat positively affected only grassland long-distance migrants. In both seasons, the species richness of forest and grassland residents was high in regions of moderate and high temperature, respectively. Moreover, snow depth negatively affected all forest groups in the wintering season. Mapping expected species richness suggested that regions with different climates served as habitats for different groups during different seasons. Main conclusions: All regions were important bird habitats depending on the season, reflecting the contrasting effects of temperature across seasons. In the breeding season, surrounding land-use was also an important driver. To understand the seasonal role that each region and environment plays in maintaining species/communities, a large-scale study considering both environmental seasonality and species distribution is needed.
Data from: Effects of Pleistocene climate change on genetic structure and diversity of Shorea macrophylla in Kalimantan rainforest
The island of Borneo is the diversity center of the Dipterocarpaceae, the most important family of tropical rainforest trees in Southeast Asia. However, changes in land use and climate have affected dipterocarp distributions on the island, raising concerns about the vulnerability (inter alia) of the endemic riparian species Shorea macrophylla. Thus, to aid conservation efforts we have investigated the genetic diversity, structure and demographic history of S. macrophylla. The species' genetic diversity and structure in Kalimantan (part of Indonesia, covering 75% of the island) was explored by examining genotypes of 377 individuals representing 13 populations in three regions (Northeast, Central and West Kalimantan) using 14 newly developed microsatellite loci. Higher genetic diversity was found, at all loci, in samples from Northeast Kalimantan than in samples from the other regions. Moderate genetic differentiation between populations was detected (FST: 0.093). Bayesian clustering, principal coordinate, and neighbor joining tree analysis of the population structure consistently identified two genetically distinct groups, one in the Northeast and the other in the Central and West regions. The higher diversity of the diverged populations in Northeast Kalimantan indicates that the region may have hosted rainforest refugia during the ice age. Accordingly, analysis using DIY ABC software indicated that the Northeast and Central-West Kalimantan groups diverged 194 000 years ago. We conclude that global climate change during the Pleistocene strongly influenced the genetic diversity and structure of S. macrophylla populations in Kalimantan.
Data from: Climate effects on life cycle variation and population genetic architecture of the black bean aphid, Aphis fabae
Aphid species commonly have different reproductive modes ranging from cyclical to obligate parthenogenesis. The distribution of life cycle variation in aphids is generally determined by ecological forces, mainly climate, because only sexually produced diapausing eggs can survive harsh winters. Aphids are thus interesting models to investigate intrinsic and environmental factors shaping the competition among sexual and asexual lineages. We conducted a Europe-wide sampling of black bean aphids, Aphis fabae, and combined population genetic analyses based on microsatellite data with an experimental determination of life cycle strategies. Aphids were collected from broad beans (Vicia faba) as well as some Chenopodiaceae, but we detected no genetic differentiation between aphids from different host plants. Consistent with model predictions, life cycle variation was related to climate, with aphids from areas with cold winters investing more in sexual reproduction than aphids from areas with mild winters. Accordingly, only populations from mild areas exhibited a clear genetic signature of clonal reproduction. These differences arise despite substantial gene flow over large distances, which was evident from a very low geographic population structure and a lack of isolation-by-distance among 18 sites across distances of more than 1000 kilometres. There was virtually no genetic differentiation between aphids with different reproductive modes, suggesting that new asexual lineages are formed continuously. Indeed, a surprising number of A. fabae genotypes even from colder climates produced some parthenogenetic offspring under simulated winter conditions. From this we predict that a shift to predominantly asexual reproduction could take place rapidly in under climate warming.
Data from: From the individual to the landscape and back: Time-varying effects of climate and herbivory on tree sapling growth at distribution limits
1. As herbivory can modulate climate-induced shifts in species distribution, disentangling the relative importance of herbivory and climate on plant growth can help to predict and manage future changes in vegetation, such as those occurring at treeline areas. 2. An individual-based hierarchical Bayesian time-series model (Individual-Based Model; IBM) was developed to estimate the time-varying impact of climate and herbivory on individual pine-sapling height growth in woodland and treeline ecosystems of Southern Europe during a 16-year period. The performance of the IBM was compared to a Linear Mixed-Effects (LME) model to test for potential inferential effects when individual variability is marginalized. Time-varying models were also compared to constant parameter approaches. 3. Model fitting and posterior predictive checking suggests a better statistical performance of individual-scale, time-varying inference. LME modeling overestimated herbivory effects and underestimated environmental stochastic effects, and model validation indeed suggested severe overfitting in the LME model relative to the IBM strategy. These results reveal a potential failure of common aggregation strategies to correctly resolve the effects of climate and herbivory variability at the individual scale. Moreover, ignoring the time-varying nature of the effects may preclude the correct estimation of the temporal scale of climate and herbivory impacts. 4. In general, we found stronger individual- and time-averaged effects of summer precipitation relative to the effects of herbivory, particularly at the treelines. Also, individual pines responses showed effects of the same sign more consistently in the case of precipitation. This suggests that precipitation is more pervasive at the population level, while herbivory act as a spatially aggregating force through individual-level damage. 5. Synthesis. Our results suggest that accounting for individual and temporal variability in ecological inference greatly improve the assessment of the relative importance of climate and herbivory on species distribution shifts. Strong effects of precipitation at the treeline could allow tree upward expansion, although increasing ungulate populations and associated browsing damages might limit positive climatic responses of pine-saplings in the near future. In this context, the spatially heterogeneous effect exerted by herbivory could result in diverse vegetation structures in ecotones, adding a new dimension to the predictions on climate-driven vegetation shifts.
Data from: Global effects of soil and climate on leaf photosynthetic traits and rates
Aim: The influence of soil properties on photosynthetic traits in higher plants is poorly quantified in comparison with that of climate. We address this situation by quantifying the unique and joint contributions to global leaf-trait variation from soils and climate. Location: Terrestrial ecosystems world-wide. Methods: Using a trait dataset comprising 1509 species from 288 sites, with climate and soil data derived from global datasets, we quantified the effects of 20 soil and 26 climate variables on light-saturated photosynthetic rate (Aarea), stomatal conductance (gs), leaf nitrogen and phosphorus (Narea and Parea) and specific leaf area (SLA) using mixed regression models and multivariate analyses. Results: Soil variables were stronger predictors of leaf traits than climatic variables, except for SLA. On average, Narea, Parea and Aarea increased and SLA decreased with increasing soil pH and with increasing site aridity. gs declined and Parea increased with soil available P (Pavail). Narea was unrelated to total soil N. Joint effects of soil and climate dominated over their unique effects on Narea and Parea, while unique effects of soils dominated for Aarea and gs. Path analysis indicated that variation in Aarea reflected the combined independent influences of Narea and gs, the former promoted by high pH and aridity and the latter by low Pavail. Main conclusions: Three environmental variables were key for explaining variation in leaf traits: soil pH and Pavail, and the climatic moisture index (the ratio of precipitation to potential evapotranspiration). Although the reliability of global soil datasets lags behind that of climate datasets, our results nonetheless provide compelling evidence that both can be jointly used in broad-scale analyses, and that effects uniquely attributable to soil properties are important determinants of leaf photosynthetic traits and rates. A significant future challenge is to better disentangle the covarying physiological, ecological and evolutionary mechanisms that underpin trait–environment relationships.
Data from: Short-term climate change manipulation effects do not scale up to long-term legacies: effects of an absent snow cover on boreal forest plants
1. Despite time lags and non-linearity in ecological processes, the majority of our knowledge about ecosystem responses to long-term changes in climate originates from relatively short-term experiments. 2. We utilized the longest ongoing snow removal experiment in the world and an additional set of new plots at the same location in northern Sweden to simultaneously measure the effects of long-term (11 winters) and short-term (1 winter) absence of snow cover on boreal forest understorey plants, including effects on root growth and phenology. 3. Short-term absence of snow reduced vascular plant cover in the understorey by 42%, reduced fine root biomass by 16%, reduced shoot growth by up to 53%, and induced tissue damage on two common dwarf shrubs. In the long-term manipulation, more substantial effects on understorey plant cover (92% reduced) and standing fine root biomass (39% reduced) were observed, whereas other response parameters, such as tissue damage, were observed less. Fine root growth was generally reduced, and its initiation delayed by c. 3 (short-term) to 6 weeks (long-term manipulation). 4. Synthesis We show that one extreme winter with a reduced snow cover can already induce ecologically significant alterations. We also show that long-term changes were smaller than suggested by an extrapolation of short-term manipulation results (using a constant proportional decline). In addition, some of those negative responses, such as frost damage and shoot growth, were even absolutely stronger in the short-term compared to the long-term manipulation. This suggests adaptation or survival of only those individuals that are able to cope with these extreme winter conditions, and that the short-term manipulation alone would over-predict long-term impacts. These results highlight both the ecological importance of snow cover in this boreal forest, and the value of combining short- and long-term experiments side by side in climate change research.
Data from: The effect of competition on responses to drought and interannual climate variability of a dominant conifer tree of western North America
To accurately predict how ecosystems will respond to climate change – and how management actions can influence such responses – scientists and managers need a better understanding of how and when biotic interactions modify climate–growth relationships. However, current research has largely ignored the role of competition in modulating climate–growth relationships of mature trees. In this study, we assessed the effect of competition on tree responses to drought and interannual climate variability as well as linkages between climate sensitivity and morphological characteristics of the stem wood. We sampled 10 sites in north-eastern Washington, USA, and used dendroecology to quantify responses of Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) to drought and climate variability. Tree-ring series were converted to basal area increment series, and the effects of competition on climate–growth relationships were assessed at the tree and site levels using a combination of correlation analyses and linear mixed-effects models. Competition did not affect tree responses to extreme drought. When soil moisture was below average, tree growth was tightly coupled to climate variability for all trees, regardless of their competitive status. However, in wet years, competition had a pronounced, positive effect on climate sensitivity of growth. Trees with more competition from neighbours exhibited a significantly higher proportion of sapwood area in latewood (a morphological trait associated with greater drought resistance). Synthesis. Our results suggest that a tree's ability to cope with environmental variability is driven not just by the proximate effects of neighbours on resource availability, but also by phenotypic plasticity and long-term adaptations to competitive stress (such as changes in carbon allocation). Findings have important implications for individual-tree and stand-level growth models and may help managers better understand how their activities will modify tree responses to climate change.
Data from: Phylogeography in continuous space: coupling species distribution models and circuit theory to assess the effect of contiguous migration at different climatic periods on genetic differentiation in Busseola fusca (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)
Current population genetic models fail to cope with genetic differentiation for species with large, contiguous and heterogeneous distribution. We show that in such a case, genetic differentiation can be predicted at equilibrium by circuit theory, where conductance corresponds to abundance in species distribution models (SDM). Circuit-SDM approach was used for the phylogeographic study of the lepidopteran cereal stemborer Busseola fusca Füller (Noctuidae) across sub-Saharan Africa. Species abundance was surveyed across its distribution range. SDM models were optimized and selected by cross validation. Relationship between observed matrices of genetic differentiation between individuals, and matrices of resistance distance was assessed through Mantel tests and redundancy discriminant analyses (RDA). A total of 628 individuals from 130 localities in 17 countries were genotyped at 7 microsatellite loci. Six population clusters were found based on a Bayesian analysis. The eastern margin of Dahomey Gap between East and West Africa was the main factor of genetic differentiation. The SDM projections at present, last interglacial and last glacial maximum periods were used for estimation of circuit resistance between locations of genotyped individuals. For all periods of time, when using either all individuals or only East-African individuals, partial Mantel r and RDA analyses conditioning on geographic distance were found significant. Under future projections (year 2080), partial r and RDA significance were different. From this study, it is concluded that analytical solutions provided by circuit theory are useful for the evolutionary management of populations and for phylogeographic analysis when coalescence times are not accessible by approximate Bayesian simulations.
Data from: Space can substitute for time in predicting climate-change effects on biodiversity
"Space-for-time" substitution is widely used in biodiversity modeling to infer past or future trajectories of ecological systems from contemporary spatial patterns. However, the foundational assumption—that drivers of spatial gradients of species composition also drive temporal changes in diversity—rarely is tested. Here, we empirically test the space-for-time assumption by constructing orthogonal datasets of compositional turnover of plant taxa and climatic dissimilarity through time and across space from Late Quaternary pollen records in eastern North America, then modeling climate-driven compositional turnover. Predictions relying on space-for-time substitution were ∼72% as accurate as "time-for-time" predictions. However, space-for-time substitution performed poorly during the Holocene when temporal variation in climate was small relative to spatial variation and required subsampling to match the extent of spatial and temporal climatic gradients. Despite this caution, our results generally support the judicious use of space-for-time substitution in modeling community responses to climate change.
Data from: Disturbance history mediates climate change effects on subtropical forest biomass and dynamics
The responses of forest communities to interacting anthropogenic disturbances like climate change and logging are poorly known. Subtropical forests have been heavily modified by humans and their response to climate change is poorly understood. We investigated the nine year-change observed in a mixed conifer-hardwood Atlantic forest mosaic that included both mature and selectively-logged forest patches in subtropical South America. We used demographic monitoring data within 10 1 ha plots that were subjected to distinct management histories (plots logged until 1955, until 1987, and unlogged) to test the hypothesis that climate change affected forest structure and dynamics differentially depending on past disturbances. We determined the functional group of all species based on life-history affinities as well as many functional traits like leaf size, specific leaf area, wood density, total height, stem slenderness, and seed size data for the 66 most abundant species. Analysis of climate data revealed that minimum temperatures and rainfall have been increasing in the last few decades of the 20th century. Floristic composition differed mainly with logging history categories, with only minor change over the nine annual census intervals. Aboveground biomass increased in all plots, but increases were higher in mature unlogged forests, which showed signs of forest growth associated with increased CO2, temperature, and rainfall/treefall gap disturbance at the same time. Logged forests showed arrested succession as indicated by reduced abundances of Pioneers and biomass-accumulators like Large Seeded Pioneers and Araucaria, as well as reduced functional diversity. Management actions aimed at creating regeneration opportunities for long-lived pioneers are needed to restore community functional diversity, and ecosystem services such as increased aboveground biomass accumulation. We conclude that the effects of climate drivers on the dynamics of Brazilian mixed Atlantic forests vary with land-use legacies, and can differ importantly from the ones prevalent in better known tropical forests.
Data from: Climatic effects on planning behavior
What mechanism links climate change and social change? Palaeoanthropological analysis of human remains suggests that abrupt climate change is linked to societal restructuring, but it has been challenging to reliably identify the exact mechanisms underlying this relationship. Here we identify one potential mechanism that can link climate to behavior change, and underpins many of the reported findings on social restructuring. Specifically, we show that daily weather is linked to human planning behavior, and this effect is moderated by climate. Our results demonstrate that as weather gets colder, humans increase their planning in cold regions and decrease planning in warm regions. Since planning has previously been linked to group efficiency, cooperation, and societal organization, our work suggests planning is one mechanism that can link climate change to societal restructuring.
Data from: Modeling the effects of anthropogenic exploitation and climate change on an endemic stag beetle, Lucanus miwai, of Taiwan
Loss of biodiversity is a worldwide phenomenon and conservation of endemic species is becoming a pressing issue. However, species differ in life history characteristics, causing the best strategy for conservation to vary among species. Lucanus miwai is an endemic stag beetle of Taiwan, but the natural history and the conservation status of L. miwai have not been fully studied. Lucanus miwai adults live in forest-edge grassland habitats and are experiencing threats from anthropogenic exploitation. Additionally, climate change may threaten its long-term survival because of its specific habitat preference. Results from this study clearly indicate the need for more studies on the natural history of L. miwai and demonstrate that contemporary intensity of anthropogenic exploitation can have a negative effect on population size of this species. Future habitat loss because of global climate change, in addition, can be another major factor leading to population decline. Moreover, increasing demands on L. miwai because of population decline may lead to population extinction. In addition to protecting adult males from being collected, conservation strategies should also focus on discovering habitats utilized by individuals from different life stages, investigating the connectivity between populations, and maintaining the long-term availability of suitable habitats for L. miwai.
Data from: Predicted effects of climate factors on mountain species are not uniform over different spatial scales
The selection of relevant factors and appropriate spatial scale(s) is fundamental when modelling species response to climate change. We evaluated whether the effects of climate factors on species distribution/occurrence are consistently modelled over different spatial scales in birds, and used a two-scale approach to identify species-climate correlations unlikely to represent causal effects. We used passerine birds inhabiting mountain grassland in the Apennines (Italy) as a model. We surveyed four grassland species at 400 sampling points, and built habitat selection models (territory scale) and distribution models (7 algorithms, landscape scale). We compared the effect of climatic predictors on occurrence/distribution highlighted by models over to the two spatial scales, and with the effects supposed a priori based on the climatic niche of each species. Models at the territory level included at least one climatic predictor for three species; the observed effect of climatic predictors was seldom consistent with supposed effects. At the broadest scale, distribution models for all species included climatic predictors, with varying consistence with supposed effects and findings at the finer scale. Despite the importance of climate for species distribution, occurrence could be more directly related to other factors, with important implications for understanding/predicting the impacts of climate/environmental changes. Our approach revealed key variables for grassland birds, and highlighted the scale-dependent perceived importance of climate. At the local scale, climate effects were weak or hard to interpret. We found a general lack of consistence between supposed and observed effects at the territory level, and between landscape and territory models. Our results show the importance of predicting the potential effect of climatic factors prior to the analyses, carefully selecting ecologically meaningful variables and scales, and evaluating the nature and scale of climate-species links. We call for caution when predicting under future climates, especially when mechanistic effects and consistency across scales lack.
Data from: Drought-induced starvation of aardvarks in the Kalahari: an indirect effect of climate change
Aardvarks (Orycteropus afer) are elusive burrowing mammals, predominantly nocturnal and distributed widely throughout Africa except for arid deserts. Their survival may be threatened by climate change via direct and indirect effects of increasing heat and aridity. To measure their current physiological plasticity, we implanted biologgers into six adult aardvarks resident in the semi-arid Kalahari. Following a particularly dry and hot summer, five of the study aardvarks and 11 other aardvarks at the study site died. Body temperature records revealed homeothermy (35.4–37.2°C) initially, but heterothermy increased progressively through the summer, with declining troughs in the nychthemeral rhythm of body temperature reaching as low as 25°C before death, likely due to starvation. Activity patterns shifted from the normal nocturnal to a diurnal mode. Our results do not bode well for the future of aardvarks facing climate change. Extirpation of aardvarks, which play a key role as ecosystem engineers, may disrupt stability of African ecosystems.
Data from: Egg size investment in superb fairy-wrens: helper effects are modulated by climate
Natural populations might exhibit resilience to changing climatic conditions if they already show adaptive flexibility in their reproductive strategies. In cooperative breeders, theory predicts that mothers with helpers should provide less care when environmental conditions are favourable, but maintain high investment when conditions are challenging. Here, we test for evidence of climate-mediated flexibility in maternal investment in the cooperatively breeding superb fairy-wren Malurus cyaneus. We focus on egg size because in this species egg size influences offspring size, and females reduce egg investment when there are helpers at the nest. We report that females lay larger eggs during dry, hot conditions. However, the effect of temperature is modulated by the presence of helpers: the average egg size of females with helpers is reduced during cooler conditions but increased during hot conditions relative to females without helpers. This appears to reflect plasticity in egg investment rather than among female differences. Analysis of maternal survival suggests that helped females are better able to withstand the costs of breeding in hot conditions than females without helpers. Our study suggests that females can use multiple, independent cues to modulate egg investment flexibly in a variable environment.
Data from: An integrative approach to phylogeography: investigating the effects of ancient seaways, climate, and historical geology on multi-locus phylogeographic boundaries of the arboreal salamander (Aneides lugubris)
Background: Phylogeography is an important tool that can be used to reveal cryptic biodiversity and to better understand the processes that promote lineage diversification. We studied the phylogeographic history of the Arboreal Salamander (Aneides lugubris), a wide-ranging species endemic to the California floristic province. We used multi-locus data to reconstruct the evolutionary history of A. lugubris and to discover the geographic location of major genetic breaks within the species. We also used species distribution modeling and comparative phylogeography to better understand the environmental factors that have shaped the genetic history of A. lugubris. Results: We found six major mitochondrial clades in A. lugubris. Nuclear loci supported the existence of at least three genetically distinct groups, corresponding to populations north of the San Francisco Bay and in the Sierra Nevada, in the Santa Cruz Mountains, and in the central coast and southern California. All of the genetic breaks in mitochondrial and nuclear loci corresponded to regions where historical barriers to dispersal have been observed in other species. Geologic or water barriers likely were the most important factors restricting gene flow among clades. Climatic unsuitability during glacial maximum may have contributed to the isolation of the mitochondrial clades in the central coast and southern California. A projection of our species distribution model to a future scenario with a moderate amount of climate change suggests that most of the range of A. lugubris will remain climatically suitable, but climatic conditions in the Sierra Nevada and low elevation areas in Southern California are likely to deteriorate. Conclusions: Aneides lugubris contains substantial cryptic genetic diversity as a result of historical isolation of populations. At least two (and perhaps three) evolutionarily significant units in A. lugubris merit protection; all six mitochondrial clades should be considered as management units within the species.
ScienceDex guides
Understand access before you commit
These curated guides explain access requirements, typical timelines, costs, and reuse considerations for widely used research datasets.
Allen Brain Atlas
Allen Brain Atlas is an Allen Institute collection of brain map atlases, datasets, APIs, and analysis tools covering mouse, human, and non-human primate brain resources.
Annotated Behaviour and Observability Dataset (ABODe)
ABODe is a University of Edinburgh DataShare dataset for behavior classification in group-housed mice using home-cage video, identities, bounding boxes, ground-plate positions, and annotator labels.
DANDI Archive for NWB datasets
DANDI is a BRAIN Initiative archive for publishing and sharing neurophysiology data, including electrophysiology, optophysiology, and behavioral data packaged as NWB and related standards.
International Brain Laboratory public data
The International Brain Laboratory public data releases expose standardized mouse decision-making experiments, including Neuropixels recordings, widefield calcium imaging, behavior, and session metadata accessed through the ONE API.
OpenNeuro
OpenNeuro is a free, open platform for sharing neuroimaging datasets, with public search, dataset pages, and download paths for web, S3, DataLad, and the OpenNeuro CLI.