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opencc-zeroMay 2022View details →

Fruit-feeding butterfly populations respond to variation in adult food availability: evidence from longitudinal body mass and abundance data

The degree to which variation in adult food availability affects the population dynamics of a species depends on its position on the capital-income breeding continuum. The long-lived butterflies that feed on fruits as adults constitute an example of Lepidoptera with a high degree of income breeding. For three species of fruit-feeding butterflies in Uganda, we assessed the contribution of the income to breeding in the wild, and the consequences of variation in fruit availability for body mass and population dynamics. We interpreted body mass loss within individuals as well as younger individuals having higher body mass than older ones as evidence for the depletion of capital reserves. Despite large sample sizes, we were able to show only modest body mass loss in one species, indicating that large-bodied fruit-feeding butterflies are functionally income breeders in the wild. Butterfly body mass was sensitive to environmental factors, although the responses to fruit availability and weather parameters were dominated by interactive effects. In all three species, periods of higher availability of fruit were followed by periods of higher adult abundance three to five months later, fitting the egg-to-adult time. Our results suggest that adult food is rapidly used for reproduction so that body mass remains stable and population size responds to adult food availability. For these income breeding species, the frequent periods of low adult food availability may select for extended adult longevity for the purpose of postponing reproduction to the onset of more favorable conditions.

opencc-zeroMay 2022View details →

Characterization data for the EtNAM population and Ethiopian durum wheat landraces diversity panel

In smallholder, low-input farming systems diffused in the Global South, farmers select and propagate crop varieties based on their traditional knowledge and experience. A quantitative integration of their knowledge into breeding pipelines may support the sustainable intensification of local farming. This data entry combines genomics with socioeconomics to tap into traditional knowledge in smallholder farming systems, focusing on durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.). Data refer to a large nested association mapping (EtNAM) population that we developed by recombining elite international breeding line with Ethiopian traditional varieties maintained by local farmers. This entry carries also molecular and phenotypic data produced on a diversity panel (DP) of Ethiopian landraces previously characterized in four year-location combinations and published in Mengistu et al 2016 (<a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/pbi.12538">https://doi.org/10.1111/pbi.12538</a>). EtNAM lines and DP genotypes were evaluated for agronomic performances and farmers' appreciation in multiple locations, reveailing that gender and location can influence farmers' preference and that women and men farmers can consistently identify the best durum wheat genotypes. We used this data to train a genomic selection (GS) model with farmer scores to show that their prediction accuracy over grain yield was higher than that of the benchmark GS model trained on grain yield. The data was also used in a genome wide association mapping (GWAS) and quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping to identify genetic determinants of agronomic traits and farmer scores. Our data shows that farmers' traditional knowledge can be integrated in a quantitative framework to increase genetic gain in pre-breeding programs, supporting genomics-driven breeding for local adaptation. The Rdata files contain phenotypic and molecular characterization data for 1,200 recombinant inbred lines (RILs) deriving from the EtNAM and phenotypic and molecular characterization data for 400 durum wheat genotypes in the Ethiopian DP.

Data from: Passive acoustic monitoring provides reliable under-estimates of population size and longevity in wild Savannah Sparrows

Many breeding birds produce conspicuous sounds, providing tremendous opportunities to study free-living birds through acoustic recordings. Traditional methods for studying population size and demographic features depend on labour-intensive field research. Passive acoustic monitoring provides an alternative method for quantifying population size and demographic parameters, but this approach requires careful validation. To determine the accuracy of passive acoustic monitoring for estimating population size and demographic parameters, we used autonomous recorders to sample an island-living population of Savannah Sparrows (Passerculus sandwichensis) over a six-year period. Using the individually distinctive songs of males, we estimated male population size as the number of unique songs detected in the recordings. We analyzed songs across six years to estimate birth year, death year, and longevity. We then compared the estimates to field data in a blind analysis. Estimates of male population size through passive acoustic monitoring were, on average, 72% of the true male population size, with higher accuracy in lower-density years. Estimates of demographic rates were lower than true values by 29% for birth year, 23% for death year, and 29% for longevity. This is the first investigation to estimate longevity with passive acoustic monitoring, and adds to a growing number of studies that have used passive acoustic monitoring to estimate population size. Although passive acoustic monitoring under-estimated true population parametersfeatures, likely due to the high similarity among many male songs, our findings suggest that autonomous recorders can provide reliable estimates of population size and demographic characteristicslongevity in a wild songbird.

opencc-by-4.0Jun 2022View details →

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Data for blog post on dfm.io: "An experiment in open science: exoplanet population inference"

The data set used be the blog post "An experiment in open science: exoplanet population inference" published at https://dfm.io/posts/exopop/

Data from: Climate matching and anthropogenic factors contribute to the colonisation and extinction of local populations during avian invasions

Concern about the impacts of biological invasions has generated a great deal of interest in understanding factors that determine invasion success. Most of our current knowledge comes from static approaches that use spatial patterns as a proxy of temporal processes. These approaches assume that species are present in areas where environmental conditions are the most favourable. However, this assumption is problematic when applied to dynamic processes such as species expansions when equilibrium has not been reached. In our work, we analyse the roles played by human activities, climatic matching, and spatial connectivity on the two main underlying processes shaping the spread of invasive species (i.e., colonisation and extinction) using a dynamic modelling approach. For this, we used a large dataset that has recorded the occurrence of two invasive bird species -the ring-necked and the monk parakeets- in the Iberian Peninsula from 1991 to 2016.

Ecological and geographical marginality in rear edge populations of Palaearctic forest birds (data)

The centre–periphery hypothesis predicts that habitat suitability will decrease at the edge of a species' range, a pattern often questioned by empirical data. Here we explore if habitat suitability decreases southwards and shapes the abundance distribution of rear edge populations of forest birds within the restricted geographical setting of the south-western Palaearctic. We also test if birds endemic to the area fit more poorly to the latitudinal decrease of habitat suitability due to the putative effect of adaptations to regional conditions. Location: North-western Africa (Morocco) Time period: Present day Major taxa studied: Passerines (11 species) Methods: Bird occurrences were used to model species distribution and line transects were used to estimate bird abundance. Occurrence probabilities provided by species distribution models were used to display the spatial patterning of habitat suitability. Habitat suitability was employed to predict abundance after controlling for the effect of the distance to some regional source areas of forest birds (tree covered large areas). The species were classified as North African endemic according to an updated review of their taxonomic status. Results: Habitat suitability decreased southwards, supporting the predicted relationship between ecological and geographical marginality in most species. Abundance was positively correlated to habitat suitability and negatively correlated to distance to source areas. The taxonomic status of birds did not affect the patterns. Main conclusions: The southward decrease of habitat suitability predicted by the centre–periphery hypothesis shapes the distribution of rear edge populations of forest birds within the south-western Palaearctic. As most of these populations are endemic, the results suggest that they track the gradients in isolation within the geographical setting of north-western Africa. These results support the vulnerability of these isolated, peripheral populations of forest birds to large-scale environmental changes in a region under the effect of increasing drought and temperature.

Using by-catch camera trapping data for estimating the population size of spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta)

Spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta) are an important carnivore species whose dual role of scavenger and predator is vital to trophic energy flows of systems in which they are found. Where populations of spotted hyenas are small, the environment has few cleaners and carcasses can remain unprocessed. Despite being largely characterized as scavengers, spotted hyenas actively hunt and take down live prey and at high densities can have depressing effects on fragile or choice ungulate populations. In addition, they can alter the structure and composition dynamics of the carnivore guild through direct conflict or indirectly through competition for food and space. Despite their importance to ecosystem function and balance, reliable estimates of spotted hyena densities are rare. This is because unlike lions and leopards, spotted hyenas are generally not regarded as a charismatic species and, as such, survey resources, which are costly, are seldom solely allocated towards surveying them. Nonetheless, being able to confidently estimate spotted hyena numbers is important for the effective management of carnivore and herbivore populations whose dynamics they influence.

opencc-by-4.0Jun 2022View details →

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Morphological Data for 95 populations of Silene seeds

Raw data for Area, Perimeter, Length, Width, Aspect Ratio, Circularity, Roundness and Solidity for the lateral and dorsal views of 102 populations belonging to 52 species (49 species of Silene and three related species).

opencc-zeroDec 2021View details →

Data to accompany from: Effects of neonicotinoid seed treatments on wildbee populations and soybean and corn fields in eastern Ontario

Neonicotinoid-coated corn and soybean seeds are a common crop in Canada and the US. A growing body of research is demonstrating that, through various exposure routes, neonicotinoids can impact a suite of non-target organisms including beneficial insects such as bees. However, to date, only a few studies have examined the effects of neonicotinoids in field settings. We assessed the relationship between agricultural crop soil neonicotinoid levels and wild bee abundance and diversity at 16 agricultural sites representing different soil neonicotinoid levels. We detected clothianidin at 11 sites, thiamethoxam at three sites; imidacloprid was not detected. Hedgerow and crop soils were consistent in terms of where clothianidin was detected; thiamethoxan was not detected in hedgerow soils. Based on model outcomes, fields with higher levels of soil neonicotinoids exhibited significantly lower wild bee abundance and diversity than those with low or no neonicotinoids detected. Crop soil neonicotinoid level, hedgerow floral resource abundance and crop type were consistent predictors of bee abundance across models; only neonicotinoid level and crop type were significant predictors of diversity. Our results are consistent with recent findings in the midwestern US, and underscore the potential risk of soil neonicotinoids to wild bee populations across regions and crop systems.

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Data availability: Random encounter model is a reliable method for estimating population density of multiple species using camera traps

Data of the paper entitled "Random encounter model is a reliable method for estimating population density of multiple species using camera traps" published on Remote Sensing in Ecology and Conservation

opencc-by-4.0Apr 2022View details →

opencc-zeroJul 2022View details →

Data from: Forest connectivity boosts pollen flow among populations of the oil-producing Nierembergia linariifolia

Context The process of forest fragmentation determines landscapes with isolated forest patches immersed in a distinct matrix. This process may hinder pollinator movement throughout the landscape, which may negatively impact on pollen flow among native plant populations. Objectives We evaluated the effect of the loss of forest connectivity on pollen dispersal by specialized native bees in the oil-producing and self-incompatible Nierembergia linariifolia. Methods We estimated pollen flow between plants of N. linariifolia at an agroecosystem with remnant forest of central Argentina. Six plant populations (source populations) were treated with fluorescent dyes as pollen analogues, and stigmata of recipient plants were collected to seek for dye particles. Dye deposition rate was assessed for plants that were connected through remnant forest to a source population or unconnected by a crop matrix, and at increasing distances to a source population. Results Deposition rate per plant was higher in connected than in unconnected plants, and decreased with increasing distances to a source population in an exponential fashion. Most of the dispersal events between connected plants occurred at the vicinity of a source population. Long dispersal events (up to 1259 m) were recorded between plants located at neighbouring forest patches separated by an agricultural matrix. Conclusions Landscape connectivity through forest remnants is key to enhance pollen flow between self-incompatible plants such as N. linariifolia. Besides, the evidence of pollen dispersal through the agricultural matrix pinpoints the essential role of native pollinators in maintaining pollen flow among unconnected plant populations in fragmented landscapes.

opencc-zeroJul 2022View details →

Data for: Soil microbiota explain differences in herbivore resistance between native and invasive populations of a perennial herb

Soil microbiota can either slow down or facilitate plant invasions through their effects on plant performance. Associations with soil microbiota can also modify other plant traits such as herbivore resistance, which can indirectly affect the outcome of plant introductions. We studied the effects of soil microbiota on the perennial herbaceous legume Lupinus polyphyllus that hosts nitrogen-fixing mutualistic bacteria. We compared the plant performance, herbivore resistance, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) of plants from native (North American) and invasive (Finnish) populations of the species that were inoculated with intact or autoclaved soil from an invasive population. We found that plants of both origins greatly benefited from the intact soil inoculum with respect to all performance measures considered, suggesting that beneficial nitrogen-fixing rhizobia in the soil play a major role in shaping plant phenotypes. For three traits, effects of the intact soil inoculum were stronger in plants of native origin than in plants of invasive origin (number of leaves, herbivore resistance, and total biomass). With the intact soil inoculum, plants of invasive origin were more resistant to snails than plants of native origin. Strikingly, differences in resistance to snails between plants of different origins disappeared entirely when soil microbes were reduced. Soil inoculum treatment altered the composition of the leaf VOC bouquet similarly regardless of plant origin. Synthesis: These results demonstrate the ability of L. polyphyllus to associate with and benefit from putatively novel soil microbiota including rhizobia, which has likely contributed to its invasion success. Furthermore, it appears that the invasive populations have adapted to be less reliant on their symbionts, which further facilitates species spread. To our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate that differences in herbivore resistance between native and invasive plant populations of the same species can depend entirely on soil microbiota.

opencc-zeroAug 2022View details →

Summary data for plots in: Eco-evolutionary extinction and recolonization dynamics reduce genetic load and increase time to extinction in highly inbred populations

Understanding how genetic and ecological effects can interact to shape genetic loads within and across local populations is key to understanding ongoing persistence of systems that should otherwise be susceptible to extinction through mutational meltdown. Classic theory predicts short persistence times for metapopulations comprising small local populations with low connectivity, due to accumulation of deleterious mutations. Yet, some such systems have persisted over evolutionary time, implying the existence of mechanisms that allow metapopulations to avoid mutational meltdown. We first hypothesize a mechanism by which the combination of stochasticity in the numbers and types of mutations arising locally (genetic stochasticity), resulting in local extinction and recolonization through evolving dispersal, facilitates metapopulation persistence. We then test this mechanism using a spatially and genetically explicit individual-based model. We show that genetic stochasticity in highly structured metapopulations can result in local extinctions, which can favour increased dispersal, thus allowing recolonization of empty habitat patches. This causes fluctuations in metapopulation size and transient gene flow, which reduces genetic load and increases metapopulation persistence over evolutionary time. Our suggested mechanism and simulation results provide an explanation for the conundrum presented by the continued persistence of highly structured populations with inbreeding mating systems that occur in diverse taxa.

opencc-zeroAug 2022View details →

Data from: Population genomics reveal deep divergence and strong geographical structuring in the Hengduan Mountains

We used restriction site-associated DNA sequencing to generate 1,907 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and four-kb of plastid sequence in species of the Gentiana hexaphylla complex (Gentianaceae). We performed genetic clustering with spatial and non-spatial models, phylogenetic reconstructions, and ancestral range estimation, with the aim of addressing the processes influencing the diversification of G. hexaphylla in the HM. Here, the SNP data and plastid sequence alignments are provided.

Data from: Genetic patterns of Magnolia in the Lesser Antilles: Stepwise colonisation leading to highly inbred island 'populations'

Aim: Test for genetic signatures of island biogeographic patterns, using a slowly evolving, recent colonist with a low dispersal capability in an island chain without linear chronosequence; evaluate the multiple-endemic status of the species; and quantify genetic diversity of extant island populations. Location: The Lesser Antilles (Caribbean). Taxon: Magnolia dodecapetala (Magnoliaceae). Methods: Genetic diversity was characterised using Sanger sequencing of 21 individuals amplified for 11 DNA markers, plus microsatellite data of 195 individuals genotyped with 19 simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers. Sanger sequencing data were used to construct a Bayesian phylogenetic hypothesis, while SSR markers were used to run approximate Bayesian computation (ABC) demographic analyses and calculate population statistics. Results: Both types of molecular data support stepwise colonization, decoupled from known island ages. The ABC analyses support a north to south migration while the Sanger sequencing data indicates a mixture of island progression rule and stepping stone dispersal. The SSR data show strong genetic structuring per island and significant inbreeding in all populations except in Saint Lucia. The lowest genetic diversity is found in the population from Saint Vincent. A high amount of genetic linkage occurs in a subpopulation from Dominica. Main conclusions: Biogeographic patterns for the complex geological setting of the Lesser Antilles are uncovered using a slowly evolving study species. All genetic data support treating each island as distinct Management Units for conservation and call for a re-evaluation of the species limits. Inbreeding threatens the survival of island populations and the populations of Saint Vincent and Dominica represent conservation priorities.

Pollinator data from: Pollinator movement activity influences genetic diversity and differentiation of spatially isolated populations of clonal forest herbs

In agricultural landscapes, forest herbs live in small, spatially isolated forest patches. For their long-term survival, their populations depend on animals as genetic linkers that provide pollen- or seed-mediated gene flow among different forest patches. However, whether insect pollinators serve as genetic linkers among spatially isolated forest herb populations in agricultural landscapes remains to be shown. Here, we used population genetic methods to analyze: (A) the genetic diversity and genetic differentiation of populations of two common, slow-colonizing temperate forest herb species (Polygonatum multiflorum (L.) All. and Anemone nemorosa L.) in spatially isolated populations within three agricultural landscapes in Germany and Sweden and (B) the movement activity of their most relevant associated pollinator species, i.e., the bumblebee Bombus pascuorum (Scopoli, 1763) and the hoverfly Melanostoma scalare (Fabricus, 1794), respectively, which differ in their mobility. We tested whether the indicated pollinator movement activity affected the genetic diversity and genetic differentiation of the forest herb populations. Bumblebee movement indicators that solely indicated movement activity between the forest patches affected both genetic diversity and genetic differentiation of the associated forest herb P. multiflorum in a way that can be explained by pollen-mediated gene flow among the forest herb populations. In contrast, movement indicators reflecting the total movement activity at a forest patch (including within-forest patch movement activity) showed unexpected effects for both plant-pollinator pairs that might be explained by accelerated genetic drift due to enhanced sexual reproduction. Our integrated approach revealed that bumblebees serve as genetic linkers of associated forest herb populations, even if they are more than 2 km apart from each other. No such evidence was found for the forest-associated hoverfly species which showed significant genetic differentiation among forest patches itself. Our approach also indicated that a higher within-forest patch movement activity of both pollinator species might enhance sexual recruitment and thus diminishes the temporal buffer that clonal growth provides against habitat fragmentation effects.

High-density genomic data reveal fine-scale population structure and pronounced islands of adaptive divergence in lake whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis) from Lake Michigan

Understanding patterns of genetic structure and adaptive variation in natural populations is crucial for informing conservation and management. Past genetic research using 11 microsatellite loci identified six genetic stocks of lake whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis) within Lake Michigan, USA. However, ambiguity in genetic stock assignments suggested those neutral microsatellite markers did not provide adequate power for delineating lake whitefish stocks in this system, prompting calls for a genomics approach to investigate stock structure. Here, we generated a dense genomic dataset to characterize population structure and investigate patterns of neutral and adaptive genetic diversity among lake whitefish populations in Lake Michigan. Using Rapture sequencing, we genotyped 829 individuals collected from 17 baseline populations at 197,588 SNP markers after quality filtering. Although the overall pattern of genetic structure was similar to the previous microsatellite study, our genomic data provided several novel insights. Our results indicated a large genetic break between the northwestern and eastern sides of Lake Michigan, and we found a much greater level of population structure on the eastern side compared to the northwestern side. Collectively, we observed five genomic islands of adaptive divergence on five different chromosomes. Each island displayed a different pattern of population structure, suggesting that combinations of genotypes at these adaptive regions are facilitating local adaptation to spatially heterogenous selection pressures. Additionally, we identified a large linkage disequilibrium block of ~8.5 Mb on chromosome 20 that is suggestive of a putative inversion but with a low frequency of the minor haplotype. Our study provides a comprehensive assessment of population structure and adaptive variation that can help inform management of Lake Michigan's lake whitefish fishery and highlights the utility of incorporating adaptive loci into fisheries management.

Data from: Linking environmental stability with genetic diversity and population structure in two Atlantic Forest palm trees

Spatial patterns of biodiversity in the Atlantic Forest of Brazil are well characterized. However, there is no consensus on the biological processes underlying these patterns, and multiple competing hypotheses have been proposed, several of which center on climatic stability. Here, we ask if Late Quaternary climatic stability predicts contemporary population structure and genomic-level diversity in two palm species: Syagrus botryophora and S. pseudococos (Arecaceae) We first use species occurrence data to model the distribution of suitable environments in 62 time-slice climate projections over the last 120 thousand years, and summarize stability over that period. We then use >25,000 RADseq-generated SNPs to i) describe the spatial patterns of genomic variation in both species, ii) test how well genomic variation is explained by isolation by distance and by the environmental resistance imposed by historical instability (isolation by resistance) and iii) test for a correlation between genetic diversity and historical stability. The contemporary range of S. botryophora has been relatively stable over the last 30 thousand years and there are two isolated regions of high stability for S. pseudococos. The genomic data recovers a clear pattern of isolation by distance in S. botryophora and two structured populations in S. pseudococos. Consequently, the contribution of isolation by resistance to overall genetic structure is much higher in S. pseudococos. Genetic diversity is not significantly correlated with historical stability in either species. Based on the concordance between historical stability and genetic structure, Late Quaternary climate stability may have maintained population connectivity within S. botryophora and promoted intraspecific divergence in S. pseudococos. Conversely, historical stability does not seem to be driving spatial patterns of genetic diversity. This study supports the primary role of climatic stability in determining spatial population structure, but not genetic diversity, in the Atlantic Forest.

opencc-zeroOct 2022View details →

Data and scripts from: Microbiome composition is shaped by geography and population structure in the parasitic wasp Asobara japonica, but not in the presence of the endosymbiont Wolbachia

The microbial community composition is crucial for diverse life-history traits in many organisms. However, we still lack a sufficient understanding of how the host microbiome is acquired and maintained, a pressing issue in times of global environmental change. Here we investigated to what extent host genotype, environmental conditions, and the endosymbiont Wolbachia influence the bacterial communities in the parasitic wasp Asobara japonica. We sampled multiple wasp populations across ten locations in their natural distribution range in Japan and sequenced the host genome (whole genome sequencing) and microbiome (16S rRNA gene). We compared the host population structure and bacterial community composition of wasps that reproduce sexually and are uninfected with Wolbachia with wasps that reproduce asexually and carry Wolbachia. The bacterial communities in asexual wasps were highly similar due to a strong effect of Wolbachia rather than host genomic structure. In contrast, in sexual wasps, bacterial communities appear primarily shaped by a combination of population structure and environmental conditions. Our research highlights that multiple factors shape the bacterial communities of an organism and that the presence of a single endosymbiont can strongly alter their compositions. This information is crucial to understanding how organisms and their associated microbiome will react in the face of environmental change.