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opencc-zeroSep 2020View details →

High temperature induces transcriptomic changes in Crassostrea gigas that hinder progress of ostreid herpes virus (OsHV-1) and promote survival

Of all environmental factors, seawater temperature plays a decisive role in triggering marine diseases. Like fever in vertebrates, high seawater temperature could modulate the host response to pathogens in ectothermic animals. In France, massive mortality of Pacific oysters, Crassostrea gigas, caused by the ostreid herpesvirus 1 (OsHV-1) is markedly reduced when temperatures exceed 24°C in the field. In the present study we assess how high temperature influences the host response to the pathogen by comparing transcriptomes (RNA sequencing) during the course of experimental infection at 21°C (reference) and 29°C. We show that high temperature induced host physiological processes that are unfavorable to the viral infection. Temperature influenced the expression of transcripts related to the immune process and increased the transcription of genes related to the apoptotic process, synaptic signaling and protein processes at 29°C. Concomitantly, the expression of genes associated with catabolism, metabolite transport, macromolecule synthesis and cell growth remained low from the first stage of infection at 29°C. Moreover, viral entry into the host might have been limited at 29°C by changes in extracellular matrix composition and protein abundance. Overall, these results provide new insights into how environmental factors modulate host–pathogen interactions.

opencc-zeroSep 2020View details →

The Pantophysin gene and its relationship with survival in Atlantic cod

Distinction between highly migratory Northeast Arctic cod and stationary Norwegian Coastal cod represents an important management issue. They overlap on the same spawning grounds where they are harvested, but display highly different abundences. This necessitates alternative management strategies. The bi-allelic genetic marker, pantophysin (Pan I), has been widely used as a diagnostic marker to discriminate between these two stocks. However, it has been proposed that this locus, or another gene(s) on chromosome 1 where it is located, may be under strong divergent selection between these two stocks. In order to address this, we compared relative survival rates between different Pan I genotypes in common garden pedigree-controlled experiments conducted in a temperature-controlled laboratory facility, and mesocosms. We found no evidence of departure from the expected 1:2:1 mendelian ratio for any of the three genotypes during the egg stage, while both the 6 and 12 °C temperature regimes in the laboratory experiment weakly favoured the Pan IAA genotype thereafter. No difference was observed between genotype survival in the mesocosm experiments. These results demonstrate that there are no clear advantages of certain Pan I genotypes under the experimental conditions observed.

opencc-zeroOct 2020View details →

Data from: Drivers of spatiotemporal variation in survival in a flyway population: a multi-colony study

1. Spatio-temporal variation in population dynamics of migratory populations is shaped by exposure to different environments during the annual cycle. Hence, exposure to similar environments should translate into synchrony in vital rates. Despite a wide-ranging breeding population, the Baltic/Wadden Sea flyway population of eiders (Somateria m. mollissima) shares wintering grounds in the southern Baltic Sea, inner Danish waters and the Wadden Sea; different colonies within this flyway population are therefore likely to exhibit some degree of synchrony in vital rates. 2. Here we used capture-recapture-recovery data to investigate the impact of hunting, winter climate (the North-Atlantic Oscillation Index), winter temperature, nitrogen runoff, autumn-winter body condition of blue mussels Mytilus spp., natural predation and epidemic disease (avian cholera) on annual survival of adult females in ten study colonies distributed between the Netherlands and Finland. Moreover, we tested how the degree of similarity in spatial winter distributions affected the degree of similarity in annual survival among colonies. 3. None of the covariates universally affected female survival. While the quality of blue mussels in the wintering area explained almost 40 % of the variation in survival of eiders breeding on Christiansø in the south-western Baltic Sea, incidence of epidemic disease explained > 60 % in two affected colonies. Furthermore, the spatial winter distribution did not appreciably influence annual survival rates in these ten colonies. 4. The lack of universal effects of spatial winter distribution and winter conditions on survival suggests that local breeding conditions may be more important, and hence prime targets for conservation efforts. Better monitoring of e.g. food quality, predation pressure and epidemic disease at the time of breeding could be the key to better understand the population dynamics in this endangered flyway population.

opencc-zeroSep 2020View details →

Data from: Ten-year survival trends of neovascular age-related macular degeneration at first presentation

Background: To describe 10-year trends in visual outcomes, anatomical outcomes, and treatment burden of patients receiving anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) therapy for neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD). Methods: Retrospective cohort study of treatment-naïve, first-affected eyes with nAMD started on ranibizumab before January 1, 2009. The primary outcome was time to best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) falling ≤ 35 Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) letters after initiating anti-VEGF therapy. Secondary outcomes included time to BCVA reaching ≥ 70 letters; proportion of eyes with BCVA ≥ 70 and ≤ 35 letters at 10 years; mean trend of BCVA and central retinal thickness (CRT) over 10 years; and mean number of injections. Results: For our cohort of 103 patients, Kaplan-Meier analyses demonstrated median time to BCVA reaching ≤35 and ≥70 letters were 37.8 (95% CI 22.2-65.1) and 8.3 (95% CI 4.8-20.9) months after commencing anti-VEGF therapy, respectively. At the final follow-up, BCVA was ≤35 letters and ≥70 letters in 41.1% and 21%, respectively, in first-affected eyes, whilst this was the case for 5.4% and 48.2%, respectively, in a patient's better-seeing eye. Mean injection number was 37.0 ± 24.2 per eye and 53.6 ± 30.1 at patient-level (63.1% of patients required injections in both eyes). Conclusions: The chronicity of nAMD disease and its management highlights the importance of long-term visual prognosis. Our analyses suggest that one in five patients will retain good vision (BCVA ≥70 ETDRS letters) in the first-affected eye at 10 years after starting anti-VEGF treatment; yet one in two patients will have good vision in their better-seeing eye. Moreover, our data suggest that early treatment of nAMD is associated with better visual outcomes.

opencc-zeroOct 2020View details →

Unique mode of cell division by the mycobacterial genetic resister clones emerging de novo from the antibiotic surviving population

Live cell and timelapse microscopic images of the cells taken from different time points post antibiotic (Rifampicin and Moxifloxacin) exposure. The cells post antibiotic exposure, during their regrowth, showed multiple constriction to divide and generate sister antibiotic resister daughter cells with abrupt increased cell number within less division time by multiple septation. The phenomena of multiple septation can be seen in Miscellaneous Figures (MF. 1-4) and Miscellaneous Movies (MF. 1-4).

opencc-zeroOct 2020View details →

Dataset from: Positive indirect effects of top-predators on the survival and behaviour of juvenile fishes

Top-predators can suppress mesopredator behaviour through risk effects. However, there is limited understanding of whether such behavioural suppression can dampen the lethal and sub-lethal effects of mesopredators on bottom level prey. Here, we document a field experiment that examines whether the presence of top-predator cues (visual and chemical stimuli from a coral trout) can cascade to indirectly influence the behaviour and survival of juvenile fish prey of different species (Pomacentrus amboinensis and P. chrysurus) and size (small = 1.18 cm SL vs large = 1.32 cm SL). Results showed that habitat patches exposed to top-predator cues received fewer visits and foraging attacks from mesopredators, leading to higher space use (~46%), feeding rate (~95%), and survival (~67%) from juvenile fish prey. Survival was always higher for individuals of P. amboinensis and of large-size, independent of the presence or absence of top-predator cues. Our data indicate that predation risk from the top-predator indirectly favoured the persistence and behaviour of juvenile fishes by promoting risk-averse behavioural responses in mesopredators. This study underscores the behavioural mechanisms by which risk effects can cascade through the food web and highlights the consequences that harvesting top-predators may have on the replenishment of bottom prey populations.

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SI for Early Survival and Growth of Wilt-Resistant Acacia koa Families from Kokee, Kauai Populations

This is supplemental information for a manuscript entitled Early Survival and Growth of Wilt-Resistant Acacia koa Families from Kokee, Kauai Populations which has been submitted for publication in a Special Issue of Forests.

opencc-by-4.0Oct 2020View details →

Data from: Maternally-derived anti-helminth antibodies predict offspring survival in a wild mammal

The transfer of antibodies from mother to offspring provides crucial protection against infection to offspring during early life. However, few studies have tested the consequences of variation in maternal antibody transfer for offspring fitness in the wild. Further, separating out the immunoprotective effects of antibodies from their association with nutritional resources provided by the mother is difficult. Here, we measured plasma levels of total and parasite-specific antibody levels in neonatal (<10 days old) wild Soay sheep over 25 years to quantify variation in maternal antibody transfer and test its association with offspring survival. Maternal antibody transfer was predicted by maternal age and previous antibody responses, and was consistent within mothers across years. Neonatal total IgG antibody levels were positively related to early growth, suggesting they reflected nutritional transfer. Neonatal parasite-specific IgG levels positively predicted first year offspring survival, independent of lamb weight, total IgG levels and subsequent lamb parasite-specific antibody levels. This relationship was in part mediated via an indirect negative association with parasite burden. We show that among-female variation in maternal transfer of immunity can have long-term effects on offspring growth, parasite burden and fitness in the wild, and is likely to impact naturally-occurring host and parasite dynamics.

Data from: Incubation recess behaviors influence nest survival of Wild Turkeys

In ground nesting upland birds, reproductive activities contribute to elevated predation risk, so females presumably use multiple strategies to ensure nest success. Identification of drivers reducing predation risk have primarily focused on evaluating vegetative conditions at nest sites, but behavioral decisions manifested through movements during incubation may be additional drivers of nest survival. However, our understanding of how movements during incubation impact nest survival is limited for most ground nesting birds. Using GPS data collected from female Eastern Wild Turkeys (n = 206), we evaluated nest survival as it relates to movement behaviors during incubation, including recess frequency, distance traveled during recesses, and habitat selection during recess movements. We identified 9,361 movements off nests and 6,529 recess events based on approximately 62,065 hours of incubation data, and estimated mean nest attentiveness of 84.0%. Numbers of recesses taken daily were variable across females (range: 1‒7). Nest survival modeling indicated that increased cumulative distance moved during recesses each day was the primary driver of positive daily nest survival. Our results suggest behavioral decisions are influencing trade-offs between nest survival and adult female survival during incubation to reduce predation risk, specifically through adjustments to distances traveled during recesses.

Assessing the effectiveness of cuttlefish traps based on lure prevalence, survival and maturity status

Trap fishing is viewed as a low impact and fuel-efficient capture technique that is drawing increasing attention. However, due to their low capture efficiency fisheries sustainability may only be attained through improving profitability of these gears. The present study attempted to provide the necessary background for the establishment of a cuttlefish trap fishery in Thermaikos gulf (E. Mediterranean), a heavily fished area by gears of questionable sustainability such as the trammel nets. This task required the implementation of gear types and fishing operation techniques from other fishing areas. However, the use of empty traps or traps equipped with an artificial spawning substrate like branches of shrubs proved ineffective. Cuttlefish catches were only successful by baiting the cuttlefish trap with a female lure which entices males to enter the trap. We hereby propose that the method of choice is determined by the physical characteristics of the fishing-ground area. Other important factors including the shape and size of trap entrances and soak time are also investigated in an attempt to address crucial knowledge gaps and identify what the optimum fishing protocol and trap technical characteristics are for this potentially new métier for the Greek small-scale fisheries.

Do avian species survive better on islands?

Island species are often predictably different from their mainland counterparts. Milder climates and reduced predation risk on islands have been involved to explain shifts in body size and a suite of life history traits such as clutch size and offspring growth rate. Despite the key role of adult survival on risk taking and reproduction, the prediction that living on islands increases adult survival has yet to be tested systematically. I gathered data on adult annual apparent survival from island and mainland year-round resident species of birds from around the world. With this large dataset (697 species), I found that species of birds living on islands showed higher apparent survival than their mainland counterparts in the two hemispheres and at all latitudes controlling for several known predictors of adult survival including body size, clutch size, and breeding system. These results shed light on the ecological factors that influence survival on islands and extend the life history island syndrome to adult survival.

Intrinsic biotic factors and micro-site conditions drive seedling survival in a species with masting reproduction

1. Seedling recruitment following a masting event, where more fruits are produced in synchrony and intermittently compared to other species, plays a crucial role in determining species diversity and community structure. Such seedling recruitment can be super-abundant, but followed by high mortality shortly thereafter. Differences in biotic factors such seedling characteristics, competition and herbivory, and micro-site specific abiotic factors could determine seedling fate in space and time. 2. In a subtropical forest in south China, for two years using censuses conducted every one to two months, we monitored 40 seed traps and 120, 1 m2 quadrats in five 1-hectare plots located from 1400 m to 1850 m asl for the masting maple species, Acer campbellii subsp. sinense (Pax) P.C.DeJong . We measured biotic – conspecific and heterospecific seedling density, species richness, herbivory, seedling height and leaf number – and abiotic – canopy openness, slope, and aspect – factors to assess drivers of seedling survival and evaluated A. campbellii subsp. sinense presence in the soil seed bank (SSB). 3. The masting seed dispersal peak and seedling emergence peak occurred between October 2017 and January 2018, and May 2018, respectively. Of 688 selected seedlings, mortality was 92.7% within one year. No seeds were observed in the SSB. Seedling height and leaf number positively affected seedling survival, while seed placement as measured by aspect also showed effects on survival. Conspecific and heterospecific density and herbivory did not show any clear effect. Higher probabilities of seedling survival were found in areas with larger canopy openness (≥ 12% canopy gap size) and in steeper micro-sites (≥ 35°). 4. Synthesis. Masting is mainly studied as a population level phenomenon from the fruiting tree perspective. Our study of individual seedling fate revealed that intrinsic biotic factors and seed placement were key drivers of survival. Although biotic determinants such as competition from conspecifics or heterospecifics or herbivory did not determine survival, their ubiquitous presence may be an underlying equalizer in community dynamics where seedlings that overcome biotic pressures, if placed at the right micro-site, are at better odds at being recruited to the next life history stages.

Datasets supporting: Acute bottlenecks to the survival of juvenile Pygoscelis penguins occur immediately after fledging

This data set contains a zipped file with 8 individual .csv files used to support the analysis of survival bottlenecks presented by Hinke et al.(2020), "Acute bottlenecks to the survival of juvenile Pygoscelis penguins occur immediately after fledging". Data include geographical position estimates from satellite telemetry studies on Adélie (Pygoscelis adeliae), chinstrap (P. antarctica), and gentoo (P. papua) penguins tracked from the Antarctic peninsula region, carcass counts from ship and beach surveys in the study region, fledgling weights, and battery voltage data from telemetry tags.

Multiple lineages of hyper-diverse Zopheridae beetles survived the New Zealand Oligocene Drowning

Aim: During the late Oligocene (23 mya) the New Zealand landmass was reduced to approximately 18% of its current area. It has been hypothesized that this event, known as the Oligocene Drowning, caused population bottlenecking and mass extinction. Using phylogenetic methods, we examine the effect of this and other environmental events on the hyper-diverse Zopheridae beetles (162 morpho-species), which largely inhabit leaf litter and dead wood. Location: New Zealand Taxon: Zopheridae, Coleoptera Methods: Here we use a fossil-calibrated phylogenetic tree estimated from mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 and nuclear large subunit rRNA genes to identify monophyletic New Zealand zopherid lineages and date the age of these lineages. We used Bayesian diversification models (compound Poisson process on mass-extinction times) to test the hypothesis that the New Zealand zopherids underwent a mass extinction in the late Oligocene followed by an increase in speciation rate in the Miocene. We also used these data to estimate the age of these lineages in New Zealand. Results: We demonstrate that 15 to 20 zopherid lineages survived the Oligocene Drowning depending on the calibration scheme. Of these lineages from three to 11 have posterior intervals that encompass the rifting of New Zealand from Gondwana in the late Cretaceous, again depending on the calibration scheme. The diversification model shows no evidence of an increase in extinction rate during the Oligocene Drowning or during any other period since the Cretaceous. Furthermore, rather than recovering an increase in speciation rate during the Miocene and Pliocene, due to environmental changes, we instead recovered a large drop in the speciation rate during this time. Main conclusion: The New Zealand zopherid fauna is a combination of lineages, some of which may have existed on New Zealand since the rifting from Gondwana and other more recent arrivals. The late-Oligocene reduction in land area was insufficient to cause a mass extinction in the Zopheridae. This suggests the amount of emergent land was great enough to support a diverse invertebrate fauna. Our study demonstrates the different biogeographic patterns evident in cryptic, hyperdiverse, and poorly dispersing invertebrate species relative to more mobile plants and animals.

Data from: Strong survival selection on seasonal migration versus residence induced by extreme climatic events

1. Elucidating the full eco-evolutionary consequences of climate change requires quantifying the impact of extreme climatic events (ECEs) on selective landscapes of key phenotypic traits that mediate responses to changing environments. Episodes of strong ECE-induced selection could directly alter population composition, and potentially drive micro-evolution. However, to date, few studies have quantified ECE-induced selection on key traits, meaning that immediate and longer-term eco-evolutionary implications cannot yet be considered. 2. One widely-expressed trait that allows individuals to respond to changing seasonal environments, and directly shapes spatio-seasonal population dynamics, is seasonal migration versus residence. Many populations show considerable among-individual phenotypic variation, resulting in 'partial migration'. However, variation in the magnitude of direct survival selection on migration versus residence has not been rigorously quantified, and empirical evidence of whether seasonal ECEs induce, intensify, weaken or reverse such selection is lacking. 3. We designed full-annual-cycle multi-state capture-recapture models that allow estimation of seasonal survival probabilities of migrants and residents from spatio-temporally heterogeneous individual resightings. We fitted these models to nine years of geographically extensive year-round resighting data from partially migratory European shags (Phalacrocorax aristotelis). We thereby quantified seasonal and annual survival selection on migration versus residence across benign and historically extreme non-breeding season (winter) conditions, and tested whether selection differed between females and males. 4. We show that two of four observed ECEs, defined as severe winter storms causing overall low survival, were associated with very strong seasonal survival selection against residence. These episodes dwarfed the weak selection or neutrality evident otherwise, and hence caused selection through overall annual survival. The ECE that caused highest overall mortality and strongest selection also caused sex-biased mortality, but there was little overall evidence of sex-biased selection on migration versus residence. 5. Our results imply that seasonal ECEs and associated mortality can substantially shape the landscape of survival selection on migration versus residence. Such ECE-induced phenotypic selection will directly alter migrant and resident frequencies, and thereby alter immediate spatio-seasonal population dynamics. Given underlying additive genetic variation, such ECEs could potentially cause micro-evolutionary changes in seasonal migration, and thereby cause complex eco-evolutionary population responses to changing seasonal environments.

Radio-tracking reveals insight into survival and dynamic habitat selection of fledgling Cerulean Warblers

The Cerulean Warbler is a declining Nearctic-Neotropical migrant species of concern that breeds in hardwood forests of the eastern United States and Canada. While much knowledge has been gained about the nesting period of this canopy species, little is known about the post-fledging period. During the 2014 and 2015 breeding seasons, after locating and monitoring nests within a matrix of habitat conditions created by various forest management strategies in NW Pennsylvania, USA, we captured fledglings and used radio telemetry to estimate survival, track movements, and examine habitat selection during their dependent stage. Mortality occurred in 10 of 20 fledglings (50%) during this period, with 8 deaths occurring within three days post-fledging. Most birds left the parental territory within a week of fledging and the maximum distance moved from the nest after 5 d was 462 m; after 14 d it was 1.3 km; and after 24 d it was, somewhat unexpectedly, 4.4 km. Fledglings used a diversity of habitat and management types, including clear-cut patches, 25-yr-old regenerating clear-cuts, shelterwood cuts, and mature undisturbed forest. Over the entire tracking period (up to 35 d), fledglings selected for habitats with greater midstory cover, lower basal area, and lesser sapling cover (when compared with paired, random locations). However, lesser sapling cover may also be correlated with decreased survival for birds that come down from the canopy immediately upon fledging. Our results suggest that a diversity of management types, including some quite different from those that produce habitat typically selected by adults, and maintaining large blocks of contiguous forest would benefit fledgling Cerulean Warblers.

Data for: Early-life behavior predicts first-year survival in a long-distance avian migrant

Early-life conditions have critical, long-lasting effects on the fate of individuals, yet early-life activity has rarely been linked to subsequent survival of animals in the wild. Using high-resolution GPS and body-acceleration data of 93 juvenile white storks (Ciconia ciconia), we examined the links between behavior during both pre-fledging and post-fledging (fledging-to-migration) periods and subsequent first year survival. Juvenile daily activity (based on overall dynamic body acceleration) showed repeatable between-individual variation, the juveniles' pre and post-fledging activity levels were correlated, and both were positively associated with subsequent survival. Daily activity increased gradually throughout the post-fledging period, and the relationship between post-fledging activity and survival was stronger in individuals who increased their daily activity level faster (an interaction effect). We suggest that high activity profiles signified individuals with increased pre-migratory experience, higher individual quality and perhaps more proactive personality, which could underlie their superior survival rates. The duration of individuals' fledging-to-migration periods had a hump-shaped relationship with survival: higher survival was associated with intermediate rather than short or long durations. Short durations reflect lower pre-migratory experience, whereas very long ones were associated with slower increases in daily activity level which possibly reflects slow behavioral development. In accordance with previous studies, heavier nestlings and those that hatched and migrated earlier had increased survival. Using extensive tracking data, our study exposed new links between early-life attributes and survival, suggesting that early activity profiles in migrating birds can explain variation in first-year survival.

opencc-by-4.0Dec 2020View details →

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Mating and survival of sterile Drosophila suzukii, in presence and absence of food

Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura) (Diptera: Drosophilidae) is a widely distributed pest species of soft-skinned fruits. Recent studies suggest the use of Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) as a control method for this species, however, many are the factors that can impact effectiveness of a SIT program, including environmental condition. Thus, we aimed to verify the influence of temperature and relative humidity on mating and survival of fertile and sterile D. suzukii, when insects were food provided or deprived. Highest mating rates were obtained when food provided flies (either fertile or sterile) were exposed to 25 ºC or 81-100% relative humidity, while extreme temperatures (10 and 35 ºC) and low humidity (below 60%) impaired mating. Overall, mating rate among food deprived flies was low in all temperatures and humidity levels tested, but fertile insects were more prone to mate when compared to sterile flies. Survival was negatively influenced by high temperatures, low relative humidity and food deprivation. The information present in this study is useful to be considered for transport and release of sterile D. suzukii.

Helpers compensate for age-related declines in parental care and offspring survival in a cooperatively breeding bird

Offspring from elderly parents often have lower survival due to parental senescence. In cooperatively breeding species, where offspring care is shared between breeders and helpers, the alloparental care provided by helpers is predicted to mitigate the impact of parental senescence on offspring provisioning and, subsequently, offspring survival. We test this prediction using data from a long-term study on cooperatively breeding Seychelles warblers (Acrocephalus sechellensis). We find that the nestling-provisioning rate of female breeders declines with their age. Further, the total brood provisioning rate and the first-year survival probability of offspring decline progressively with age of the female breeder, but these declines are mitigated when helpers are present. This effect does not arise because individual helpers provide more care in response to the lower provisioning of older dominant females, but because older female breeders have recruited more helpers, thereby receiving more overall care for their brood. We do not find such effects for male breeders. These results indicate that alloparental care can alleviate the fitness costs of senescence for breeders, which suggests an interplay between age and cooperative breeding.