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.
2,837
datasets available to search
ShareScore release 0.9.0
Dataset results
2,837 results for “Climate Data”
Data from: Integrated modeling predicts shifts in waterbird population dynamics under climate change
Climate change has been identified as one of the most important drivers of wildlife population dynamics. The in-depth knowledge of the complex relationships between climate and population sizes through density dependent demographic processes is important for understanding and predicting population shifts under climate change, which requires integrated population models (IPMs) that unify the analyses of demography and abundance data. In this study we developed an IPM based on Gaussian approximation to dynamic N-mixture models for large scale population data. We then analyzed four decades (1972-2013) of Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) breeding population survey, band-recovery, and climate data covering a large spatial extent from North American prairies through boreal habitat to Alaska. We aimed to test the hypothesis that climate change will cause shifts in population dynamics if climatic effects on demographic parameters that have substantial contribution to population growth vary spatially. More specifically, we examined the spatial variation of climatic effects on density dependent population demography, identified the key demographic parameters that are influential to population growth, and forecasted population responses to climate change. Our results revealed that recruitment, which explained more variance of population growth than survival, was sensitive to the temporal variation of precipitation in the southern portion of the study area but not in the north. Survival, by contrast, was insensitive to climatic variation. We then forecasted a decrease in Mallard breeding population density in the south and an increase in the northwestern portion of the study area, indicating potential shifts in population dynamics under future climate change. Our results implied that different strategies need to be considered across regions to conserve waterfowl populations in the face of climate change. Our modelling approach can be adapted for other species and thus has wide application to understanding and predicting population dynamics in the presence of global change.
Data from: Palaeobiogeographical distribution of Orbiculoidea (Brachiopoda, Discinoidea) responding to global climatic and geographical changes during the Palaeozoic
The Palaeozoic Era is a particularly interesting period of Earth history, as it includes the formation and northward movement of a supercontinent (Pangea), dramatic climatic changes and global biotic catastrophes. Here, we analyse the palaeobiogeographical distribution of the discinid brachiopod genus Orbiculoidea and discuss its distributional patterns in light of the environmental changes that occurred throughout the Palaeozoic and the Triassic. Our results indicate that the distribution of the genus seems to have been controlled mainly by the palaeogeographical framework and by global climate change. Importantly, its spatial pattern appears to directly respond both to the formation and northward movement of Pangea and to global temperature fluctuations during the Palaeozoic. In conjunction with these two global parameters, it is likely that the distribution of Orbiculoidea was also affected by regional factors, including the presence of oceanic upwelling as well as the development and demise of continental shelves and seaways.
Data from: Phenotypic plasticity and adaptive evolution contribute to advancing flowering phenology in response to climate change
Anthropogenic climate change has already altered the timing of major life history transitions, such as the initiation of reproduction. Both phenotypic plasticity and adaptive evolution can underlie rapid phenological shifts in response to climate change but their relative contributions are poorly understood. Here, we combine a continuous 38-year field survey with quantitative genetic field experiments to assess adaptation in the context of climate change. We focused on Boechera stricta (Brassicaeae), a mustard native to the U.S. Rocky Mountains. Flowering phenology advanced significantly from 1973-2011, and was strongly associated with warmer temperatures and earlier snowmelt dates. Strong directional selection favored earlier flowering in contemporary environments (2010-2011). Climate change could drive this directional selection, and promote even earlier flowering as temperatures continue to increase. Our quantitative genetic analyses predict a response to selection of 0.2 to 0.5 days acceleration in flowering per generation, which could account for more than 20% of the phenological change observed in the long-term dataset. However, the strength of directional selection and the predicted evolutionary response are likely much greater now than even 30 years ago because of rapidly changing climatic conditions. We predict that adaptation will likely be necessary for long-term in situ persistence in the context of climate change.
Data from: Postglacial recolonisation in a cold climate specialist in Western Europe: patterns of genetic diversity in the adder (Vipera berus) support the central-marginal hypothesis
Understanding the impact of postglacial recolonization on genetic diversity is essential in explaining current patterns of genetic variation. The central–marginal hypothesis (CMH) predicts a reduction in genetic diversity from the core of the distribution to peripheral populations, as well as reduced connectivity between peripheral populations. While the CMH has received considerable empirical support, its broad applicability is still debated and alternative hypotheses predict different spatial patterns of genetic diversity. Using microsatellite markers, we analysed the genetic diversity of the adder (Vipera berus) in western Europe to reconstruct postglacial recolonization. Approximate Bayesian Computation (ABC) analyses suggested a postglacial recolonization from two routes: a western route from the Atlantic Coast up to Belgium and a central route from the Massif Central to the Alps. This cold-adapted species likely used two isolated glacial refugia in southern France, in permafrost-free areas during the last glacial maximum. Adder populations further from putative glacial refugia had lower genetic diversity and reduced connectivity; therefore, our results support the predictions of the CMH. Our study also illustrates the utility of highly variable nuclear markers, such as microsatellites, and ABC to test competing recolonization hypotheses.
Data from: The social cost of lobbying over climate policy
Domestic political processes shape climate policy. In particular, there is increasing concern regarding the role of political lobbying over climate policy. This paper examines how lobbying spending on the Waxman-Markey bill, the most prominent and promising U.S. climate regulation to date, altered its likelihood of being implemented. We combine data from comprehensive U.S. lobbying records together with an empirical method for forecasting the policy's effect on the value of publicly-listed firms. Our statistical analysis suggests that lobbying by firms expecting losses from the policy was more effective than lobbying by firms expecting gains. Interpreting this finding through a game-theoretic model, we calculate that lobbying lowered the probability of enacting the Waxman-Markey bill by 13 percentage points, representing an expected social cost of $60 billion (in 2018 dollars). Our findings also reveal how future climate policy proposals can be designed to be more robust to political opposition.
Data from: Anticipating arrival: tackling the national challenges associated with the redistribution of biodiversity driven by climate change
1. The redistribution of species in response to climate change is expected to significantly challenge environmental management and conservation efforts around the globe. To date, we have had restricted understanding of the benefits and risks that species redistribution may pose to individual countries, and a limited appreciation of the variability in current opportunities for developing effective monitoring approaches that build on existing national frameworks. 2. To assess the present level of ecological, economical and societal risks and opportunities associated with new arrivals driven by changes in climatic conditions, we conducted a review of the available information on climate driven changes in animal species (both terrestrial and marine) composition and distribution in the United Kingdom over the past ten years (2008-2018). 3. We found evidence that at least 55 species have colonised new locations in the country due to climate change in past decade, with 22 of them suspected to impact positively or negatively the receiving ecosystems and/or nearby human communities. Ten of these 55 species were identified thanks to social media. 4. Synthesis and applications. Our work identifies pressing monitoring gaps relevant to the management of species on the move and discusses the potential for social media to help address current information needs. It also calls for more theoretical work to enable the quick identification of species likely to be problematic (or beneficial) and locations likely to experience significant ecological and societal impacts from biodiversity's redistribution under a changing climate.
Data from: On the use of climate covariates in aquatic species distribution models: are we at risk of throwing the baby out?
Species distribution models (SDMs) in river ecosystems can incorporate climate information by using air temperature and precipitation as surrogate measures of instream conditions or by using independent models of water temperature and hydrology to link climate to instream habitat. The latter approach is preferable but constrained by the logistical burden of developing water temperature and hydrology models. We therefore assessed whether regional scale, freshwater SDM predictions are fundamentally different when climate data versus instream temperature and hydrology are used as covariates. Maximum Entropy (MaxEnt) SDMs were built for 15 freshwater fishes using one of two covariate sets: (1) air temperature and precipitation (climate variables) in combination with physical habitat variables; or (2) water temperature, hydrology (instream variables) and physical habitat. Three procedures were then used to compare results from climate vs. instream models. First, equivalence tests assessed average pairwise differences (site-specific comparisons throughout each species' range) among climate and instream models. Second, 'congruence' tests determined how often the same stream segments were assigned high habitat suitability by climate and instream models. Third, Schoener's <i>D</i> and Warren's <i>I</i> niche overlap statistics quantified range-wide similarity in predicted habitat suitability values from climate vs. instream models. Equivalence tests revealed small, pairwise differences in habitat suitability between climate and instream models (mean pairwise differences in MaxEnt raw scores for all species < 3×10<sup>-4</sup>). Congruence tests showed a strong tendency for climate and instream models to predict high habitat suitability at the same stream segments (median congruence = 68%). <i>D</i> and <i>I</i> statistics reflected a high margin of overlap among climate and instream models (median <i>D</i> = 0.78, median <i>I</i> = 0.96). Overall, we found little support for the hypothesis that SDM predictions are fundamentally different when climate versus instream covariates are used to model fish species' distributions at the scale of the Columbia Basin.
Data from: Bioclimatic envelope models predict a decrease in tropical forest carbon stocks with climate change in Madagascar
1. Recent studies have underlined the importance of climatic variables in determining tree height and biomass in tropical forests. Nonetheless, the effects of climate on tropical forest carbon stocks remain uncertain. In particular, the application of process-based dynamic global vegetation models have led to contrasting conclusions regarding the potential impact of climate change on tropical forest carbon storage. 2. Using a correlative approach based on a bioclimatic envelope model and data from 1771 forest plots inventoried during the period 1996-2013 in Madagascar over a large climatic gradient, we show that temperature seasonality, annual precipitation and mean annual temperature are key variables in determining forest aboveground carbon density. 3. Taking into account the explicative climate variables, we obtained an accurate (R2 = 70% and RMSE = 40 Mg.ha-1) forest carbon map for Madagascar at 250 m resolution for the year 2010. This national map was more accurate than previously published global carbon maps (R 2 ≤ 26% and RMSE ≥ 63 Mg.ha −1 ). 4. Combining our model with the climatic projections for Madagascar from seven IPCC CMIP5 global climate models following the RCP 8.5, we forecast an average forest carbon stock loss of 17% (range: 7-24%) by the year 2080. For comparison, a spatially homogeneous deforestation of 0.5% per year on the same period would lead to a loss of 30% of the forest carbon stock. 5. Synthesis: Our study shows that climate change is likely to induce a decrease in tropical forest carbon stocks. This loss could be due to a decrease in the average tree size and to shifts in tree species distribution, with the selection of small-statured species. In Madagascar, climate-induced carbon emissions might be, at least, of the same order of magnitude as emissions associated to anthropogenic deforestation.
Data from: Phylogeography and population differentiation in the Psittacanthus calyculatus (Loranthaceae) mistletoe: a complex scenario of climate-volcanism interaction along the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt
Aim The formation of the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt (TMVB) played an important role in driving inter- and intraspecific diversification at high elevations. However, Pleistocene climate changes and ecological factors might also contribute to plant genetic structuring along the volcanic belt. Here, we analysed phylogeographic patterns of the parrot-mistletoe Psittacanthus calyculatus to determine the relative contribution of these different factors. Location Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt Methods Using nuclear and chloroplast DNA sequence data for 370 individuals, we investigate the genetic differentiation of 35 populations across the species range. We conducted phylogenetic, population and spatial genetic analyses of P. calyculatus sequences along with ecological niche modelling and Bayesian inference methods to gain insight into the structuring of genetic variation of these populations. Results Our analyses revealed population structure with three genetic groups corresponding to individuals from Oaxaca and those from the central-eastern and western TMVB regions. A significant genetic signal of demographic expansion, an east-to-west expansion predicted by species distribution modelling, and approximate Bayesian computation analyses strongly supported a scenario of habitat isolation and invasion of TMVB by P. calyculatus during the late-Pleistocene. Main conclusions The genetic differentiation of P. calyculatus may be explained by the combined effects of (i) geographical isolation linked to the effects of the glacial/interglacial cycles and environmental factors, driving genetic differentiation from congeners into more xeric vegetation and (ii) the invasion of TMVB from east to west, suggesting a role for both colonization and glacial/interglacial cycles models.
Data from: Evolution under changing climates: climatic niche stasis despite rapid evolution in a non-native plant
A topic of great current interest is the capacity of populations to adapt genetically to rapidly changing climates, for example by evolving the timing of life-history events, but this is challenging to address experimentally. I use a plant invasion as a model system to tackle this question by combining molecular markers, a common garden experiment and climatic niche modelling. This approach reveals that non-native Lactuca serriola originates primarily from Europe, a climatic subset of its native range, with low rates of admixture from Asia. It has rapidly refilled its climatic niche in the new range, associated with the evolution of flowering phenology to produce clines along climate gradients that mirror those across the native range. Consequently, some non-native plants have evolved development times and grow under climates more extreme than those found in Europe, but not among populations from the native range as a whole. This suggests that many plant populations can adapt rapidly to changed climatic conditions that are already within the climatic niche space occupied by the species elsewhere in its range, but that evolution to conditions outside of this range is more difficult. These findings can also help to explain the prevalence of niche conservatism among non-native species.
Data from: Climatic stability and genetic divergence in the tropical insular lizard Anolis krugi, the Puerto Rican "Lagartijo Jardinero de la Montaña"
Two factors that can lead to geographic structuring in conspecific populations are barriers to dispersal and climatic stability. Populations that occur in different physiographic regions may be restricted to those areas by physical and/or ecological barriers, which may facilitate the formation of phylogeographic clades. Long-term climatic stability can also promote genetic diversification, because new clades are likely to evolve in areas that experience lesser climatic shifts. We conducted a phylogeographic study of the Puerto Rican lizard Anolis krugi to assess whether populations of this anole show genetic discontinuities across the species' range, and if they do, whether these breaks coincide with the boundaries of the five physiographic regions of Puerto Rico. We also assessed whether interpopulation genetic distances in A. krugi are positively correlated with relative climatic stability in the island. Anolis krugi exhibits genetic structuring, but the phylogroups do not correspond to the physiographic regions of Puerto Rico. We used climatic reconstructions of two environmental extremes of the Quaternary period, the present conditions and those during the last glacial maximum, to quantify the degree of climatic stability between sampling locations. We documented positive correlations between genetic distances and relative climatic stability, although these associations were not significant when corrected for autocorrelation. The approach that we employed to assess the relationship between climatic stability and the genetic architecture of A. krugi can also be used to investigate the impact of factors such as the spatial distribution of food sources, parasites, predators or competitors on the genetic landscape of a species.
Data from: Divergence and diversification in North American Psoraleeae (Fabaceae) due to climate change
BACKGROUND: Past studies in the legume family (Fabaceae) have uncovered several evolutionary trends including differential mutation and diversification rates across varying taxonomic levels. The legume tribe Psoraleeae is shown herein to exemplify these trends at the generic and species levels. This group includes a sizable diversification within North America dated at approximately 6.3 million years ago with skewed species distribution to the most recently derived genus, Pediomelum, suggesting a diversification rate shift. We estimate divergence dates of North American (NAm) Psoraleeae using Bayesian MCMC sampling in BEAST based on eight DNA regions (ITS, waxy, matK, trnD-trnT, trnL-trnF, trnK, trnS-trnG, and rpoB-trnC). We also test the hypothesis of a diversification rate shift within NAm Psoraleeae using topological and temporal methods. We investigate the impact of climate change on diversification in this group by (1) testing the hypothesis that a shift from mesic to xeric habitats acted as a key innovation and (2) investigating diversification rate shifts along geologic time, discussing the impact of Quaternary climate oscillations on diversification. RESULTS: NAm Psoraleeae represents a recent, rapid radiation with several genera originating during the Pleistocene, 1 to 2 million years ago. A shift in diversification rate is supported by both methods with a 2.67-fold increase suggested around 2 million years ago followed by a 8.73-fold decrease 440,000 years ago. The hypothesis that a climate regime shift from mesic to xeric habitats drove increased diversification in affected taxa was not supported. Timing of the diversification rate increase supports the hypothesis that glaciation-induced climate changes during the Quaternary influenced diversification of the group. Nonrandom spatial diversification also exists, with greater species richness in the American Southwest. CONCLUSION: This study outlines NAm Psoraleeae as a model example of a recent, rapid radiation. Diversification rate shifts in NAm Psoraleeae are not due to current climate regimes as represented by habitat, but instead to past global climate change resulting from Quaternary glaciations. NAm Psoraleeae diversification is a good example of how earthly dynamics including global climate change and topography work together to shape biodiversity.
Data from: Impact of past climatic changes and resource availability on the population demography of three food-specialist bees
Past climate change is known to have strongly impacted current patterns of genetic variation of animals and plants in Europe. However, ecological factors also have the potential to influence demographic history, and thus patterns of genetic variation. In this study, we investigated the impact of past climate, and also the potential impact of host plant species abundance, on intraspecific genetic variation in three co-distributed and related specialized solitary bees of the genus Melitta with very similar life history traits and dispersal capacities. We sequenced five independent loci in samples collected from the three species. Our analyses revealed that the species associated with the most abundant host plant species (Melitta leporina) displays unusually high genetic variation, to an extent that is seldom reported in phylogeographic studies of animals and plants. This suggests a potential role of food resource abundance in determining current patterns of genetic variation in specialized herbivorous insects. Patterns of genetic variation in the two other species indicated lower overall levels of diversity, and that M. nigricans could have experienced a recent range expansion. Ecological niche modelling of the three Melitta species and their main host plant species suggested a strong reduction in range size during the last glacial maximum. Comparing observed sequence data with data simulated using spatially explicit models of coalescence suggests that M. leporina recovered a range and population size close to their current levels at the end of the last glaciation, and confirms recent range expansion as the most likely scenario for M. nigricans. Overall, this study illustrates that both demographic history and ecological factors may have contributed to shape current phylogeographic patterns.
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: How do cold-adapted plants respond to climatic cycles? interglacial expansion explains current distribution and genomic diversity in Primula farinosa L.
Understanding the effects of past climatic fluctuations on the distribution and population-size dynamics of cold-adapted species is essential for predicting their responses to ongoing global climate change. In spite of the heterogeneity of cold-adapted species, two main contrasting hypotheses have been proposed to explain their responses to Late Quaternary glacial cycles, namely, the interglacial contraction versus the interglacial expansion hypotheses. Here, we use the cold-adapted plant Primula farinosa to test two demographic models under each of the two alternative hypotheses and a fifth, null model. We first approximate the time and extent of demographic contractions and expansions during the Late Quaternary by projecting species distribution models across the last 72 ka. We also generate genome-wide sequence data using a Reduced Representation Library approach to reconstruct the spatial structure, genetic diversity, and phylogenetic relationships of lineages within P. farinosa. Finally, by integrating the results of climatic and genomic analyses in an Approximate Bayesian Computation framework, we propose the most likely model for the extent and direction of population-size changes in P. farinosa through the Late Quaternary. Our results support the interglacial expansion of P. farinosa, differing from the prevailing paradigm that the observed distribution of cold-adapted species currently fragmented in high altitude and latitude regions reflects the consequences of postglacial contraction processes.
Data from: Tree-growth is more sensitive than species distributions to recent changes in climate and acidic deposition in the northeastern United States
Tree-growth responses to environmental change could provide early detection of shifts in forest composition and help facilitate ecosystem management and conservation. We studied forest tree responses to recent trends in climate and acidic deposition using analyses of tree rings and long-term climate, deposition and forest plot data along an elevational climatic gradient in the northeastern United States. We analyzed how (a) individual growth of dominant species (Picea rubens, Abies balsamea), and (b) spatial distributions of all species, changed with elevation over time due to changing environment. We observed a mean 220 m upslope shift of temperature envelopes since the 1960s, consistent with regional climate warming, but found no evidence of synchronous upslope shifts in species abundance. Species' ranges were stable although some leaned upslope or downslope, suggesting species-specific migration lags or controls on species' ranges. Compared to species distributions, the growth of dominant species was more responsive to environmental change. Although the basal area of P. rubens declined within its range since the 1960s, its growth has increased recently with increasing precipitation pH and to a lesser extent with warming climate. Abies balsamea has gradually increased in both basal area and density since the 1960s, with its growth responding to precipitation pH but not climate. Historically, P. rubens grew better at lower and A. balsamea at higher elevations, but these elevation effects appeared to be mediated primarily by moisture, and have disappeared over time. Synthesis and applications. Mean tree-growth responses to changing climate (temperature, moisture) and precipitation chemistry were more consistent and more clearly detectable than shifts in tree species' ranges, suggesting that monitoring tree growth across climatically-controlled species' ranges (e.g. along elevational or latitudinal gradients) may provide a powerful tool for early detection of potential future changes in forest composition in a changing environment.
Data from: Ecophysiological variation across a forest-ecotone gradient produces divergent climate change vulnerability within species
Climate change related risks and impacts on ectotherms will be mediated by habitats and their influence on local thermal environments. While many studies have documented morphological and genetic aspects of niche divergence across habitats, few have examined thermal performance across such gradients and directly linked this variation to contemporary climate change impacts. In this study, we quantified variation in thermal performance across a gradient from forest to gallery forest-savanna mosaic in Cameroon for a skink species (Trachylepis affinis) known to be diverging genetically and morphologically across that habitat gradient. Based on these results, we then applied a mechanistic modelling approach (NicheMapR) to project changes in potential activity, as constrained by thermal performance, in response to climate change. As a complimentary approach, we also compared mechanistic projections with climate-driven changes in habitat suitability based on species distribution models of forest and ecotone skinks. We found that ecotone skinks may benefit from warming and experience increased activity while forest skinks will likely face a drastic decrease in thermal suitability across the forest zone. Species distribution models projected that thermal suitability for forest skinks in coastal forests would decline but in other parts of the forest zone skinks are projected to experience increased thermal suitability. The results here highlight the utility of mechanistic approaches in revealing and understanding patterns of climate change vulnerability which may not be detected with species distribution models alone. This study also emphasizes the importance of intra-specific physiological variation, and habitat-specific thermal performance relationships in particular, in determining warming responses.
Data from: Long-term responses of desert ant assemblages to climate
1. Productivity is a key driver of ecosystem structure and function, so long-term studies are critical to understanding ecosystems with high temporal variation in productivity. In some deserts, productivity, driven by moisture availability, varies immensely over time (rainfall) and space (landscape factors). At high productivity, species richness is expected to be driven in opposing directions by abundance (More Individuals Hypothesis – MIH), and competition. While studies investigating the impacts of spatial variation in productivity on community structure are common, the impacts of temporal variability on productivity are poorly understood. 2. We tested how well rainfall predicted the activity, species numbers and assemblage composition of ants and if responses were moderated by landscape position. We also asked whether the number of species (richness per sampling unit and estimated species richness) responded directly to rainfall or was moderated by ant activity or competition from dominant ants. 3. Over a 22-year period, when annual rainfall fluctuated between 79 mm and 570 mm, we sampled ants using pitfall traps in paired dune and swale habitats in the Simpson Desert, Australia. We used climate records over this period to model changes in ant assemblages. 4. Activity of dominant ants responded primarily to long-term rainfall, increasing exponentially, while subordinate ants responded to short-term weather and time. Consistent with the MIH, the number of ant species was best predicted by activity, particularly that of subordinate ants. Activity of dominant ants had a declining positive effect on numbers of species. Landscape position strongly predicted species composition, while long-term rainfall determined composition at genus- but not species-level. Over time, species composition fluctuated, but several genera consistently increased in activity.
Data from: Global pattern of nest predation is disrupted by climate change in shorebirds
Ongoing climate change is thought to disrupt trophic relationships, with consequences for complex interspecific interactions, yet the effects of climate change on species interactions are poorly understood, and such effects have not been documented at a global scale. Using a single database of 38,191 nests from 237 populations, we found that shorebirds have experienced a worldwide increase in nest predation over the past 70 years. Historically, there existed a latitudinal gradient in nest predation, with the highest rates in the tropics; however, this pattern has been recently reversed in the Northern Hemisphere, most notably in the Arctic. This increased nest predation is consistent with climate-induced shifts in predator-prey relationships.
Data from: Adaptive responses to cool climate promotes persistence of a non-native lizard
Successful establishment and range expansion of non-native species often require rapid accommodation of novel environments. Here, we use common-garden experiments to demonstrate parallel adaptive evolutionary response to a cool climate in populations of wall lizards (Podarcis muralis) introduced from southern Europe into England. Low soil temperatures in the introduced range delay hatching, which generates directional selection for a shorter incubation period. Non-native lizards from two separate lineages have responded to this selection by retaining their embryos for longer before oviposition—hence reducing the time needed to complete embryogenesis in the nest—and by an increased developmental rate at low temperatures. This divergence mirrors local adaptation across latitudes and altitudes within widely distributed species and suggests that evolutionary responses to climate can be very rapid. When extrapolated to soil temperatures encountered in nests within the introduced range, embryo retention and faster developmental rate result in one to several weeks earlier emergence compared with the ancestral state. We show that this difference translates into substantial survival benefits for offspring. This should promote short- and long-term persistence of non-native populations, and ultimately enable expansion into areas that would be unattainable with incubation duration representative of the native range.
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.