Article
Biology
Ying Jiang, Li Zhao, Xiaofeng Luan, Wenbo Liao
Summary: The study examines the variation in age and body size of Andrew's toad across a geographical gradient. The results show that age structure increases with decreasing temperature, while body size does not show a clear trend. Precipitation seasonality is negatively correlated with longevity and mean age, while precipitation of the driest month is positively correlated with body size. UV-B seasonality is positively associated with age structure traits and body size.
Article
Ecology
Alycia C. R. Lackey, Howard H. Whiteman
Summary: Climate change has diverse effects on populations, with variations in response across different populations and life stages. An experimental study on mole salamanders found that a slight increase in temperature during larval development had complex consequences, including density-dependent effects on growth and body mass, density-independent effects on fat storage, and no effects on survival and reproductive investment. Although warming reduced growth rates, size at maturity, and fat storage, it did not significantly impact survival and reproductive investment in the first year. However, smaller body size and lower fat reserves may limit overwintering survival and future reproduction.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Dan Cogalniceanu, Florina Stanescu, Diana Szekely, Theodor-Sebastian Topliceanu, Ruben Iosif, Paul Szekely
Summary: Urbanization has direct and indirect impacts on biodiversity, with this study finding that changes in body size and condition, rather than age parameters, better reflect the response of a common spadefoot toad population to habitat degradation caused by urban development.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Shoji Hayashi, Mugino O. O. Kubo, Marcelo R. R. Sanchez-Villagra, Hiroyuki Taruno, Masako Izawa, Tsunehiro Shiroma, Takayoshi Nakano, Masaki Fujita
Summary: The deer populations in the Japanese archipelago have undergone evolutionary changes in body size and life history traits, with more isolated islands showing slower growth rates and delayed somatic maturity. Demographic analysis reveals that insular deer populations have shifted towards a slower life history strategy.
FRONTIERS IN EARTH SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Biology
Pia J. Schucht, Nicole Klein, Markus Lambertz
Summary: A study on the reliability of histology-based skeletochronology in a variety of extant tetrapods revealed significant issues with conflicting age estimates between different approaches. The study highlights the need for further research on the methodological side of skeletochronology.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Steven Ni, Jean-Francois Doherty, Robert Poulin
Summary: The study found that parasitic worm body sizes are primarily determined by the size of their hosts, with no significant effects of latitude or local temperature. Egg diameter was positively correlated with parasite length, while variation in egg diameter was negatively correlated with latitude.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Ryosuke Nakadai
Summary: This study developed novel indices to evaluate community compositional shifts over time by considering the contributions of individual life histories. The results have important implications for macroecology and biodiversity research.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Mark A. Kirk, Kelsey E. Reider, Alycia C. R. Lackey, Scott A. Thomas, Howard H. Whiteman
Summary: This study analyzed a 32-year mark-recapture dataset on Arizona tiger salamanders to examine the fitness trade-offs between two life history morphs (aquatic paedomorphs and terrestrial metamorphs). The results showed that the morphs exhibited different responses to environmental variation, indicating climate-induced fitness trade-offs. The findings contribute to our understanding of how climate and habitat interact to maintain polyphenisms and have implications for the effects of climate change on polyphenisms.
JOURNAL OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Limnology
Marcin Krzysztof Dziuba, Lechoslaw Kuczynski, Lukasz Wejnerowski, Slawek Cerbin, Justyna Wolinska
Summary: In a study conducted in lakes heated by power plants for six decades, it was found that aquatic organisms did not decrease in body size as a response to global warming. However, Daphnia communities in heated lakes showed a wider thermal breadth for reproduction. Evolution led to increased body size plasticity, allowing for more effective reproduction at high temperatures but resulting in size reduction. The research suggests that larger size is adaptive for active overwintering, while plastic size reduction is a coping strategy for high temperatures.
LIMNOLOGY AND OCEANOGRAPHY
(2021)
Review
Zoology
Zhiwei Peng, Lixia Zhang, Xin Lu
Summary: Individual age and population age composition are important topics for researchers, particularly in the study of amphibians using skeletochronology. However, there is still a significant lack of age data for many amphibian species, with a higher proportion of males being studied compared to females. Additionally, temperate species and semi-aquatic species are more likely to be studied, highlighting the need for more comprehensive research in this area.
INTEGRATIVE ZOOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Cheng Wenda, Juan Diego Gaitan-Espitia, Jaiber J. Solano-Iguaran, Akihiro Nakamura, Bartosz M. Majcher, Louise A. Ashton
Summary: Assessing the heat tolerance (CTmax) of organisms is crucial for understanding the impact of climate change on biodiversity. This study investigated how environment, evolutionary history, and their interactions influence species interactions in tropical rainforests under climate change. Findings showed that phylogeny played a significant role in determining heat tolerance in herbivore-parasitoid communities. The study also highlighted the vulnerability of parasitoids and herbivore control in tropical rainforests, particularly in the canopy.
Article
Ecology
Natalie L. R. Love, Susan J. Mazer
Summary: This study investigates the geographic variation in seed mass among populations of 6 species of Streptanthus in California. The results show that both long-term mean climate and climate anomalies in the year of collection are associated with population mean seed mass, but their effects differ in direction and magnitude. The study suggests that seed mass may be influenced by different mechanisms such as adaptive evolution and phenotypic plasticity, and the climate conditions of the populations also play a role in seed mass.
Review
Fisheries
Thassya C. dos Santos Schmidt, Doug E. Hay, Svein Sundby, Jennifer A. Devine, Guomundur J. Oskarsson, Aril Slotte, Mark J. Wuenschel, Dmitry Lajus, Arne Johannessen, Cindy J. G. van Damme, Rikke H. Bucholtz, Olav S. Kjesbu
Summary: The study extensively reviewed the life-history traits of Pacific and Atlantic herring populations, finding that body size of Pacific herring increased with latitude, while the pattern was inconsistent for Atlantic herring. Atlantic herring summer and autumn spawners produced many small eggs compared to spring spawners, aligning with findings from decades ago.
REVIEWS IN FISH BIOLOGY AND FISHERIES
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Florina Stanescu, Rafael Marquez, Dan Cogalniceanu, Federico Marangoni
Summary: This study provides a detailed quantitative description of the mating calls in Leptodactylus bufonius frogs and investigates the effects of body size and age on the acoustic features of these calls. The results suggest that the acoustic features of mating calls may be related to female mate choice and raise new questions for future research.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Bastien Mennecart, Laura Dziomber, Manuela Aiglstorfer, Faysal Bibi, Daniel DeMiguel, Masaki Fujita, Mugino O. Kubo, Flavie Laurens, Jin Meng, Gregoire Metais, Bert Mueller, Maria Rios, Gertrud E. Roessner, Israel M. Sanchez, Georg Schulz, Shiqi Wang, Loic Costeur
Summary: This study investigates the impact of climate and geography on the evolution of ruminant artiodactyls. By analyzing the inner ear morphology of 191 ruminant species, the researchers find that both extrinsic (climate) and intrinsic (evolutionary) factors play a role in shaping the evolution of ruminants.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Luc Janssens de Bisthoven, Maarten Vanhove, Anne-Julie Rochette, Jean Huge, Luc Brendonck
Summary: Ecosystem services are important for discussing natural resource management with stakeholders. A stakeholder analysis in the Lake Manyara sub-basin in Tanzania identified different groups with varying levels of influence and interest. An improved stakeholder analysis framework can contribute to better decision support systems in water basins.
ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Lizaan de Necker, Ruan Gerber, Johan van Vuren, Victor Wepener, Nico J. Smit, Luc Brendonck
Summary: South Africa experienced a severe drought that dried up waterbodies, but the study found that the drought did not affect the natural colonization and succession of aquatic invertebrates. However, if the drought persists, it could lead to local extinction of aquatic populations and loss of biodiversity.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Gordian Rocky Mataba, Yusuph Aron Kafula, Grite Nelson Mwaijengo, Joren M. Snoeks, Linus Munishi, Luc Brendonck, Bram Vanschoenwinkel
Summary: This study investigated the relationship between land use practices and abundance of mosquito larvae in temporary ponds in a malaria expansion zone in Tanzania. It found that larval abundances were higher in agricultural areas and minimal in residential areas. Maintaining good ecological condition of the ponds by preventing pesticide and nutrient input is important to prevent pond degradation and make the habitats less suitable for mosquitoes in the future.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Elizabeth Meyer-Milne, Luc Brendonck, Tom Pinceel
Summary: Due to the continued degradation of wetlands and the rapid decline of freshwater biodiversity, it is necessary to identify vulnerable species for conservation and management efforts. In this study, we assessed the vulnerability of branchiopod communities in dryland landscapes using egg bank abundance and morpho-species richness as indicators. Our results showed that the branchiopod communities became more vulnerable along an aridity gradient and that egg bank abundance decreased with alkalinity.
WETLANDS ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yusuph A. Kafula, Charlotte Philippe, Tom Pinceel, Linus K. Munishi, Francis Moyo, Bram Vanschoenwinkel, Luc Brendonck, Eli S. J. Thore
Summary: Pesticides are important for improving agricultural productivity but can negatively impact aquatic systems and fauna. A study found that the annual killifish is more sensitive to one pesticide compared to classic fish models, while its sensitivity to another pesticide is similar to that of classic fish models.
Article
Entomology
Gordian Rocky Mataba, Linus Munishi, Luc Brendonck, Bram Vanschoenwinkel
Summary: Artificial container habitats provided by humans are the main sources of mosquitoes, and they are associated with outbreaks of diseases such as dengue fever. In a human population expansion area in northern Tanzania, anthropogenic container habitats play an important role in mosquito production, with old tires being the dominant and most productive habitat type.
JOURNAL OF VECTOR ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Lana Ramaekers, Tom Pinceel, Luc Brendonck, Bram Vanschoenwinkel
Summary: Elevated and extreme pCO(2) conditions directly impact the life history and population dynamics of freshwater zooplankton.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Lizaan de Necker, Luc Brendonck, Ruan Gerber, Pieter Lemmens, David X. Soto, Yoshinori Ikenaka, Mayumi Ishizuka, Victor Wepener, Nico J. Smit
Summary: Climate change and droughts threaten the ecology and resilience of saline lakes globally. However, research on their ecological response to climatic events in the Global South is lacking. This study investigated the effect of a severe drought in South Africa on the trophic structure of fish communities in a saline shallow lake. The results showed that drought altered the availability of basal resources and affected the food web, but did not significantly alter the fish community itself.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Charlotte Philippe, Eli S. J. Thore, Sebastiaan Verbesselt, Arnout F. Gregoir, Luc Brendonck, Tom Pinceel
Summary: Global warming and environmental pollution pose threats to aquatic ecosystems. The interactive effects of these stressors can have greater impacts than expected. A study using a fish model found that exposure to a pesticide and a temperature increase had separate and combined effects on fitness-related endpoints. These findings suggest that climate change may worsen the impact of environmental pollution, and the interactive effects of chronic exposure to multiple stressors should be considered.
ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY
(2022)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Yusuph A. A. Kafula, Gordian R. R. Mataba, Grite N. N. Mwaijengo, Pieter Lemmens, Linus K. K. Munishi, Francis Moyo, Trevor Dube, Bram Vanschoenwinkel, Luc Brendonck
Summary: Large branchiopods are crucial for temporary ponds' ecosystems and their disappearance in Tanzania due to human activities is a concern. In this study, we compared temporary ponds in protected areas with those in communal lands, and found that land-use types affect the structure of large branchiopod community. We found six large branchiopod species, including one new species, and identified the most abundant and widely occurring species. The variation in community structure was influenced by the presence of Nothobranchius killifish and orthophosphate concentration. Understanding the relationship between land-use types and large branchiopod communities can guide the management of temporary pond ecosystems.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Monika Mioduchowska, Edyta Konecka, Bartlomiej Goldyn, Tom Pinceel, Luc Brendonck, Dunja Lukic, Lukasz Kaczmarek, Tadeusz Namiotko, Katarzyna Zajac, Tadeusz Zajac, Jan P. Jastrzebski, Krzysztof Bartoszek
Summary: In this study, a new metagenetic method was developed for detecting the co-occurrence of different Wolbachia strains in freshwater invertebrate host species. Three supergroups of Wolbachia were identified: a new supergroup V in Crustacea and Bivalvia hosts, supergroup A in Crustacea, Bivalvia, and Eutardigrada hosts, and supergroup E infection in the Crustacea host microbiome community.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Limnology
Lana Ramaekers, Bram Vanschoenwinkel, Luc Brendonck, Tom Pinceel
Summary: Increasing pCO(2) in freshwater environments may lead to acidification, which could negatively affect the survival, growth, and calcification of freshwater organisms. In this study, elevated pCO(2) and associated acidification were found to reduce the survival and calcium content of Daphnia magna, as well as slow down their growth and delay maturity. This is likely due to interference with the calcification process under elevated pCO(2) and low pH conditions.
LIMNOLOGY AND OCEANOGRAPHY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yusuph A. Kafula, Eli S. J. Thore, Charlotte Philippe, Linus K. Munishi, Francis Moyo, Bram Vanschoenwinkel, Luc Brendonck
Summary: Environmental risks posed by widespread pesticide application have attracted global attention. Chemical risk assessments in aquatic environments typically rely on toxicity data from classic model species, but complementary data based on local species are needed for unusual living environments. This study conducted an environmental risk assessment of cypermethrin using local temporary pond species, and compared the results to those obtained using classic model species.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Eli S. J. Thore, Birgit Vanden Berghen, Luc Brendonck, Tom Pinceel
Summary: Ecosystems worldwide are being polluted by pharmaceutical compounds, which can disrupt wildlife behaviour. Despite a large body of literature, there is a lack of long-term studies across different life stages to accurately estimate the ecological outcomes of pharmaceutical pollution. In this experiment, fish exposed to the antidepressant fluoxetine showed smaller body size and changes in their position in the water column during adulthood, highlighting the importance of considering ecologically relevant timescales when studying the ecotoxicology of pharmaceuticals.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Yander L. Diez, Marlies Monnens, Arlien Wuyts, Luc Brendonck, Patrick Reygel, Andreas Schmidt-Rhaesa, Tom Artois
Summary: This article presents 22 marine species of Dalytyphloplanida from Cuba, Panama, and Lanzarote, of which 16 are new to science. Phylogenetic analysis and detailed morphology were used to classify and describe new taxa. The study also proposes new species synonyms and the establishment of a new family. Additionally, the classification of thalassotyphloplanid families was revised based on morphological and molecular data.
ORGANISMS DIVERSITY & EVOLUTION
(2023)