Article
Entomology
Dmitry Kutcherov, Elena. B. B. Lopatina
Summary: The interaction between genetic divergence and phenotypic plasticity is important in understanding geographic variation in insects. Temperature and photoperiod are key factors in shaping insect life histories. This study investigates the survival, development, and body mass of three populations of Cassida vibex beetles from different geographic locations, revealing subtle but significant differences in these traits and their plasticity to temperature and photoperiod.
Article
Fisheries
Monica D. Mourao, Annaiza B. Bignardi, Rodrigo J. Pereira, Carlos A. L. de Oliveira, Ricardo P. Ribeiro, Mario L. Santana
Summary: Genotype by environment interaction (G x E) is important in aquaculture species breeding, as selection in one environment may not have the same response in other environments. This study used a multiple trait reaction norm model to analyze the genetic relationship between growth traits of Nile tilapia in a (sub)tropical environment and found the presence of G x E. The genetic correlations may differ across different environments.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Rui Shi, Luiz Fernando Brito, Aoxing Liu, Hanpeng Luo, Ziwei Chen, Lin Liu, Gang Guo, Herman Mulder, Bart Ducro, Aart van der Linden, Yachun Wang
Summary: The study found that the critical periods in which heifer reproductive performance is more sensitive to heat stress vary depending on the trait, highlighting the need for detailed analysis to determine the appropriate period for other fertility traits. Significant GxE effects were detected for all three traits, emphasizing the importance of considering GxE in dairy cattle breeding schemes. Additionally, candidate genes identified through genome-wide association studies provide insights into selecting heat-tolerant animals with high reproductive efficiency.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Maya Meesters, Mieke Van Eetvelde, Dries S. Martens, Tim S. Nawrot, Manon Dewulf, Jan Govaere, Geert Opsomer
Summary: Telomere length is associated with longevity and survival in multiple species, including cattle. This study found that the dam's age at parturition, the calf's age at sampling, and the median temperature-humidity index during gestation were negatively associated with telomere length in Holstein Friesian heifers. These findings suggest that prenatal factors can influence telomere length in cattle and that selecting heifers born in winter from young dams may contribute to increased longevity in dairy cattle.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Anne K. Beulke, Alicia Abadia-Cardoso, Devon E. Pearse, Laura C. Goetz, Neil F. Thompson, Eric C. Anderson, John Carlos Garza
Summary: This study used genetic pedigree reconstruction to investigate the sex-specific patterns of life history traits and their genetic and environmental underpinnings in anadromous steelhead trout. The results showed that spawn date was highly heritable and had a high genetic correlation across sexes, while age at maturity was also highly heritable with a lower genetic correlation across sexes. Additionally, a migration-associated inversion polymorphism was found to have sex-specific correlations with age at maturity.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
David F. Westneat, Rebecca C. Young, Alexandra G. Cones, Aurelia C. Kucera, Angelo Anacleto, Britt J. Heidinger
Summary: An individual's telomere length early in life may be influenced by both genetic and environmental factors, with environmental effects being more important. Interactions of environmental factors across scales may contribute to the observed variation.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Elena Duschek, Lukas Forer, Sebastian Schoenherr, Christian Gieger, Annette Peters, Florian Kronenberg, Harald Grallert, Claudia Lamina
Summary: The availability of polygenic scores for type 2 diabetes (T2D) raises the question of whether family history assessment might become redundant. This study aimed to assess the independent and combined effects of family risk score (FamRS) and polygenic score (PGS) on T2D risk. The results showed that both genetic information and family history are relevant for predicting T2D risk and could be used for identifying high-risk groups for personalized prevention measures.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Psychiatry
Xiangfei Meng, Michelle Wang, Kieran J. O'Donnell, Jean Caron, Michael J. Meaney, Yue Li
Summary: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a prevalent mental disorder. A risk prediction tool has been developed to identify MDD patients and discover genetic variants. The tool accurately categorizes the risk of MDD and identifies meaningful genetic associations, shedding light on future research.
TRANSLATIONAL PSYCHIATRY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Stephanie Fong, Bjorn Rogell, Mirjam Amcoff, Alexander Kotrschal, Wouter van der Bijl, Severine D. Buechel, Niclas Kolm
Summary: Experimental evidence from artificial selection in guppies supports the mosaic brain evolution hypothesis, suggesting that different brain regions can evolve independently, potentially playing a crucial role in cognitive evolution.
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Natalie Kermany, Julien G. A. Martin, Vincent Careau
Summary: An important and overlooked aspect of behavioral variation is that some individuals are consistently less predictable than others. Predictability can be assessed over multiple assays and within an assay to look at short-term variation in behavior expression. In this study, locomotor activity was measured in wild white-footed mice in a novel environment test, and it was found that unpredictable individuals showed lower levels of plasticity. The relationship between predictability and personality depended on the temporal scale of behavior measurement.
BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY AND SOCIOBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Agronomy
Zibei Lin, Hannah Robinson, Jayfred Godoy, Allan Rattey, David Moody, Daniel Mullan, Gabriel Keeble-Gagnere, Kerrie Forrest, Josquin Tibbits, Matthew J. Hayden, Hans Daetwyler, Dunia Pino Del Carpio
Summary: The study introduced two methods for categorizing trials into clusters on unbalanced data to reduce the variance resulting from genotype x environment interaction (GEI). Testing with empirical barley yield data in Australia showed both methods achieved comparable predictive accuracies, with the cluster method outperforming the non-GEI model. Within-cluster validations demonstrated higher predictive accuracies when training populations were from the same cluster.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ondina Palmeira, Larissa R. B. Matos, Michel S. Naslavsky, Heloisa M. S. Bueno, Julia P. Soler, Joao C. Setubal, Mayana Zatz
Summary: The study found that monozygotic twins have more similar gut microbiota compared to dizygotic twins, and certain bacterial genera are particularly susceptible to host genetics. The development of infant gut microbiota is influenced by host genetics, but this effect is subtle and may only impact certain bacterial taxa during a limited time period in early life.
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
G. F. Moura, C. D. S. Arce, J. C. G. Santos, D. J. A. Santos, R. R. Aspilcueta-Borquis, N. T. Pegolo, A. P. C. Gomide, L. F. A. Marques, H. N. Oliveira, F. R. Araujo Neto
Summary: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of genotype-environment interaction (GEI) on the yearling weight of Simmental cattle raised in Brazil, including the sex dimorphism in reaction norm models. The genetic parameters were estimated using the Bayesian inference and Gibbs sampling. The results show that the weight of Simmental cattle raised in the tropics is influenced by GEI and greater genetic progress could be obtained by selecting better environments.
JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Viktor Nilsson-Ortman, Locke Rowe
Summary: Developing organisms mature earlier and at larger sizes in favorable growth conditions, with theory suggesting that the existence of critical size thresholds affects maturation time and size. This study demonstrates that food manipulations can indeed influence the timing and size at maturity, supporting the validity of the threshold model. The results also suggest that the evolution of threshold sizes plays a key role in the diversity of reaction norms for age and size at maturity.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Abdel Abdellaoui, Conor Dolan, Karin J. H. Verweij, Michel G. Nivard
Summary: Gene-environment correlations have an impact on the associations between genetic variants and complex traits in genome-wide association studies. This study found that educational attainment polygenic scores in the British population capture gene-environment correlations, and migration extends these correlations beyond the family to broader geographic regions. Additionally, controlling for geographic regions significantly reduces the heritability of socioeconomic status-related traits and decreases the genetic correlations with educational attainment and income for most traits.
Article
Ecology
Jenni Poutanen, Angela K. Fuller, Jyrki Pusenius, J. Andrew Royle, Mikael Wikstrom, Jon E. Brommer
Summary: By conducting a non-invasive genetic study, we identified factors influencing white-tailed deer density and space use, revealing their preferences for fields and mixed forest as habitat in southern Finland. We also found that transitional woodlands and proximity to fields play a role in their habitat selection. Considering landscape heterogeneity improved model fit and inferred total density. This study highlights the importance of including habitat covariates when estimating density and demonstrates the feasibility of studying resource selection using non-invasive methods.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Sabine M. E. Vreeburg, Ben Auxier, Bas Jacobs, Peter M. Bourke, Joost van den Heuvel, Bas J. Zwaan, Duur K. Aanen
Summary: This study produced the first linkage map of a species of Termitomyces and found that the reduced rate of recombination is primarily due to genome expansion of gene-poor repetitive sequences. This highlights the importance of genomic context in cross-species comparisons of recombination rate.
Article
Ecology
Nicky Lustenhouwer, Felix Moerman, Florian Altermatt, Ronald D. D. Bassar, Greta Bocedi, Dries Bonte, Sutirth Dey, Emanuel A. A. Fronhofer, Erika Garcez da Rocha, Andrea Giometto, Lesley T. T. Lancaster, Robert B. B. Prather Jr, Marjo Saastamoinen, Justin M. J. Travis, Carla A. A. Urquhart, Christopher Weiss-Lehman, Jennifer L. L. Williams, Luca Borger, David Berger
Summary: Experimental evolution studies can provide valuable proofs of concept that reinforce the links between theoretical predictions and empirical observations, advancing our understanding of the ecological and evolutionary consequences of dispersal.
JOURNAL OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Simon P. Gaultier, Thomas M. Lilley, Eero J. Vesterinen, Jon E. Brommer
Summary: The impacts of wind power on bats are not well understood or considered during project planning, with recorded fatalities being the main focus. This study in Finland monitored bat activity near wind turbines and found higher presence and activity of certain bat species at greater distances from the turbines. There was also an increase in bat activity during midsummer, possibly due to increased use of forest canopy cover. These results highlight the necessity of considering bats during wind power project development and call for further investigation into the observed effects.
LANDSCAPE AND URBAN PLANNING
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Daniele Baroni, Jan Hanzelka, Teresa Raimondi, Marco Gamba, Jon E. Brommer, Toni Laaksonen
Summary: Passive acoustic monitoring is an effective method to detect elusive species, especially in forests. The study shows that the Eurasian pygmy owl prefers mature forests, and passive acoustic monitoring can help estimate population numbers.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Miguel Baltazar-Soares, Patrik Karell, Dominic Wright, Jan-Ake Nilsson, Jon E. Brommer
Summary: This study collected pairwise genome-mitogenome data of the order Strigiformes and identified nuclear insertions of mitochondrial origin (NUMTs) by comparing mitochondrial genomes with nuclear genome assemblies. The results showed that the size of NUMTs negatively correlated with their sequence similarity to the original mtDNA region. Comparative genomics analysis revealed variable phylogenetic patterns of these insertions, suggesting that some insertions might pre-date speciation events within Strigiformes.
MOLECULAR PHYLOGENETICS AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Giannoula Bogka, Eirini Anastasaki, Panagiotis G. G. Milonas, Aikaterini Psoma, Emmanouil M. M. Kabourakis, Bas J. J. Zwaan, Bart A. A. Pannebakker, Nina E. E. Fatouros
Summary: This study investigated the effect of infochemicals derived from the habitat, host plant, and host insect on the foraging behavior of the olive fruit fly larval parasitoid. The results showed that the parasitoid strongly preferred volatiles emitted by B. oleae larval-infested fruits and cues emitted by B. oleae females. Volatile analysis revealed qualitative differences in volatile profiles of egg- and larval-infested fruits, indicating that olives change volatile emissions in response to larval infestation. These findings suggest that infochemicals play an important role in the host location behavior of the parasitoid.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Bwalya Katati, Stan Kovacs, Henry Njapau, Paul W. Kachapulula, Bas J. Zwaan, Anne D. van Diepeningen, Sijmen E. Schoustra
Summary: Aflatoxins have important functions in Aspergillus section Flavi, including antioxidative, antifungal, and antibiosis roles. Atoxigenic Flavi degrade AF-B1 while toxigenic Flavi modulate its levels through an antioxidative mechanism. Atoxigenic strains have higher fitness than toxigenic strains at a plant non-lethal dose.
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Arianna Passarotto, Chiara Morosinotto, Jon E. Brommer, Esa Aaltonen, Kari Ahola, Teuvo Karstinen, Patrik Karell
Summary: Territorial species, like the tawny owl, rarely move between breeding seasons, but mate loss can lead to breeding dispersal. Changing partners has negative effects on subsequent reproductive performance, including skipped reproduction and smaller clutches.
BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY AND SOCIOBIOLOGY
(2023)
Book Review
Ecology
Jon E. Brommer
Article
Ecology
Nadja Verspagen, Suvi Ikonen, Dirk Maes, Constanti Stefanescu, Michelle F. Dileo, Marjo Saastamoinen
Summary: Trade-offs among traits vary within species living across environmental clines, possibly as a consequence of natural selection to local environmental conditions or other genetic constraints. Understanding these variations is important in predicting species' responses to climate change.
FUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Andrea Santangeli, Benjamin Weigel, Laura H. Anto, Elina Kaarlejaervi, Maria Haellfors, Aleksi Lehikoinen, Andreas Linden, Maija Salemaa, Tiina Tonteri, Paeivi Merilae, Kristiina Vuorio, Otso Ovaskainen, Jarno Vanhatalo, Tomas Roslin, Marjo Saastamoinen
Summary: Protected areas have mixed impacts on reducing local extinctions, with only a small proportion of species benefiting explicitly. The benefits of protection are related to the size and establishment time of the protected areas, but unrelated to the conservation status or traits of species. Improving coverage, connectivity, and management will be crucial to enhance the effectiveness of protected areas in slowing down biodiversity loss.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Ornithology
Giuseppe Orlando, Arianna Passarotto, Chiara Morosinotto, Kari Ahola, Teuvo Karstinen, Jon E. Brommer, Katja Koskenpato, Patrik Karell
Summary: Despite numerous studies focusing on the associations between climate, food conditions and reproduction in the wild, little is known about population level responses in long-lived species and over longer periods. In this study, we assessed the importance of prey abundance and winter climate on population size and productivity in a Tawny Owl population in southern Finland over a 40-year period.
JOURNAL OF ORNITHOLOGY
(2023)
Correction
Biology
Verspagen Nadja, Ikonen Suvi, Saastamoinen Marjo, van Bergen Erik
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
S. Helena Donner, Mariska M. Beekman, Kathrin Barth, Marcel Dicke, Bas J. Zwaan, Eveline C. Verhulst, Bart A. Pannebakker
Summary: This study assesses the aphid species present in Dutch strawberry crops, the facultative endosymbionts they carry, and how these endosymbionts affect the parasitism success of biocontrol parasitoid wasps. The results show that facultative endosymbiont infections can protect aphids against certain parasitoids, but the level of protection varies among aphid species and parasitoid species.
BIOLOGICAL CONTROL
(2023)
