Article
Plant Sciences
Tahir Mahmood, Xiukang Wang, Sunny Ahmar, Muhammad Abdullah, Muhammad Shahid Iqbal, Rashid Mehmood Rana, Muhammad Yasir, Shiguftah Khalid, Talha Javed, Freddy Mora-Poblete, Jen-Tsung Chen, Muhammad Kausar Nawaz Shah, Xiongming Du
Summary: This study identified and crossed different cotton genotypes for drought-tolerance, evaluated their performance under contrasting water regimes, and highlighted the importance of drought-tolerant varieties in cotton production. The results indicate that drought tolerance in cotton is under genetic control, with certain combinations showing potential for improving drought tolerance and early maturity.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Katharine Keogan, Francis Daunt, Sarah Wanless, Richard A. Phillips, David Alvarez, Tycho Anker-Nilssen, Robert T. Barrett, Claus Bech, Peter H. Becker, Per-Arvid Berglund, Sandra Bouwhuis, Zofia M. Burr, Olivier Chastel, Signe Christensen-Dalsgaard, Sebastien Descamps, Tony Diamond, Kyle Elliott, Kjell-Einar Erikstad, Mike Harris, Jonas Hentati-Sundberg, Martin Heubeck, Stephen W. Kress, Magdalene Langset, Svein-Hakon Lorentsen, Heather L. Major, Mark Mallory, Mick Mellor, Will T. S. Miles, Borge Moe, Carolyn Mostello, Mark Newell, Ian Nisbet, Tone Kirstin Reiertsen, Jennifer Rock, Paula Shannon, Oystein Varpe, Sue Lewis, Albert B. Phillimore
Summary: This study investigates the shared phenological responses to environmental drivers among different seabird populations. The results show that populations of different species sharing the same breeding site or small-scale breeding region have positively correlated laying dates, suggesting shared phenological responses to the same environmental conditions. However, no positive phenological covariation was found among populations across species at larger spatial scales. The study also highlights the idiosyncratic responses of populations to local environmental conditions.
JOURNAL OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Meghan Blumstein, Miranda Oseguera, Theresa Caso-McHugh, David L. Des Marais
Summary: Leaf-out in temperate forests is a critical transition point each spring, and this study reveals the important role of nonstructural carbohydrates (NSCs) in leaf out timing. The results suggest that NSCs may act as a molecular clock, signaling the passage of time and triggering leaf development. Understanding this link between NSCs and budburst is crucial for improving predictions of phenological timing.
Article
Ecology
Jonathan A. Knott, Liang Liang, Jeffrey S. Dukes, Robert K. Swihart, Songlin Fei
Summary: In a 58-year common garden experiment, we tested the phenological sensitivity of northern red oak populations to temperature changes and whether these differences were associated with differences in productivity and survival. We found that spring leaf out consistently advanced in warmer years, but fall phenology was less responsive to temperature changes. Southern populations had larger shifts in phenology in response to springtime warming, but lower long-term survival. However, higher phenological sensitivity to spring warming was not strongly linked to increased productivity, and fitness was more closely linked to latitudinal gradients.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Tyler G. Creech, Matthew A. Williamson, Steven E. Sesnie, Esther S. Rubin, Daniel R. Cayan, Erica Fleishman
Summary: Assessments of the potential responses of animal species to climate change often rely on correlations between long-term average temperature or precipitation and species' occurrence or abundance. However, this study shows that climate extremes and plant phenology may contribute more to projecting wildlife responses to climate change than climate means.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Richard Border, Georgios Athanasiadis, Alfonso Buil, Andrew J. Schork, Na Cai, Alexander I. Young, Thomas Werge, Jonathan Flint, Kenneth S. Kendler, Sriram Sankararaman, Andy W. Dahl, Noah A. Zaitlen
Summary: The study introduces cross-trait assortative mating (xAM) as an alternative explanation for genetic correlations between different human traits, showing that xAM affects various phenotypes and can plausibly account for a substantial portion of genetic correlation estimates. The results suggest that previous reports may have overestimated the true genetic similarity between many phenotypes.
Article
Ecology
Milos Krist, Pavel Munclinger, Martins Briedis, Peter Adamik
Summary: The study found that four candidate genes had no consistent effect on the timing of migration in collared flycatchers, with most of the variability in male spring arrival date attributable to permanent environmental effects. Additive genetic variance and heritability were found to be very low, which may constrain species evolutionary adaptation.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Yiluan Song, Christopher J. Zajic, Taehee Hwang, Christopher R. Hakkenberg, Kai Zhu
Summary: Through remote sensing observations, a systematic evaluation revealed a widespread mismatch between land surface phenology and climate in certain regions of the Northern Hemisphere over the past three decades. This mismatch was more pronounced in areas heavily impacted by human activities, suggesting a link between human activities and the desynchronization of phenology dynamics with climate variations.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Amir Hameed, Pawel Poznanski, Anna Nadolska-Orczyk, Waclaw Orczyk
Summary: Global climate change and the need for genetically modified crops require a comprehensive genetic evaluation. However, the complexity of polyploid genomes in food crops makes it challenging to identify candidate genes with confirmed heritability. While genome-wide association studies have been successful in identifying genetic variants associated with complex traits, limitations such as incomplete detection of structural variants and genetic heterogeneity result in a biased estimation of agronomically complex traits. The graph pangenome approach resolves these limitations and provides important insights for crop improvement through genome-linked fast breeding.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Justin R. Eastwood, Tim Connallon, Kaspar Delhey, Michelle L. Hall, Niki Teunissen, Sjouke A. Kingma, Ariana M. La Porte, Simon Verhulst, Anne Peters
Summary: Climate warming poses risks to wildlife by exposing them to sublethal high temperatures, leading to long-term impacts and reduced adaptability. This study found that the early-life telomere length (TL) of purple-crowned fairy-wren nestlings was associated with climatic and environmental conditions, particularly temperature and water availability. Models predicted that shorter TL under projected warming scenarios could result in population decline. However, if TL is an adaptive trait, population viability may be maintained through evolution.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Ramadimetje Delight Kgari, Carel Muller, Kennedy Dzama, Mahlako Linah Makgahlela
Summary: This study aimed to derive additional fertility traits from service data of South African Holstein cattle and estimate their genetic parameters, showing that these traits have some genetic basis and genetic correlations, which can serve as the basis for selecting improved reproduction in dairy cattle.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Alan Barrett, Leslie Brown
Summary: Variability in ephemeral resources provided by woody plants is influenced by temperature, rainfall, and photoperiod. The onset of resource pulses is mainly triggered by rising temperatures in September, with a significant lag between flowering and rainfall. Temperature has the biggest impact on the number of species with new fruits and pods. Monitoring of climatic variables is recommended for wildlife populations in areas with woody plant species.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Moxi Yuan, Xinxin Li, Sai Qu, Zuoshi Wen, Lin Zhao
Summary: Recent research has shown that the dynamics of autumn phenology have a significant impact on inter-annual changes in the carbon cycle. However, the shifts in autumn phenology and their governing factors have not been universally acknowledged. This study analyzes the dynamic characteristics of autumn phenology in the Yellow River Basin and identifies the main driving factors. The results indicate a significant delay in autumn phenology, with spring phenology being the most important factor. Different vegetation types are influenced by different driving factors, with drought having a greater impact on grasslands.
Article
Plant Sciences
Paula Pipan, Andrew Hall, Suzy Y. Rogiers, Bruno P. Holzapfel
Summary: This study compared the accuracy of climatic indices calculated using on-site climate sensors and interpolated climate datasets in vineyards in three wine regions in Victoria, Australia. The results showed that interpolated climate data closely matched recorded maximum temperatures in most cases, but were less accurate in predicting minimum temperatures in topographically complex sites.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Xinyue Gao, Zexing Tao, Junhu Dai
Summary: This study investigates the impact of extreme climate events on autumn phenology in dryland ecosystems in Central Asia. The results show that there has been an increase in drought and heat events, leading to an earlier end of growing season (EOS) in grasslands. The changes in extreme climate indices, particularly heavy rainfall and heat stress, have a stronger explanatory power than mean climate indices. However, the impact of extreme climate events is less pronounced at higher elevations. The variation in EOS for forests and shrublands is largely influenced by mean climate indices, such as mean minimum temperature and accumulated precipitation. These findings provide valuable insights into the response of phenology to extreme climate events and have implications for ecosystem management in arid regions.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2023)
Article
Ecology
R. Lande, V. Grotan, S. Engen, M. E. Visser, B. -e. Saether
Summary: A method for analyzing long-term demographic data is proposed to compare populations with different life histories. The method involves estimating the key parameters that determine the density dependence and environmental fluctuations in life history. The study also evaluates the long-term selection gradient on the life history.
AMERICAN NATURALIST
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Stefan J. G. Vriend, Vidar Grotan, Marlene Gamelon, Frank Adriaensen, Markus P. Ahola, Elena Alvarez, Liam D. Bailey, Emilio Barba, Jean-Charles Bouvier, Malcolm D. Burgess, Andrey Bushuev, Carlos Camacho, David Canal, Anne Charmantier, Ella F. Cole, Camillo Cusimano, Blandine F. Doligez, Szymon M. Drobniak, Anna Dubiec, Marcel Eens, Tapio Eeva, Kjell Einar Erikstad, Peter N. Ferns, Anne E. Goodenough, Ian R. Hartley, Shelley A. Hinsley, Elena Ivankina, Rimvydas Juskaitis, Bart Kempenaers, Anvar B. Kerimov, John Atle Kalas, Claire Lavigne, Agu Leivits, Mark C. Mainwaring, Jesus Martinez-Padilla, Erik Matthysen, Kees van Oers, Markku Orell, Rianne Pinxten, Tone Kristin Reiertsen, Seppo Rytkonen, Juan Carlos Senar, Ben C. Sheldon, Alberto Sorace, Janos Torok, Emma Vatka, Marcel E. Visser, Bernt-Erik Saether
Summary: Identifying the environmental drivers of variation in fitness-related traits is important in ecology and evolution. This study examined the influence of local climatic variables on spatial synchrony in fitness-related traits among bird populations in Europe. The researchers found that temperature strongly affected spatial synchrony in laying date for blue tits and great tits but not for pied flycatchers. Understanding how environmental conditions influence trait values improves our understanding of environmental impacts on populations.
Review
Evolutionary Biology
Meike T. Wortel, Deepa Agashe, Susan F. Bailey, Claudia Bank, Karen Bisschop, Thomas Blankers, Johannes Cairns, Enrico Sandro Colizzi, Davide Cusseddu, Michael M. Desai, Bram van Dijk, Martijn Egas, Jacintha Ellers, Astrid T. Groot, David G. Heckel, Marcelle L. Johnson, Ken Kraaijeveld, Joachim Krug, Liedewij Laan, Michael Laessig, Peter A. Lind, Jeroen Meijer, Luke M. Noble, Samir Okasha, Paul B. Rainey, Daniel E. Rozen, Shraddha Shitut, Sander J. Tans, Olivier Tenaillon, Henrique Teotonio, J. Arjan G. M. de Visser, Marcel E. Visser, Renske M. A. Vroomans, Gijsbert D. A. Werner, Bregje Wertheim, Pleuni S. Pennings
Summary: Evolution has traditionally been a historical and descriptive science, but with advancements in technology and understanding, predictions about future evolutionary processes are now being developed and used in various fields. These predictions serve different purposes, such as preparation, intervention, or evaluation of our knowledge about evolution.
EVOLUTIONARY APPLICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Thomas E. Reed, Marcel E. Visser, Robin S. Waples
Summary: This paper discusses the use and misuse of fitness variation and the 'opportunity for selection' (I$$ I $$) in evolutionary ecology. The study finds that the realization of selection opportunity relies on trait variation, rather than being solely determined by fitness variation. Additionally, the strength of demographic stochasticity can dominate the variation of I$$ I $$ across time or space. The analysis using simulations and empirical data from a population study on great tits suggests that measuring fitness based on the annual number of recruits can reveal a higher scope for fecundity selection compared to measuring it based on fledglings or eggs.
JOURNAL OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Fisheries
Robert Wynne, Joshka Kaufmann, Jamie Coughlan, Karl. P. Philips, Catherine Waters, Ross W. W. Finlay, Ger Rogan, Russell Poole, Philip McGinnity, Thomas E. E. Reed
Summary: Genetic identity analysis and PIT tagging were used to study the characteristics of downstream migrating juvenile Salmo trutta in the Burrishoole catchment. The study found that the juveniles out-migrated throughout the year, with peaks in spring and autumn. The return rates were similar for both types of outmigrants, but autumn fish stayed away for a longer time and were smaller in size. The findings highlight the importance of considering autumn outmigrants and their transitional habitats in salmonid management and conservation.
JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Lucyna Halupka, Debora Arlt, Jere Tolvanen, Alexandre Millon, Pierre Bize, Peter Adamik, Pascal Albert, Wayne J. Arendt, Alexander V. Artemyev, Vittorio Baglione, Jerzy Banbura, Miroslawa Banbura, Emilio Barba, Robert T. Barrett, Peter H. Becker, Eugen Belskii, Mark Bolton, E. Keith Bowers, Joel Bried, Lyanne Brouwer, Monika Bukacinska, Dariusz Bukacinski, Lesley Bulluck, Kate F. Carstens, Ines Catry, Motti Charter, Anna Chernomorets, Rita Covas, Monika Czuchra, Donald C. Dearborn, Florentino de Lope, Adrian S. Di Giacomo, Valery C. Dombrovski, Hugh Drummond, Michael J. Dunn, Tapio Eeva, Louise M. Emmerson, Yngve Espmark, Juan A. Fargallo, Sergey I. Gashkov, Elena Yu. Golubova, Michael Griesser, Michael P. Harris, Jeffrey P. Hoover, Zuzanna Jagielio, Patrik Korell, Janusz Kloskowski, Walter D. Koenig, Heikki Kolunen, Magorzata Korczak-Abshire, Erkki Korpimaeki, Indrikis Krams, Milos Krist, Sonja C. Kruger, Boris D. Kuranov, Xavier Lambin, Michael P. Lombardo, Andrey Lyakhov, Alfonso Marzal, Anders P. Moller, Veronica C. Neves, Jan Tottrup Nielsen, Alexander Numerov, Beata Orlowska, Daniel Oro, Markus oest, Richard A. Phillips, Hannu Pietiaeinen, Vicente Polo, Jiri Porkert, Jaime Potti, Hannu Poeysae, Thierry Printemps, Jouke Prop, Petra Quillfeldt, Jaime A. Ramos, Pierre-Alain Ravussin, Robert N. Rosenfield, Alexandre Roulin, Dustin R. Rubenstein, Irina E. Samusenko, Denis A. Saunders, Michael Schaub, Juan C. Senar, Fabrizio Sergio, Tapio Solonen, Diana V. Solovyeva, Janusz Stepniewski, Paul M. Thompson, Marcin Tobolka, Janos Toeroek, Martijn van de Pol, Louis Vernooij, Marcel E. Visser, David F. Westneat, Nathaniel T. Wheelwright, Jaroslaw Wiacek, Karen L. Wiebe, Andrew G. Wood, Andrzej Wuczynski, Dariusz Wysocki, Marketa Zarybnicka, Antoni Margalida, Konrad Halupka
Summary: Climate change has different effects on the annual reproductive output of bird species, with some populations experiencing a decline in offspring production while others show an increase. The study finds that changes in ecological and life history traits, as well as temperature, play a role in these variations. Migratory and larger-bodied species tend to produce fewer offspring with increasing temperatures, while smaller-bodied, sedentary species tend to produce more.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Melanie Lindner, Jip J. C. Ramakers, Irene Verhagen, Barbara M. Tomotani, A. Christa Mateman, Phillip Gienapp, Marcel E. Visser
Summary: Global warming has caused changes in phenological traits in many species. Whether species are able to adapt to further increasing temperatures depends on the fitness consequences of additional shifts in phenological traits. A study on great tits (Parus major) with genotypes for extremely early and late egg lay dates found that females with early genotypes advanced lay dates, but not compared to nonselected females. However, fitness outcomes in terms of fledgling production were similar between females with early and late genotypes. This study suggests the presence of constraints on early lay dates.
Article
Ecology
Claire Hermans, Jens C. Koblitz, Harm Bartholomeus, Peter Stilz, Marcel E. Visser, Kamiel Spoelstra
Summary: This study combined LiDAR technology with acoustic tracking to study the fine-scale use of habitat by bats. By studying the relationship between bats' spatial behavior and vegetation structure, the specific response of bats to habitat characteristics can be explored in detail. This combination of techniques also opens up possibilities for other applications involving movement patterns and 3D space reconstruction of other animals.
Article
Biology
Kamiel Spoelstra, Sven Teurlincx, Matthijs Courbois, Zoe M. Hopkins, Marcel E. Visser, Theresa M. Jones, Gareth R. Hopkins
Summary: Artificial light at night affects biodiversity, with a significant impact on the composition of ground-dwelling invertebrate communities. However, it does not have a significant effect on diversity.
PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Biology
Natalie E. van Dis, Geert-Jan Sieperda, Vidisha Bansal, Bart van Lith, Bregje Wertheim, Marcel E. Visser
Summary: Climate change can cause phenological mismatches between species, affecting their fitness and population dynamics. The study focuses on the winter moth, whose eggs hatch before their food source becomes available due to warmer winters. The mismatch leads to increased mortality rates and affects caterpillar growth. Long-term data analysis shows that population density is significantly influenced by phenological mismatch, with smaller mismatches resulting in higher population growth rates.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Biology
Joanie Van de Walle, Remi Fay, Jean-Michel Gaillard, Fanie Pelletier, Sandra Hamel, Marlene Gamelon, Christophe Barbraud, F. Guillaume Blanchet, Daniel T. Blumstein, Anne Charmantier, Karine Delord, Benjamin Larue, Julien Martin, James A. Mills, Emmanuel Milot, Francine M. Mayer, Jay Rotella, Bernt-Erik Saether, Celine Teplitsky, Martijn van de Pol, Dirk H. Van Vuren, Marcel E. Visser, Caitlin P. Wells, John Yarrall, Stephanie Jenouvrier
Summary: The slow-fast continuum is commonly used to describe variation in life-history strategies across species. However, it remains unclear whether this continuum explains life-history variation among individuals within a population.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Marlene Gamelon, Stephanie Jenouvrier, Melanie Lindner, Bernt-Erik Saether, Marcel E. Visser
Summary: The authors define the time of emergence, known as 'time of emergence' (ToE), as the time at which the signal of climate change in ecological processes emerges from the noise of ecosystem variability. They found that the time of emergence differs across different levels of biological organization, occurring earlier at the population level rather than at the trait or vital rate levels. This finding suggests that the population size of the great tit will experience an amplified climate change signal compared to its laying date and vital rates under the RCP 8.5 scenario.
NATURE CLIMATE CHANGE
(2023)
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Joanne C. Stonehouse, Lewis G. Spurgin, Veronika N. Laine, Mirte Bosse, Martien A. M. Great Tit HapMap Consortium, Martien A. M. Groenen, Kees van Oers, Ben C. Sheldon, Marcel E. Visser, Jon Slate
Summary: The unprecedented rate of climate change emphasizes the urgency of understanding how organisms can adapt. Great tits are an attractive model system for studying the genomics of climate adaptation. Through genome-environment analysis, 36 genes linked to climate adaptation were identified. Enrichment analysis revealed that climate adaptation is polygenic and genetically complex. The study also suggests that great tits have been adapting geographically to climate changes since the last ice age. Furthermore, substantial climate-associated genetic variation remains in contemporary great tit populations.