Geographical range, heat tolerance and invasion success in aquatic species
07 Dec 2013-Proceedings of The Royal Society B: Biological Sciences (The Royal Society)-Vol. 280, Iss: 1772, pp 20131958-20131958
TL;DR: It is found that species introduced to freshwater systems have broader geographical ranges in comparison to native species, and introduced species are more heat tolerant than related native species collected from the same habitats.
Abstract: Species with broader geographical ranges are expected to be ecological generalists, while species with higher heat tolerances may be relatively competitive at more extreme and increasing temperatures. Thus, both traits are expected to relate to increased survival during transport to new regions of the globe, and once there, establishment and spread. Here, we explore these expectations using datasets of latitudinal range breadth and heat tolerance in freshwater and marine invertebrates and fishes. After accounting for the latitude and hemisphere of each species’ native range, we find that species introduced to freshwater systems have broader geographical ranges in comparison to native species. Moreover, introduced species are more heat tolerant than related native species collected from the same habitats. We further test for differences in range breadth and heat tolerance in relation to invasion success by comparing species that have established geographically restricted versus extensive introduced distributions. We find that geographical range size is positively related to invasion success in freshwater species only. However, heat tolerance is implicated as a trait correlated to widespread occurrence of introduced populations in both freshwater and marine systems. Our results emphasize the importance of formal risk assessments before moving heat tolerant species to novel locations.
Citations
More filters
15 citations
TL;DR: It is shown that X. laevis is a better performer than C. gayi and thermal tolerance did not differ between the species.
Abstract: Biological invasions are recognized as an important biotic component of global change that threatens the composition, structure and functioning of ecosystems, resulting in loss of biodiversity and displacement of native species. Although ecological characteristics facilitating the establishment and spread of non-native species are widely recognized, little is known about organismal attributes underlying invasion success. In this study, we tested the effect of thermal acclimation on thermal tolerance and locomotor performance in the invasive Xenopus laevis and the Chilean native Calyptocephalella gayi. In particular, the maximal righting performance (μMAX), optimal temperature (TO), lower (CTmin) and upper critical thermal limits (CTmax), thermal breadth (Tbr) and the area under the performance curve (AUC) were studied after 6 weeks acclimation to 10 and 20°C. We observed higher values of μmax and AUC in X. laevis in comparison to C. gayi. On the contrary, the invasive species showed lower values of CTmin in comparison to the native one. In contrast, CTmax, TO and Tbr showed no inter-specific differences. Moreover, we found that both species have the ability to acclimate their locomotor performance and lower thermal tolerance limit at low temperatures. Our results demonstrate that X. laevis is a better performer than C. gayi. Although there were differences in CTmin, the invasive and native frogs did not differ in their thermal tolerance. Interestingly, in both species the lower and upper critical thermal limits are beyond the minimal and maximal temperatures encountered in nature during the coldest and hottest month, respectively. Overall, our findings suggest that both X. laevis and C. gayi would be resilient to climate warming expectations in Chile.
15 citations
Cites background from "Geographical range, heat tolerance ..."
...Today, many studies support this hypothesis in both terrestrial and aquatic ectotherms (Zerebecki and Sorte, 2011; Yu et al., 2012; Bates et al., 2013; Lejeusne et al., 2014; Tepolt and Somero, 2014)....
[...]
TL;DR: The extent to which variation in range size among 3277 bird and mammal species occurring in the Americas is statistically related to characteristics of species’ realized climatic niches is evaluated and it is concluded that equally strong relationships between range size and climate would result from any processes causing ranges to be highly spatially autocorrelated.
Abstract: Species’ geographic ranges could primarily be physiological tolerances drawn in space. Alternatively, geographic ranges could be only broadly constrained by physiological climatic tolerances: there could generally be much more proximate constraints on species’ ranges (dispersal limitation, biotic interactions, etc.) such that species often occupy a small and unpredictable subset of tolerable climates. In the literature, species’ climatic tolerances are typically estimated from the set of conditions observed within their geographic range. Using this method, studies have concluded that broader climatic niches permit larger ranges. Similarly, other studies have investigated the biological causes of incomplete range filling. But, when climatic constraints are measured directly from species’ ranges, are correlations between species’ range size and climate necessarily consistent with a causal link? We evaluated the extent to which variation in range size among 3277 bird and 1659 mammal species occurring in the Americas is statistically related to characteristics of species’ realized climatic niches. We then compared how these relationships differed from the ones expected in the absence of a causal link. We used a null model that randomizes the predictor variables (climate), while retaining their broad spatial autocorrelation structure, thereby removing any causal relationship between range size and climate. We found that, although range size is strongly positively related to climatic niche breadth, range filling and, to a lesser extent, niche position in nature, the observed relationships are not always stronger than expected from spatial autocorrelation alone. Thus, we conclude that equally strong relationships between range size and climate would result from any processes causing ranges to be highly spatially autocorrelated.
14 citations
TL;DR: Genes involved in thermal tolerance were divergent for round goby populations but not tubenose goby, consistent with the hypothesis that invasion success for fish in temperate regions is influenced by capacity for thermal tolerance.
Abstract: Invasive species are expected to experience a unique combination of high genetic drift due to demographic factors while also experiencing strong selective pressures. The paradigm that reduced genetic diversity should limit the evolutionary potential of invasive species, and thus, their potential for range expansion has received little empirical support, possibly due to the choice of genetic markers. Our goal was to test for effects of genetic drift and selection at functional genetic markers as they relate to the invasion success of two paired invasive goby species, one widespread (successful) and one with limited range expansion (less successful). We genotyped fish using two marker types: single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in known-function, protein-coding genes and microsatellites to contrast the effects of neutral genetic processes. We identified reduced allelic variation in the invaded range for the less successful tubenose goby. SNPs putatively under selection were responsible for the observed differences in population structure between marker types for round goby (successful) but not tubenose goby (less successful). A higher proportion of functional loci experienced divergent selection for round goby, suggesting increased evolutionary potential in invaded ranges may be associated with round goby's greater invasion success. Genes involved in thermal tolerance were divergent for round goby populations but not tubenose goby, consistent with the hypothesis that invasion success for fish in temperate regions is influenced by capacity for thermal tolerance. Our results highlight the need to incorporate functional genetic markers in studies to better assess evolutionary potential for the improved conservation and management of species.
13 citations
Cites background from "Geographical range, heat tolerance ..."
...…in the differential range expansion of these two species (O’Neil, 2013; Xin, 2016; Wellband and Heath 2017), for range expansion of other invasive fish in the Great Lakes (Kolar & Lodge, 2002) and for successful invasion and range expansion of aquatic species in general (Bates et al., 2013)....
[...]
TL;DR: It is determined that heightened thermal tolerance of invasive Inland Silversides (Menidia beryllina) is associated with transcriptional changes that are greater both in the number of genes and the magnitude of response relative to native Delta Smelt (Hypomesus transpacificus), in concordance with the hypothesis that transcriptional plasticity may play a key role in determining population persistence, species interactions, and shaping community assemblages under climate change.
Abstract: Capacity to cope with warming temperatures is a key determining factor of species' persistence under global climate change. Many successful invasive species have heightened thermal tolerance relative to their native counterparts, which may provide competitive advantages for habitat utilization and resource acquisition under warming scenarios, ultimately contributing to radically altered community composition. Enhanced transcriptional plasticity may be an important factor conferring superior abilities to cope with environmental stress, but the molecular mechanisms driving key differences of organismal traits in invasive versus native species are not well known. Although it is predicted that established invaders will evolve canalized phenotypes well‐adapted to new environments, it is not clear whether the same expectations are true for invaders of variable thermal environments or under climate warming scenarios where abilities to cope with fluctuating and increasing temperatures may provide fitness advantages. Here, we compare a highly successful invasive fish and a sympatric endangered native fish living in a dynamic estuarine environment that is projected to warm under climate change. We linked organismal physiological limits with global transcriptional responses at multiple common relative and absolute temperature thresholds and determined that heightened thermal tolerance of invasive Inland Silversides (Menidia beryllina) is associated with transcriptional changes that are greater both in the number of genes and the magnitude of response relative to native Delta Smelt (Hypomesus transpacificus). Modulated genes contributed to the enrichment of biological processes that differed between species and generally increased with temperature. These results are in concordance with the hypothesis that transcriptional plasticity may play a key role in determining population persistence, species interactions, and shaping community assemblages under climate change. Future studies encompassing a wider range of species and taxa are needed to determine whether this is a general pattern found between native and invasive species more broadly.
13 citations
Cites background or result from "Geographical range, heat tolerance ..."
...There is evidence that heat tolerance directly facilitates introduced species in a warming climate (Bates et al., 2013) and in particular that acute thermal tolerance may play a critical role in extreme temperature events that result in altered community structure (Smale & Wernberg, 2013)....
[...]
...…a diversity of taxa and ecological contexts and it is thought that physiological capabilities are key factors in the successful transport, establishment and spread of non-native species (Bates et al., 2013; Kelley, 2014), the underlying mechanisms driving these patterns are not well understood....
[...]
...…species on native biodiversity and ecological regime shifts are well-documented around the world (Molnar et al., 2008; Vitousek et al., 1997), and increased thermal tolerance is associated with invasion success in both freshwater and marine ecosystems (Bates et al., 2013; Kolar & Lodge, 2002)....
[...]
...However, our results also align with previous work demonstrating the role of enhanced thermal tolerance in favoring invasive species under climate warming (Bates et al., 2013; Dukes & Mooney, 1999)....
[...]
...The results of our study linking thermal tolerance and transcriptional plasticity support the hypothesis that successful invaders may have a particular set of mechanisms conferring heat tolerance that differ from their native counterparts (Bates et al., 2013)....
[...]
References
More filters
TL;DR: Given their current scale, biotic invasions have taken their place alongside human-driven atmospheric and oceanic alterations as major agents of global change and left unchecked, they will influence these other forces in profound but still unpredictable ways.
Abstract: Biotic invaders are species that establish a new range in which they proliferate, spread, and persist to the detriment of the environment. They are the most important ecological outcomes from the unprecedented alterations in the distribution of the earth's biota brought about largely through human transport and commerce. In a world without borders, few if any areas remain sheltered from these im- migrations. The fate of immigrants is decidedly mixed. Few survive the hazards of chronic and stochastic forces, and only a small fraction become naturalized. In turn, some naturalized species do become invasive. There are several potential reasons why some immigrant species prosper: some escape from the constraints of their native predators or parasites; others are aided by human-caused disturbance that disrupts native communities. Ironically, many biotic invasions are apparently facilitated by cultivation and husbandry, unintentional actions that foster immigrant populations until they are self-perpetuating and uncontrollable. Whatever the cause, biotic invaders can in many cases inflict enormous environmental damage: (1) Animal invaders can cause extinctions of vulnerable native species through predation, grazing, competition, and habitat alteration. (2) Plant invaders can completely alter the fire regime, nutrient cycling, hydrology, and energy budgets in a native ecosystem and can greatly diminish the abundance or survival of native species. (3) In agriculture, the principal pests of temperate crops are nonindigenous, and the combined expenses of pest control and crop losses constitute an onerous "tax" on food, fiber, and forage production. (4) The global cost of virulent plant and animal diseases caused by parasites transported to new ranges and presented with susceptible new hosts is currently incalculable. Identifying future invaders and taking effective steps to prevent their dispersal and establishment con- stitutes an enormous challenge to both conservation and international commerce. Detection and management when exclusion fails have proved daunting for varied reasons: (1) Efforts to identify general attributes of future invaders have often been inconclusive. (2) Predicting susceptible locales for future invasions seems even more problematic, given the enormous differences in the rates of arrival among potential invaders. (3) Eradication of an established invader is rare, and control efforts vary enormously in their efficacy. Successful control, however, depends more on commitment and continuing diligence than on the efficacy of specific tools themselves. (4) Control of biotic invasions is most effective when it employs a long-term, ecosystem- wide strategy rather than a tactical approach focused on battling individual invaders. (5) Prevention of invasions is much less costly than post-entry control. Revamping national and international quarantine laws by adopting a "guilty until proven innocent" approach would be a productive first step. Failure to address the issue of biotic invasions could effectively result in severe global consequences, including wholesale loss of agricultural, forestry, and fishery resources in some regions, disruption of the ecological processes that supply natural services on which human enterprise depends, and the creation of homogeneous, impoverished ecosystems composed of cosmopolitan species. Given their current scale, biotic invasions have taken their place alongside human-driven atmospheric and oceanic alterations as major agents of global change. Left unchecked, they will influence these other forces in profound but still unpredictable ways.
6,195 citations
TL;DR: Active adaptive management and governance of resilience will be required to sustain desired ecosystem states and transform degraded ecosystems.
Abstract: ▪ Abstract We review the evidence of regime shifts in terrestrial and aquatic environments in relation to resilience of complex adaptive ecosystems and the functional roles of biological diversity in this context. The evidence reveals that the likelihood of regime shifts may increase when humans reduce resilience by such actions as removing response diversity, removing whole functional groups of species, or removing whole trophic levels; impacting on ecosystems via emissions of waste and pollutants and climate change; and altering the magnitude, frequency, and duration of disturbance regimes. The combined and often synergistic effects of those pressures can make ecosystems more vulnerable to changes that previously could be absorbed. As a consequence, ecosystems may suddenly shift from desired to less desired states in their capacity to generate ecosystem services. Active adaptive management and governance of resilience will be required to sustain desired ecosystem states and transform degraded ecosystems...
3,297 citations
"Geographical range, heat tolerance ..." refers background in this paper
...Introduced species have been implicated in causing biodiversity loss [4], regime shifts [5] and extinctions [6], all of which can impact human resources and economic activity [7]....
[...]
TL;DR: Although restricted to few taxa, these studies reveal clear relationships between the characteristics of releases and the species involved, and the successful establishment and spread of invaders.
Abstract: Predicting which species are probable invaders has been a long-standing goal of ecologists, but only recently have quantitative methods been used to achieve such a goal. Although restricted to few taxa, these studies reveal clear relationships between the characteristics of releases and the species involved, and the successful establishment and spread of invaders. For example, the probability of bird establishment increases with the number of individuals released and the number of release events. Also, the probability of plant invasiveness increases if the species has a history of invasion and reproduces vegetatively. These promising quantitative approaches should be more widely applied to allow us to predict patterns of invading species more successfully.
2,698 citations
01 Jan 2009
2,607 citations
"Geographical range, heat tolerance ..." refers methods in this paper
...See http://CRAN.R-project. org/package=MuMIn....
[...]
...The 80% confidence model set (table S3) was calculated with the package “MuMIn” [24] and the function model....
[...]
...Bartoń K. 2009 MuMIn: Multi-model inference....
[...]
...The 80% confidence model set (see electronic supplementary material, table S3) was calculated with the package ‘MuMIn’ [23] and the function model.avg....
[...]
TL;DR: Studies of physiological mechanisms are needed to predict climate effects on ecosystems at species and community levels and to help scientists understand the drivers of climate change.
Abstract: Studies of physiological mechanisms are needed to predict climate effects on ecosystems at species and community levels.
2,055 citations