Evolution as a critical component of plankton dynamics

Microevolution is typically ignored as a factor directly affecting ongoing population dynamics. We show here that density-dependent natural selection has a direct and measurable effect on a planktonic predator-prey interaction. We kept populations of Brachionus calyciflorus, a monogonont rotifer that exhibits cyclical parthenogenesis, in continuous flow-through cultures (chemostats) for more than 900 days. Initially, females frequently produced male offspring, especially at high population densities. We observed rapid evolution, however, towards low propensity to reproduce sexually, and by 750 days, reproduction had become entirely asexual. There was strong selection favouring asexual reproduction because, under the turbulent chemostat regime, males were unable to mate with females, produced no offspring, and so had zero fitness. In replicated chemostat experiments we found that this evolutionary process directly influenced the population dynamics. We observed very specific but reproducible plankton dynamics which are explained well by a mathematical model that explicitly includes evolution. This model accounts for both asexual and sexual reproduction and treats the propensity to reproduce sexually as a quantitative trait under selection. We suggest that a similar amalgam of ecological and evolutionary mechanisms may drive the dynamics of rapidly reproducing organisms in the wild.     

Substratum‐dependent responses of ciliate assemblages to temperature: a natural experiment in Icelandic streams

相似文献   

Parasite spread in experimental metapopulations: resistance,tolerance and host competence

Host competence, defined as the likelihood that a host will transmit infection, may be affected by an individual's resistance to infection and its ability to withstand damage caused by infection (tolerance). Host competence may therefore be one of the most important factors to impact host–parasite dynamics, yet the relationships among resistance, tolerance and competence are poorly understood. The objective of the present study was to determine whether individual host resistance (ability to resist or minimize infection) and/or tolerance (ability to withstand or minimize reduction in fitness due to infection) contributed to the competence (ability to spread infection) of hosts using guppies infected with the ectoparasite, Gyrodactylus turnbulli. This individual-fish level analysis used data collected from a previous metapopulation experiment that had tracked host–parasite dynamics at the metapopulation scale using individually marked guppies that were moved among experimental tanks within replicate metapopulations. Fish tolerance was measured as the residual from a fish's expected survival post-infection for a given parasite burden. Fish resistance was measured as the peak parasite load (– log-transformed). Host competence was measured as the incidence (number of new infections over two days after the arrival of a fish to a tank) weighted by the density of available uninfected fish in the tank. In contrast to the assumption of a trade-off between resistance and tolerance, individual fish tolerance and resistance were both negatively associated with competence. Connectivity (the number of fish with which an individual came into contact) was not associated with competence. Our results indicate that resistance and tolerance are both important to disease spread. These findings highlight the importance of understanding how individual defence against parasites may contribute to its competence as a host, and therefore impact metapopulation-level dynamics.     

Are host-parasite interactions influenced by adaptation to predators? A test with guppies and Gyrodactylus in experimental stream channels

Natural populations often face multiple mortality sources. Adaptive responses to one mortality source might also be beneficial with respect to other sources of mortality, resulting in "reinforcing adaptations"; or they might be detrimental with respect to other sources of mortality, resulting in "conflicting adaptations". We explored these possibilities by testing experimentally if the responses of guppies (Poecilia reticulata) to the monogenean ectoparasitic worm Gyrodactylus differed between populations adapted to different predation regimes. In experimental stream channels designed to replicate the natural environment, we exposed eight guppy populations (high-predation and low-predation populations from each of four separate rivers) either to their local Gyrodactylus parasites (infection treatment) or to the absence of those parasites (control). We found that infection dynamics varied dramatically among populations in a repeatable fashion, but that this variation was not related to the predation regime of origin. Consistent with previous work, high-predation guppy females gained more mass, had lower reproductive investment, and had more but smaller embryos than did low-predation females. Relative to control (no parasite) channels, guppies from treatment (infected) channels gained less mass but produced similar numbers and sizes of embryos-and thus had a higher reproductive effort. However, no interaction was evident between infection treatment and predation regime. We conclude that parasitism by Gyrodactylus and predation are both likely selective forces for guppies, but that adaptation to predation does not have an obvious deterministic effect on host-parasite dynamics or on life-history traits of female guppies.     

Abundance,succession and morphological variation of planktonic rotifers during autumnal circulation in a hypertrophic lake (Heiligensee,Berlin)

Quantitative samples were taken in the pelagial zone of hypertrophic Heiligensee (Berlin, Germany) in the late summer and autumn of 1990. Abundances of 26 species occurring in the plankton, as well as physical and chemical parameters (water temperature, O₂, total phosphorus, SRP, NO₃ ^–, NO₂ ^– NH₄ ⁺ , chlorophyll a) were determined at different depths. Erosion of the hypolimnion due to autumnal storms and decrease in temperature was interrupted by fine weather periods with the occurrence of re-stratification, thus allowing mass production of algae and rotifers (Synchaeta oblonga, S. tremula, Keratella cochlearis) through exploitation of newly available nutrients. Warm stenothermal summer species (e.g. Pompholyx sulcata, Trichocerca pusilla, Liliferotrocha subtilis) became less abundant as a consequence of the progressive mixing process, whereas the appearance of new species was a rare event. The late summer occurrence of Liliferotrocha subtilis in the fraction < 30 µm (up to 3500 ind. l^–1) is remarkable. Keratella cochlearis showed morphological variation from spineless summer forms to spine-bearing autumnal forms, the latter particularly dominating the deeper water layers. The prevailing phenomenon was the dramatic decrease of the total number of individuals and of species towards completion of autumnal turnover. The impact of falling temperature, increasing mixing depth and mass production of phytoplankton on the rotifer plankton community is discussed.     

An experimental test of antagonistic effects of competition and parasitism on host performance in semi‐natural mesocosms

The mechanisms by which parasites can mediate the interactions between species have received increased interest in recent years. Nonetheless, most research has focused on the role of shared parasites as mediators of interspecific competition. Here, we explore the relative effects of Gyrodactylus specialist ectoparasites of Trinidadian guppies Poecilia reticulata on competition between their host and juveniles of the killifish Rivulus hartii. In mesocosms that replicate natural streams, we exposed guppies to only competitors, to only parasites, to both parasites and competitors, or the absence of both. Consistent with previous studies, we found that female guppies grew significantly less where only Gyrodactylus were present, and this was regardless of infection status or parasite load. Surprisingly, this effect of Gyrodactylus on the growth of female guppies was greatly reduced when both parasites and competitors were present in the mesocosms. We conclude that guppies can mediate the effects of Gyrodactylus on competition with Rivulus, by adaptively fine‐tuning their phenotype when simultaneously facing multiple enemies.     

Long-term culture at elevated atmospheric CO2 fails to evoke specific adaptation in seven freshwater phytoplankton species

The concentration of CO₂ in the atmosphere is expected to double by the end of the century. Experiments have shown that this will have important effects on the physiology and ecology of photosynthetic organisms, but it is still unclear if elevated CO₂ will elicit an evolutionary response in primary producers that causes changes in physiological and ecological attributes. In this study, we cultured lines of seven species of freshwater phytoplankton from three major groups at current (approx. 380 ppm CO₂) and predicted future conditions (1000 ppm CO₂) for over 750 generations. We grew the phytoplankton under three culture regimes: nutrient-replete liquid medium, nutrient-poor liquid medium and solid agar medium. We then performed reciprocal transplant assays to test for specific adaptation to elevated CO₂ in these lines. We found no evidence for evolutionary change. We conclude that the physiology of carbon utilization may be conserved in natural freshwater phytoplankton communities experiencing rising atmospheric CO₂ levels, without substantial evolutionary change.     

Incomplete induction of mixis in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Brachionus calyciflorus</Emphasis>: patterns of reproduction at the individual level

In the rotifer Brachionus calyciflorus mictic-female production is density-dependent and appears to be induced by a chemical—a quorum sensing molecule—produced by the females themselves. Even at the highest densities, however, populations never become entirely mictic: i.e., some amictic females continue to be produced. Surprisingly, the phenomenon also occurs in clonal laboratory populations with genetically identical individuals. Here, we study how this ecologically adaptive phenomenon is generated at the level of individual reproducing females. In a life-history experiment we subjected 123 amictic females of a clone of B. calyciflorus separately to a daily renewed stimulus of culture medium conditioned at a density of 30 females ml⁻¹. For each of these mothers we isolated the lifetime offspring individually and recorded whether these females were amictic or mictic. Mothers produced on average 16 offspring but none of the mothers produced 100% mictic offspring; the average proportion of mictic females was 30%, despite the extremely strong stimulus. The distribution of amictic vs. mictic offspring was not uniform over the mothers’ lifetime. Early and late offspring had a low probability of being mictic whereas mid-aged mothers produced the highest proportion of mictic daughters (up to 56%). We conclude that not all oocytes of B. calyciflorus can be turned into mictic females, even when the mictic-female-inducing stimulus is extremely high. Propensity to become a mictic female also depends on the rank of an egg within a female’s offspring production. Despite these regularities, we observed considerable stochastic variability with respect to individual mothers’ life histories. Guest editors: S. S. S. Sarma, R. D. Gulati, R. L. Wallace, S. Nandini, H. J. Dumont & R. Rico-Martínez. Advances in Rotifer Research.