Variation of carbon isotope fractionation in hydrogenotrophic methanogenic microbial cultures and environmental samples at different energy status

Methane is a major product of anaerobic degradation of organic matter and an important greenhouse gas. Its stable carbon isotope composition can be used to reveal active methanogenic pathways, if associated isotope fractionation factors are known. To clarify the causes that lead to the wide variation of fractionation factors of methanogenesis from H₂ plus CO₂ (), pure cultures and various cocultures were grown under different thermodynamic conditions. In syntrophic and obligate syntrophic cocultures thriving on different carbohydrate substrates, fermentative bacteria were coupled to three different species of hydrogenotrophic methanogens of the families Methanobacteriaceae and Methanomicrobiaceae. We found that C‐isotope fractionation was correlated to the Gibbs free energy change (ΔG) of CH₄ formation from H₂ plus CO₂ and that the relation can be described by a semi‐Gauss curve. The derived relationship was used to quantify the average ΔG that is available to hydrogenotrophic methanogenic archaea in their habitat, thus avoiding the problems encountered with measurement of low H₂ concentrations on a microscale. Boreal peat, rice field soil, and rumen fluid, which represent major sources of atmospheric CH₄, exhibited increasingly smaller , indicating that thermodynamic conditions for hydrogenotrophic methanogens became increasingly more favourable. Vice versa, we hypothesize that environments with similar energetic conditions will also exhibit similar isotope fractionation. Our results, thus, provide a mechanistic constraint for modelling the ¹³C flux from microbial sources of atmospheric CH₄.     

Evolution des Asteropyginae (Trilobita) et variations eustatiques au Dévonien

La sous-famille Asteropyginae regroupe des Trilobites de la Famille Dalmanitidae qui se sont développés pendant environ 40 millions d'années, du Lochkovien au Frasnien (Dévonien). Leur extension géographique, des Appalaches à la Birmanie, et leur diversification spécifique (225 espèces environ), ont subi des variations pendant cette période. La comparaison des changements de paléoenvironnement avec l'évolution des Asteropyginae, en particulier sur la base des courbes de variations eustatiques, montre la possibilité de relations entre les deux phénomènes. Après une période lente de diversification des Asteropyginae au Lochkovien-Praguien en Europe el en Afrique du Nord, le processus s'accélère au cours de l'Emsien conduisant au nombre maximal de genres et d'espèces. Au passage Emsien-Eifelien. une phase transgressive provoque une crise importante au sein de ce groupe, Pendant le Givetien et le Frasnien inférieur se produit une deuxième phase de développement, moins importante que la précédente, mais qui est accentuée par la radiation adaptative liée à la migration du groupe vers les Appalaches et l'Afghanistan. Cette phase est interrompue au Frasnien supérieur. Le groupe décline alors et ne franchit pas la limite Frasnien-Famennien, l'extinction se situe juste sous l'événement ‘Kellwasser supérieur’, phase de transgression maximale. *Trilobites, Asteropyginae, Devonien, Evolution, Environnement. The subfamily Asteropyginae brings together trilobites of the family Dalmanitidae, which developed for about 40 million years from the Lochkovian to the Frasnian (Devonian). Their geographical extension, from the Appalachian Mountains to Burma, and their specific diversification (about 225 species) underwent variations during that time. The comparison of the palaeoenvironmental changes with the evolution within Asteropyginae, particularly on the basis of eustatic variation curves, shows possible relations between the two phenomena. After a slow diversification period of the Asteropyginae in Europe and North Africa during the Lochkovian and the Pragian, the process accelerates in the course of the Emsian, thus leading to the maximum number of genera and species. Near the Emsian-Eifelian boundary, a transgressive phase produces a dramatic crisis within the group. During the Givetian and the Lower Frasnian a second phase occurs, less important than the former, but which is accentuated by the adaptive radiation linked with the group's migration toward the Appalachians and Afghanistan. An important change occurs during the Upper Frasnian. The group declines and fails to cross the Frasnian-Famennian boundary; its extinction takes place just beneath the Upper Kellwasser event, the phase of maximum transgression.     

Tracking genes of ecological relevance using a genome scan in two independent regional population samples of Arabis alpina

Understanding the genetic basis of adaptation in response to environmental variation is fundamental as adaptation plays a key role in the extension of ecological niches to marginal habitats and in ecological speciation. Based on the assumption that some genomic markers are correlated to environmental variables, we aimed to detect loci of ecological relevance in the alpine plant Arabis alpina L. sampled in two regions, the French (99 locations) and the Swiss (109 locations) Alps. We used an unusually large genome scan [825 amplified fragment length polymorphism loci (AFLPs)] and four environmental variables related to temperature, precipitation and topography. We detected linkage disequilibrium among only 3.5% of the considered AFLP loci. A population structure analysis identified no admixture in the study regions, and the French and Swiss Alps were differentiated and therefore could be considered as two independent regions. We applied generalized estimating equations (GEE) to detect ecologically relevant loci separately in the French and Swiss Alps. We identified 78 loci of ecological relevance (9%), which were mainly related to mean annual minimum temperature. Only four of these loci were common across the French and Swiss Alps. Finally, we discuss that the genomic characterization of these ecologically relevant loci, as identified in this study, opens up new perspectives for studying functional ecology in A. alpina, its relatives and other alpine plant species.     

Repeated unidirectional introgression towards Populus balsamifera in contact zones of exotic and native poplars

As the evolutionary significance of hybridization is largely dictated by its extent beyond the first generation, we broadly surveyed patterns of introgression across a sympatric zone of two native poplars ( Populus balsamifera , Populus deltoides ) in Quebec, Canada within which European exotic Populus nigra and its hybrids have been extensively planted since the 1800s. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that appeared fixed within each species were characterized by DNA-sequencing pools of pure individuals. Thirty-five of these diagnostic SNPs were employed in a high-throughput assay that genotyped 635 trees of different age classes, sampled from 15 sites with various degrees of anthropogenic disturbance. The degree of admixture within sampled trees was then assessed through Bayesian clustering of genotypes. Hybrids were present in seven of the populations, with 2.4% of all sampled trees showing spontaneous admixture. Sites with hybrids were significantly more disturbed than pure stands, while hybrids comprised both immature juveniles and trees of reproductive age. All three possible F1s were detected. Advanced-generation hybrids were consistently biased towards P. balsamifera regardless of whether hybridization had occurred with P. deltoides or P. nigra. Gene exchange between P. deltoides and P. nigra was not detected beyond the F1 generation; however, detection of a trihybrid demonstrates that even this apparent reproductive isolation does not necessarily result in an evolutionary dead end. Collectively, results demonstrate the natural fertility of hybrid poplars and suggest that introduced genes could potentially affect the genetic integrity of native trees, similar to that arising from introgression between natives.     

Evolution of the population structure of Venturia inaequalis,the apple scab fungus,associated with the domestication of its host

Evaluating the impact of plant domestication on the population structure of the associated pathogens provides an opportunity to increase our understanding of how and why diseases emerge. Here, we investigated the evolution of the population structure of the apple scab fungus Venturia inaequalis in response to the domestication of its host. Inferences were drawn from multilocus microsatellite data obtained from samples collected on (i) the Central Asian Malus sieversii, the main progenitor of apple, (ii) the European crabapple, Malus sylvestris, a secondary progenitor of apple, and (iii) the cultivated apple, Malus×domestica, in orchards from Europe and Central Asia. Using clustering methods, we identified three distinct populations: (i) a large European population on domesticated and wild apples, (ii) a large Central Asian population on domesticated and wild apples in urban and agricultural areas, and (iii) a more geographically restricted population in M. sieversii forests growing in the eastern mountains of Kazakhstan. Unique allele richness and divergence time estimates supported a host‐tracking co‐evolutionary scenario in which this latter population represents a relict of the ancestral populations from which current populations found in human‐managed habitats were derived. Our analyses indicated that the domestication of apple induced a significant change in the genetic differentiation of populations of V. inaequalis in its centre of origin, but had little impact on its population dynamics and mating system. We discuss how the structure of the apple‐based agrosystem may have restricted changes in the population structure of the fungus in response to the domestication of its host.     

Climate as a driver of population variability in breeding Gentoo Penguins Pygoscelis papua at the Falkland Islands

Detecting and predicting how populations respond to environmental variability are eminent challenges in conservation research and management. This is particularly true for wildlife populations at high latitudes, many of which demonstrate changes in population dynamics associated with global warming. The Falkland Islands (Southwest Atlantic) hold one of the largest Gentoo Penguin Pygoscelis papua populations in the world, representing c. 34% of the global population. The numbers of breeding Gentoo Penguins at the Falkland Islands have shown a high degree of inter‐annual variability since monitoring commenced in 1990. However, proximate causes of annual variability in breeding numbers have not been explored. Here we examine 21 years of Gentoo Penguin breeding surveys from the Falkland Islands and assess whether inter‐annual variability in the number of breeding pairs were correlated with proxies of environmental variability. There was a positive correlation between the number of breeding pairs and a broad‐scale climatic variation index, the Southern Oscillation Index (SOI). In turn, the SOI was significantly correlated with spring sea surface temperature anomalies, indicating a more immediate atmospherically forced response to El Niño Southern Oscillation variability in the Southwest Atlantic than previously reported. However, we also describe a non‐linear response to environmental variability that may highlight foraging plasticity and/or the complexity of regional ecosystem interactions that operate across a range of different scales.     

Evolution and determinants of host specificity in the genus Lamellodiscus (Monogenea)

The evolution and determinants of host specificity in Lamellodiscus species (Monogenea, Diplectanidae) were investigated. The 20 known Mediterranean species were studied, all parasites of fishes from the family Sparidae (Teleostei). An index of specificity, which takes into account the phylogenetic relationships of their fish host species, was defined. The link between specificity and its potential determinants was investigated in a phylogenetic context using the method of independent contrasts. Host specificity in Lamellodiscus species appeared to be highly constrained by phylogeny, but also linked to host size. Mapping specificity onto the parasite phylogenetic tree suggests that specialist species do not represent an evolutionary dead end, and that specialization is not a derived condition. It is hypothesized that the ability to be generalist or specialist in Lamellodiscus is controlled by intrinsic, phylogenetically-related characteristics, and that specialist species tend to use large hosts, which may be more predictable.  © 2002 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society , 2002, 77, 431−443.     

Androgen Regulation of Avian Premigratory Hyperphagia and Fattening: From Eco-Physiology to Neuroendocrinology

In many high latitude-breeding avian species, reproductive andwintering seasons are separated by migratory periods that involvedramatic physiological and behavioral adjustments such as hyperphagiaand fat deposition. The endocrine mechanisms responsible forthese adjustments have been extensively studied, yet remainonly partly understood. The currently available informationindicates that food consumption and/or fattening can be experimentallymodulated by multiple hormones including testosterone, prolactin,glucocorticoids, and opioids. These hormones may control migratoryfunctions through mutual interactions rather than independently.Little is known, however, concerning the nature of these interactionsand their relative importance in the control of annual cyclesin natural conditions. This paper focuses on the role of gonadalandrogens in the control of migratory functions, and it summarizesthe information which is available on the physiological andbehavioral interactions between these androgens and other hormones.