Vedel, V., Brena, C., & Arthur, W. (2009). Demonstration of a heritable component of the variation in segment number in the centipede Strigamia maritima. Evol. Dev., 11(4), 434–440.
Abstract: Here we address the question of how arthropod segment number may evolve by reporting the results of further work on the model system Strigamia maritima. Recently, we showed that there was a plastic component of the variation in segment number within this species; now we demonstrate that there is also a heritable component. This is important because it enables a connection to be made between the known latitudinal trend among species of geophilomorph centipedes ( more segments at lower latitudes) and the parallel trend within them. This latter trend is best documented in S. maritima but is also known in several other species. However, while a general connection between the inter- and intraspecific trends can now be made, deciding upon a specific hypothesis of the nature of the selection involved is still problematic. We provide two alternative hypotheses, one based on the temperature-related plasticity in segment number being adaptive, the other based on it being nonadaptive.
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Vedel, V., Apostolou, Z., Arthur, W., Akam, M., & Brena, C. (2010). An early temperature-sensitive period for the plasticity of segment number in the centipede Strigamia maritima. Evol Dev, 12(4), 347–352.
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Peguero, G., Sardans, J., Asensio, D., Fernández-Martínez, M., Gargallo-Garriga, A., Grau, O., et al. (2019). Nutrient scarcity strengthens soil fauna control over leaf litter decomposition in tropical rainforests. Proc. Biol. Sci., 286(1910), 20191300.
Abstract: Soil fauna is a key control of the decomposition rate of leaf litter, yet its interactions with litter quality and the soil environment remain elusive. We conducted a litter decomposition experiment across different topographic levels within the landscape replicated in two rainforest sites providing natural gradients in soil fertility to test the hypothesis that low nutrient availability in litter and soil increases the strength of fauna control over litter decomposition. We crossed these data with a large dataset of 44 variables characterizing the biotic and abiotic microenvironment of each sampling point and found that microbe-driven carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) losses from leaf litter were 10.1 and 17.9% lower, respectively, in the nutrient-poorest site, but this among-site difference was equalized when meso- and macrofauna had access to the litterbags. Further, on average, soil fauna enhanced the rate of litter decomposition by 22.6%, and this contribution consistently increased as nutrient availability in the microenvironment declined. Our results indicate that nutrient scarcity increases the importance of soil fauna on C and N cycling in tropical rainforests. Further, soil fauna is able to equalize differences in microbial decomposition potential, thus buffering to a remarkable extent nutrient shortages at an ecosystem level.
Keywords: biogeochemistry; extracellular enzyme activity; litter decomposition; nutrients; soil fauna
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Brousseau, L., Tinaut, A., Duret, C., Lang, T., Garnier-Gere, P., & Scotti, I. (2014). High-throughput transcriptome sequencing and preliminary functional analysis in four Neotropical tree species. BMC Genomics, 15(238), 1–13.
Abstract: Background: The Amazonian rainforest is predicted to suffer from ongoing environmental changes. Despite the need to evaluate the impact of such changes on tree genetic diversity, we almost entirely lack genomic resources. Results: In this study, we analysed the transcriptome of four tropical tree species (Carapa guianensis, Eperua falcata, Symphonia globulifera and Virola michelii) with contrasting ecological features, belonging to four widespread botanical families (respectively Meliaceae, Fabaceae, Clusiaceae and Myristicaceae). We sequenced cDNA libraries from three organs (leaves, stems, and roots) using 454 pyrosequencing. We have developed an R and bioperl-based bioinformatic procedure for de novo assembly, gene functional annotation and marker discovery. Mismatch identification takes into account single-base quality values as well as the likelihood of false variants as a function of contig depth and number of sequenced chromosomes. Between 17103 (for Symphonia globulifera) and 23390 (for Eperua falcata) contigs were assembled. Organs varied in the numbers of unigenes they apparently express, with higher number in roots. Patterns of gene expression were similar across species, with metabolism of aromatic compounds standing out as an overrepresented gene function. Transcripts corresponding to several gene functions were found to be over- or underrepresented in each organ. We identified between 4434 (for Symphonia globulifera) and 9076 (for Virola surinamensis) well-supported mismatches. The resulting overall mismatch density was comprised between 0.89 (S. globulifera) and 1.05 (V. surinamensis) mismatches/100 bp in variation-containing contigs.Conclusion: The relative representation of gene functions in the four transcriptomes suggests that secondary metabolism may be particularly important in tropical trees. The differential representation of transcripts among tissues suggests differential gene expression, which opens the way to functional studies in these non-model, ecologically important species. We found substantial amounts of mismatches in the four species. These newly identified putative variants are a first step towards acquiring much needed genomic resources for tropical tree species. © 2014 Brousseau et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.
Keywords: 454-Pyrosequencing; Polymorphism discovery; Tropical rainforest tree species
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Le Guen, V., Rodier-Goud, M., Troispoux, V., Xiong, T. C., Brottier, P., Billot, C., et al. (2004). Characterization of polymorphic microsatellite markers for Microcyclus ulei, causal, agent of South American leaf blight of rubber trees. Mol. Ecol. Notes, 4(1), 122–124.
Abstract: South American leaf blight caused by the ascomycete Microcyclus Wei is the most harmful disease of the rubber tree in Latin America and a potential threat to Asiatic and African natural rubber production. Until now, the variability of this fungus was assessed through observation of pathogenicity of isolates on a range of rubber tree clones with known resistance reactions. The present study describes the process used to design 11 microsatellite markers and evaluates their usefulness in detecting genetic polymorphism. Nine of these markers were polymorphic among six isolates from Brazil (with two to three alleles per locus) and five markers were polymorphic among four isolates from French Guiana (with two to four alleles per locus).
Keywords: Hevea brasiliensis; Microcyclus ulei; microsatellite markers; phytopathogenic fungi; South American leaf blight
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Audigeos, D., Buonamici, A., Belkadi, L., Rymer, P., Boshier, D., Scotti-Saintagne, C., et al. (2010). Aquaporins in the wild: natural genetic diversity and selective pressure in the PIP gene family in five Neotropical tree species. BMC Evol. Biol., 10, 18.
Abstract: Background: Tropical trees undergo severe stress through seasonal drought and flooding, and the ability of these species to respond may be a major factor in their survival in tropical ecosystems, particularly in relation to global climate change. Aquaporins are involved in the regulation of water flow and have been shown to be involved in drought response; they may therefore play a major adaptive role in these species. We describe genetic diversity in the PIP sub-family of the widespread gene family of Aquaporins in five Neotropical tree species covering four botanical families. Results: PIP Aquaporin subfamily genes were isolated, and their DNA sequence polymorphisms characterised in natural populations. Sequence data were analysed with statistical tests of standard neutral equilibrium and demographic scenarios simulated to compare with the observed results. Chloroplast SSRs were also used to test demographic transitions. Most gene fragments are highly polymorphic and display signatures of balancing selection or bottlenecks; chloroplast SSR markers have significant statistics that do not conform to expectations for population bottlenecks. Although not incompatible with a purely demographic scenario, the combination of all tests tends to favour a selective interpretation of extant gene diversity. Conclusions: Tropical tree PIP genes may generally undergo balancing selection, which may maintain high levels of genetic diversity at these loci. Genetic variation at PIP genes may represent a response to variable environmental conditions.
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Schimann, H., Petit-Jean, C., Guitet, S., Reis, T., Domenach, A. M., & Roggy, J. - C. (2012). Microbial bioindicators of soil functioning after disturbance: The case of gold mining in tropical rainforests of French Guiana. Ecol. Indic., 20, 34–41.
Abstract: In the context of an ongoing monitoring study on the impacts of gold-mining activities on critical ecosystem processes, we explored the use of soil Denitrifying Enzyme Activity (DEA) and Substrate Induced Respiration (SIR) as ecosystem indicators in tropical rainforests of French Guiana. We also propose DEA/SIR ratio as ecosystem attribute able to describe the state of an ecosystem and to reflect changes in ecological processes. With this purpose, we measured SIR, DEA and DEA/SIR ratio in five gold-mining areas and five surrounding natural reference rainforests. We also measured indicators in two conditions of spontaneous regeneration of vegetation (stratified or not) and two conditions of soil rehabilitation (prior preparation of soils or not). We showed a high variability of DEA, SIR and DEA/SIR ratio in the natural reference forests. This pointed out the necessity to identify relevant reference systems – i.e. proving a close match in all relevant ecological dimensions – to compare with closed perturbed systems in order to assess the levels of alterations after disturbances. Results showed a high impact of gold mine on microbial processes with a strong decrease of DEA (10-fold lower), SIR (2-fold lower) and DEA/SIR ratio (8-fold lower) in perturbed areas in comparison with natural reference forests. The type of spontaneous vegetation (stratified or not) influenced the values of indicators as well as prior rehabilitation of soils, demonstrating the capacity of DEA, SIR and DEA/SIR ratio to respond in proportion to the perturbation (robustness) and to the different levels of restoration (sensitivity). The systematic decrease of the ratio DEA/SIR observed in the studied perturbed situations demonstrates clearly that the structure of microbial communities has been also modified. The ratio DEA/SIR proved to be robust and sensitive, and able to describe in fairly fine way changes of soil microbial communities in terms of structure and function in gold mine areas and during processes of restoration. We propose to use DEA, SIR and DEA/SIR ratio as bioindicators of both structural and functional aspects of C and N cycling in soils. Together with others bioindicators based on key supporting functions in soils, these indicators should accurately evaluate the ecological potential of natural ecosystems and the levels of degradation in case of land-use changes. © 2012 Elsevier Ltd.
Keywords: Bioindicators; DEA/SIR ratio; Denitrifying Enzyme Activity (DEA); Disturbance; Substrate Induced Respiration (SIR); Tropical rainforest
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Céréghino, R., Françoise, L., Bonhomme, C., Carrias, J. - F., Compin, A., Corbara, B., et al. (2020). Desiccation resistance traits predict freshwater invertebrate survival and community response to drought scenarios in a Neotropical ecosystem. Ecol. Indic., 119(106839).
Abstract: The intensification of dry seasons is a major threat to freshwater biodiversity in Neotropical regions. Little is known about resistance to drying stress and the underpinning traits in Neotropical freshwater species, so we don't know whether desiccation resistance allows to anticipate shifts in biological diversity under future climate scenarios. Here, we used the aquatic invertebrates that live in the rainwater-filled leaves of tank bromeliads, to examine the extent to which desiccation resistance of species measured in the laboratory predicts community response to drought intensification in nature. We measured desiccation resistance in 17 invertebrate species (>90% of the biomass usually found in bromeliads of French Guiana) by recording the median lethal time (LT50) of experimental populations exposed to controlled conditions of residual moisture. In the field, we placed rainshelters above tank bromeliads to emulate drought scenarios ranging from the ambient norm to IPCC scenarios and extreme events, and we recorded the response of functional community structure. LT50 ranged from 4.18 to 19.06 days, and was related to cuticle content and dry body mass. Among other functional indicators that represent strategies to optimize resource use under stressful conditions (e.g., habitat use, trophic specialization), LT50 was the best predictor of community structure responses along a gradient of emulated drought intensities. Therefore, species’ LT50s measured under laboratory conditions can be used to forecast aquatic community response to drying stress in nature. Anticipating how species will cope with drought has never been more important for environmental managers to support climate change adaptation. We show that desiccation resistance in freshwater invertebrates is a key indicator of potential population size and local–global range shifts, and this could be especially true in the Neotropics where species have narrow physiological tolerances for climatic variation. © 2020 Elsevier Ltd
Keywords: Climate change; Functional traits; Lt50; Macroinvertebrates; Rainforests; Biodiversity; Climate change; Driers (materials); Drought; Environmental management; Population statistics; Tanks (containers); Water; Aquatic invertebrates; Climate change adaptation; Controlled conditions; Environmental managers; Freshwater biodiversity; Freshwater invertebrates; Future climate scenarios; Laboratory conditions; Aquatic organisms; aquatic community; biodiversity; climate change; cuticle; desiccation; drought stress; invertebrate; Neotropical Region; population size; survival; French Guiana; Invertebrata
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Céréghino, R., Corbara, B., Hénaut, Y., Bonhomme, C., Compin, A., & Dejean, A. (2019). Ant and spider species as surrogates for functional community composition of epiphyte-associated invertebrates in a tropical moist forest. Ecological Indicators, 96, 694–700.
Abstract: Epiphytes represent up to 50% of all plant species in rainforests, where they host a substantial amount of invertebrate biomass. Efficient surrogates for epiphyte invertebrate communities could reduce the cost of biomonitoring surveys while preventing destructive sampling of the plants. Here, we focus on the invertebrate communities associated to tank bromeliads. We ask whether the presence of particular ant and/or spider taxa (easily surveyed taxa) that use these plants as nesting and/or foraging habitats predicts functional trait combinations of aquatic invertebrate communities hosted by the plants. Functional community composition of invertebrates was predicted both by bromeliad habitat features and the presence of certain ant and spider species. The ant Azteca serica preferred wider bromeliad rosettes that trap large amount of detritus, indicating interstitial-like food webs dominated by deposit feeders that burrow in fine particulate organic matter. Leucauge sp. spiders preferred narrower bromeliad rosettes bearing smaller detrital loads, thereby indicating a dominance of pelagic filter-feeding and predatory invertebrates in the water-filled leaf axils. Both Neoponera villosa ants and Eriophora sp. spiders preferred rosettes at intermediate size bearing moderate amounts of detritus, indicating a benthic food web dominated by leaf shredders and gathering collectors. Owing to the animal diversity and biomass supported by rainforest epiphytes, our approach would deserve to be further tested on a range of epiphytes involved in tight interactions with invertebrates. In this context, surrogate species could serve both as indicators of functional diversity, and as early-warning indicators of network disassembly.
Keywords: Functional traits; Indicator species; Phytotelmata; Rainforests; Surrogacy; Tank bromeliads
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Marcon, E., & Puech, F. (2010). Measures of the geographic concentration of industries: improving distance-based methods. J. Econ. Geogr., 10(5), 745–762.
Abstract: We discuss a property of distance-based measures that has not been addressed with regard to evaluating the geographic concentration of economic activities. The article focuses on the choice between a probability density function of point-pair distances or a cumulative function. We begin by introducing a new cumulative function, M, for evaluating the relative geographic concentration and the co-location of industries in a non-homogeneous spatial framework. Secondly, some rigorous comparisons are made with the leading probability density function of Duranton and Overman (2005), Kd. The merits of the simultaneous use of Kd and M is proved, underlining the complementary nature of the results they provide.
Keywords: Geographic concentration; distance-based methods; K-density function; Ripley's K function; M function; C40; C60; R12; L60
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