Abstract:Phenotypic plasticity has become a key concept to enhance our ability to understand the adaptive potential of species to track the pace of climate change by allowing a relatively rapid adjustment of life‐history traits.
Recently, population‐level trends of an earlier timing of reproduction to climate change have been highlighted in many taxa, but only few studies have explicitly taken into consideration between‐individual heterogeneity in phenotypic plasticity.
Using a long‐term data of a semi‐domesticated rei… Show more
“…Empirical research shows that there are countless processes underlying both fixed and dynamic condition (e.g. Bishop et al, 2019; Bowen et al, 2015; Gould et al, 2018; Paoli et al, 2020), although some of these processes contribute more often to one type of individual heterogeity than the other. For example, among‐individual variation in genotypes will generally produce fixed condition in vital rates; however, mutations in the genome may lead to dynamic condition.…”
Among‐individual variation in vital rates, such as mortality and birth rates, exists in nearly all populations. Recent studies suggest that this individual heterogeneity produces substantial life‐history and fitness differences among individuals, which in turn scale up to influence population dynamics. However, our ability to understand the consequences of individual heterogeneity is limited by inconsistencies across conceptual frameworks in the field. Studies of individual heterogeneity remain filled with contradicting and ambiguous terminology that introduces risks of misunderstandings, conflicting models and unreliable conclusions. Here, we synthesise the existing literature into a single and comparatively straightforward framework with explicit terminology and definitions. This work introduces a distinction between potential vital rates and realised vital rates to develop a coherent framework that maps directly onto mathematical models of individual heterogeneity. We suggest the terms “fixed condition” and “dynamic condition” be used to distinguish potential vital rates that are permanent from those that can change throughout an individual's life. To illustrate, we connect the framework to quantitative genetics models and to common classes of statistical models used to infer individual heterogeneity. We also develop a population projection matrix model that provides an example of how our definitions are translated into precise quantitative terms.
“…Empirical research shows that there are countless processes underlying both fixed and dynamic condition (e.g. Bishop et al, 2019; Bowen et al, 2015; Gould et al, 2018; Paoli et al, 2020), although some of these processes contribute more often to one type of individual heterogeity than the other. For example, among‐individual variation in genotypes will generally produce fixed condition in vital rates; however, mutations in the genome may lead to dynamic condition.…”
Among‐individual variation in vital rates, such as mortality and birth rates, exists in nearly all populations. Recent studies suggest that this individual heterogeneity produces substantial life‐history and fitness differences among individuals, which in turn scale up to influence population dynamics. However, our ability to understand the consequences of individual heterogeneity is limited by inconsistencies across conceptual frameworks in the field. Studies of individual heterogeneity remain filled with contradicting and ambiguous terminology that introduces risks of misunderstandings, conflicting models and unreliable conclusions. Here, we synthesise the existing literature into a single and comparatively straightforward framework with explicit terminology and definitions. This work introduces a distinction between potential vital rates and realised vital rates to develop a coherent framework that maps directly onto mathematical models of individual heterogeneity. We suggest the terms “fixed condition” and “dynamic condition” be used to distinguish potential vital rates that are permanent from those that can change throughout an individual's life. To illustrate, we connect the framework to quantitative genetics models and to common classes of statistical models used to infer individual heterogeneity. We also develop a population projection matrix model that provides an example of how our definitions are translated into precise quantitative terms.
“…Thus, our ability to detect variance in the phenotypic plasticity at the individual level may depend on the environmental conditions experienced by the studied cohort 8 . This evidence of between-individual variation in the thermal reaction norms is an important contribution to our understanding the complexity of plastic responses among organisms and the consequences for coping with current and future climate change 11,26 .…”
Section: Discussionmentioning
confidence: 84%
“…1 c). Without access to individual growth records, the population-level analyses obscure how individuals track the changing environment 11 . Figure 1 Schematic illustration of different levels of variability in individual thermal plasticity of growth.…”
Section: Introductionmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…1c). Without access to individual growth records, the population-level analyses obscure how individuals track the changing environment 11 .…”
Otolith biochronologies combine growth records from individual fish to produce long-term growth sequences, which can help to disentangle individual from population-level responses to environmental variability. This study assessed individual thermal plasticity of Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) growth in Icelandic waters based on measurements of otolith increments. We applied linear mixed-effects models and developed a century-long growth biochronology (1908–2014). We demonstrated interannual and cohort-specific changes in the growth of Icelandic cod over the last century which were mainly driven by temperature variation. Temperature had contrasting relationships with growth—positive for the fish during the youngest ages and negative during the oldest ages. We decomposed the effects of temperature on growth observed at the population level into within-individual effects and among‐individual effects and detected significant individual variation in the thermal plasticity of growth. Variance in the individual plasticity differed across cohorts and may be related to the mean environmental conditions experienced by the group. Our results underscore the complexity of the relationships between climatic conditions and the growth of fish at both the population and individual level, and highlight the need to distinguish between average population responses and growth plasticity of the individuals for accurate growth predictions.
“…Reindeer are highly sexual dimorphic, with adult males weighing up to twofold of females (Geist 1999), suggesting a sexual selected species with a highly polygynous mating system (Holand et al 2019). It is the only deer species where both sexes wear antlers.…”
This volume offers a holistic understanding of the environmental and societal challenges that affect reindeer husbandry in Fennoscandia today.Reindeer husbandry is a livelihood with a long traditional heritage and cultural importance. Like many other pastoral societies, reindeer herders are confronted with significant challenges. Covering Norway, Sweden and Finland -three countries with many differences and similarities -this volume examines how reindeer husbandry is affected by and responds to global environmental change and resource extraction in boreal and arctic social-ecological systems. Beginning with an historical overview of reindeer husbandry, the volume analyses the realities of the present from different perspectives and disciplines. Genetics, behavioural ecology of reindeer, other forms of land use, pastoralists' norms and knowledge, bio-economy and governance structures all set the stage for the complex internal and externally imposed dynamics within reindeer husbandry. In-depth analyses are devoted to particularly urgent challenges, such as land-use conflicts, climate change and predation, identified as having a high potential to shape the future pathways of the pastoral identity and productivity. These futures, with their risks and opportunities, are explored in the final section, offering a synthesis of the comparative approach between the three countries that runs as a recurring theme through the book. With its richness and depth, this volume contributes significantly to the understanding of the substantial impacts on pastoralist communities in northernmost Europe today, while highlighting viable pathways to maintaining reindeer husbandry for the future. This book will be of great interest to students and scholars of both the natural and social sciences who work on natural resource management, global environmental change, pastoralism, ecology, social-ecological systems, rangeland management and Indigenous studies.
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