Evolution of cold tolerance and thermal plasticity in life history, behaviour and physiology during a poleward range expansion

Abstract

1. Many species that are moving polewards encounter novel thermal regimes to which they have to adapt. Therefore, rapid evolution of thermal tolerance and of thermal plasticity in fitness-related traits in edge populations can be crucial for the success and speed of range expansions.2. We tested for adaptation in cold tolerance and in life history, behavioural and physiological traits and their thermal plasticity during a poleward range expansion.3. We reconstructed the thermal performance curves of life history (survival, growth and development rates), behaviour (food intake) and cold tolerance (chill coma recovery time) in the aquatic larval stage of the damselfly Ischnura elegans that is currently showing a poleward range expansion in northern Europe. We studied larvae from three edge and three core populations using a common-garden experiment.4. Consistent with the colder annual temperatures, larvae at the expansion front evolved an improved cold tolerance. The edge populations showed no overall (across temperatures) evolution of a faster life history that would improve their range-shifting ability. Moreover, consistent with damselfly edge populations from colder latitudes, edge populations evolved at the highest rearing temperature (28°C) a faster development rate, likely to better exploit the rare periods with higher temperatures. This was associated with a higher food intake and a lower metabolic rate. 5. In conclusion, our results suggest that the edge populations rapidly evolved adaptive changes in trait means and thermal plasticity to the novel thermal conditions at the edge front. Our results highlight the importance of considering besides trait plasticity and the evolution of trait means, also the evolution of trait plasticity to improve forecasts of responses to climate change. K E Y W O R D Schill coma recovery time, evolution of plasticity, life history evolution, range expansion, thermal performance curves | INTRODUC TI ONMany species are shifting their distributions, often in a poleward direction (Chen et al., 2011). It is becoming increasingly clear that it is crucial to study the evolution of trait changes associated with range shifts to mechanistically understand (Diamond, 2018) and forecast (Bush et al., 2016; Nadeau & Urban, 2019) range dynamics. Yet, while edge-core differentiation in phenotypic traits has been widely documented (e.g. overviews in Chuang & Peterson, 2016; Hill et al., 2011), we often lack knowledge whether the trait changes are plastic or | 1667

Evolution of predator–prey interactions during range expansion in an aquatic insect predator

“…Directly after the growth rate estimation, one subset of larvae was used to estimate the functional response, and another subset to measure metabolic rate. Routine metabolic rate (MO 2 ) was determined using closed respirometry (Carbonell et al, 2021). Metabolic rate was estimated on a subset of 15 larvae per combination of temperature and region (total of 60 larvae).…”

“…Accordingly, an increasing number of studies have documented rapid evolution and thermal plasticity of life history traits during range expansions (e.g. Carbonell et al, 2021; Diamond, 2018; Stuart et al, 2019). Yet, range expansion dynamics and their ecological impact may critically depend on interactions with other species and the effects of thermal changes on these interactions (Aguilera et al, 2019; Jones et al, 2020; Nadeau & Urban, 2019).…”

“…A decrease in long‐term interaction strength may cause an increase of trophic system stability by preventing predator and prey extinctions driven by population fluctuations (Fussmann et al, 2014; Rall et al, 2010; Synodinos et al, 2021). Given that both the functional response parameters and their thermal dependence, and other key parameters such as metabolic rate, have been described to evolve across latitudinal gradients in the long‐term (Wang et al, 2021), their rapid evolution during range expansions might be expected (Carbonell et al, 2021; Chuang & Peterson, 2016), and hence also changes in the long‐term interaction strength and in the trophic system stability.…”

The importance of eco-evolutionary dynamics for predicting and managing insect range shifts

“…Many studies of evolution during range shifts in insects have focused on changes in physiological traits under ecological selection (e.g. [21][22][23]). However, novel demographic conditions arising from range expansion can also impose selection on characteristics such as enhanced dispersal or resistance to inbreeding, and on life history traits such as reduced generation time, voltinism and diapause that can speed up the expansion itself [24].…”

Physiological evaluation of newly invasive jorō spiders (Trichonephila clavata) in the southeastern USA compared to their naturalized cousin, Trichonephila clavipes

“…In such cases, it is important to understand the environmental or climatic limitations of the species in question, in order to know in which regions, latitudes or locations it can exist. Physiological assessments of the invading species can help with this, by determining tolerance or plasticity to environmental conditions of a given region (Carbonell et al, 2021; Jacobson et al, 2012; Kelley, 2014; Riddle & Markezich, 1981).…”