Genotype‐environment interactions rule the response of a widespread butterfly to temperature variation

Günter, Franziska; Beaulieu, Michaël; Freiberg, Kasimir F.; Welzel, Ines; Toshkova, Nia; Žagar, Anamarija; Simčić, Tatjana; Fischer, Klaus

doi:10.1111/jeb.13623

Cited by 13 publications

(29 citation statements)

References 73 publications

(116 reference statements)

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“…This may reflect geographical variation in life styles and accordingly antioxidant defence mechanisms. Swedish individuals showed the lowest early fecundity in the current study, and are also known to have the lowest growth rates (Günter et al 2020). Thus, Swedish individuals seem to have a slower life style and to invest more strongly into maintenance, while Italian individuals show the opposite pattern, which may reflect a 'pace-of-life' syndrome (Montiglio et al 2018).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 46%

“…We have used this latitudinal gradient and the according populations before to investigate (1) phenotypic variation in field-collected males (Günter et al 2019 ) and (2) genetic variation and developmental plasticity (Günter et al 2020 ). We found decreased body size, increased wing melanisation, and reduced yellow reflectance with increasing latitude (and altitude in additional populations) in field-collected males (Günter et al 2019 ).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…We found decreased body size, increased wing melanisation, and reduced yellow reflectance with increasing latitude (and altitude in additional populations) in field-collected males (Günter et al 2019 ). Using a common garden design, we found that individuals from cooler environments were less heat-tolerant, had a longer development time but were, nevertheless, smaller, and had more strongly melanised wings (Günter et al 2020 ). In addition, we showed that a higher developmental temperature speeded up development, reduced body size, potential metabolic activity, and wing melanisation but increased heat tolerance.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Because of potential trade-offs between physiological defence mechanisms and other fitness components, we also examined body size and fecundity in parallel to defence mechanisms. Based on a known converse Bergmann cline (Blanckenhorn et al 2006 ; Nygren et al 2008 ) in body size in P. napi (Petersen 1947 ; Nylin and Svärd 1991 ; Günter et al 2020 ), we predicted smaller individuals at higher latitude, which may be associated with slower growth and decreased fecundity (Honěk 1993 ; Blanckenhorn 2000 ). A reduced fecundity may potentially allow for increased investment into defence mechanisms in individuals from high latitude in response to thermal stress.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…We here investigate variation in body size, fecundity, and physiological defence mechanisms in relation to short-term thermal stress along a latitudinal gradient in the green-veined white butterfly Pieris napi . This species has a wide distribution range and is known to show local adaptation (Günter et al 2019 , 2020 ). Specifically, we focus on geographic variation in physiological responses to short-term temperature stress, including a simulated hot summer day which will increase in frequency with climate change.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Clinal variation in investment into reproduction versus maintenance suggests a ‘pace-of-life’ syndrome in a widespread butterfly

et al. 2020

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Extreme weather events such as heat waves are predicted to increase in the course of anthropogenic climate change. Widespread species are exposed to a variety of environmental conditions throughout their distribution range, often resulting in local adaptation. Consequently, populations from different regions may vary in their capacity to deal with challenging conditions such as thermal stress. In this study, we investigated clinal variation in body size, fecundity, and oxidative markers along a pan-European latitudinal gradient in the green-veined white butterfly Pieris napi, and additionally gene expression in German individuals. We exposed butterflies from replicated Italian, German, and Swedish populations to cold, control, or hot temperatures for 24 h. Under hot conditions, molecular chaperones were up-regulated, while oxidative damage remained unaffected and levels of the antioxidant glutathione (GSH) were reduced under cold and hot conditions. Thus, the short-term exposure to heat stress did not substantially affect oxidative balance. Moreover, we found decreased body size and fecundity in cooler compared with warmer regions. Interestingly, oxidative damage was lowest in Swedish animals exhibiting (1) high levels of GSH, (2) low early fecundity, and (3) low larval growth rates. These results suggest that Swedish butterflies have a slower life style and invest more strongly into maintenance, while those from warmer regions show the opposite pattern, which may reflect a 'pace-of-life' syndrome.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 46%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Clinal variation in investment into reproduction versus maintenance suggests a ‘pace-of-life’ syndrome in a widespread butterfly

et al. 2020

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Population‐specific responses of an insect herbivore to variation in host‐plant quality

Kuczyk

Raharivololoniaina

Fischer

2021

Ecology and Evolution

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Anthropogenic climate change poses a substantial challenge to many organisms, to which they need to respond to avoid fitness reductions. Investigating responses to environmental change is particularly interesting in herbivores, as they are potentially affected by indirect effects mediated via variation in host‐plant quality. We here use the herbivorous insect Pieris napi to investigate geographic variation in the response to variation in food quality. We performed a common garden experiment using replicated populations from Germany and Italy, and manipulated host quality by growing host plants at different temperature and water regimes. We found that feeding on plants grown at a higher temperature generally diminished the performance of P. napi, evidenced by a prolonged development time and reduced larval growth rate, body mass, fat content, and phenoloxidase activity. Genotype by environment interactions (G × E) were present in several performance traits, indicating that Italian populations (1) respond more strongly to variation in host‐plant quality and (2) are more sensitive to poor food quality than German ones. This may reflect a cost of the rapid lifestyle found in Italian populations. Consequently, German populations may be more resilient against environmental perturbations and may perhaps even benefit from warmer temperatures, while Italian populations will likely suffer from the concomitantly reduced host‐plant quality. Our study thus exemplifies how investigating G × E may help to better understand the vulnerability of populations to climate change.

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Genome-wide sequencing identifies a thermal-tolerance related synonymous mutation in the mussel, Mytilisepta virgata

Tan

et al. 2023

Commun Biol

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The roles of synonymous mutations for adapting to stressful thermal environments are of fundamental biological and ecological interests but poorly understood. To study whether synonymous mutations influence thermal adaptation at specific microhabitats, a genome-wide genotype-phenotype association analysis is carried out in the black mussels Mytilisepta virgata. A synonymous mutation of Ubiquitin-specific Peptidase 15 (MvUSP15) is significantly associated with the physiological upper thermal limit. The individuals carrying GG genotype (the G-type) at the mutant locus possess significantly lower heat tolerance compared to the individuals carrying GA and AA genotypes (the A-type). When heated to sublethal temperature, the G-type exhibit higher inter-individual variations in MvUSP15 expression, especially for the mussels on the sun-exposed microhabitats. Taken together, a synonymous mutation in MvUSP15 can affect the gene expression profile and interact with microhabitat heterogeneity to influence thermal resistance. This integrative study sheds light on the ecological importance of adaptive synonymous mutations as an underappreciated genetic buffer against heat stress and emphasizes the importance of integrative studies at a microhabitat scale for evaluating and predicting the impacts of climate change.

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Genotype‐environment interactions rule the response of a widespread butterfly to temperature variation

Abstract: This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Cited by 13 publications

References 73 publications

Clinal variation in investment into reproduction versus maintenance suggests a ‘pace-of-life’ syndrome in a widespread butterfly

Clinal variation in investment into reproduction versus maintenance suggests a ‘pace-of-life’ syndrome in a widespread butterfly

Population‐specific responses of an insect herbivore to variation in host‐plant quality

Genome-wide sequencing identifies a thermal-tolerance related synonymous mutation in the mussel, Mytilisepta virgata

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