Mechanistic models project bird invasions with accuracy

Strubbe, Diederik; Jiménez, Laura; Barbosa, A. Márcia; Davis, Amy; Lens, Luc; Rahbek, Carsten

doi:10.1038/s41467-023-38329-4

Cited by 8 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 163 publications

(171 reference statements)

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“…The same applies for the common waxbill, for which the distribution and dispersal of well-studied invasive populations in Iberia have been found to be strongly influenced by climate and habitat gradients (Sullivan & Franco, 2018), but accurate prediction of invasion risk is difficult (Stiels et al, 2015). In an attempt to improve accuracy, Strubbe et al (2023) used thermal physiological approaches to model the species’ potential European distribution range expansion, but faced challenges in inferring key functional traits because of a lack of empirical data from wild individuals, forcing them to rely on allometric predictions. Moreover, while experiments on captive birds have value, the non-natural biotic and abiotic conditions to which animals are exposed can lead to important ecophysiological changes (Beaulieu, 2016).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Metabolic responses to cold: thermal physiology of native common waxbills (Estrilda astrild)

Pacioni,

Sentís,

Kerimov

et al. 2024

Preprint

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Ecophysiological studies of invasive species tend to focus on captive individuals and their invasive range. However, the importance of gaining a thorough understanding of their physiology in their native range, where autecological knowledge is limited, has played a crucial role in assessing species ecophysiological responses to the often novel environmental conditions encountered in their invasive range. Here, we investigated the ecophysiological characteristics of a population of the wild-caught common waxbill (Estrilda astrild), a successful global invader, in part of its native range (South Africa). We investigated how this species adjusts its resting metabolic rate over a range of temperatures to identify its thermoneutral zone (TNZ) as an indicator of a species' thermal tolerance. The observed TNZ curve predominantly followed the classic Scholander-Irving model, with metabolic rates increasing linearly at temperatures outside the TNZ. However, we found an inflection point at moderately cold temperatures (16 degrees C) where the common waxbill began to decrease its metabolic rate. This finding highlights the potential use of an energy-saving strategy as an adaptive response to cold, such as facultative hypothermic responses through a reduction in body temperature, which may explain their success as an invasive species. We argue that although metabolic infection points have been repeatedly identified in studies of TNZ, the specific mechanisms behind metabolic down-regulation at low temperatures remain underexplored in the literature. We therefore suggest that future research should focus on investigating body temperature variation, with particular emphasis on its potential contribution to metabolic adaptation in colder environments.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Metabolic responses to cold: thermal physiology of native common waxbills (Estrilda astrild)

Pacioni,

Sentís,

Kerimov

et al. 2024

Preprint

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“…Urban areas form urban heat islands (UHIs) 40 , which are consistently warmer than their surrounding habitats 41 . The invasion risk of mainly (sub-) tropical birds in Europe has been linked to the thermal niche of a species, which is influenced by morphological traits 42 . The morphological trait of body size is a critical determinant of metabolic rate, dispersal, and other life history traits 43 , 44 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Contrasting morphometric responses to increasing urbanisation in congeneric sparrow species

Naidoo,

Chamberlain,

Reynolds

2024

Sci Rep

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Increased urbanisation influences the morphometric traits of various species, often resulting in urban individuals being smaller than their non-urban counterparts. Urbanisation can affect fundamental eco-evolutionary patterns and impact species’ ability to adapt to and occupy rapidly changing environments through morphological changes. We investigated the morphometric responses of two passerine species, the non-native house sparrow (Passer domesticus) and its native congener, the Cape sparrow (Passer melanurus), along gradients of spatial and temporal urbanisation in South Africa over a 52-year period. The house sparrow was significantly heavier, larger and in better condition with increasing urban infrastructure and lower urban vegetation cover, while the Cape sparrow showed opposing trends along these gradients. Temporally, the house sparrow’s body mass increased consistently over the 52-year study period, suggesting changes in morphology were concomitant with increasing urbanisation over time. This study demonstrates distinct differences in the morphological responses of the non-native house sparrow and the native Cape sparrow to increasing urban development. These morphological responses may also underpin community-level changes caused by urbanisation, enhancing the capabilities of non-native species to thrive over their native counterparts in these environments.

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“…While ecophysiological insights have so far not been applied in polyploidy research, these approaches are opening new avenues and changing our views in other ecological fields. For example, using biophysical mechanistic modelling, Strubbe et al (2023) showed that potential ranges of invasive bird species are constrained by body size and metabolic rates, forecasting a highly likely further spread of these non-native species. Using DEB models has also been proven useful for improving ecological predictions in variable environments (Monaco & McQuaid 2018), especially in ecotoxicology, where this type of models aid in transforming individual level responses and traits into population and higher-level dynamics (Jager et al 2014).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A metabolic perspective on polyploid invasion and the emergence of life histories: insights from a mechanistic model

Milosavljevic,

Kauai,

Mortier

et al. 2023

Preprint

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Whole genome duplication (WGD, polyploidization), the fusion of unreduced gametes, has been identified as a driver of genetic and phenotypic novelty. Unreduced gamete formation is common in a wide range of species, but surprisingly, few polyploidization events have shown to be ecologically successful. Positive density dependence, by minority cytotype exclusion, and niche shifts are currently considered the most important drivers behind ecological failure or success. Genome doubling also results in increased cell sizes and metabolic expenses which, on their own may be sufficient to drive polyploid establishment in stable environments where their simple ancestors thrive. We developed a mechanistic model, motivated by data from natural plant polyploid species, to test whether realistic changes in size and metabolic efficiency allow polyploids to coexist with, or even invade, their original diploid population. Central to the model is metabolic efficiency, a functional trait that determines how energy gained from size-dependent photosynthetic metabolism is allocated to basal metabolism, somatic growth and reproductive growth. Polyploid invasion was observed across a wide range of metabolic efficiency differences between polyploids and their ancestors. Higher metabolic efficiency facilitates polyploid invasion, but even with minor deficits, establishment was facilitated by recurrent formation in these settings of high competition for nutrients. Interestingly, a long-term coexistence with the diploid ancestor was found to be possible only within a narrow range of this parameter space. Perenniality of the plants did not qualitatively affect these insights. Feedbacks between size-dependent metabolism and allocation of gained energy generated eventually size and age differences, resulting in intra- and intercytotype competition for nutrients as the major force for population dynamics. We thus demonstrate that changes in metabolic efficiency on their own are sufficient to impose establishment, but these advantages do not need to be substantial.

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Mechanistic models project bird invasions with accuracy

Cited by 8 publications

References 163 publications

Metabolic responses to cold: thermal physiology of native common waxbills (Estrilda astrild)

Metabolic responses to cold: thermal physiology of native common waxbills (Estrilda astrild)

Contrasting morphometric responses to increasing urbanisation in congeneric sparrow species

A metabolic perspective on polyploid invasion and the emergence of life histories: insights from a mechanistic model

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