Molecular biomarkers for chronological age in animal ecology

Jarman, Simon; Polanowski, Andrea M.; Faux, Cassandra E.; Robbins, Jooke; Paoli-Iseppi, Ricardo De; Bravington, Mark V.; Deagle, Bruce E.

doi:10.1111/mec.13357

Cited by 60 publications

(78 citation statements)

References 145 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Was the organism dead (scavenged) or alive (hunted) when consumed? There may be solutions in the use of key markers of development (life stage) or of expressed RNA (suggesting the prey was alive; Jarman et al., ), but currently these have yet to be thoroughly tested and remain mostly speculative.…”

Section: Future Outlookmentioning

confidence: 99%

Diet tracing in ecology: Method comparison and selection

et al. 2017

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Determining diet is a key prerequisite for understanding species interactions, food web structure and ecological dynamics. In recent years, there has been considerable development in both the methodology and application of novel and more traditional dietary tracing methods, yet there is no comprehensive synthesis that systematically and quantitatively compares the different approaches. Here we conceptualise diet tracing in ecology, provide recommendations for method selection, and illustrate the advantages of method integration. We summarise empirical evidence on how different methods quantify diet mixtures, by contrasting estimates of dietary proportions from multiple methods applied to the same consumer‐resource datasets, or from experimental studies with known diet compositions. Our data synthesis revealed an urgent need for more experiential comparisons among the dietary methods. The comparison of diet quantifications from field observations showed that different techniques aligned well in cases with less than six diet items, but diverged considerably when applied to more complex diet mixtures. Efforts are ongoing to further advance dietary estimation, including how reliably compound specific stable isotope analyses and fatty acid profiles can quantify more prey items than bulk stable isotope analyses. Similarly, DNA analyses, which can depict trophic interactions at a higher resolution than any other method, are generating new ways to better quantify diets and differentiate among life‐stages of prey. Such efforts, combined with more empirical testing of each dietary method and establishment of open data repositories for dietary data, promise to greatly advance community and ecosystem ecology.

show abstract

Section: Future Outlookmentioning

confidence: 99%

Diet tracing in ecology: Method comparison and selection

et al. 2017

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…For instance, some genes (e.g. TET2; CDKN2A/CDKN2B) undergo a gradual hypo-or hypermethylation during ontogeny in several mammals, hence constituting compelling non-disruptive molecular age biomarkers (MABs) particularly in long-lived organisms (Jarman et al, 2015). For instance, efficient epigenetic MABs were developed by Polanowski, Robbins, Chandler, and Jarman (2014) Specific DNA methylation variants at some specific genes also correlate with personality/behavioural traits in several species including fish, birds and mammals (Ledon-Rettig, Verhulst et al, 2016), two major traits that are increasingly considered in the management of captive and free-ranging wildlife (Powell & Gartner, 2011).…”

Section: Epigenetic Patterns As Biomarkersmentioning

confidence: 99%

Linking epigenetics and biological conservation: Towards a conservation epigenetics perspective

et al. 2019

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Biodiversity conservation is a global issue where the challenge is to integrate all levels of biodiversity to ensure the long‐term evolutionary potential and resilience of biological systems. Genetic approaches have largely contributed to conservation biology by defining “conservation entities” accounting for their evolutionary history and adaptive potential, the so‐called evolutionary significant units (ESUs). Yet, these approaches only loosely integrate the short‐term ecological history of organisms. Here, we argue that epigenetic variation, and more particularly DNA methylation, represents a molecular component of biodiversity that directly links the genome to the environment. As such, it provides the required information on the ecological background of organisms for an integrative field of conservation biology. We synthesize knowledge about the importance of epigenetic mechanisms in (a) orchestrating fundamental development alternatives in organisms, (b) enabling individuals to respond in real‐time to selection pressures and (c) improving ecosystem stability and functioning. Using practical examples in conservation biology, we illustrate the relevance of DNA methylation (a) as biomarkers of past and present environmental stress events as well as biomarkers of physiological conditions of individuals; (b) for documenting the ecological structuring/clustering of wild populations and hence for better integrating ecology into ESUs; (c) for improving conservation translocations; and (d) for studying landscape functional connectivity. We conclude that an epigenetic conservation perspective will provide environmental managers the possibility to refine ESUs, to set conservation plans taking into account the capacity of organisms to rapidly cope with environmental changes, and hence to improve the conservation of wild populations. A free Plain Language Summary can be found within the Supporting Information of this article.

show abstract

“…One MAB that held promise was telomeres, and although it has been found to work well in some bird species (e.g., Haussmann, Vleck, & Nisbet, 2003), its wider applicability has been limited (Dunshea et al, 2011). A recent paper showed that epigenetic markers can be used to estimate age in humpback whales (Polanowski, Robbins, Chandler, & Jarman, 2014), using MIS, an approach that has promise in other species (Jarman et al, 2015).…”

Section: Population Demographymentioning

confidence: 99%

Genetic and genomic monitoring with minimally invasive sampling methods

Carroll

Bruford

DeWoody

et al. 2018

Evolutionary Applications

148

108

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The decreasing cost and increasing scope and power of emerging genomic technologies are reshaping the field of molecular ecology. However, many modern genomic approaches (e.g., RAD‐seq) require large amounts of high‐quality template DNA. This poses a problem for an active branch of conservation biology: genetic monitoring using minimally invasive sampling (MIS) methods. Without handling or even observing an animal, MIS methods (e.g., collection of hair, skin, faeces) can provide genetic information on individuals or populations. Such samples typically yield low‐quality and/or quantities of DNA, restricting the type of molecular methods that can be used. Despite this limitation, genetic monitoring using MIS is an effective tool for estimating population demographic parameters and monitoring genetic diversity in natural populations. Genetic monitoring is likely to become more important in the future as many natural populations are undergoing anthropogenically driven declines, which are unlikely to abate without intensive adaptive management efforts that often include MIS approaches. Here, we profile the expanding suite of genomic methods and platforms compatible with producing genotypes from MIS, considering factors such as development costs and error rates. We evaluate how powerful new approaches will enhance our ability to investigate questions typically answered using genetic monitoring, such as estimating abundance, genetic structure and relatedness. As the field is in a period of unusually rapid transition, we also highlight the importance of legacy data sets and recommend how to address the challenges of moving between traditional and next‐generation genetic monitoring platforms. Finally, we consider how genetic monitoring could move beyond genotypes in the future. For example, assessing microbiomes or epigenetic markers could provide a greater understanding of the relationship between individuals and their environment.

show abstract

Molecular biomarkers for chronological age in animal ecology

Cited by 60 publications

References 145 publications

Diet tracing in ecology: Method comparison and selection

Diet tracing in ecology: Method comparison and selection

Linking epigenetics and biological conservation: Towards a conservation epigenetics perspective

Genetic and genomic monitoring with minimally invasive sampling methods

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About