Phenotypic plasticity can reverse the relative extent of intra- and interspecific variability across a thermal gradient

Jacob, Staffan; Legrand, Delphine

doi:10.1098/rspb.2021.0428

Cited by 16 publications

(32 citation statements)

References 95 publications

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“…As the T. pyriformis population reaches carrying capacity, low resource levels likely cue cells to exit the cell division cycle, resulting, in turn, in stunted growth and reduced average body sizes (because cells grow to reproduce) thus providing a possible explanation as to how density may influence body size. If that is the case, then observed total standing phenotypic variation in our population should be largely non-heritable, as also suggested in a recent study (Jacob & Legrand 2021). Surprisingly, the Eco-Evolutionary and Plasticity + Eco-Evo Models support this idea, as they indicate that the total amount of standing heritable variation in body size is rather small ( σ 2 h 2 =0.992 with high confidence for the Eco-Evo model and σ 2 h 2 =0.878 for Plasticity + Eco-Evo although with very low confidence, Table 2).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 77%

“…pyriformis population reaches carrying capacity, low resource levels likely cue cells to exit the cell division cycle, resulting, in turn, in stunted growth and reduced average body sizes (because cells grow to reproduce) thus providing a possible explanation as to how density may influence body size. If that is the case, then observed total standing phenotypic variation in our population should be largely non-heritable, as also suggested in a recent study (Jacob & Legrand 2021).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 75%

“…This study sheds light on the ecological and evolutionary constraints that regulate population growth and provides new insights about how organisms cope with the negative effects of density-dependence. Our results also emphasize the need to further study and understand the ecological consequences of rapid plastic phenotypic change (Yamamichi, Yoshida & Sasaki 2011; Tariel, Plénet & Luquet 2020), as plasticity, particularly in body size, may play a crucial role in determining the fate of networks of species interactions in a warming world (Barbour & Gibert 2021; Jacob & Legrand 2021).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 78%

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Feedbacks between size and density determine rapid eco-phenotypic dynamics

Gibert

Han

Wieczynski

et al. 2021

Preprint

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1. Body size is a fundamental trait linked to many ecological processes-from individuals to ecosystems. Although the effects of body size on metabolism are well-known, how body size influences, and is influenced by, population growth and density is less clear. Specifically, 1) whether body size, or population dynamics, more strongly influences the other, and, 2) whether observed changes in body size are due to plasticity or rapid evolutionary change, are not well understood. 2. Here, we address these two issues by experimentally tracking population density and mean body size in the protist Tetrahymena pyriformis as it grows from low density to carrying capacity. We then use state-of-the-art time-series analyses to infer the direction, magnitude, and causality of the link between body size and ecological dynamics. Last, we fit two alternative dynamical models to our empirical time series to assess whether plasticity or rapid evolution better explains changes in mean body size. 3. Our results clearly indicate that changes in body size precede and determine changes in population density, not the other way around. We also show that a model assuming that size changes via plasticity more parsimoniously explains these observed coupled phenotypic and ecological dynamics than one that assumes rapid evolution drives changes in size. 4. Together these results suggest that rapid, plastic phenotypic change not only occurs well within ecological timescales but may even precede -and causally influence- ecological dynamics. Furthermore, large individuals may be favored and fuel high population growth rates when population density is low, but smaller individuals may be favored once populations reach carrying capacity and resources become scarcer. Thus, rapid plastic changes in functional traits may play a fundamental and currently unrecognized role in familiar ecological processes like logistic population growth.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 77%

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 75%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 78%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Feedbacks between size and density determine rapid eco-phenotypic dynamics

Gibert

Han

Wieczynski

et al. 2021

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…As the T. pyriformis population reaches carrying capacity, low resource levels likely cue cells to exit the cell division cycle, resulting, in turn, in stunted growth and reduced average body sizes (because cells grow to reproduce) thus providing a possible explanation as to how density may influence body size. If that is the case, then observed total standing phenotypic variation in our population should be largely non‐heritable, as also suggested in a recent study (Jacob & Legrand, 2021). Surprisingly, the eco‐evolutionary and plasticity + eco‐evo models support this idea, as they indicate that the total amount of standing heritable variation in body size is rather small (

σ^{2} h^{2} = 0.992

with high confidence for the eco‐evo model and

σ^{2} h^{2} = 0.878

for plasticity + eco‐evo although with very low confidence, Table 2).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 77%

“…This study sheds light on the ecological and evolutionary constraints that regulate population growth and provides new insights about how organisms cope with the negative effects of density-dependence. Our results also emphasize the need to further study and understand the ecological consequences of rapid plastic phenotypic change (Tariel et al, 2020;Yamamichi et al, 2011), as plasticity, particularly in body size, may play a crucial role in determining the fate of networks of species interactions in a warming world (Barbour & Gibert, 2021;Jacob & Legrand, 2021).…”

Section: Con Clus Ionsmentioning

confidence: 75%

Feedbacks between size and density determine rapid eco‐phenotypic dynamics

et al. 2022

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1. Body size is a fundamental trait linked to many ecological processes-from individuals to ecosystems. Although the effects of body size on metabolism are well-known, the potential reciprocal effects of body size and density are less clear. Specifically, (a) whether changes in body size or density more strongly influence the other and (b) whether coupled rapid changes in body size and density are due to plasticity, rapid evolutionary change or a combination of both.2. Here, we address these two issues by experimentally tracking population density and mean body size in the protist Tetrahymena pyriformis as it grows from low density to carrying capacity. We then use Convergent Cross Mapping time series analyses to infer the direction, magnitude and causality of the link between body size and population dynamics. We confirm the results of our analysis by experimentally manipulating body size and density while keeping the other constant. Last, we fit mathematical models to our experimental time series that account for purely plastic change in body size, rapid evolution in size, or a combination of both, to gain insights into the processes that most likely explain the observed dynamics.3. Our results indicate that changes in body size more strongly influence changes in density than the other way around, but also show that there is reciprocity in this effect (i.e., a feedback). We show that a model that only accounts for purely plastic change in size most parsimoniously explains observed, coupled phenotypic and ecological dynamics.4. Together, these results suggest (a) that body size can shift dramatically through plasticity, well within ecological timescales, (b) that rapid changes in body size may have a larger effect on population dynamics than the reverse, but (c) phenotypic and population dynamics influence each other as populations grow.Overall, we show that rapid plastic changes in functional traits like body size may play a fundamental-but currently unrecognized-role in familiar ecological processes such as logistic population growth.

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Bringing light onto the Raunkiæran shortfall: A comprehensive review of traits used in functional animal ecology

Gonçalves‐Souza

Chaves

Boldorini

et al. 2023

Ecology and Evolution

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Trait‐based approaches elucidate the mechanisms underlying biodiversity response to, or effects on, the environment. Nevertheless, the Raunkiæran shortfall—the dearth of knowledge on species traits and their functionality—presents a challenge in the application of these approaches. We conducted a systematic review to investigate the trends and gaps in trait‐based animal ecology in terms of taxonomic resolution, trait selection, ecosystem type, and geographical region. In addition, we suggest a set of crucial steps to guide trait selection and aid future research to conduct within and cross‐taxon comparisons. We identified 1655 articles using virtually all animal groups published from 1999 to 2020. Studies were concentrated in vertebrates, terrestrial habitats, the Palearctic realm, and mostly investigated trophic and habitat dimensions. Additionally, they focused on response traits (79.4%) and largely ignored intraspecific variation (94.6%). Almost 36% of the data sets did not provide the rationale behind the selection of morphological traits. The main limitations of trait‐based animal ecology were the use of trait averages and a rare inclusion of intraspecific variability. Nearly one‐fifth of the studies based only on response traits conclude that trait diversity impacts ecosystem processes or services without justifying the connection between them or measuring them. We propose a guide for standardizing trait collection that includes the following: (i) determining the type of trait and the mechanism linking the trait to the environment, ecosystem, or the correlation between the environment, trait, and ecosystem, (ii) using a “periodic table of niches” to select the appropriate niche dimension to support a mechanistic trait selection, and (iii) selecting the relevant traits for each retained niche dimension. By addressing these gaps, trait‐based animal ecology can become more predictive. This implies that future research will likely focus on collaborating to understand how environmental changes impact animals and their capacity to provide ecosystem services and goods.

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Phenotypic plasticity can reverse the relative extent of intra- and interspecific variability across a thermal gradient

Cited by 16 publications

References 95 publications

Feedbacks between size and density determine rapid eco-phenotypic dynamics

Feedbacks between size and density determine rapid eco-phenotypic dynamics

Feedbacks between size and density determine rapid eco‐phenotypic dynamics

Bringing light onto the Raunkiæran shortfall: A comprehensive review of traits used in functional animal ecology

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