Institut für Ökologie, Evolution und Diversität
Refine
Year of publication
- 2019 (38) (remove)
Document Type
- Article (35)
- Doctoral Thesis (2)
- Preprint (1)
Language
- English (38) (remove)
Has Fulltext
- yes (38)
Is part of the Bibliography
- no (38)
Keywords
- Invasive species (3)
- phylogeny (3)
- Biogeography (2)
- Evolution (2)
- Marine biology (2)
- Species distribution modelling (2)
- species richness (2)
- 10 new taxa (1)
- 2030 Agenda (1)
- Aedes aegypti (1)
Institute
- Institut für Ökologie, Evolution und Diversität (38)
- Senckenbergische Naturforschende Gesellschaft (21)
- Biodiversität und Klima Forschungszentrum (BiK-F) (16)
- Biowissenschaften (16)
- Institut für sozial-ökologische Forschung (ISOE) (2)
- Medizin (2)
- Exzellenzcluster Makromolekulare Komplexe (1)
- LOEWE-Schwerpunkt für Integrative Pilzforschung (1)
- Sonderforschungsbereiche / Forschungskollegs (1)
Video and image data are regularly used in the field of benthic ecology to document biodiversity. However, their use is subject to a number of challenges, principally the identification of taxa within the images without associated physical specimens. The challenge of applying traditional taxonomic keys to the identification of fauna from images has led to the development of personal, group, or institution level reference image catalogues of operational taxonomic units (OTUs) or morphospecies. Lack of standardisation among these reference catalogues has led to problems with observer bias and the inability to combine datasets across studies. In addition, lack of a common reference standard is stifling efforts in the application of artificial intelligence to taxon identification. Using the North Atlantic deep sea as a case study, we propose a database structure to facilitate standardisation of morphospecies image catalogues between research groups and support future use in multiple front-end applications. We also propose a framework for coordination of international efforts to develop reference guides for the identification of marine species from images. The proposed structure maps to the Darwin Core standard to allow integration with existing databases. We suggest a management framework where high-level taxonomic groups are curated by a regional team, consisting of both end users and taxonomic experts. We identify a mechanism by which overall quality of data within a common reference guide could be raised over the next decade. Finally, we discuss the role of a common reference standard in advancing marine ecology and supporting sustainable use of this ecosystem.
A world dataset on the geographic distributions of Solenidae razor clams (Mollusca: Bivalvia)
(2019)
Background: Using this dataset, we examined the global geographical distributions of Solenidae species in relation to their endemicity, species richness and latitudinal ranges and then predicted their distributions under future climate change using species distribution modelling techniques (Saeedi et al. 2016a, Saeedi et al. 2016b). We found that the global latitudinal species richness in Solenidae is bi-modal, dipping at the equator most likely derived by high sea surface temperature (Saeedi et al. 2016b). We also found that most of the Solenidae species will shift their distribution ranges polewards due to global warming (Saeedi et al. 2016a). We also provided a comprehensive review of the taxon to test whether the latitudinal gradient in species richness was uni-modal with a peak in the tropics or northern hemisphere or asymmetric and bimodal as proposed previously (Chaudhary et al. 2016).
New information: This paper presents an integrated global geographic distribution dataset for 77 Solenidae taxa, including 3,034 geographic distribution records. This dataset was compiled after a careful data-collection and cleaning procedure over four years. Data were collected using field sampling, literature and from open-access databases. Then all the records went through quality control procedures such as validating the taxonomy of the species by examining and re-identifying the specimens in museum collections and using taxonomic and geographic data quality control tools in the World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) and the r-OBIS package (Provoost and Bosch 2017). This dataset can thus be further used for taxonomical and biogeographical studies of Solenidae.
Aim: To provide distribution information and preliminary conservation assessments for all species of the pineapple family (Bromeliaceae), one of the most diverse and ecologically important plant groups of the American tropics—a global biodiversity hotspot. Furthermore, we aim to analyse patterns of diversity, endemism and the conservation status of the Bromeliaceae on the continental level in the light of their evolutionary history.
Location: The Americas.
Methods: We compiled a dataset of occurrence records for 3,272 bromeliad species (93.4% of the family) and modelled their geographic distribution using either climate‐based species distribution models, convex hulls or geographic buffers dependent on the number of occurrences available. We then combined this data with information on taxonomy and used the ConR software for a preliminary assessment of the conservation status of all species following Criterion B of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
Results: Our results stress the Atlantic Forest in eastern Brazil, the Andean slopes, Central America and the Guiana Highlands as centres of bromeliad diversity and endemism. Phylogenetically ancient subfamilies of bromeliads are centred in the Guiana highlands whereas the large radiations of the group spread across different habitats and large geographic area. A total of 81% of the evaluated bromeliad species are Possibly Threatened with extinction. We provide range polygons for 3,272 species, as well as newly georeferenced point localities for 911 species in the novel “bromeliad” r package, together with functions to generate diversity maps for individual taxonomic or functional groups.
Main conclusions: Diversity centres of the Bromeliaceae agreed with macroecological patterns of other plant and animal groups, but show some particular patterns related to the evolutionary origin of the family, especially ancient dispersal corridors. A staggering 2/3rds of Bromeliaceae species might be threatened with extinction, especially so in tropical rain forests, raising concerns about the conservation of the family and bromeliad‐dependent animal species.
Biosynthetic gene content of the "Perfume Lichens" Evernia prunastri and Pseudevernia furfuracea
(2019)
Lichen-forming fungi produce a vast number of unique natural products with a wide variety of biological activities and human uses. Although lichens have remarkable potential in natural product research and industry, the molecular mechanisms underlying the biosynthesis of lichen metabolites are poorly understood. Here we use genome mining and comparative genomics to assess biosynthetic gene clusters and their putative regulators in the genomes of two lichen-forming fungi, which have substantial commercial value in the perfume industry, Evernia prunastri and Pseudevernia furfuracea. We report a total of 80 biosynthetic gene clusters (polyketide synthases (PKS), non-ribosomal peptide synthetases and terpene synthases) in E. prunastri and 51 in P. furfuracea. We present an in-depth comparison of 11 clusters, which show high homology between the two species. A ketosynthase (KS) phylogeny shows that biosynthetic gene clusters from E. prunastri and P. furfuracea are widespread across the Fungi. The phylogeny includes 15 genomes of lichenized fungi and all fungal PKSs with known functions from the MIBiG database. Phylogenetically closely related KS domains predict not only similar PKS architecture but also similar cluster architecture. Our study highlights the untapped biosynthetic richness of lichen-forming fungi, provides new insights into lichen biosynthetic pathways and facilitates heterologous expression of lichen biosynthetic gene clusters.
Causes of maladaptation
(2019)
Evolutionary biologists tend to approach the study of the natural world within a framework of adaptation, inspired perhaps by the power of natural selection to produce fitness advantages that drive population persistence and biological diversity. In contrast, evolution has rarely been studied through the lens of adaptation's complement, maladaptation. This contrast is surprising because maladaptation is a prevalent feature of evolution: population trait values are rarely distributed optimally; local populations often have lower fitness than imported ones; populations decline; and local and global extinctions are common. Yet we lack a general framework for understanding maladaptation; for instance in terms of distribution, severity, and dynamics. Similar uncertainties apply to the causes of maladaptation. We suggest that incorporating maladaptation‐based perspectives into evolutionary biology would facilitate better understanding of the natural world. Approaches within a maladaptation framework might be especially profitable in applied evolution contexts – where reductions in fitness are common. Toward advancing a more balanced study of evolution, here we present a conceptual framework describing causes of maladaptation. As the introductory article for a Special Feature on maladaptation, we also summarize the studies in this Issue, highlighting the causes of maladaptation in each study. We hope that our framework and the papers in this Special Issue will help catalyze the study of maladaptation in applied evolution, supporting greater understanding of evolutionary dynamics in our rapidly changing world.
Background: Polyploidy and apomixis are important factors influencing plant distributions often resulting in range shifts, expansions and geographical parthenogenesis. We used the Ranunculus auricomus complex as a model to asses if the past and present distribution and climatic preferences were determined by these phenomena.
Results: Ecological differentiation among diploids and polyploids was tested by comparing the sets of climatic variables and distribution modelling using 191 novel ploidy estimations and 561 literature data. Significant differences in relative genome size on the diploid level were recorded between the “auricomus” and “cassubicus” groups and several new diploid occurrences were found in Slovenia and Hungary. The current distribution of diploids overlapped with the modelled paleodistribution (22 kyr BP), except Austria and the Carpathians, which are proposed to be colonized later on from refugia in the Balkans. Current and historical presence of diploids from the R. auricomus complex is suggested also for the foothills of the Caucasus. Based on comparisons of the climatic preferences polyploids from the R. auricomus complex occupy slightly drier and colder habitats than the diploids.
Conclusions: The change of reproductive mode and selection due to competition with the diploid ancestors may have facilitated the establishment of polyploids within the R. auricomus complex in environments slightly cooler and drier, than those tolerated by diploid ancestors. Much broader distribution of polyploid apomicts may have been achieved due to faster colonization mediated by uniparental reproductive system.
Active species reintroduction is an important conservation tool when aiming for the restoration of biological communities and ecosystems. The effective monitoring of reintroduction success is a crucial factor in this process. Here, we used a combination of environmental DNA (eDNA) techniques and species distribution models (SDMs) to evaluate the success of recent reintroductions of the freshwater fish Alburnoides bipunctatus in central Germany. We built SDMs without and with eDNA presence data to locate further suitable reintroduction sites and potentially overlooked populations of the species. We successfully detected eDNA of A. bipunctatus at all reintroduction sites, as well as several adjacent sites mostly in downstream direction, which supports the success of reintroduction efforts. eDNA‐based species detection considerably improved SDMs for A. bipunctatus, which allowed to identify species presence in previously unknown localities. Our results confirm the usefulness of eDNA techniques as standard tool to monitor reintroduced fish populations. We propose that combining eDNA with SDMs is a highly effective approach for long‐term monitoring of reintroduction success in aquatic species.
Natural history collections are fundamental for biodiversity research as well as for any applied environment-related research. These collections can be seen as archives of earth´s life providing the basis to address highly relevant scientific questions such as how biodiversity changes in certain environments, either through evolutionary processes in a geological timescale, or by man-made transformation of habitats throughout the last decades and/or centuries. A prominent example is the decline of the European flat oyster Ostrea edulis Linneaus, 1758 in the North Sea and the concomitant invasion of the common limpet slipper Crepidula fornicata, which has been implicated to have negative effects on O. edulis. We used collections to analyse population changes in both species in the North Sea. In order to reconstruct the change in distribution and diversity over the past 200 years, we combined the temporal and spatial information recorded with the collected specimens contained in several European natural history collections. Our data recover the decline of O. edulis in the North Sea from the 19th century to the present and the process of invasion of C. fornicata. Importantly, the decline of O. edulis was nearly completed before C. fornicata appeared in the North Sea, suggesting that the latter had nothing to do with the local extinction of O. edulis in the North Sea.
Background: Approximately 90% of German surface waters do not meet the objectives of the European Water Framework Directive (EU-WFD). This is primarily due to deficits in water body structure and biological quality components, which in turn are negatively affected by chemical pollution. In this context, hydromorphological restoration measures have often been conducted to improve habitat and species diversity and, therefore, the ecological status of water bodies. However, habitat improvement is not necessarily accompanied by biota enhancement and thus by the improvement of the ecological status of rivers. To prioritize water management measures, decision criteria for the water management practice are necessary, which enable the prognosis, whether chemical pollution and its resulting effects or other factors, such as structural deficits of the water bodies, are the main cause for the failure to meet the objective of a good ecological status.
Results: To address this need, we applied the freshwater mudsnail Potamopyrgus antipodarum and the amphipod Gammarus fossarum in active monitoring campaigns and in laboratory experiments with combined water/sediment samples and analyzed water and sediment samples with in vitro assays quarterly over the course of 1 year to provide evidence and guideline to assess if chemical contamination is a relevant stress factor for the aquatic biodiversity in rivers of the Nidda catchment (Hessen, Germany). On the basis of these results, an ecotoxicological, WFD–compliant assessment system was developed which, in comparison with the ecological status classes of the EU-WFD, permits the identification of the probable causes for the failure to meet the objectives of the EU-WFD. From these findings, recommendations for action were derived for the implementation of priority measures in water management practice. For the rivers Nidda, Usa, and Horloff, we identified a need for action to improve water and sediment quality at all investigated sampling sites except for the reference sites in the headwaters. The ecotoxicological assessment system also highlighted that hydromorphological restoration measures on their own will not lead to a good ecological status of rivers, as long as water and sediment quality are deficient.
Conclusion: Hydromorphological restoration measures should be performed in conjunction with measures to reduce chemical contamination to achieve a good ecological status of the rivers Nidda, Usa, and Horloff.