A hot lunch for herbivores: physiological effects of elevated temperatures on mammalian feeding ecology
ABSTRACT
Mammals maintain specific body temperatures (Tb) across a broad range of ambient temperatures. The energy required for thermoregulation ultimately comes from the diet, and so what animals eat is inextricably linked to thermoregulation. Endothermic herbivores must balance energy requirements and expenditure with complicated thermoregulatory challenges from changing thermal, nutritional and toxicological environments. In this review we provide evidence that plant‐based diets can influence thermoregulation beyond the control of herbivores, and that this can render them susceptible to heat stress. Notably, herbivoro...
Source: Biological Reviews - August 1, 2017 Category: Biology Authors: Phillipa K. Beale, Karen J. Marsh, William J. Foley, Ben D. Moore Tags: Original Article Source Type: research
Aphid specialism as an example of ecological –evolutionary divergence
ABSTRACT
Debate still continues around the definition of generalism and specialism in nature. To some, generalism is equated solely with polyphagy, but this cannot be readily divorced from other essential biological factors, such as morphology, behaviour, genetics, biochemistry, chemistry and ecology, including chemical ecology. Viewed in this light, and accepting that when living organisms evolve to fill new ecological–evolutionary niches, this is the primal act of specialisation, then perhaps all living organisms are specialist in the broadest sense. To illustrate the levels of specialisation that may be found in a gro...
Source: Biological Reviews - August 1, 2017 Category: Biology Authors: Hugh D. Loxdale, Adalbert Balog Tags: Original Article Source Type: research
The effects of hydropeaking on riverine plants: a review
ABSTRACT
Hydropeaking refers to frequent, rapid and short‐term fluctuations in water flow and water levels downstream and upstream of hydropower stations. Such fluctuations are becoming increasingly common worldwide and are known to have far‐reaching effects on riverine vegetation. Novel hydrology caused by hydropeaking has no natural correspondence in freshwater systems, and hence few species have adaptations to all its aspects. Here, we review the literature on hydropeaking effects on riverine plants and define the state of the information on this human alteration of riverine ecosystems. We focus on riparian plants, ...
Source: Biological Reviews - August 1, 2017 Category: Biology Authors: Mar ía D. Bejarano, Roland Jansson, Christer Nilsson Tags: Original Article Source Type: research
Understanding processes at the origin of species flocks with a focus on the marine Antarctic fauna
ABSTRACT
Species flocks (SFs) fascinate evolutionary biologists who wonder whether such striking diversification can be driven by normal evolutionary processes. Multiple definitions of SFs have hindered the study of their origins. Previous studies identified a monophyletic taxon as a SF if it displays high speciosity in an area in which it is endemic (criterion 1), high ecological diversity among species (criterion 2), and if it dominates the habitat in terms of biomass (criterion 3); we used these criteria in our analyses. Our starting hypothesis is that normal evolutionary processes may provide a sufficient explanation f...
Source: Biological Reviews - August 1, 2017 Category: Biology Authors: Anne Chenuil, Thomas Sauc ède, Lenaïg G. Hemery, Marc Eléaume, Jean‐Pierre Féral, Nadia Améziane, Bruno David, Guillaume Lecointre, Charlotte Havermans Tags: Original Article Source Type: research
Coupling factors and exosomal packaging microRNAs involved in the regulation of bone remodelling
ABSTRACT
Bone remodelling is a continuous process by which bone resorption by osteoclasts is followed by bone formation by osteoblasts to maintain skeletal homeostasis. These two forces must be tightly coordinated not only quantitatively, but also in time and space, and its malfunction leads to diseases such as osteoporosis. Recent research focusing on the cross‐talk and coupling mechanisms associated with the sequential recruitment of osteoblasts to areas where osteoclasts have removed bone matrix have identified a number of osteogenic factors produced by the osteoclasts themselves. Osteoclast‐derived factors and exos...
Source: Biological Reviews - August 1, 2017 Category: Biology Authors: Sipin Zhu, Felix Yao, Heng Qiu, Ge Zhang, Huazi Xu, Jiake Xu Tags: Original Article Source Type: research
Genetics of dispersal
ABSTRACT
Dispersal is a process of central importance for the ecological and evolutionary dynamics of populations and communities, because of its diverse consequences for gene flow and demography. It is subject to evolutionary change, which begs the question, what is the genetic basis of this potentially complex trait? To address this question, we (i) review the empirical literature on the genetic basis of dispersal, (ii) explore how theoretical investigations of the evolution of dispersal have represented the genetics of dispersal, and (iii) discuss how the genetic basis of dispersal influences theoretical predictions of ...
Source: Biological Reviews - August 1, 2017 Category: Biology Authors: Marjo Saastamoinen, Greta Bocedi, Julien Cote, Delphine Legrand, Fr édéric Guillaume, Christopher W. Wheat, Emanuel A. Fronhofer, Cristina Garcia, Roslyn Henry, Arild Husby, Michel Baguette, Dries Bonte, Aurélie Coulon, Hanna Kokko, Erik Matthysen, Kri Tags: Original Article Source Type: research
Building essential biodiversity variables (EBVs) of species distribution and abundance at a global scale
ABSTRACT
Much biodiversity data is collected worldwide, but it remains challenging to assemble the scattered knowledge for assessing biodiversity status and trends. The concept of Essential Biodiversity Variables (EBVs) was introduced to structure biodiversity monitoring globally, and to harmonize and standardize biodiversity data from disparate sources to capture a minimum set of critical variables required to study, report and manage biodiversity change. Here, we assess the challenges of a ‘Big Data’ approach to building global EBV data products across taxa and spatiotemporal scales, focusing on species distribution ...
Source: Biological Reviews - August 1, 2017 Category: Biology Authors: W. Daniel Kissling, Jorge A. Ahumada, Anne Bowser, Miguel Fernandez, N éstor Fernández, Enrique Alonso García, Robert P. Guralnick, Nick J. B. Isaac, Steve Kelling, Wouter Los, Louise McRae, Jean‐Baptiste Mihoub, Matthias Obst, Monica Santamaria, And Tags: Original Article Source Type: research
Comparative analyses of basal rate of metabolism in mammals: data selection does matter
ABSTRACT
Basal rate of metabolism (BMR) is a physiological parameter that should be measured under strictly defined experimental conditions. In comparative analyses among mammals BMR is widely used as an index of the intensity of the metabolic machinery or as a proxy for energy expenditure. Many databases with BMR values for mammals are available, but the criteria used to select metabolic data as BMR estimates have often varied and the potential effect of this variability has rarely been questioned. We provide a new, expanded BMR database reflecting compliance with standard criteria (resting, postabsorptive state; thermal ...
Source: Biological Reviews - July 28, 2017 Category: Biology Authors: Michel Genoud, Karin Isler, Robert D. Martin Tags: Original Article Source Type: research
Comparative analyses of basal rate of metabolism in mammals: data selection does matter
Biological Reviews,Volume 93, Issue 1, Page 404-438, February 2018. (Source: Biological Reviews)
Source: Biological Reviews - July 27, 2017 Category: Biology Source Type: research
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Biological Reviews,Volume 93, Issue 1, Page 404-438, February 2018. (Source: Biological Reviews)
Source: Biological Reviews - July 27, 2017 Category: Biology Source Type: research
An evolutionary perspective on the systems of adaptive immunity
ABSTRACT
We propose an evolutionary perspective to classify and characterize the diverse systems of adaptive immunity that have been discovered across all major domains of life. We put forward a new function‐based classification according to the way information is acquired by the immune systems: Darwinian immunity (currently known from, but not necessarily limited to, vertebrates) relies on the Darwinian process of clonal selection to ‘learn’ by cumulative trial‐and‐error feedback; Lamarckian immunity uses templated targeting (guided adaptation) to internalize heritable information on potential threats; finally, ...
Source: Biological Reviews - July 26, 2017 Category: Biology Authors: Viktor M üller, Rob J. de Boer, Sebastian Bonhoeffer, Eörs Szathmáry Tags: Original Article Source Type: research
An evolutionary perspective on the systems of adaptive immunity
Biological Reviews,Volume 93, Issue 1, Page 505-528, February 2018. (Source: Biological Reviews)
Source: Biological Reviews - July 26, 2017 Category: Biology Source Type: research
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Biological Reviews,Volume 93, Issue 1, Page 505-528, February 2018. (Source: Biological Reviews)
Source: Biological Reviews - July 26, 2017 Category: Biology Source Type: research
The concepts of asymmetric and symmetric power can help resolve the puzzle of altruistic and cooperative behaviour
ABSTRACT
Evolutionary theory predicts competition in nature yet altruistic and cooperative behaviour appears to reduce the ability to compete in order to help others compete better. This evolutionary puzzle is usually explained by kin selection where close relatives perform altruistic and cooperative acts to help each other and by reciprocity theory (i.e. direct, indirect and generalized reciprocity) among non‐kin. Here, it is proposed that the concepts of asymmetry and symmetry in power and dominance are critical if we are ever to resolve the puzzle of altruism and cooperation towards non‐kin. Asymmetry in power and d...
Source: Biological Reviews - July 12, 2017 Category: Biology Authors: Tim Phillips Tags: Original Article Source Type: research
Biodiversity as a solution to mitigate climate change impacts on the functioning of forest ecosystems
ABSTRACT
Forest ecosystems are critical to mitigating greenhouse gas emissions through carbon sequestration. However, climate change has affected forest ecosystem functioning in both negative and positive ways, and has led to shifts in species/functional diversity and losses in plant species diversity which may impair the positive effects of diversity on ecosystem functioning. Biodiversity may mitigate climate change impacts on (I) biodiversity itself, as more‐diverse systems could be more resilient to climate change impacts, and (II) ecosystem functioning through the positive relationship between diversity and ecosystem...
Source: Biological Reviews - July 11, 2017 Category: Biology Authors: Masumi Hisano, Eric B. Searle, Han Y. H. Chen Tags: Original Article Source Type: research
