Determining environmental causes of biological effects: the need for a mechanistic physiological dimension in conservation biology

Seebacher, Frank; Franklin, Craig E.

doi:10.1098/rstb.2012.0036

Cited by 198 publications

(194 citation statements)

References 73 publications

(99 reference statements)

Supporting

Mentioning

193

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…The release of a wide range of toxicants through anthropogenic activities has a major impact on ecosystems globally [59]. Increased use of agrochemicals and petroleum products worldwide [60], as well as the increased reliance of wild animals on anthropogenic habitats may impose distinct risks to the vitality of migratory animals, as a direct result of their behavioural and physiological traits.…”

Section: (B) Toxicantsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ecophysiology of avian migration in the face of current global hazards

Klaassen

Hoye

Nolet

et al. 2012

Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B

117

114

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Long-distance migratory birds are often considered extreme athletes, possessing a range of traits that approach the physiological limits of vertebrate design. In addition, their movements must be carefully timed to ensure that they obtain resources of sufficient quantity and quality to satisfy their high-energy needs. Migratory birds may therefore be particularly vulnerable to global change processes that are projected to alter the quality and quantity of resource availability. Because long-distance flight requires high and sustained aerobic capacity, even minor decreases in vitality can have large negative consequences for migrants. In the light of this, we assess how current global change processes may affect the ability of birds to meet the physiological demands of migration, and suggest areas where avian physiologists may help to identify potential hazards. Predicting the consequences of global change scenarios on migrant species requires (i) reconciliation of empirical and theoretical studies of avian flight physiology; (ii) an understanding of the effects of food quality, toxicants and disease on migrant performance; and (iii) mechanistic models that integrate abiotic and biotic factors to predict migratory behaviour. Critically, a multi-dimensional concept of vitality would greatly facilitate evaluation of the impact of various global change processes on the population dynamics of migratory birds.

show abstract

Section: (B) Toxicantsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ecophysiology of avian migration in the face of current global hazards

Klaassen

Hoye

Nolet

et al. 2012

Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B

117

114

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…In particular, conservation physiology integrates ecology, evolution and physiology to elucidate constraints imposed by the environment on the ability of an organism to cope with the multiple shifts in the abiotic and biotic environment. Ultimately, information on physiological capacity can be used to predict fitness and population dynamic consequences associated with climate change and the persistence of species in an altered environment [31]. Yet, the role of physiological plasticity in coping with changing environments is largely unexplored, particularly within-individual variation and developmental plasticity.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Hormonally mediated maternal effects, individual strategy and global change

Meylan¹,

Miles

Clobert

2012

Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B

102

108

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

A challenge to ecologists and evolutionary biologists is predicting organismal responses to the anticipated changes to global ecosystems through climate change. Most evidence suggests that short-term global change may involve increasing occurrences of extreme events, therefore the immediate response of individuals will be determined by physiological capacities and life-history adaptations to cope with extreme environmental conditions. Here, we consider the role of hormones and maternal effects in determining the persistence of species in altered environments. Hormones, specifically steroids, are critical for patterning the behaviour and morphology of parents and their offspring. Hence, steroids have a pervasive influence on multiple aspects of the offspring phenotype over its lifespan. Stress hormones, e.g. glucocorticoids, modulate and perturb phenotypes both early in development and later into adulthood. Females exposed to abiotic stressors during reproduction may alter the phenotypes by manipulation of hormones to the embryos. Thus, hormone-mediated maternal effects, which generate phenotypic plasticity, may be one avenue for coping with global change. Variation in exposure to hormones during development influences both the propensity to disperse, which alters metapopulation dynamics, and population dynamics, by affecting either recruitment to the population or subsequent life-history characteristics of the offspring. We suggest that hormones may be an informative index to the potential for populations to adapt to changing environments.

show abstract

“…For instance, a study on the effects of ocean acidification on the reef-building coral, Acropora millepora (Ehrenberg, 1834), reported major changes in gene expression and cell physiology long before phenotypic effects were observed, in this case, a decrease in calcification rates [54]. Thus, cellular functioning might play a central role in linking environmental conditions to an organism's fitness [56], and the plasticity and adaptive evolution of cellular processes may be an important influence on species resilience towards changing environmental conditions.…”

Section: Cellular Processes and Organ Functionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evolution of Marine Organisms under Climate Change at Different Levels of Biological Organisation

Harvey

Al‐Janabi

Broszeit

et al. 2014

Water

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Abstract:Research to date has suggested that both individual marine species and ecological processes are expected to exhibit diverse responses to the environmental effects of climate change. Evolutionary responses can occur on rapid (ecological) timescales, and yet studies typically do not consider the role that adaptive evolution will play in modulating biological responses to climate change. Investigations into such responses have typically been focused at particular biological levels (e.g., cellular, population, community), often lacking interactions among levels. Since all levels of biological organisation are sensitive to global climate change, there is a need to elucidate how different processes and hierarchical interactions will influence species fitness. Therefore, predicting the responses of communities and populations to global change will require multidisciplinary efforts across multiple levels of hierarchy, from the genetic and cellular to communities and ecosystems. Eventually, this may allow us to establish the role that acclimatisation and adaptation will play in determining marine community structures in future scenarios.

show abstract

Determining environmental causes of biological effects: the need for a mechanistic physiological dimension in conservation biology

Cited by 198 publications

References 73 publications

Ecophysiology of avian migration in the face of current global hazards

Ecophysiology of avian migration in the face of current global hazards

Hormonally mediated maternal effects, individual strategy and global change

Evolution of Marine Organisms under Climate Change at Different Levels of Biological Organisation

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About