Monitoring the morphological integrity of neotropical anurans

Provete

Borges

et al. 2020

PeerJ

Self Cite

Background Changes in land use trigger environmental changes that can lead to decreased biodiversity and species loss. The liver is an essential detoxification organ that reflects systemic physiological responses to environmental changes. Here, we tested whether contrasting land use patterns influence the amount of substances from the hepatic cellular catabolism and melanomacrophages (MMs) of five anuran species in the Brazilian Cerrado. Methods We collected the same five species of pond-dwelling frogs in one protected area and in an area with intense agricultural activity. We used routine histological and histochemical techniques to quantify the area occupied by lipofuscin, melanin, and hemosiderin in the liver of two frogs Leptodactylus fuscus, Physalaemus cuvieri, and three tree-frogs Dendropsophus minutus, Scinax fuscomarginatus, and Boana albopunctata. We classified land use types in a buffer around each pond based on satellite images. We then used a double-constrained Correspondence Analysis, a recently developed ecological method to relate functional traits to environmental variables, to test the effect of each land use type on the area of each liver pigment. Results There was an increase in the amount of melanin in environments with high proportion of agriculture, as well as variation in the amount of lipofuscin and hemosiderin. Liver pigments of P. cuvieri and B. albopunctata varied more strongly in response to land use types, suggesting they could be good indicator species. Therefore, the area of MMs in the liver and the metabolic products in their cytoplasm can be used as biomarkers of environmental changes in regions with intense agricultural activities. Our results add a new perspective to the influence of land use patterns on environmental health by highlighting the effect of environmental changes on internal morphological aspects of animals.

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Idiosyncratic liver pigment alterations of five frog species in response to contrasting land use patterns in the Brazilian Cerrado

Provete

Borges

et al. 2020

PeerJ

Self Cite

“…Additionally, land use changes can promote rapid transformation in biological communities beyond species composition. Specifically, it can alter phenotypic aspects of several animal groups (e.g., Borges et al, 2019a), which impact how species interact and adapt to a changing environment. These phenotypic changes include DNA damages (Borges et al, 2019b) and developmental abnormalities (Borges et al, 2019a).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Specifically, it can alter phenotypic aspects of several animal groups (e.g., Borges et al, 2019a), which impact how species interact and adapt to a changing environment. These phenotypic changes include DNA damages (Borges et al, 2019b) and developmental abnormalities (Borges et al, 2019a). However, little is known about the effects of land use changes in internal phenotypic aspects of organisms inhabiting Neotropical agroecosystems.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Idiosyncratic liver alterations of five frog species to land use changes in the Brazilian Cerrado

Provete

Borges

et al. 2019

Preprint

Self Cite

Title Page  Changes in land use promote amphibian declines worldwide  Our study focused on the biosphere, anthroposphere, and hydrosphere  We used method to test for trait-environment relationship  Species responded differently to land use change  Land use change can affect internal morphology and physiology of organisms*Highlights (for review : 3 to 5 bullet points (maximum 85 characters including spaces per bullet point) 1 1 Abstract 2 Changes in land use trigger environmental changes that can lead to decreased 3 biodiversity and species loss. The liver is an essential detoxification organ that reflects 4 systemic physiological responses to environmental changes. Here, we tested whether 5 land use changes influence the amount of substances from the hepatic cellular 6 catabolism and melanomacrophages of five anuran species in the Brazilian Cerrado. We 7 used routine histological and histochemical techniques. We then use recently developed 8 ecological methods to relate functional traits to environmental variables. There was an 9 increase in the amount of melanin in environments with high proportion of agriculture, 10 as well as variation in the amount of lipofuscin and hemosiderin. Therefore, the area of 11 melanomacrophages in the liver and the metabolic products in their cytoplasm can be 12 used as biomarkers of environmental contamination in regions with intense agricultural 13 activities. Our results add a new perspective to the influence of land use changes on 14 environmental health by highlighting the effect of environmental changes on internal 15 morphological aspects of animals.16

Sperm morphology and testicular histology of the polyandric species Leptodactylus podicipinus (Anura: Leptodactylidae) from an urban environment

Bordin

Fernandes

et al. 2022

The Anatomical Record

Anurans have a high reproductive diversity, which is closely associated with testicular dynamics and sperm production. This variety in reproduction is modulated by the sexual characteristics of reproductive strategies, such as polyandry. Leptodactylus podicipinus has high reproductive plasticity, wide geographical distribution, and polyandric behavior. Although aspects of the testes and sperm of this species are known, knowledge about the relationship between these aspects and reproductive investment is scarce. The present study evaluated the morphological characteristics of the testes and sperm in an urban environment. We used 11 sexually mature males from the city of Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. The specimens were obtained from night excursions between April and September, the months that constitute the postrainy season. The biometric data (snout-vent length, testes, and body mass) were associated with sperm parameters (length of the spermatozoon head and tail). Stereological analyses of sperm morphology and the testes were performed. The results showed correlations between testis mass and spermatozoon length, which were positively related to head length and negatively related to tail length. The locular area and tail length were also negatively correlated. The percentage of normal spermatozoa was 97%; however, some sperm heads and tails exhibited different morphologies from the pattern described for the species. The germinative structure comprised more than 50% of the locular area composed of spermatozoa. The results of this study contribute to the knowledge of aspects related to the reproductive biology of L. podicipinus obtained from an urban environment.