Rapid adaptive response to a Mediterranean environment reduces phenotypic mismatch in a recent amphibian invader
| Autor: | Giovanni Vimercati, John Measey, Sarah J. Davies |
|---|---|
| Rok vydání: | 2017 |
| Předmět: |
0106 biological sciences
0301 basic medicine Mediterranean climate Amphibian Male Guttural toad Physiology Population Adaptation Biological Zoology Aquatic Science Biology Environment 010603 evolutionary biology 01 natural sciences Invasive species 03 medical and health sciences South Africa biology.animal Cape Water uptake Animals education Molecular Biology Ecology Evolution Behavior and Systematics education.field_of_study Sclerophrys gutturalis biology.organism_classification Bufonidae 030104 developmental biology Phenotype Insect Science Animal Science and Zoology Female Introduced Species |
| Zdroj: | The Journal of experimental biology. 221(Pt 9) |
| ISSN: | 1477-9145 |
| Popis: | Invasive species frequently cope with ecological conditions that are different from those to which they adapted, presenting an opportunity to investigate how phenotypes change across short time scales. In 2000, the guttural toad Sclerophrys gutturalis was first detected in a peri-urban area of Cape Town, where it is now invasive. The ability of the species to invade Cape Town is surprising since the area is characterised by a mediterranean climate significantly drier and colder than that of the native source area. We measured field hydration state of guttural toads from the invasive Cape Town population and a presumed native source population from Durban. We also obtained from laboratory trials: rates of evaporative water loss and water uptake, sensitivity of locomotor endurance to hydration state, critical thermal minimum (CTmin) and sensitivity of CTmin to hydration state. Field hydration state of invasive toads was significantly lower than that of native toads. Although the two populations had similar rates of water loss and uptake, invasive toads were more efficient in minimising water loss through postural adjustments. In locomotor trials, invasive individuals noticeably outperformed native individuals when dehydrated but not when fully hydrated. CTmin was lower in invasive individuals than in native individuals independently of hydration state. Our results indicate that an invasive population that is only 20 years old shows adaptive responses reducing phenotypic mismatch with the novel environment. The invasion potential of the species in Cape Town is higher than we could infer from its characteristics in the native source population. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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