Dataset Information

Fluctuations in annual climatic extremes are associated with reproductive variation in resident mountain chickadees.

ABSTRACT: Mounting evidence suggests that we are experiencing rapidly accelerating global climate change. Understanding how climate change may affect life is critical to identifying species and populations that are vulnerable. Most current research focuses on investigating how organisms may respond to gradual warming, but another effect of climate change is extreme annual variation in precipitation associated with alternations between drought and unusually heavy precipitation, like that exhibited in the western regions of North America. Understanding climate change effects on animal reproductive behaviour is especially important, because it directly impacts population persistence. Here, we present data on reproduction in nest-box breeding, resident mountain chickadees inhabiting high and low elevations in the Sierra Nevada across 5 years. These 5 years of data represent the full range of climatic variation from the largest drought in five centuries to one of the heaviest snow years on record. There were significant differences in most reproductive characteristics associated with variation in climate. Both climate extremes were negatively associated with reproductive success at high and low elevations, but low-elevation chickadees had worse reproductive success in the largest drought year while high-elevation chickadees had worse reproductive success in the heaviest snow year. Considering that the frequency of extreme climate swings between drought and snow is predicted to increase, such swings may have negative effects on chickadee populations across the entire elevation gradient, as climatic extremes should favour different adaptations. Alternatively, it is possible that climate fluctuations might favour preserving genetic variation allowing for higher resilience. It is too early to make specific predictions regarding how increased frequency of extreme climate fluctuation may impact chickadees; however, our data suggest that even the most common species may be susceptible.

SUBMITTER: Kozlovsky DY

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5990810 | biostudies-literature | 2018 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Fluctuations in annual climatic extremes are associated with reproductive variation in resident mountain chickadees.

Kozlovsky Dovid Y DY Branch Carrie L CL Pitera Angela M AM Pravosudov Vladimir V VV

Royal Society open science 20180509 5

Mounting evidence suggests that we are experiencing rapidly accelerating global climate change. Understanding how climate change may affect life is critical to identifying species and populations that are vulnerable. Most current research focuses on investigating how organisms may respond to gradual warming, but another effect of climate change is extreme annual variation in precipitation associated with alternations between drought and unusually heavy precipitation, like that exhibited in the w ...[more]

PMID: 29892360

Similar Datasets

Project description:Background and aimsOnset of reproduction and reproductive allocation patterns are key components of plant reproductive strategies. Life history theory predicts that plants in adverse environments for juvenile performance start reproduction at smaller sizes and exhibit higher reproductive allocation compared to their counterparts in favourable environments. Life history theory will gain in generality if its predictions are shown to apply to a broad range of organisms and modes of reproduction. This study tested whether the asexual reproductive strategy of a lichenized fungus changed along a climatic gradient.MethodsThe variation in threshold size for asexual reproduction and asexual reproductive allocation of the lichen Lobarina scrobiculata was assessed in 18 populations (9665 individuals) along a climatic gradient spanning 800?km in latitude in Southern Europe. Using generalized linear models and standardized major axis regressions, the allometric relationships and the associated variation in climatic factors according to the changes in the threshold size for reproduction and reproductive allocation patterns were assessed.Key resultsThe onset of reproduction was size-dependent and the reproductive allocation increased with individual size. Both the threshold size for reproduction and the reproductive allocation varied along the rainfall gradient. A lower threshold size for reproduction and higher reproductive allocation in drier, adverse locations were found. Therefore, populations in drier locations fitted the predictions of life history theory for sexually reproducing organisms in adverse environments for juvenile performance.ConclusionsThis study highlights the applicability of the life history theory to fungi and to modes of reproduction other than sexual reproduction. Based on the intraspecific variation in the asexual reproductive strategy of a fungal organism with climatic factors, these findings expand the scope of life history theory predictions and increase our understanding of life history diversity and reproductive strategies across environments.

Dataset Information

Fluctuations in annual climatic extremes are associated with reproductive variation in resident mountain chickadees.

Publications

Fluctuations in annual climatic extremes are associated with reproductive variation in resident mountain chickadees.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets