Dataset Information

Thermal ecology of the federally endangered blunt-nosed leopard lizard (Gambelia sila).

ABSTRACT: Recognizing how climate change will impact populations can aid in making decisions about approaches for conservation of endangered species. The blunt-nosed leopard lizard (Gambelia sila) is a federally endangered species that, despite protection, remains in extremely arid, hot areas and may be at risk of extirpation due to climate change. We collected data on the field-active body temperatures, preferred body temperatures and upper thermal tolerance of G. sila. We then described available thermal habitat using biophysical models, which allowed us to (i) describe patterns in lizard body temperatures, microhabitat temperatures and lizard microhabitat use; (ii) quantify the lizards' thermoregulatory accuracy; (iii) calculate the number of hours they are currently thermally restricted in microhabitat use; (iv) project how the number of restricted hours will change in the future as ambient temperatures rise; and (v) assess the importance of giant kangaroo rat burrows and shade-providing shrubs in the current and projected future thermal ecology of G. sila. Lizards maintained fairly consistent daytime body temperatures over the course of the active season, and use of burrows and shrubs increased as the season progressed and ambient temperatures rose. During the hottest part of the year, lizards shuttled among kangaroo rat burrows, shrubs, and open habitat to maintain body temperatures below their upper thermal tolerance, but, occasionally, higher than their preferred body temperature range. Lizards are restricted from staying in the open habitat for 75% of daylight hours and are forced to seek refuge under shrubs or burrows to avoid surpassing their upper thermal threshold. After applying climatic projections of 1 and 2°C increases to 2018 ambient temperatures, G. sila will lose additional hours of activity time that could compound stressors faced by this population, potentially leading to extirpation.

SUBMITTER: Ivey KN

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7047230 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Thermal ecology of the federally endangered blunt-nosed leopard lizard (Gambelia sila).

Ivey Kathleen N KN Cornwall Margaret M Crowell Hayley H Ghazian Nargol N Nix Emmeleia E Owen Malory M Zuliani Mario M Lortie Christopher J CJ Westphal Michael M Taylor Emily E

Conservation physiology 20200228 1

Recognizing how climate change will impact populations can aid in making decisions about approaches for conservation of endangered species. The blunt-nosed leopard lizard (Gambelia sila) is a federally endangered species that, despite protection, remains in extremely arid, hot areas and may be at risk of extirpation due to climate change. We collected data on the field-active body temperatures, preferred body temperatures and upper thermal tolerance of G. sila. We then described av ...[more]

PMID: 33649711

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Project description:The snub-nosed monkey genus (Rhinopithecus) comprises five closely related species (R. avunculus, R. bieti, R. brelichi, R. roxellana, and R. strykeri). All are among the world's rarest and most endangered primates. However, the genomic impact associated with their population decline remains unknown. We analyzed population genomic data of all five snub-nosed monkey species to assess their genetic diversity, inbreeding level, and genetic load. For R. roxellana, R. bieti, and R. strykeri, population size is positively correlated with genetic diversity and negatively correlated with levels of inbreeding. Other species, however, which possess small population sizes, such as R. brelichi and R. avunculus, show high levels of genetic diversity and low levels of genomic inbreeding. Similarly, in the three populations of R. roxellana, the Shennongjia population, which possesses the lowest population size, displays a higher level of genetic diversity and lower level of genomic inbreeding. These findings suggest that although R. brelichi and R. avunculus and the Shennongjia population might be at risk, it possess significant genetic diversity and could thus help strengthen their long-term survival potential. Intriguingly, R. roxellana with large population size possess high genetic diversity and low level of genetic load, but they show the highest recent inbreeding level compared with the other snub-nosed monkeys. This suggests that, despite its large population size, R. roxellana has likely been experiencing recent inbreeding, which has not yet affected its mutational load and fitness. Analyses of homozygous-derived deleterious mutations identified in all snub-nosed monkey species indicate that these mutations are affecting immune, especially in smaller population sizes, indicating that the long-term consequences of inbreeding may be resulting in an overall reduction of immune capability in the snub-nosed monkeys, which could provide a dramatic effect on their long-term survival prospects. Altogether, our study provides valuable information concerning the genomic impact of population decline of the snub-nosed monkeys. We revealed multiple counterintuitive and unexpected patterns of genetic diversity in small and large population, which will be essential for conservation management of these endangered species.

Dataset Information

Thermal ecology of the federally endangered blunt-nosed leopard lizard (Gambelia sila).

Publications

Thermal ecology of the federally endangered blunt-nosed leopard lizard (<i>Gambelia sila</i>).

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