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Where dramatic sexual displays are involved in attracting a mate, individuals can enhance their performances by manipulating their physical environment. Typically, individuals alter their environment either in preparation for a performance by creating a "stage" or during the display itself by using discrete objects as "props." We examined an unusual case of performative manipulation of an entire stage by male Albert's lyrebirds (Menura alberti) during their complex song and dance displays. We found that males from throughout the species' range shake the entangled forest vegetation of their display platforms, creating a highly conspicuous and stereotypical movement external to their bodies. This "stage shaking" is performed in two different rhythms, with the second rhythm an isochronous beat that matches the beat of the coinciding vocalizations. Our results provide evidence that stage shaking is an integral, and thus likely functional, component of male Albert's lyrebird sexual displays and so highlight an intriguing but poorly understood facet of complex communication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Ecologists, foresters and conservation practitioners need ‘biodiversity scanners’ to effectively inventory biodiversity, audit conservation progress and track changes in ecosystem function. Quantifying biological diversity using remote sensing methods remains challenging, especially for small invertebrates. However, insect aggregations can drastically alter landscapes and vegetation, and these ‘extended phenotypes’ could serve as environmental landmarks of insect presence in remotely sensed data. To test the feasibility of this approach, we studied symbiotic ants that alter the canopy shape of whistling thorn acacias (Acacia [syn. Vachellia] drepanolobium), a keystone tree species of the black cotton soils of east African savannas. We demonstrate a protocol for using light detection and ranging (LiDAR) data to collect, prepare (including a customizable tree‐segmentation algorithm) and apply a convolutional neural network‐based classification for the detection of ant‐inhabited acacia tree phenotypic variations. Applying this protocol enabled us to effectively detect intra‐specific tree phenotypic variation induced by insects. Surveying ant occupancy across 16 ha and 9680 acacia trees took 1000 work hours, whereas surveyed patterns of ant distribution were replicated by our trained classifier using only an hour‐long airborne LiDAR collection time. We suggest that large‐scale surveys of insect occupancy (including insect‐vectored disease) can be automated through a combination of airborne LiDAR and machine learning.

Environments affect phenotypes through two elementary functions: modifying (by affecting the development of individuals' phenotypes) and adaptive (by determining the phenotypes' adaptive significance). Adaptation may be perceived to coordinate the two functions, which may even be performed by the same environmental factor. Organismic transformation of the environment can again affect both functions, where the adaptive functions are commonly addressed via notions of "niche/habitat construction" or "extended phenotype" and modifying function are largely ignored. The multi-causal role of these transformations in evolution and adaptation is hard to model and formalize using standard tools. To arrive at a more comprehensive representation, a systems approach is taken that allows classification and generalization of earlier results and the outlining of new insights. These include the following: ∗ Temporary transformation (restricted to one adaptational episode) is structurally equivalent to adaptation without transformation and therefore provide no new insights. ∗ Prolonged transformation (extending over several episodes) in either adaptive or modifying environments promotes adaptational coordination between the two functions but ultimately prevents persistent adaptedness. ∗ The success of transformations of the adaptive environment that do not affect the modifying environment depends on the diversity in the system states rather than on phenogenetic plasticity. ∗ A substantial difference between transformation of the adaptive and of the modifying environment is that adaptation can be reached within a single episode via transformation of the modifying environment, even if the adaptive environment has no modifying effect. The evolutionary consequences await explicit model analysis. ∗ Migration can be interpreted in terms of environmental transformation of either function, modifying or adaptive, by replacing transformation between environments by migration between them. Established results from migration models can help to reassess existing models of adaptation by environmental transformation and to design new models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ecologists, foresters and conservation practitioners need 'biodiversity scanners' to effectively inventory biodiversity, audit conservation progress and track changes in ecosystem function. Quantifying biological diversity using remote sensing methods remains challenging, especially for small invertebrates. However, insect aggregations can drastically alter landscapes and vegetation, and these 'extended phenotypes' could serve as environmental landmarks of insect presence in remotely sensed data.To test the feasibility of this approach, we studied symbiotic ants that alter the canopy shape of whistling thorn acacias (Acacia [syn. Vachellia] drepanolobium), a keystone tree species of the black cotton soils of east African savannas. We demonstrate a protocol for using light detection and ranging (LiDAR) data to collect, prepare (including a customizable tree‐segmentation algorithm) and apply a convolutional neural network‐based classification for the detection of ant‐inhabited acacia tree phenotypic variations. Applying this protocol enabled us to effectively detect intra‐specific tree phenotypic variation induced by insects.Surveying ant occupancy across 16 ha and 9680 acacia trees took 1000 work hours, whereas surveyed patterns of ant distribution were replicated by our trained classifier using only an hour‐long airborne LiDAR collection time.We suggest that large‐scale surveys of insect occupancy (including insect‐vectored disease) can be automated through a combination of airborne LiDAR and machine learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Animal-built structures that function in mate attraction can be constrained in signal expression by the availability of building materials in the environment and the male's ability to find them as well as the ability to construct the structure itself. As part of their courtship display, male great bowerbirds, Ptilonorhynchus nuchalis , use hundreds of grey-white objects to create a bower court. Males arrange these objects to create a positive size–distance gradient, the evenness of which generates a forced perspective visual illusion that is associated with mating success. However, a range of differently sized objects are required to build a high-quality gradient, and it is unclear how local object availability and male ability to place objects in the correct location (i.e. building ability) affect gradient quality. To disentangle these effects, we provided males with a standardized set of court objects after removing their original objects. If gradient quality is associated with male building ability, we predicted that the quality of the gradient constructed with the standardized set of objects would be positively correlated with the male's original gradient quality. Contrary to our predictions, males that built high-quality gradients in their original court did not build high-quality gradients when given a standardized set of objects. We conclude that the bower court may not be a reliable signal of male building ability, and that object availability and/or male ability to locate appropriate objects explains some of the observed variation in gradient quality. • Male great bowerbirds readily rebuild bower courts with supplied objects. • Natural difference in court quality is not maintained with standardized objects. • Local object availability not male building ability likely affects court quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many animals create their own microhabitats that are not naturally present in the environment, such as nests and burrows, which are extended phenotypes that perform tasks related to survival and reproduction. Animals may be able to avoid the costs of implementing their own extended phenotypes by exploiting those already created by other species, including structures that are not actively in use or abandoned. Herein, we report on the striped marsh frog, Limnodynastes peronii, from Australia utilizing crayfish burrows for depositing their egg clutches. Field observations revealed large numbers of recently hatched L. peronii tadpoles in two flooded burrows likely created by the hunter hairy crayfish, Cherax setosus, near an ephemeral wetland pond on Kooragang Island, Australia that had partially dried. Our observations indicate that L. peronii may opportunistically exploit crayfish burrows which, when flooded, become suitable aquatic sites for breeding. These small waterbodies may provide fitness benefits to offspring, reducing exposure to aquatic predators found in naturally occurring aquatic systems but at the expense of increasing competition and cannibalism among confined siblings. These burrows may provide suitable microhabitat refuge during droughts, and breeding habitat for amphibians when other typical breeding habitats may not exist due to wetland drying. This is an example of an amphibian using an extended phenotype of a crustacean for the purposes of reproduction, revealing a unique interaction between these species that has not been reported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To complete its parasitic lifecycle, Salmacisia buchloëana , a biotrophic fungus, manipulates reproductive organ development, meristem determinacy, and resource allocation in its dioecious plant host, buffalograss (Bouteloua dactyloides ; Poaceae). To gain insight into S. buchloëana's ability to manipulate its host, we sequenced and assembled the 20.1 Mb genome of S. buchloëana into 22 chromosome-level pseudomolecules. Phylogenetic analysis suggests that S. buchloëana is nested within the genus Tilletia and diverged from Tilletia caries and Tilletia walkeri ∼ 40 MYA. We find that S. buchloëana contains a novel chromosome arm with no syntenic relationship to other publicly available Tilletia genomes, and that genes on the novel arm are upregulated upon infection, suggesting that this unique chromosomal segment may have played a critical role in S. buchloëana's evolution and host specificity. Salmacisia buchloëana has one of the largest fractions of serine peptidases (1.53% of the proteome) and one of the highest GC contents (62.3%) in all classified fungi. Analysis of codon base composition indicated that GC content is controlled more by selective constraints than directional mutation, and that S. buchloëana has a unique bias for the serine codon UCG. Finally, we identify 3 inteins within the S. buchloëana genome, 2 of which are located in a gene often used in fungal taxonomy. The genomic and transcriptomic resources generated here will aid plant pathologists and breeders by providing insight into the extracellular components contributing to sex determination in dioecious grasses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Behavioral modifications induced by parasites have been extensively documented across multiple taxa. However, a major challenge is to experimentally determine whether such manipulations confer an adaptive advantage to the parasite. Behavioral alterations in spiders attacked by ichneumonid wasps are characterized by the construction of modified webs. These modified webs can enhance the survival chances of the parasitoid by reducing mortality due to natural enemies and environmental factors during the pupal stage. Additionally, some modified webs offer extra protection by keeping a centrally attached leaf shelter, originally used by the spider as a refuge, where parasitoids can build their cocoon. In these webs, it is possible that web modifications are not critical for the survival of parasitoid pupae. We evaluated the hypothesis that modifications made by parasitized spiders in a web with leaf shelter do not improve the survival of the parasitoid and presented details of behavioral modifications induced by the wasp Zatypota alborhombarta (Ichneumonidae) in its host spider Cryptachaea migrans (Theridiidae). We observed that modified webs built by parasitized spiders had silk thread around the web shelter, reduced vertical lines, and an increase in forked distal ends of lines. However, these changes in the host web did not improve the survival of parasitoid pupae. Our results indicate that the benefits of host behavioral modification for the parasitoids may vary across different host species. In addition, we suggested that the effects of altered web designs may depend on specific host-created web features and environmental factors like predation pressure. Significance statement: Behavioral manipulations of hosts induced by parasites are often suggested as an adaptive trait, increasing the fitness of the parasitic organism. Still, the influence of host characteristics on the parasite's fitness is rarely experimentally assessed, raising questions about the extent of the adaptive nature of manipulation. Here, we demonstrate for the first time that behavioral modifications induced by Ichneumonidae wasps in a cobweb spider do not increase the survival of the parasitoids. We argue that the presence of shelters in these webs, used by parasitoids in their pupal stages, provides a safe environment for development, independent of other modifications. Furthermore, we suggest that the behavioral modification reflects the maintenance of a phylogenetically conserved trait. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many animals use self-built structures (extended phenotypes) to enhance body functions, such as thermoregulation, prey capture or defence. Yet, it is unclear whether the evolution of animal constructions supplements or substitutes body functions—with disparate feedbacks on trait evolution. Here, using brown spiders (Araneae: marronoid clade), we explored if the evolutionary loss and gain of silken webs as extended prey capture devices correlates with alterations in traits known to play an important role in predatory strikes—locomotor performance (sprint speed) and leg spination (expression of capture spines on front legs). We found that in this group high locomotor performance, with running speeds of over 100 body lengths per second, evolved repeatedly—both in web-building and cursorial spiders. There was no correlation with running speed, and leg spination only poorly correlated, relative to the use of extended phenotypes, indicating that web use does not reduce selective pressures on body functions involved in prey capture and defence per se. Consequently, extended prey capture devices serve as supplements rather than substitutions to body traits and may only be beneficial in conjunction with certain life-history traits, possibly explaining the rare evolution and repeated loss of trapping strategies in predatory animals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nests are important structures for birds to raise their offspring and for signaling. Many birds incorporate feathers into the nest, since feathers were traditionally thought to serve the function of insulation. Hypotheses in recent years have considered that some birds place feathers in conspicuous locations in the nest for decoration to trigger a fear response in the competitors. In this study, we investigated whether decorative feathers could deter nest usurpation by Crested Mynas (Acridotheres cristatellus) by manipulating nest box contents. The results revealed that Crested Mynas preferred black feathers to white feathers as decorations and occupied nest boxes decorated with black feathers significantly less than those decorated with white feathers, suggesting that black decorative feathers in the nest could be more effective in preventing nest usurpation by Crested Mynas and that white decorative feathers may have other functions. The black feathers in the nest are prominently placed at the edge of the nest to convey the message that “this nest is occupied” or “the owner of this nest has been preyed upon” to visitor Crested Mynas, thus effectively preventing them from usurping the nest at a later stage.

Abstract Estimating the genetic variation underpinning a trait is crucial to understanding and predicting its evolution. A key statistical tool to estimate this variation is the animal model. Typically, the environment is modelled as an external variable independent of the organism, affecting the focal phenotypic trait via phenotypic plasticity. We studied what happens if the environment is not independent of the organism because it chooses or adjusts its environment, potentially creating non‐zero genotype–environment correlations. We simulated a set of biological scenarios assuming the presence or absence of a genetic basis for a focal phenotypic trait and/or the focal environment (treated as an extended phenotype), as well as phenotypic plasticity (the effect of the environment on the phenotypic trait) and/or ‘environmental plasticity’ (the effect of the phenotypic trait on the local environment). We then estimated the additive genetic variance of the phenotypic trait and/or the environment by applying five animal models which differed in which variables were fitted as the dependent variable and which covariates were included. We show that animal models can estimate the additive genetic variance of the local environment (i.e. the extended phenotype) and can detect environmental plasticity. We show that when the focal environment has a genetic basis, the additive genetic variance of a phenotypic trait increases if there is phenotypic plasticity. We also show that phenotypic plasticity can be mistakenly inferred to exist when it is actually absent and instead environmental plasticity is present. When the causal relationship between the phenotype and the environment is misunderstood, it can lead to severe misinterpretation of the genetic parameters, including finding ‘phantom’ genetic variation for traits that, in reality, have none. We also demonstrate how using bivariate models can partly alleviate these issues. Finally, we provide the mathematical equations describing the expected estimated values. This study highlights that not taking gene–environment correlations into account can lead to erroneous interpretations of additive genetic variation and phenotypic plasticity estimates. If we aim to understand and predict how organisms adapt to environmental change, we need a better understanding of the mechanisms that may lead to gene–environment correlations.

Avian nests are crucial to reproduction as they are the site for incubation of the clutch of eggs and, in many cases, it is the location for the rearing of chicks hatched. Despite many years of reports of the characteristics of nests from many species our understanding of their functional properties has been very poor. Over the past few years, interest in the functional properties of nests has increased and this review brings together information regarding how materials used to construct the nest contribute to various functional properties. The review starts with a brief consideration of the various functions of nests but thereafter the focus is on the key roles that it plays during incubation. Details of the variety of materials used in nest construction emphasises the importance of quantitative data on the types and amounts of materials used in nests and how this information allows analysis that can improve our understanding of functional properties. Subsequent sections explore structural and thermal properties of nests in more detail. The roles that a nest can play in maintaining nest humidity and in weather-proofing the contents are also explored. The concept that the nest is an extended phenotype that has a role in niche creation is explored before the review concludes with a consideration of future directions for research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Form follows function throughout the development of an organism. This principle should apply beyond the organism to the nests they build, but empirical studies are lacking. Honeybees provide a uniquely suited system to study nest form and function throughout development because we can image the three-dimensional structure repeatedly and non-destructively. Here, we tracked nest-wide comb growth in six colonies over 45 days (control colonies) and found that colonies have a stereotypical process of development that maintains a spheroid nest shape. To experimentally test if nest structure is important for colony function, we shuffled the nests of an additional six colonies, weekly rearranging the comb positions and orientations (shuffled colonies). Surprisingly, we found no differences between control and shuffled colonies in multiple colony performance metrics—worker population, comb area, hive weight and nest temperature. However, using predictive modelling to examine how workers allocate comb to expand their nests, we show that shuffled colonies compensate for these disruptions by accounting for the three-dimensional structure to reconnect their nest. This suggests that nest architecture is more flexible than previously thought, and that superorganisms have mechanisms to compensate for drastic architectural perturbations and maintain colony function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• In this research, the authors screened nearly 329 Uttarakhand blood donors (UBDs) for extended phenotyping of their erythrocytes. Among these, O-typed, DAT-negative donors who were non-reactive for TTI markers were processed further for the testing of 21 different blood group antigens. Commercially prepared monoclonal antisera (Ortho Clinical Diagnostics, Pvt. ltd, Mumbai, India) were used for serological phenotyping of the UBD erythrocytes. • The prevalence of high- and low-frequency blood antigens in our study was Rh (D 96.6%, C 84.8%, c 63.5%, E 27.9% and e 92%), Lewis (Lea 6.3%, Leb 31.9%), Kidd (Jka 87.8%, Jkb 63.2%), Kell (K 1.8%, k 96.3%) and Duffy (Fya 63.5%, Fyb 10.6%). And in the MNS system we received 21.2% as M, 10.9% N, 37% S and 51.3% s. We identified some very rare minor antigens such as Dia 1.8%, Ina 1.8%, Cw 0.6% and, 1.2% Mur positive donors, which are not common in the Indian population, as per the available literature. Moreover, also identified one Bombay phenotype (O h) in one of the UBD recruits. • The minor phenotype repository generated in this research would enable the authors with the genuine possibility of building an indigenous in-house red cell panel for hospital patients. Further, this repository may also come in use for multi-transfused and allo-immunized patients having different oncological and haematological ailments. The state of Uttarakhand, bordering countries such as Tibet and Nepal, is a multi-ethnic region. Further, erythrocyte alloimmunization may arise from the incompatibility of major and/or minor blood groups between ethnically diverse donors and recipients. We aimed to screen Uttarakhand blood donors (UBDs) for extended phenotyping of their erythrocytes serologically. This prospective cross-sectional analysis involved all UBD samples collected at the blood centre of our tertiary-care hospital. Samples were obtained over 9 months (Mar'22 to Nov'22). Donors who were O-typed, DAT-negative and non-reactive for TTI markers were processed further for serological testing using the column agglutination technique utilizing 21 different monoclonal antisera (Ortho diagnostics Pvt ltd, Mumbai India). The research was financially aided by UCOST, Uttarakhand, Government of India. Of the 5,407 blood samples collected, the total number of O-typed samples collected was 1622. Of these 1622, 329 (20.2 %) O-typed samples were selected based on our inclusion criteria and hence further phenotyped. Amongst these 329 UBDs, the average age was 32.7 ± 9.32 (18–52) years and the male-to-female ratio was (M: F = 12:1). The prevalence of high- and low-frequency blood antigens in our study was Rh (D 96.6 %, C 84.8 %, c 63.5 %, E 27.9 % and e 92 %), Lewis (Lea 6.3 %, Leb 31.9 %), Kidd (Jka 87.8 %, Jkb 63.2 %), Kell (K 1.8 %, k 96.3 %) and Duffy (Fya 63.5 %, Fyb 10.6 %). And in the MNS system we received 21.2 % as M, 10.9 % N, 37 % S and 51.3 % as s respectively. We also identified some very rare minor antigens such as Dia 1.8 %, Ina 1.8 %, Cw 0.6 % and, 1.2 % Mur positive donors, which are not common in our population, as per the published literature. Moreover, we also identified one Bombay blood phenotype (O h) in one of our UBD recruits. To sum up, practically with the outcome of this research, we were also able to identify rare phenotypes among the local people and a rare blood donor registry was created. This repository shall also come in use for our multi-transfused patients having different oncological and haematological ailments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite knowing benefits of extended phenotyping, a vast majority feel that phenotype matched units add to the cost of blood banking. The purpose of this study was to discuss advantages and disadvantages of performing Rh Kell phenotyping in Indian scenario. This was a prospective, observational study conducted at a tertiary healthcare center between July 2014 and February 2020. All consecutive whole blood donors and all consecutive patients whose samples were sent for Rh-Kell phenotyping were included for calculating antigen, phenotype and gene frequencies. For rate of alloimmunization in patients transfused with phenotype matched units, all patients who were given Rh-Kell phenotype matched transfusions were included in the prophylactic antigen matched (PAM) category and those who were given random units were included in the non-PAM category. A total of 37,588 donors and 258 patients were included in the study for calculation of antigen, phenotype and gene frequencies. Percentage similarity of phenotypes between patient and donor populations was 33.8%. For rate of alloimmunization, results of a total of 31,991 patient samples revealed 0.94% prevalence of unexpected antibodies; highest against the Rh system. Three patients in the non-PAM category and one in the PAM category were alloimmunized during follow-up. Significant clinical and laboratory impact of phenotyping was observed in terms of reduced turnaround time and consumption of resources. Rh-Kell phenotyping of donors can prevent alloimmunization, reduce cost burden on the patient and the laboratory and help the laboratory personnel in smooth routine testing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Methods in Ecology & Evolution is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Biologists have long known that environmental context can create diverse phenotypes from identical genotypes. Thus, cells of the same foetus can grow into various organs depending on the molecular environment. Also, animals of the same genetic heritage can show different behaviours in different environments. Conrad Hal Waddington conceptualized epigenotypes in the 1930s, whereby modifications of genetic material could generate alternative modules of development arising out of nonvariant genetic information. His concept paved the way for a neo‐Darwinian synthesis by creating bidirectionality between the environment and genes.In a completely independent intellectual universe, Richard Dawkins introduced the idea of extended phenotype in the early 1980s. The hypothesis posits that the appropriate phenotype of genetic information is not limited to the organism but can 'extend' beyond the environment. Parasite manipulation of host behaviour presents a dramatic example of such extended phenotypes.In this perspective, we propose a synthesis between the earlier concept of epigenotypes and the later idea of extended phenotypes, namely a novel concept of extended epiphenotypes.Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Ibis is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Animals use inter-specific cues as a source of information in decisions-making, but the full costs and benefits of inter-specific information use are unknown. We tested whether pied flycatchers use the body size and clutch size of great tits as cues in their reproductive decisions and what are the possible fitness consequences as a function of great tit size. The size of great tit females associated positively with flycatcher's probability to settle near a tit nest over a territory further away. Flycatcher egg mass was positively correlated with great tit female size regardless of flycatcher territory choice. However, in flycatchers that had chosen to nest near great tits, the size of nestlings decreased in relation to increasing great tit female size. Our results demonstrate the use of size of inter-specifics as a cue in reproductive decisions and the trade-off between the value of information and costs of competition information users face when using inter-specific information in decision-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fungus-farming termite colonies maintain monoculture fungus combs in underground chambers without apparent problems with diseases. Multiple lines of defense contribute to the suppression or removal of antagonists of the symbiosis, but the role of the termite-manipulated environment within mounds has yet to be tested. Specifically, termite mounds have extremely high levels of CO2 compared to atmospheric levels. We tested the effect of 5% CO2 on the growth of fungal crops from Macrotermes bellicosus colonies, generalist fungi that could challenge the symbiosis, as well as a specialist stowaway fungus, Pseudoxylaria. For sporulating fungi, we also quantified the effects on conidia production. We found that elevated CO2 significantly reduces mycelial growth and conidia production of the generalist fungi Aspergillus sp., Beauveria bassiana, and Metarhizium brunneum, whereas it overall had a net positive effect on the growth of the fungal crop Termitomyces and Pseudoxylaria; albeit, with variation between fungal strains within genera. Our findings point to elevated CO2 being of adaptive significance to the fungus-farming termite symbiosis as an additional layer of defense that helps keep termite fungus gardens free from fungal infections. The mound-building activities that make termites ecosystem engineers may thus also generate environmental conditions that impact the fate of fungi inhabiting the extended phenotypes that massive termite mounds represent.

Abstract Background Changes in host phenotype following parasite infection are often considered as host manipulation when they seem advantageous for the parasite. However, putative cases of host manipulation by parasites are rarely tested in field-realistic conditions. Infection-induced phenotypic change cannot be conclusively considered as host manipulation if no evidence shows that this trait is adaptive for the parasite in the wild. Plasmodium sp., the parasites causing malaria in vertebrates, are hypothesized to “manipulate” their host by making their odour more attractive to mosquitoes, their vector and final host. While this is fairly well supported by studies on mice and humans, studies focusing on avian malaria give contradictory results. Methods In the present study, genotyped birds at different stages (uninfected, acute and chronic) of Plasmodium relictum infection were exposed, in a large outdoor aviary, to their natural vector, the mosquito Culex pipiens. Results After genotyping the blood meals of more than 650 mosquitoes, we found that mosquitoes did not bite infected birds more than they bit them before infection, nor more than they bit uninfected hosts. Conclusions Our study highlights the importance of testing ecological behaviours under natural conditions and suggests that different processes might be at play in mammals and birds regarding potential manipulation of attractiveness by malaria parasites. Graphical Abstract

Understanding community-level selection using Lewontin's criteria requires both community-level inheritance and community-level heritability, and in the discipline of community and ecosystem genetics, these are often conflated. While there are existing studies that show the possibility of both, these studies impose community-level inheritance as a product of the experimental design. For this reason, these experiments provide only weak support for the existence of community-level selection in nature. By contrast, treating communities as interactors (in line with Hull's replicator-interactor framework or Dawkins's idea of the "extended phenotype") provides a more plausible and empirically supportable model for the role of ecological communities in the evolutionary process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A major challenge of biological research is to understand what generates and maintains consistent behavioral variation among animals. Time and energy trade-offs, where expressing one behavior is achieved at the expense of another, are often suggested to favor the maintenance of behavioral differences between individuals. However, few studies have investigated how individuals adjust their allocation to different functions over time and depending on resource abundance. Black widow spiders of the genus Latrodectus build persistent webs that include structural threads which protect against predators and sticky trap threads to capture prey. Web structure consistently differs among individuals in the number of trap and structural threads. To quantify the intensity of a trade-off, we assessed the relationship between the number of structural and trap threads and tested whether varying food abundance affected individual differences in web structure. We further quantified how these individual differences change over time and with food abundance. We subjected spiders to three different levels of prey abundance and monitored the structure of their webs every twelve hours. We found no evidence for a trade-off between trap and structural threads. Instead, spiders that produced more structural threads also produced more trap threads, showing that spiders invested equally in both types of threads. Interestingly, the magnitude of individual differences in web structure was greatest when spiders were fed ad libitum and at the beginning of web construction. We suggest that variation in web structure between spiders could be the result of stable developmental differences in morphology or genetic differences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stingless bees are the most species-rich group of eusocial bees and show great diversity in behaviour, ecology, nest architecture, colony size, and worker morphology. How this variation relates to varying selection pressures and constraints is not well understood. Variation can be caused by selection acting on behavioural or morphological traits, both alone and in correlation across traits. Here we tested whether behavioural and morphological traits important for foraging and defence are linked to nest-entrance architecture, an extended phenotype relevant to both foraging and nest defence. Using 23 species we investigated whether eye size, nest entrance size, landing behaviour and foraging method show cross-species correlations. A phylogenetically-controlled comparative analysis revealed that species with relatively smaller eyes build relatively larger entrances, which in turn are associated with faster landing approaches and fewer landing errors by foragers, both of which could reduce predation risk. Concerning foraging, mass-recruiting species have c. 10-times larger entrance holes than species with a solitary foraging strategy. Larger entrances could help species with mass recruitment to rapidly increase forager traffic or mount a strong defensive response when under attack. Our results show that studying correlations among different traits helps understand phenotypic diversity in species rich groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spider webs are iconic examples of extended phenotypes that are remarkably plastic across different environments. Orb webs are not only effective traps for capturing prey, but can also provide information to potential mates and, in some cases, potential predators and prey through silk-based chemicals. As with regular phenotypic traits, variability in the properties of spider webs is thought to be mediated by a combination of genetic and environmental effects. Here, we examined variation in several key features of the webs of the orb-weaving spider Argiope keyserlingi across five geographically disparate populations. We documented variation in web architecture and chemical properties of webs collected directly from the field. We then probed the potential for the underlying environmental driver of local insect abundance to explain this variation, by analysing the properties of orb webs constructed by the spiders from these different populations, but under identical laboratory conditions. We found no evidence of variation across populations in the architecture of webs constructed in the laboratory, despite the large geographic distances. Nonetheless, we discovered between population variation in the composition of chemicals found on the surface of silk and in the taxonomic distribution of available prey. Furthermore, there was a positive correlation between the quantity of nitrogenous compounds in web silks and female body condition. When combined, these findings suggest that environmental mechanisms can drive variation in web traits across spider populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The extended phenotype of helical burrowing behavior in animals has evolved independently many times since the Cambrian explosion (~540 million years ago [MYA]). A number of hypotheses have been proposed to explain the evolution of helical burrowing in certain taxa, but no study has searched for a general explanation encompassing all taxa. We reviewed helical burrowing in both extant and extinct animals and from the trace fossil record and compiled 10 hypotheses for why animals construct helical burrows, including our own ideas. Of these, six are post-construction hypotheses-benefits to the creator or offspring, realized after burrow construction-and four are construction hypotheses reflecting direct benefits to the creator during construction. We examine the fit of these hypotheses to a total of 21 extant taxa and ichnotaxa representing 59-184 possible species. Only two hypotheses, antipredator and biomechanical advantage, cannot be rejected for any species (possible in 100% of taxa), but six of the hypotheses cannot be rejected for most species (possible in 86%-100% of taxa): microclimate buffer, reduced falling sediment (soil), anticrowding, and vertical patch. Four of these six are construction hypotheses, raising the possibility that helical burrowing may have evolved without providing post-construction benefits. Our analysis shows that increased drainage, deposit feeding, microbial farming, and offspring escape cannot explain helical burrowing behavior in the majority of taxa (5%-48%). Overall, the evidence does not support a general explanation for the evolution of helical burrowing in animals. The function and evolution of the helix as an extended phenotype seems to provide different advantages for different taxa in different environments under different physicochemical controls (some traces/tracemakers are discussed in more detail due to their association with body fossils and well-constrained physicochemical parameters). Although direct tests of many of the hypotheses would be difficult, we nevertheless offer ways to test some of the hypotheses for selected taxa., (© 2024 The Authors. Ecology and Evolution published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: Changes in host phenotype following parasite infection are often considered as host manipulation when they seem advantageous for the parasite. However, putative cases of host manipulation by parasites are rarely tested in field-realistic conditions. Infection-induced phenotypic change cannot be conclusively considered as host manipulation if no evidence shows that this trait is adaptive for the parasite in the wild. Plasmodium sp., the parasites causing malaria in vertebrates, are hypothesized to "manipulate" their host by making their odour more attractive to mosquitoes, their vector and final host. While this is fairly well supported by studies on mice and humans, studies focusing on avian malaria give contradictory results. Methods: In the present study, genotyped birds at different stages (uninfected, acute and chronic) of Plasmodium relictum infection were exposed, in a large outdoor aviary, to their natural vector, the mosquito Culex pipiens. Results: After genotyping the blood meals of more than 650 mosquitoes, we found that mosquitoes did not bite infected birds more than they bit them before infection, nor more than they bit uninfected hosts. Conclusions: Our study highlights the importance of testing ecological behaviours under natural conditions and suggests that different processes might be at play in mammals and birds regarding potential manipulation of attractiveness by malaria parasites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Every organism on Earth depends on interactions with other organisms to survive. In each of these interactions, an organism must utilize the limited toolbox of genes and proteins it possesses to successfully manipulate or cooperate with another species, but it can also co‐opt the genome machinery of its partner to expand its available tools. Insect‐induced plant galls are an extreme example of this, wherein an insect hijacks the plant's genome to direct the initiation and development of galls consisting of plant tissue. However, previous transcriptomic studies have not evaluated individual tissues within a gall to determine the full extent to which a galling insect manipulates its host plant. Here we demonstrate that the cynipid wasp Dryocosmus quercuspalustris creates a complex parasite‐specific organ from red oak tissue via massive changes in host gene expression. Our results show that the gall wasp is not merely modifying oak leaf tissue but creating extensive changes in gene expression between galled and ungalled tissue (differential expression in 28% of genes) and distinct gall tissue types (20% of genes). The outer gall tissue shows increases in various plant defence systems, which is consistent with its predicted functional role of protecting the wasp larva. The inner larval capsule shows suppression of large parts of the plant innate immune system and evidence for the wasp utilizing the plant's RNA interference mechanisms, which may be a potential mechanism for the wasp's control on gall growth. see also the Perspective by Jack C. Schultz and Graham N. Stone [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The postulates of developmental instability–sexual selection hypothesis is intensely debated among evolutionary biologists, wherein despite a large amount of empirical data, evidence for or against it has been largely inconclusive. A key assumption of this hypothesis is that animals assess symmetry in potential mates as an indicator of genetic quality (developmental stability), and consequently use this information to discriminate against those with higher asymmetries while choosing mates. However, the perceptional basis that must underlie such discriminatory behavior (is symmetry a signal or is symmetry signaled) is not clearly defined. It is also argued that since asymmetry levels in natural populations are very low, the low signal‐to‐noise ratio would make accurate assessment of symmetry both difficult and costly. Rather than attempting to validate this hypothesis or even as to whether animals assess mate symmetry, this review simply aims to examine the plausibility that animals perceive symmetry (directly or indirectly) and consequently discriminate against asymmetric mates in response to perceived irregularities during courtship. For this, we review mate choice and courtship literature to identify potential sensory cues that might advertise asymmetry or lead to discrimination of asymmetric individuals. Although signaling associated with mate choice is commonly multimodal, previous studies on asymmetry have mainly focused on visual perception. In the light of a recent study (Vijendravarma et al., 2022, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 119, e2116136119), this review attempts to balance this bias by emphasizing on non‐visual perception of asymmetry. In conclusion, we discuss the methodological challenges associated with testing the role of multimodal cues in detecting mate asymmetry, and highlight the importance of considering ecological, behavioral, and evolutionary aspects of animals while interpreting empirical data that test such hypothesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The postulates of developmental instability–sexual selection hypothesis is intensely debated among evolutionary biologists, wherein despite a large amount of empirical data, evidence for or against it has been largely inconclusive. A key assumption of this hypothesis is that animals assess symmetry in potential mates as an indicator of genetic quality (developmental stability), and consequently use this information to discriminate against those with higher asymmetries while choosing mates. However, the perceptional basis that must underlie such discriminatory behavior (is symmetry a signal or is symmetry signaled) is not clearly defined. It is also argued that since asymmetry levels in natural populations are very low, the low signal‐to‐noise ratio would make accurate assessment of symmetry both difficult and costly. Rather than attempting to validate this hypothesis or even as to whether animals assess mate symmetry, this review simply aims to examine the plausibility that animals perceive symmetry (directly or indirectly) and consequently discriminate against asymmetric mates in response to perceived irregularities during courtship. For this, we review mate choice and courtship literature to identify potential sensory cues that might advertise asymmetry or lead to discrimination of asymmetric individuals. Although signaling associated with mate choice is commonly multimodal, previous studies on asymmetry have mainly focused on visual perception. In the light of a recent study (Vijendravarma et al., 2022, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 119, e2116136119), this review attempts to balance this bias by emphasizing on non‐visual perception of asymmetry. In conclusion, we discuss the methodological challenges associated with testing the role of multimodal cues in detecting mate asymmetry, and highlight the importance of considering ecological, behavioral, and evolutionary aspects of animals while interpreting empirical data that test such hypothesis.

Abstract Ecosystem engineers that modify landforms can be valuable tools for restoring habitat, but their use has frequently resulted in unanticipated outcomes. Departures from expectations might arise because applications discount the possibility that geomorphic processes are influenced by heritable phenotypic variation. We conducted a field‐scale common garden experiment to assess whether shoreline erosion reflects intraspecific variation in the landform engineer Spartina alterniflora. Replicated plots on a shoreline denuded by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill were revegetated using plants from four genetically distinct sources: the local population, a nonlocal population, and two nursery stocks. We assessed variation in biomass, tissue nutrients, and functional traits alongside soil shear strength, surface elevation, and shoreline erosion rates over 2 years. We found that productivity, traits, nutrient content, and erosion rates varied according to plant provenance. Erosion reflected traits like root architecture more so than coarser metrics of growth. Erosion was significantly higher in plots with nonlocal plants that exhibited lower productivity, likely due to nitrogen limitation. Our results indicate that restoration practices should account for intraspecific variation in landform engineers and that in situ trials should be performed at sites slated for restoration to evaluate donor source suitability, particularly if introductions might modify local populations.

Objective: Osteochondrodysplasias are a heterogeneous group of genetic skeletal dysplasias. Mutations in the COL2A1 gene cause a spectrum of rare autosomal-dominant type II collagenopathies characterized by skeletal dysplasia, short stature, and with vision and auditory defects. In this study, we have investigated in more detail the phenotypic and genotypic characterization resulting from glycine to serine mutations in the COL2A1 gene in a 2-year-old boy. Materials and methods: Detailed clinical and radiological phenotypic characterization was the baseline tool to guide the geneticists toward proper genotypic confirmation. Results: Genetic analysis revealed a de novo mutation, c.1681G>A (p.Gly561Ser), in the collagen type II alpha-1 gene (COL2A1). The identified variant showed impaired protein stability, and lead to dysfunction of type II collagen. In addition to pre and postnatal growth retardation, remarkable retardation of gross motor development and intellectual disability were noted. The latter was connected to cerebral malformations. The overall clinical phenotype of our current patient resembles spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia congenita (SEDC), but with extra phenotypic criteria. Conclusions: The aim of this paper is twofold; firstly, raising awareness among orthopaedic surgeons when dealing with children manifesting multiple deformities, and secondly to broaden the clinical phenotype in patients with COL2A1 mutations of amino acid substitution (glycine to serine).

I argue that the Conceptual Ethics and Conceptual Engineering framework, in its pragmatist version as recently defended by Thomasson (2017, 2020), provides a means of articulating and defending the conventionalist interpretation of projects of conceptual extension (e.g. the extended mind, the extended phenotype) in biology and psychology. This promises to be illuminating in both directions: it helps to make sense of, and provides an explicit methodology for, pragmatic conceptual extension in science, while offering further evidence for the value and fruitfulness of the conceptual ethics/engineering framework itself, in particular with respect to conceptual change within science, which has thus-far received little attention in the literature on conceptual ethics/engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Galling insects gain food and shelter by inducing specialized anatomical structures in their plant hosts. Such galls often accumulate plant defensive metabolites protecting the inhabiting insects from predation. We previously found that, despite a marked natural chemopolymorphism in natural populations of Pistacia palaestina, the monoterpene content in Baizongia pistaciae-induced galls is substantially higher than in leaves of their hosts. Here we show a general up-regulation of key structural genes in both the plastidial and cytosolic terpene biosynthetic pathways in galls as compared with non-colonized leaves. Novel prenyltransferases and terpene synthases were functionally expressed in Escherichia coli to reveal their biochemical function. Individual Pistacia trees exhibiting chemopolymorphism in terpene compositions displayed differential up-regulation of selected terpene synthase genes, and the metabolites generated by their gene products in vitro corresponded to the monoterpenes accumulated by each tree. Our results delineate molecular mechanisms responsible for the formation of enhanced monoterpene in galls and the observed intraspecific monoterpene chemodiversity displayed in P. palaestina. We demonstrate that gall-inhabiting aphids transcriptionally reprogram their host terpene pathways by up-regulating tree-specific genes, boosting the accumulation of plant defensive compounds for the protection of colonizing insects. We identified specific host plant genes responsible for the enhanced terpene biosynthesis and monoterpene chemodiversity observed in insect-induced galls, providing chemical defenses for the gall inhabitants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The caste fate of developing female honey bee larvae is strictly socially regulated by adult nurse workers. As a result of this social regulation, nurse-expressed genes as well as larval-expressed genes may affect caste expression and evolution. We used a novel transcriptomic approach to identify genes with putative direct and indirect effects on honey bee caste development, and we subsequently studied the relative rates of molecular evolution at these caste-associated genes. We experimentally induced the production of new queens by removing the current colony queen, and we used RNA sequencing to study the gene expression profiles of both developing larvae and their caregiving nurses before and after queen removal. By comparing the gene expression profiles of queen-destined versus worker-destined larvae as well as nurses observed feeding these two types of larvae, we identified larval and nurse genes associated with caste development. Of 950 differentially expressed genes associated with caste, 82% were expressed in larvae with putative direct effects on larval caste, and 18% were expressed in nurses with putative indirect effects on caste. Estimated selection coefficients suggest that both nurse and larval genes putatively associated with caste are rapidly evolving, especially those genes associated with worker development. Altogether, our results suggest that indirect effect genes play important roles in both the expression and evolution of socially influenced traits such as caste.

Parental care can be partitioned into traits that involve direct engagement with offspring and traits that are expressed as an extended phenotype and influence the developmental environment, such as constructing a nursery. Here, we use experimental evolution to test whether parents can evolve modifications in nursery construction when they are experimentally prevented from supplying care directly to offspring. We exposed replicate experimental populations of burying beetles (Nicrophorus vespilloides) to different regimes of posthatching care by allowing larvae to develop in the presence (Full Care) or absence of parents (No Care). After only 13 generations of experimental evolution, we found an adaptive evolutionary increase in the pace at which parents in the No Care populations converted a dead body into a carrion nest for larvae. Cross-fostering experiments further revealed that No Care larvae performed better on a carrion nest prepared by No Care parents than did Full Care larvae. We conclude that parents construct the nursery environment in relation to their effectiveness at supplying care directly, after offspring are born. When direct care is prevented entirely, they evolve to make compensatory adjustments to the nursery in which their young will develop. The rapid evolutionary change observed in our experiments suggests there is considerable standing genetic variation for parental care traits in natural burying beetle populations— for reasons that remain unclear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sphagnum peat mosses have an extraordinary impact on the global carbon cycle as they control long-term carbon sequestration in boreal peatland ecosystems. Sphagnum species engineer peatlands, which harbour roughly a quarter of all terrestrial carbon, through peat accumulation by constructing their own niche that allows them to outcompete other plants. Interspecific variation in peat production, largely resulting from differences in tissue decomposability, is hypothesized to drive niche differentiation along microhabitat gradients thereby alleviating competitive pressure. However, little empirical evidence exists for the role of selection in the creation and maintenance of such gradients. In order to document how niche construction and differentiation evolved in Sphagnum, we quantified decomposability for 54 species under natural conditions and used phylogenetic comparative methods to model the evolution of this carbon cycling trait. We show that decomposability tracks the phylogenetic diversification of peat mosses, that natural selection favours different levels of decomposability corresponding to optimum niche and that divergence in this trait occurred early in the evolution of the genus prior to the divergence of most extant species. Our results demonstrate the evolution of ecosystem engineering via natural selection on an extended phenotype, of a fundamental ecosystem process, and one of the Earth's largest soil carbon pools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Host organisms show altered phenotypic reactions when parasitised, some of which result from adaptive host manipulation, a phenomenon that has long been debated. Here, we provide an overview and discuss the rationale in distinguishing adaptive versus nonadaptive host behavioural manipulation. We discuss Poulin's criteria of adaptive host behavioural manipulation within the context of Tinbergen's four questions of ethology, while highlighting the importance of both the proximate and evolutionary explanations of such traits. We also provide guidelines for future studies exploring the adaptiveness of host behavioural manipulation. Through this article, we seek to encourage researchers to consider both the proximate and ultimate causes of host behavioural manipulation to infer on the adaptiveness of such traits. Host manipulation has evolved as a primary life history strategy in all major parasitic lineages, and its adaptive significance is well established. Although adaptiveness is an evolutionary concept, the complexity of analysing the evolutionary parameters of a manipulative trait has given rise to an ongoing debate on the criteria of adaptive host manipulation. The importance of both proximate and ultimate mechanisms for inferring the adaptiveness of host manipulation is discussed by reviewing Poulin's criteria considering Tinbergen's four questions of ethology. There are important parallels between Tinbergen's four questions and Poulin's criteria of adaptive host behavioural manipulation, from an ethological perspective. Their one-to-one analysis provides deeper insights into the importance of both proximate and ultimate mechanisms of adaptive host behavioural manipulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many animals use extended phenotypes to attract mates, but the availability of suitable resources in the environment can affect the size and form of these signals, with unknown consequences for honest signalling. In some populations of the great bowerbird, Ptilonorhynchus nuchalis, males arrange decorations by size, with smaller decorations placed closer to the bower entrance than larger decorations. This may create a more even background pattern from the female's viewpoint within the bower than if decorations were arranged randomly. Males show consistent, individual variation in the size-distance gradient, which could reflect variation among males in the cognitive skills needed to arrange decorations. We examined whether individual consistency in gradient characteristics is related to a male's skill at decoration arrangement or the types of decorations at bowers. We paired 18 males and switched bower decorations between pairs. We measured gradient characteristics before switching and 4 and 8 days after switching. Gradient characteristics after switching were related to those of the bower from which decorations were received, not to those of the male's own bower before switching. Gradient characteristics were also related to the types of decorations received, including bones and snail shells. These results suggest that variation among males in the size-distance gradient is explained by differences in the availability of decorations at bowers, not the cognitive skills required to arrange decorations. Although variation in gradient characteristics could indicate the male's ability to locate and transport particular decorations, it could also reflect local availability of objects, with no relationship to male quality.

Many animals use extended phenotypes to attract mates, but the availability of suitable resources in the environment can affect the size and form of these signals, with unknown consequences for honest signalling. In some populations of the great bowerbird, Ptilonorhynchus nuchalis, males arrange decorations by size, with smaller decorations placed closer to the bower entrance than larger decorations. This may create a more even background pattern from the female's viewpoint within the bower than if decorations were arranged randomly. Males show consistent, individual variation in the size-distance gradient, which could reflect variation among males in the cognitive skills needed to arrange decorations. We examined whether individual consistency in gradient characteristics is related to a male's skill at decoration arrangement or the types of decorations at bowers. We paired 18 males and switched bower decorations between pairs. We measured gradient characteristics before switching and 4 and 8 days after switching. Gradient characteristics after switching were related to those of the bower from which decorations were received, not to those of the male's own bower before switching. Gradient characteristics were also related to the types of decorations received, including bones and snail shells. These results suggest that variation among males in the size-distance gradient is explained by differences in the availability of decorations at bowers, not the cognitive skills required to arrange decorations. Although variation in gradient characteristics could indicate the male's ability to locate and transport particular decorations, it could also reflect local availability of objects, with no relationship to male quality.

Abstract Nests play a critical role for offspring development across the animal kingdom. Nest quality may contribute to the builder's extended phenotype and serve as an ornament during mate choice. We examined male and female nest choice in the common goby (Pomatoschistus microps), a benthic fish with male‐only parental care where females deposit eggs in male‐built nests. Using prebuilt nest models, we independently manipulated two candidate nest quality traits: (a) nest entrance width with a role in oxygen ventilation, and (b) extent of sand cover with a role in camouflage. In simultaneous choice trials, male gobies exhibited no preference for any nest model type. This suggests that initial characteristics of a nesting substrate have minor importance for males, which usually remodel the nest. Females were given a choice between two males occupying either entrance‐ or cover‐manipulated nests. The same pair of males was then exposed to a second female but now with alternated nest types assigned. Most females were consistent in choosing the same, typically the heavier male of the two regardless of nest properties. However, the females that chose the same nest regardless of the male preferred low over high sand coverage and narrow over wide nest entrance. Our results indicate that females base their mating decision on a combination of male phenotype and nest traits. While we found no indication that females are attracted to highly decorated nests, our study is the first in fishes to disentangle a preference for narrow (and thus more protective) nest entrances independent of nest coverage.

Ecosystem engineers that modify landforms can be valuable tools for restoring habitat, but their use has frequently resulted in unanticipated outcomes. Departures from expectations might arise because applications discount the possibility that geomorphic processes are influenced by heritable phenotypic variation. We conducted a field‐scale common garden experiment to assess whether shoreline erosion reflects intraspecific variation in the landform engineer Spartina alterniflora. Replicated plots on a shoreline denuded by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill were revegetated using plants from four genetically distinct sources: the local population, a nonlocal population, and two nursery stocks. We assessed variation in biomass, tissue nutrients, and functional traits alongside soil shear strength, surface elevation, and shoreline erosion rates over 2 years. We found that productivity, traits, nutrient content, and erosion rates varied according to plant provenance. Erosion reflected traits like root architecture more so than coarser metrics of growth. Erosion was significantly higher in plots with nonlocal plants that exhibited lower productivity, likely due to nitrogen limitation. Our results indicate that restoration practices should account for intraspecific variation in landform engineers and that in situ trials should be performed at sites slated for restoration to evaluate donor source suitability, particularly if introductions might modify local populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gravity is very important for many organisms, including web-building spiders. Probably the best approach to study the relevance of gravity on organisms is to bring them to the International Space Station. Here, we describe the results of such an experiment where two juvenile Trichonephila clavipes (L.) (Araneae, Nephilidae) spiders were observed over a 2-month period in zero gravity and two control spiders under otherwise identical conditions on Earth. During that time, the spiders and their webs were photographed every 5 min. Under natural conditions, Trichonephila spiders build asymmetric webs with the hub near the upper edge of the web, and they always orient themselves downwards when sitting on the hub whilst waiting for prey. As these asymmetries are considered to be linked to gravity, we expected the spiders experiencing no gravity to build symmetric webs and to show a random orientation when sitting on the hub. We found that most, but not all, webs built in zero gravity were indeed quite symmetric. Closer analysis revealed that webs built when the lights were on were more asymmetric (with the hub near the lights) than webs built when the lights were off. In addition, spiders showed a random orientation when the lights were off but faced away from the lights when they were on. We conclude that in the absence of gravity, the direction of light can serve as an orientation guide for spiders during web building and when waiting for prey on the hub. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]