Does climate warming influence sexual chemical signaling?

Astrid T Groot,Z Valentina Zizzari

doi:10.1163/15707563-20191103

Astrid T Groot, Z Valentina Zizzari

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1163/15707563-20191103

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Abstract

Abstract Global climate is changing at a rapid pace and the pivotal question is if the rate and extent of species’ responses to stressful events enable them to persist in a changing world. Although the consequences of rapid environmental changes on animal life-history traits are receiving considerable attention, our understanding of how temperature fluctuations affect sexual chemical communication in animals is scarce. Male-female interactions often depend on pheromone detectability and sudden shifts in environmental temperature are expected to disrupt communication between potential mates. Whether organisms can adapt to temperature-induced changes at both signaller and receiver levels is virtually unexplored. In this perspective paper, we first provide a broad overview of the sex pheromone pathway, from biosynthesis to detection, and outline the importance of chemical-based mate choice. Finally, through several study cases, we highlight how thermal stress may interfere with chemical communication between the sexes, and discuss the potential evolutionary consequence of temperature stress.

Highlights

The ability to effectively communicate with other individuals shapes the life of all animals
We explore a range of species in which temperature shifts have been shown to hamper their sexual chemical signalling and we highlight the importance of elucidating the consequences of the loss of efficacy of sex pheromone communication
Comparative studies that measure the consequences of climate change for sex pheromones and overall reproductive fitness in species with different geographical distributions will give insight in how generalist and specialist species may differ in their vulnerability to environmental change

Summary

Introduction

The ability to effectively communicate with other individuals shapes the life of all animals. High temperature can accelerate pheromone decay, affecting communication between individuals and the resulting behavioural response (e.g., foraging behaviour in ants: van Oudenhove et al, 2011). Functions such as feeding and communication can be compromised by an impaired ability of smelling or detecting odours. Several studies indicate a sensitivity of animal olfactory systems to several stressors: elevated CO2 decreases the ability to detect food or predators in the European sea bass, Dicentrarchus labrax (Linnaeus, 1758) (Porteus et al, 2018) and high temperatures have been shown to hamper the odour-discriminating ability of the Chinese pond turtle, Geoclemys reevesii (Gray, 1831) (Hanada et al, 1994)

Objectives

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