Edge Of Range Research Articles

Genomic Vulnerability to Climate Change of an Australian Migratory Freshwater Fish, the Golden Perch (Macquaria ambigua).

Genomic vulnerability is a measure of how much evolutionary change is required for a population to maintain optimal genotype-environment associations under projected climates. Aquatic species, and in particular migratory ectotherms, are largely underrepresented in studies of genomic vulnerability. Such species might be well equipped for tracking suitable habitat and spreading diversity that could promote adaptation to future climates. We characterised range-wide genomic diversity and genomic vulnerability in the migratory and fisheries-important golden perch (Macquaria ambigua) from Australia's expansive Murray-Darling Basin (MDB). The MDB has a steep hydroclimatic gradient and is one of the world's most variable regions in terms of climate and streamflow. Golden perch are threatened by fragmentation and obstruction of waterways, alteration of flow regimes, and a progressively hotter and drying climate. We gathered a genomic dataset of 1049 individuals from 186 MDB localities. Despite high range-wide gene flow, golden perch in the warmer, northern catchments had higher predicted vulnerability than those in the cooler, southern catchments. A new cross-validation approach showed that these predictions were insensitive to the exclusion of individual catchments. The results raise concern for populations at warm range edges, which may already be close to their thermal limits. However, a population with functional variants beneficial for climate adaptation found in the most arid and hydrologically variable catchment was predicted to be less vulnerable. Native fish management plans, such as captive breeding and stocking, should consider spatial variation in genomic vulnerability to improve conservation outcomes under climate change, even for dispersive species with high connectivity.

Biogeographic Patterns in Density, Recruitment, Body Size and Zonation of Rocky Intertidal Predators Suggest Increased Population Vulnerability Near Southern Range Limits

ABSTRACTAimSurveying the demography of populations near species range edges may indicate their vulnerability to range contractions or local extinction as the climate changes. In the rocky intertidal, not only are latitudinal ranges constricted by thermal stress, but tides also create zonation or a ‘vertical range’ driven by sharp environmental gradients. By investigating demographics along the latitudinal and vertical ranges simultaneously, we can investigate whether populations may be vulnerable to a changing climate.LocationRocky intertidal habitats along west coast of the United States.TaxaOchre sea star Pisaster ochraceus, six‐armed sea star Leptasterias spp., emarginate whelks (Nucella ostrina and N. emarginata) and channeled whelk N. canaliculata.MethodsIn 2018, we surveyed the demographics of the taxa above at 33 sites spanning > 11° latitude from central Oregon to southern California, near the southern range limits of each taxon. We counted and sized individuals from the high to low intertidal zone. To understand how environmental stress changed with latitude, we evaluated intertidal temperatures in situ, as well as tidal extremes, tidal amplitude and wave exposure using offshore buoys.ResultsFor all taxa, population density, the relative proportion of smaller individuals (except for emarginate whelks) and the upper vertical limits on the shore declined from north to south as temperatures increased and high tide height, tidal amplitude and wave heights decreased. In addition, smaller individual Leptasterias spp. generally inhabited lower shore levels while smaller individual emarginate whelks inhabited higher shore levels coastwide. For N. canaliculata, smaller animals were higher on shore northward, but lower on shore southward.Main ConclusionsWhile this study is a snapshot in time and cannot assess impacts of climate change, our surveys suggest environmentally‐related demographic limitation toward southern range limits and demographically vulnerable southern populations. Therefore, a warming climate may cause local extinctions or range contractions near southern limits.

Population dynamics of a desert riverine turtle, Pseudemys gorzugi, at the northern edge of its range

Estimating the key demographic parameters of animal populations can enhance our understanding of system dynamics and assist in developing and improving conservation decision–support models. The Rio Grande cooter Pseudemys gorzugi is a conservation reliant freshwater turtle native to lower Rio Grande River Basin (USA and Mexico), with limited knowledge regarding its natural history and population dynamics. In this study, we used seven years of capture–mark–recapture data from the northern edge of the species' range to estimate survival probabilities, changes in abundance, and the probability of transitioning between different size classes while explicitly accounting for the sampling process. We found relatively high survival probabilities across different strata, with large juveniles exhibiting the highest survival (0.98) and small juveniles the lowest (0.71). However, transition probabilities between strata were low, indicating slow somatic growth rates. Our pattern‐oriented modelling revealed a low overall mean estimate of egg survival (0.024), warranting further empirical confirmation. Our study provides the first comprehensive demographic analysis of P. gorzugi encompassing an array of size and sex classes. Overall, we consider the population of P. gorzugi in the Black River robust, highlighting the importance of this river system to the species' persistence in the northern extent of its range, where the population is isolated from its broader distribution. The demographic estimates and ecological insights provided by our study offer critical data for parameterizing decision‐support models to ensure that P. gorzugi conservation strategies are grounded in the best available science.

Musa species in mainland Southeast Asia: From wild to domesticate.

Many species are defined in the Musa section within its natural diversification area in Southeast Asia. However, their actual number remains debated as botanical characterisation, distribution and intraspecific variability are still poorly known, compromising their preservation and their exploitation as crop wild relatives of cultivated forms. To address the underexplored Musa diversity in mainland Southeast Asia, at the northern edge of the natural range, 208 specimens were collected in Vietnam, Laos and China, mainly belonging to Musa balbisiana, M. itinerans, M. acuminata and M. yunnanensis. Data on location, morphology, environment and local knowledge were recorded, and leaf samples collected for high-throughput genotyping. This study combines geographical, morphological, and genomic diversity to clarify the taxonomic classification. The collected species exhibit highly distinctive morphologies and genomes, just as they differ in ranges and life traits. Intraspecific genomic diversity was also observed, although not necessarily morphologically perceptible. Mainland Southeast Asia is confirmed as a primary diversification centre for the Musa section. The diversity observed is only partially represented in major international ex situ collections, calling for their urgent enrichment and the promotion of in situ management procedures, for the protection of these threatened species and to better harness their potential in breeding programmes. Although considered wild, the species studied are all affected to varying extents by human use. Musa yunnanensis and M. acuminata subsp. burmannica are the most strictly wild forms, with spontaneous interspecific hybrids first described in this study. Although gathered as fodder, they were only occasionally dispersed outside their endemic zones. Musa itinerans is not cultivated per se, but natural populations are widely exploited, leading to a geographically structured diversity. The diversity of M. balbisiana is widely distributed and geographically structured by human activities. This species should be regarded as domesticated. These various stages, from simple opportunistic gathering to true domestication, shed light on the evolutionary history of today's cultivated varieties.

Linking resource selection to population performance spatially to identify species' habitat across broad scales: An example of greater sage-grouse in a distinct population segment.

Management decisions often focus on the habitat selection of marked individuals without considering the contribution to demographic performance in selected habitats. Because habitat selection is not always adaptive, understanding the spatial relationship between habitat selection and demographic performance is critical to management decisions. Mapping both habitat selection and demographic performance for species of conservation concern can help guide population-scale conservation efforts. We demonstrate a quantitative approach to differentiate areas supporting selection and survival at large spatial extents. As a case study, we applied this approach to greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus; hereafter, sage-grouse), an indicator species for sagebrush ecosystems. We evaluated both habitat selection and survival across multiple reproductive life stages (nesting, brood-rearing) in the Bi-State Distinct Population Segment, a genetically distinct and geographically isolated population of sage-grouse on the southwestern edge of the species' range. Our approach allowed us to identify both mismatches between selection and survival and trade-offs between reproductive life stages. These findings suggest resource demands vary across time, with predation risk being a dominant driver of habitat selection during nesting and early brood-rearing periods when chicks are smaller and flightless, whereas access to forage resources becomes more important during late brood rearing when resources become increasingly limited. Moving beyond identifying and managing habitat solely based on species occupancy or use by incorporating demographic measures allows managersto tailor actions to their specific goals; for example, protections of areas that support high selection and high survival and restoration actions focused on increasing survival in areas of high selection and low survival.

Towards automated detection of the endangered southern black-throated finch (Poephila cincta cincta)

Context Biodiversity is declining worldwide, with many species decreasing in both number and range. Acoustic monitoring is rapidly becoming a common survey method in the ecologist’s toolkit that may aid in the conservation of endangered species, but effective analysis of long-duration audio recordings is still challenging. Aims The aims of this study were to: (1) develop and test call recognisers for the endangered southern black-throated finch (Poephila cincta cincta) as well as the similar sounding, but non-endangered, double-barred finch (Taeniopygia bichenovii); and (2) compare the ability of these recognisers to detect these species with that of on-ground bird surveys at under-surveyed locations in the Desert Uplands bioregion which is at the edge of the known range of the black-throated finch. Methods A range of convolutional neural network call recognition models were built and tested for both target species, before being deployed over new audio recordings collected at 25 sites during 2020, 2021 and 2022, and compared with the results of on-ground bird surveys at those same sites. Key results Call recognisers for both species performed well on test datasets from locations in the same area as the training data with an average area under the precision-recall curve (PRAUC) of 0.82 for black-throated finch and 0.87 for double-barred finch. On-ground bird surveys in the Desert Uplands bioregion detected black-throated finches at two locations in different years, and our call recognisers confirmed this with minimal post-validation of detections. Similar agreement between methods were obtained for the double-barred finch, with site occupancy in the Desert Uplands bioregion confirmed with audio recognition in all nine surveys with on-ground detections, as well as during four additional surveys that had no on-ground detections. Conclusions Using call recognisers to survey new locations for black-throated finch presence was equally successful as on-ground surveys, and with further refinements, such as retraining models with examples of commonly misclassified vocalisations added to the training data, minimal validation should be required to detect site presence. Implications Acoustic monitoring should be considered as a valuable tool to be used alongside manual surveys to allow effective monitoring and conservation of this endangered species.

Evaluating the hypoxic tolerance of two maturity stages of Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) at its range edge

AbstractThe South Georgia region of the Southern Ocean represents the northernmost range edge for Antarctic krill. Of concern is the extent to which rapid warming of surface water temperatures and reduced oxygen contents around this region might challenge the physiological tolerance of krill, particularly the later maturity stages. Hypoxia is generally considered to be less than 30 to 20% of air saturation, hereafter as threshold hypoxia, while less than 10% of air saturation would qualify as severe hypoxia. These levels are unlikely to occur in the Southern Ocean but might happen in the middle of dense krill swarms. We investigated gene expression and biochemical markers related to aerobic metabolism, antioxidant defence, and heat-shock response under 6-h threshold (4 kPa; TH) and 1-h severe (0.6 kPa; SH) hypoxia exposure, to understand how hypoxia might alter respiratory and biochemical pathways in adult and subadult krill. After 6-h TH, subadults induced expression of citrate synthase (CS), and mitochondrial superoxide dismutase (also after 1-h SH) over normoxic expression levels. The maturity stages responded differently in glutathione peroxidase (1-h SH; lower in subadults and higher in adults), and CS (6-h TH; higher in subadults and lower in adults) activities as for the oxidative damage marker to lipids (6-h TH; lower in subadults and higher in adults). Subadults had a greater capacity than adults to deal with hypoxic conditions. This may be a strategy allowing them to exist in larger swarms to reduce predation pressure before reaching reproductive condition.

Dynamic occupancy in a peripheral population of Myotis septentrionalis during disease outbreak

ContextOnce common, the northern long-eared bat (Myotis septentrionalis) has experienced declines > 90% due to white-nose syndrome (WNS). This severe mortality has resulted in their listing under the Endangered Species Act and made them a conservation priority. However, their broad distribution, variability in habitat use, and population instability make developing range-wide conservation strategies difficult. To understand how conservation of M. septentrionalis may vary across its range, we examined shifts in M. septentrionalis site occupancy on the edge of their historic range following severe WNS mortality.ObjectivesOur goal was to determine how mortality from white-nose syndrome affects site occupancy of M. septentrionalis at the southern edge of their historic range. Understanding which areas will remain occupied during disease related mortality will help inform management during disease outbreaks.MethodsWe used 11 years (2007–2017) of mist-netting records to construct dynamic occupancy models of M. septentrionalis in northern Georgia, USA. Occupancy was updated annually, with the initial period defined as all years prior to the winter of 2012–2013, which corresponds to when white-nose syndrome entered the study area. We assessed occupancy using landscape metrics at the home range (65 ha) and landscape (491 ha) scales, year since WNS occurrence in the study area, distance to karst, and distance to nearest WNS positive county. We estimated probability of detection using Julian date and sampling effort.ResultsInitial site occupancy was positively associated with percent deciduous forest cover at the home range scale. As M. septentrionalis populations declined from WNS, a site becoming unoccupied was negatively correlated with mean contiguity of forest at the home range scale and largest patch of forest and mean elevation at the landscape scale. Site occupancy declined precipitously in the years following WNS, dropping from 70.75% (41.76–96.98% [95% CI]) occupancy pre-WNS to 0.3% (0.3–20.5% [95% CI]) by the final year of the study.ConclusionsOur results demonstrated that sites occupied by M. septentrionalis closer to the historic range edge were more vulnerable to becoming unoccupied after disease arrival. We recommend managers on the periphery of the historic range focus conservation efforts on high elevation forested areas nearer to the range core.

Can internal range structure predict range shifts?

Poleward and uphill range shifts are a common-but variable-response to climate change. We lack understanding regarding this interspecific variation; for example, functional traits show weak or mixed ability to predict range shifts. Characteristics of species' ranges may enhance prediction of range shifts. However, the explanatory power of many range characteristics-especially within-range abundance patterns-remains untested. Here, we introduce a hypothesis framework for predicting range-limit population trends and range shifts from the internal structure of the geographic range, specifically range edge hardness, defined as abundance within range edges relative to the whole range. The inertia hypothesis predicts that high edge abundance facilitates expansions along the leading range edge but creates inertia (either moreindividuals must disperse or perish) at the trailing range edge such that the trailing edge recedes slowly. In contrast, the limitation hypothesis suggests that hard range edges are the signature of strong limits (e.g. biotic interactions) that force faster contraction of the trailing edge but block expansions at the leading edge of the range. Using a long-term avian monitoring dataset from northern Minnesota, USA, we estimated population trends for 35 trailing-edge species and 18 leading-edge species and modelled their population trends as a function of range edge hardness derived from eBird data. We found limited evidence of associations between range edge hardness and range-limit population trends. Trailing-edge species with harder range edges were slightly more likely to be declining, demonstrating weak support for the limitation hypothesis. In contrast, leading-edge species with harder range edges were slightly more likely to be increasing, demonstrating weak support for the inertia hypothesis. These opposing results for the leading and trailing range edges might suggest that different mechanisms underpin range expansions and contractions, respectively. As data and state-of-the-art modelling efforts continue to proliferate, we will be ever better equipped to map abundance patterns within species' ranges, offering opportunities to anticipate range shifts through the lens of the geographic range.

DFMC SBAS service performance analysis of multi-GNSS based on BDS-3 in different regions

Abstract The dual-frequency multi-constellation satellite-based augmentation system (DFMC SBAS) plays a crucial role in many fields, such as civil aviation and other safety-critical applications. To analyze the performance of the third generation of the BeiDou navigation satellite system (BDS-3) dual-frequency SBAS services in global major regions and the enhancement of navigation service performance by multi-Global Navigation Satellite System DFMC SBAS, four schemes are designed to conduct experiments using user end positioning in China (CHN), Europe (EUR), and Australia (AUS), and the results are analyzed under Approach with Vertical guidance I (APV-I) and Category I Precision Approach (CAT-I). In terms of the number of enhanced satellites, user range error, positioning accuracy, and DFMC SBAS service integrity, the results show that the positioning performances of the BDS-3 DFMC SBAS in the horizontal and vertical directions are 0.60 and 1.12 m for the CHN region, 0.87 and 1.39 m for the EUR region, and 0.64 and 1.11 m for the AUS region. In the CHN and AUS regions, the horizontal and vertical accuracies are comparable and better than those in the EUR region. Under the APV-I performance index, except for stations at the edge of the service range in the CHN and AUS regions, the availability and continuity of all stations were 100% and over 99% in the EUR region. The BDS-3 + Galileo + GPS DFMC SBAS service can significantly improve the positioning accuracy compared to a single constellation. Under the APV-I performance index, the availability and continuity of all stations in the three regions reached 100%, which also satisfied the minimum requirement of CAT-I service availability (99%).

The return of tall forests: Reconstructing the canopy resilience of an extensively harvested primary forest in Mediterranean mountains

Understanding recovery times and mechanisms of ecosystem dynamics towards the old-growth stage is crucial for forest restoration, but still poorly delineated in Mediterranean. Through tree-ring methods, we reconstructed the return of a tall canopy after severe human disturbance in a mixed beech (Fagus sylvatica) and silver fir (Abies alba) forest, located at a mountain site in the southern edge of both species' range (Gariglione, south Italy). The primary forest was extensively harvested between 1930 and 1950, removing up to 91 % of the biomass. Growth histories, climate-growth relationships and time-series of growth dominance in Gariglione were compared with a network of protected mature and old-growth beech forests distributed along a wide elevational gradient in the same region. We found that the renewed tall canopy of Gariglione is mainly composed of remnant trees, which include uncut trees and saplings, and the post-harvesting regeneration mostly represented by fir. Canopy beech trees reached maximum basal area increment (BAI) in the 1970s, 40–50 years after cutting. Then, beech BAI shifted towards negative trends in phase with drying climate (PDSI), while fir maintained a sustained growth until 2000. This growth asynchrony between the two species conferred community stability over the last decades. The network comparison highlighted the common negative impact of summer drought on high-frequency growth signals of beech in south Italy. However, analysis of long-term mean growth trends indicates decreasing BAI limited to Gariglione beech, revealing relevant differences due to site ecology and its interactions with legacy effects of past management in driving growth responses to climate change. Indeed, lowland mature beech forests showed increasing BAI in the last decades, while primary high-mountain forests displayed a remarkably stable low oscillating growth. In all the Mediterranean forests we studied, large and old trees showed a marked growth acclimation despite ongoing climate warming, demonstrating the effectiveness of landscape rewilding.

Climatic limitations of nearly endangered Juniperus rigida populations at their range edges in semiarid China

The treat of climate warming is expected to increase the frequency and severity of droughts and significantly affect tree growth and distribution ranges, particularly in regions without monsoons. The distribution limits of tree species are highly susceptible to climate change. A deeper understanding of how tree species respond to climate across their distribution ranges is crucial for accurately predicting forest dynamics in the face of climate warming. Using tree ring width data from 586 trees at 19 sites spanning the northernmost and southernmost limits of Juniperus rigida (near-threatened, IUCN: NT), we assessed the growth responses of J. rigida to climate at different distribution range limits. We observed significant differences in tree-growth variability between the southern and northern populations of J. rigida, characterized by an increasing growth trend at the southern range limit, but a decreasing trend at the northern limit since 1996. Moreover, tree growth at their northern limit was hindered by high temperatures and SPEI during summer months, whereas it was constrained by low temperatures in March and precipitation in June at the southern limit. Particularly noteworthy is the increased sensitivity of growth to SPEI and precipitation in recent decades (1996–2018) compared to previous decades (1961–1995), particularly at their northern distribution edge. We therefore conclude that the growth of J. rigida trees at the southern limit could benefit from climate warming, while increasing warming and drought could limit tree growth or even cause tree mortality at the northern range limits. These findings may serve as an early warning for the growth and survival of J. rigida trees in open forests at their northern distribution edges in the face of future climate warming.

Unveiling intra-population functional variability patterns in a European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) population from the southern range edge: drought resistance, post-drought recovery and phenotypic plasticity.

Understanding covariation patterns of drought resistance, post-drought recovery and phenotypic plasticity, and their variability at the intra-population level are crucial for predicting forest vulnerability to increasing aridity. This knowledge is particularly urgent at the trailing range edge since, in these areas, tree species are proximal to their ecological niche boundaries. While this proximity increases their susceptibility, these populations are recognized as valuable genetic reservoirs against environmental stressors. The conservation of this genetic variability is critical for the adaptive capacity of the species in the current context of climate change. Here we examined intra-population patterns of stem basal growth, gas exchange and other leaf functional traits in response to an experimental drought in seedlings of 16 open-pollinated families within a marginal population of European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) from its southern range edge. We found a high degree of intra-population variation in leaf functional traits, photosynthetic performance, growth patterns and phenotypic plasticity in response to water availability. Low phenotypic plasticity was associated with higher resistance to drought. Both drought resistance and post-drought recovery of photosynthetic performance varied between maternal lines. However, drought resistance and post-drought recovery exhibited independent variation. We also found intra-population variation in stomatal sensitivity to soil drying, but it was not associated with either drought resistance or post-drought recovery. We conclude that an inverse relationship between phenotypic plasticity and drought resistance is not necessarily a sign of maladaptive plasticity, but rather it may reflect stability of functional performance and hence adaptation to withstand drought. The independent variation found between drought resistance and post-drought recovery should facilitate to some extent microevolution and adaption to increasing aridity. The observed variability in stomatal sensitivity to soil drying was consistent with previous findings at other scales (e.g., inter-specific variation, inter-population variation) that challenge the iso-anisohydric concept as a reliable surrogate of drought tolerance.

Foraging ecology of southern sea otters at the northern range extent informs regional population dynamics

Sea otters Enhydra lutris are vital keystone predators throughout the North Pacific that were nearly extirpated during the maritime fur trade. Recovery of southern sea otters E. l. nereis has proceeded slowly, with much of their historical range remaining unoccupied, resulting in reduced ecosystem functioning. Numerous studies have used foraging metrics to assess the population status of southern sea otters throughout their current range, but little is known about the northern range extent, where a stall in expansion has limited recovery. Thus, we collected census and foraging data of sea otters at Año Nuevo State Park, California, from 2019 to 2021 to determine sea otter abundance, diet composition, diet diversity, and average energy intake rate at the northern range edge. We then assessed regional population status by comparing values from Año Nuevo with previously collected data from other locations in California, including high-density, range center sites and low-density, range periphery sites. We found that sea otter density at Año Nuevo was greater than surrounding areas at the northern range periphery, and the average (±95% CI) energy intake (9.51 ± 0.91 kcal min-1) more closely resembled values observed at high-density sites. Further, dietary diversity (using the Shannon-Wiener index, H) was intermediate between previously studied high- and low-density populations (H = 1.81), with crabs making up the largest proportion of the diet (~56%). Overall, this study highlights possible effects of occupation time and range stagnation, identifies unique aspects of the prey resource base at Año Nuevo, and provides insight into the ongoing lack of northern range expansion.

The influence of pre‐exposure to marine heatwaves on the critical thermal maxima (CTmax) of marine foundation species

Abstract Marine foundation species underpin some of the world's most diverse ecosystems but they are increasingly threatened by intensification of marine heatwaves (MHWs). Where MHWs exceed critical thermal maxima (CTmax), increased mortality and population declines can occur. CTmax is increasingly used to assess MHW population vulnerability but studies estimating CTmax across species, range edges and thermal histories in a comparable manner remain lacking. We determined the impact of MHWs on subsequent CTmax estimates of matched cool/warm affinity pairs of marine foundation species (kelp, seagrass and bivalves) in the Western English Channel. Following a 4‐week MHW simulation, individuals were subjected to a CTmax trial, where temperatures were raised by 2°C day−1 until physiological end points were reached. We found no positive effect of MHWs on CTmax but clear negative impacts were observed for some groups of foundation species. Increased MHW intensity had a stepwise negative impact on the physiology of both warm (Laminaria ochroleuca) and cool water (L. digitata) kelp species that manifested in significant reductions in CTmax. Surprisingly, this was most marked in the warm water species, which runs opposite to the assumed safety of leading‐edge populations. The physiology of warm (Zostera noltii) and cool (Z. marina) seagrasses was negatively impacted by increasing MHW intensity but no significant decrease in CTmax was observed. Both bivalve species (Mytilus edulis and Magallana gigas) showed marked resistance to exposure to MHWs, which was unexpected given the observed vulnerability of these species to stressful summertime conditions. Our results show pre‐exposure to realistic MHWs can influence CTmax values but generalities are difficult to make across groups or based on assumed thermal safety margins. We show CTmax is a labile trait and exposure to MHWs, can erode the resilience of an individual or population to subsequent thermal challenges. This leaves uncertainty within frameworks built to understand where and when MHWs will be most impactful. Further experimentation across a wider range of species and thermal challenges is needed to better understand the dynamic nature of CTmax and field validation is needed to determine the responses of individuals and populations within complex natural systems. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

The genetic consequences of population marginality: A case study in maritime pine

AbstractAimMarginal tree populations, either those located at the edges of the species' range or in suboptimal environments, are often a valuable genetic resource for biological conservation. However, there is a lack of knowledge about the genetic consequences of population marginality, estimated across entire species' ranges. Our study addresses this gap by providing information about several genetic indicators and their variability in marginal and core populations identified using quantitative marginality indices.LocationSouthwestern Europe and North Africa.MethodsUsing 10,185 SNPs across 82 populations of maritime pine (Pinus pinaster Ait.), a widespread conifer characterised by a fragmented range, we modelled the relationship of seven genetic indicators potentially related to population evolutionary resilience, namely genetic diversity (based on both all SNPs and outlier SNPs), inbreeding, genetic differentiation, recessive genetic load and genomic offset, with population geographical, demo‐historical and ecological marginality (as estimated by nine quantitative indices). Models were constructed for both regional (introducing gene pool as a random factor) and range‐wide spatial scales.ResultsWe showed a trend towards decreasing overall genetic diversity and increasing differentiation with geographic marginality, supporting the centre‐periphery hypothesis (CPH). However, we found no correlation between population inbreeding and marginality, while geographically marginal populations had a lower recessive genetic load (only models without the gene pool effect). Ecologically marginal populations had a higher genomic offset, suggesting higher maladaptation to future climate, albeit some of these populations also had high genetic diversity for climate outliers.Main ConclusionsOverall genetic diversity (but not outlier‐based estimates) and differentiation patterns support the CPH. Ecologically marginal populations and those at the southern edge could be more vulnerable to climate change due to higher climate maladaptation, as predicted by genomic offsets, and/or lower potentially adaptive genetic diversity. This risk is exacerbated by typically small effective population sizes and increasing human impact in marginal populations.

The Effect of Quantum Dots on the Performance of the Solar Cell

Quantum dot solar cells are currently the subject of research in the fields of renewable energy, photovoltaics and optoelectronics, due to their advantages which enables them to overcome the limitations of traditional solar cells. The inability of ordinary solar cells to generate charge carriers, which is prevents them from contributing to generate the current in solar cells. This work focuses on modeling and simulating of Quantum Dot Solar Cells based on InAs/GaAs as well as regular type of GaAs p-i-n solar cells and to study the effect of increasing quantum dots layers at the performance of the solar cell. The low energy of the fell photons considers as one of the most difficult problems that must deal with. According to simulation data, the power conversion efficiency increases from (12.515% to 30.94%), current density rises from 16.4047 mA/cm2 for standard solar cell to 39.4775 mA/cm2) using quantum dot techniques (20-layers) compared to traditional type of GaAs solar cell. Additionally, low energy photons' absorption range edge expanded from (400 to 900 nm) for quantum technique. The results have been modeled and simulated using (SILVACO Software), which proved the power conversion efficiency of InAs/GaAs quantum dot solar cells is significantly higher than traditional (p-i-n) type about (247%)

Direct and indirect effects of climate and seed dynamics on the breeding performance of a seed predator at the distribution edge.

Marginal populations usually have low densities and are considered to be particularly vulnerable to environmental stochasticity. Using data collected in nest boxes, we analyzed the breeding performance of the edible dormouse (Glis glis), an obligate hibernating rodent and a seed predator in deciduous forests, in two populations at the distribution range's edge. Despite being only 20 km apart from each other, Montseny is a large patch of mixed deciduous forests (oaks and beech), whereas Montnegre would be the harshest habitat, that is, a small, isolated patch with only oaks. First, we studied the differences in climate and tree cover change in the two populations. Second, we analyzed the direct and indirect roles of local climate conditions and seed availability on breeding performance over 10 years in each population. Finally, we explored the influence of tree cover change on the occupancy dynamics in the two populations. Our results showed contrasting responses between populations: in Montseny, asynchronous seed production between oaks and beech precluded skip breeding, and breeding performance increased with seed availability. Furthermore, dormice in Montseny may use pollen production to anticipate the amount of beech nut resources and adjust their breeding effort. Boxes showed higher occupancy and colonization and fewer extinctions in Montseny than in Montnegre, where seed availability did not drive breeding performance. Results from Montnegre suggest that skip breeding was an adaptive response to a more pulsed, harsher environment. Here, females produced a similar number of pups than at Montseny. Long-term studies dealing with population responses in marginal habitats can lead to a deeper understanding of the capacities of organisms to adapt to harsh environments. Although local adaptation is frequently documented across various taxa, studies at the distribution edge may shed light on our still limited comprehension of the underlying mechanisms responsible for its occurrence.

Birds optimize fruit size consumed near their geographic range limits.

Animals can adjust their diet to maximize energy or nutritional intake. For example, birds often target fruits that match their beak size because those fruits can be consumed more efficiently. We hypothesized that pressure to optimize diet-measured as matching between fruit and beak size-increases under stressful environments, such as those that determine species' range edges. Using fruit-consumption and trait information for 97 frugivorous bird and 831 plant species across six continents, we demonstrate that birds feed more frequently on closely size-matched fruits near their geographic range limits. This pattern was particularly strong for highly frugivorous birds, whereas opportunistic frugivores showed no such tendency. These findings highlight how frugivore interactions might respond to stressful conditions and reveal that trait matching may not predict resource use consistently.

Spatial variation in genomic signatures of local adaptation during the cane toad invasion of Australia.

Adaptive evolution can facilitate species' range expansions across environmentally heterogeneous landscapes. However, serial founder effects can limit the efficacy of selection, and the evolution of increased dispersal during range expansions may result in gene flow swamping local adaptation. Here, we study how genetic drift, gene flow and selection interact during the cane toad's (Rhinella marina) invasion across the heterogeneous landscape of Australia. Following its introduction in 1935, the cane toad colonised eastern Australia and established several stable range edges. The ongoing, more rapid range expansion in north-central Australia has occurred concomitant with an evolved increase in dispersal capacity. Using reduced representation genomic data of Australian cane toads from the expansion front and from two areas of their established range, we test the hypothesis that high gene flow constrains local adaptation at the expansion front relative to established areas. Genetic analyses indicate the three study areas are genetically distinct but show similar levels of allelic richness, heterozygosity and inbreeding. Markedly higher gene flow or recency of colonisation at the expansion front have likely hindered local adaptation at the time of sampling, as indicated by reduced slopes of genetic-environment associations (GEAs) estimated using a novel application of geographically weighted regression that accounts for allele surfing; GEA slopes are significantly steeper in established parts of the range. Our work bolsters evidence supporting adaptation of invasive species post-introduction and adds novel evidence for differing strengths of evolutionary forces among geographic areas with different invasion histories.