Extreme events, trophic chain reactions, and shifts in phenotypic selection
Demographic consequences of rapid environmental change and extreme climatic events (ECEs) can cascade across trophic levels with evolutionary implications that have rarely been explored. Here, we show how an ECE in high Arctic Svalbard triggered a trophic chain reaction, directly or indirectly affec...
Published in: | Scientific Reports |
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Language: | English |
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2023
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Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/11370/b1167b9c-6b0d-42a7-a72f-2a44c4443a4c https://research.rug.nl/en/publications/b1167b9c-6b0d-42a7-a72f-2a44c4443a4c https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-41940-6 https://pure.rug.nl/ws/files/787392373/s41598-023-41940-6.pdf |
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ftunigroningenpu:oai:pure.rug.nl:publications/b1167b9c-6b0d-42a7-a72f-2a44c4443a4c 2024-06-23T07:48:59+00:00 Extreme events, trophic chain reactions, and shifts in phenotypic selection Layton-Matthews, Kate Vriend, Stefan J. G. Grøtan, Vidar Loonen, Maarten J.J.E. Sæther, Bernt-Erik Fuglei, Eva Hansen, Brage Bremset 2023-09-13 application/pdf https://hdl.handle.net/11370/b1167b9c-6b0d-42a7-a72f-2a44c4443a4c https://research.rug.nl/en/publications/b1167b9c-6b0d-42a7-a72f-2a44c4443a4c https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-41940-6 https://pure.rug.nl/ws/files/787392373/s41598-023-41940-6.pdf eng eng https://research.rug.nl/en/publications/b1167b9c-6b0d-42a7-a72f-2a44c4443a4c info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess Layton-Matthews , K , Vriend , S J G , Grøtan , V , Loonen , M J J E , Sæther , B-E , Fuglei , E & Hansen , B B 2023 , ' Extreme events, trophic chain reactions, and shifts in phenotypic selection ' , Scientific Reports , vol. 13 , 15181 . https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-41940-6 article 2023 ftunigroningenpu https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-41940-6 2024-06-03T17:47:05Z Demographic consequences of rapid environmental change and extreme climatic events (ECEs) can cascade across trophic levels with evolutionary implications that have rarely been explored. Here, we show how an ECE in high Arctic Svalbard triggered a trophic chain reaction, directly or indirectly affecting the demography of both overwintering and migratory vertebrates, ultimately inducing a shift in density-dependent phenotypic selection in migratory geese. A record-breaking rain-on-snow event and ice-locked pastures led to reindeer mass starvation and a population crash, followed by a period of low mortality and population recovery. This caused lagged, long-lasting reductions in reindeer carrion numbers and resultant low abundances of Arctic foxes, a scavenger on reindeer and predator of migratory birds. The associated decrease in Arctic fox predation of goose offspring allowed for a rapid increase in barnacle goose densities. As expected according to r- and K-selection theory, the goose body condition (affecting reproduction and post-fledging survival) maximising Malthusian fitness increased with this shift in population density. Thus, the winter ECE acting on reindeer and their scavenger, the Arctic fox, indirectly selected for higher body condition in migratory geese. This high Arctic study provides rare empirical evidence of links between ECEs, community dynamics and evolution, with implications for our understanding of indirect eco-evolutionary impacts of global change. Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic Fox Arctic Barnacle goose Svalbard University of Groningen research database Arctic Svalbard Scientific Reports 13 1 |
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Open Polar |
collection |
University of Groningen research database |
op_collection_id |
ftunigroningenpu |
language |
English |
description |
Demographic consequences of rapid environmental change and extreme climatic events (ECEs) can cascade across trophic levels with evolutionary implications that have rarely been explored. Here, we show how an ECE in high Arctic Svalbard triggered a trophic chain reaction, directly or indirectly affecting the demography of both overwintering and migratory vertebrates, ultimately inducing a shift in density-dependent phenotypic selection in migratory geese. A record-breaking rain-on-snow event and ice-locked pastures led to reindeer mass starvation and a population crash, followed by a period of low mortality and population recovery. This caused lagged, long-lasting reductions in reindeer carrion numbers and resultant low abundances of Arctic foxes, a scavenger on reindeer and predator of migratory birds. The associated decrease in Arctic fox predation of goose offspring allowed for a rapid increase in barnacle goose densities. As expected according to r- and K-selection theory, the goose body condition (affecting reproduction and post-fledging survival) maximising Malthusian fitness increased with this shift in population density. Thus, the winter ECE acting on reindeer and their scavenger, the Arctic fox, indirectly selected for higher body condition in migratory geese. This high Arctic study provides rare empirical evidence of links between ECEs, community dynamics and evolution, with implications for our understanding of indirect eco-evolutionary impacts of global change. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Layton-Matthews, Kate Vriend, Stefan J. G. Grøtan, Vidar Loonen, Maarten J.J.E. Sæther, Bernt-Erik Fuglei, Eva Hansen, Brage Bremset |
spellingShingle |
Layton-Matthews, Kate Vriend, Stefan J. G. Grøtan, Vidar Loonen, Maarten J.J.E. Sæther, Bernt-Erik Fuglei, Eva Hansen, Brage Bremset Extreme events, trophic chain reactions, and shifts in phenotypic selection |
author_facet |
Layton-Matthews, Kate Vriend, Stefan J. G. Grøtan, Vidar Loonen, Maarten J.J.E. Sæther, Bernt-Erik Fuglei, Eva Hansen, Brage Bremset |
author_sort |
Layton-Matthews, Kate |
title |
Extreme events, trophic chain reactions, and shifts in phenotypic selection |
title_short |
Extreme events, trophic chain reactions, and shifts in phenotypic selection |
title_full |
Extreme events, trophic chain reactions, and shifts in phenotypic selection |
title_fullStr |
Extreme events, trophic chain reactions, and shifts in phenotypic selection |
title_full_unstemmed |
Extreme events, trophic chain reactions, and shifts in phenotypic selection |
title_sort |
extreme events, trophic chain reactions, and shifts in phenotypic selection |
publishDate |
2023 |
url |
https://hdl.handle.net/11370/b1167b9c-6b0d-42a7-a72f-2a44c4443a4c https://research.rug.nl/en/publications/b1167b9c-6b0d-42a7-a72f-2a44c4443a4c https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-41940-6 https://pure.rug.nl/ws/files/787392373/s41598-023-41940-6.pdf |
geographic |
Arctic Svalbard |
geographic_facet |
Arctic Svalbard |
genre |
Arctic Fox Arctic Barnacle goose Svalbard |
genre_facet |
Arctic Fox Arctic Barnacle goose Svalbard |
op_source |
Layton-Matthews , K , Vriend , S J G , Grøtan , V , Loonen , M J J E , Sæther , B-E , Fuglei , E & Hansen , B B 2023 , ' Extreme events, trophic chain reactions, and shifts in phenotypic selection ' , Scientific Reports , vol. 13 , 15181 . https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-41940-6 |
op_relation |
https://research.rug.nl/en/publications/b1167b9c-6b0d-42a7-a72f-2a44c4443a4c |
op_rights |
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-41940-6 |
container_title |
Scientific Reports |
container_volume |
13 |
container_issue |
1 |
_version_ |
1802639271126892544 |