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Heritable variation in thermal profiles is associated with reproductive success in the world's largest bird

Svensson, Erik I. LU orcid ; Schou, Mads F. LU ; Melgar, Julian LU ; Waller, John LU ; Engelbrecht, Anel ; Brand, Zanell ; Cloete, Schalk and Cornwallis, Charlie K. LU (2024) In Evolution letters 8(2). p.200-211
Abstract

Organisms inhabiting extreme thermal environments, such as desert birds, have evolved spectacular adaptations to thermoregulate during hot and cold conditions. However, our knowledge of selection for thermoregulation and the potential for evolutionary responses is limited, particularly for large organisms experiencing extreme temperature fluctuations. Here we use thermal imaging to quantify selection and genetic variation in thermoregulation in ostriches (Struthio camelus), the world's largest bird species that is experiencing increasingly volatile temperatures. We found that females who are better at regulating their head temperatures (“thermoregulatory capacity”) had higher egg-laying rates under hotter conditions. Thermoregulatory... (More)

Organisms inhabiting extreme thermal environments, such as desert birds, have evolved spectacular adaptations to thermoregulate during hot and cold conditions. However, our knowledge of selection for thermoregulation and the potential for evolutionary responses is limited, particularly for large organisms experiencing extreme temperature fluctuations. Here we use thermal imaging to quantify selection and genetic variation in thermoregulation in ostriches (Struthio camelus), the world's largest bird species that is experiencing increasingly volatile temperatures. We found that females who are better at regulating their head temperatures (“thermoregulatory capacity”) had higher egg-laying rates under hotter conditions. Thermoregulatory capacity was both heritable and showed signatures of local adaptation: females originating from more unpredictable climates were better at regulating their head temperatures in response to temperature fluctuations. Together these results reveal that past and present evolutionary processes have shaped genetic variation in thermoregulatory capacity, which appears to protect critical organs, such as the brain, from extreme temperatures during reproduction.

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author
; ; ; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
fitness, heat stress, heritability, thermal adaptation, thermal imaging, thermoregulation
in
Evolution letters
volume
8
issue
2
pages
12 pages
publisher
Wiley-Blackwell
external identifiers
  • pmid:38525029
  • scopus:85188802867
ISSN
2056-3744
DOI
10.1093/evlett/qrad049
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
d6a2835d-f261-44d4-bc91-4f03ee24abdb
date added to LUP
2024-04-16 15:26:15
date last changed
2025-01-27 14:57:50
@article{d6a2835d-f261-44d4-bc91-4f03ee24abdb,
  abstract     = {{<p>Organisms inhabiting extreme thermal environments, such as desert birds, have evolved spectacular adaptations to thermoregulate during hot and cold conditions. However, our knowledge of selection for thermoregulation and the potential for evolutionary responses is limited, particularly for large organisms experiencing extreme temperature fluctuations. Here we use thermal imaging to quantify selection and genetic variation in thermoregulation in ostriches (Struthio camelus), the world's largest bird species that is experiencing increasingly volatile temperatures. We found that females who are better at regulating their head temperatures (“thermoregulatory capacity”) had higher egg-laying rates under hotter conditions. Thermoregulatory capacity was both heritable and showed signatures of local adaptation: females originating from more unpredictable climates were better at regulating their head temperatures in response to temperature fluctuations. Together these results reveal that past and present evolutionary processes have shaped genetic variation in thermoregulatory capacity, which appears to protect critical organs, such as the brain, from extreme temperatures during reproduction.</p>}},
  author       = {{Svensson, Erik I. and Schou, Mads F. and Melgar, Julian and Waller, John and Engelbrecht, Anel and Brand, Zanell and Cloete, Schalk and Cornwallis, Charlie K.}},
  issn         = {{2056-3744}},
  keywords     = {{fitness; heat stress; heritability; thermal adaptation; thermal imaging; thermoregulation}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{04}},
  number       = {{2}},
  pages        = {{200--211}},
  publisher    = {{Wiley-Blackwell}},
  series       = {{Evolution letters}},
  title        = {{Heritable variation in thermal profiles is associated with reproductive success in the world's largest bird}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/evlett/qrad049}},
  doi          = {{10.1093/evlett/qrad049}},
  volume       = {{8}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}