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Niche suitability affects development: skull asymmetry increases in less suitable areas
Renan Maestri1, Rodrigo Fornel2, Daniel Galiano3
1Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
Plos One
|April 16, 2015
Summary
Species survival depends on habitat suitability. Less suitable habitats increase developmental stress in Akodon cursor rodents, indicated by higher fluctuating asymmetry, aiding conservation efforts.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Evolutionary Biology
- Conservation Biology
Background:
- Habitat suitability is crucial for species survival and long-term persistence.
- Morphological measures of developmental stress, like fluctuating asymmetry, can indicate individual performance across regions.
- Ecological niche models predict species distribution and habitat suitability.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess congruence between habitat suitability and morphological markers of developmental stress.
- To investigate the relationship between ecological niche models and fluctuating asymmetry in Akodon cursor.
- To determine if morphological variance is associated with environmental suitability.
Main Methods:
- Generated a Maxent ecological niche model to assess habitat suitability for Akodon cursor.
- Collected and analyzed skull morphology data, including fluctuating asymmetry and morphological disparity.
- Compared suitability assessments with morphological data from Brazilian Atlantic Forest populations.
Main Results:
- A significant negative relationship was found between habitat suitability levels and fluctuating asymmetry.
- Individuals in less suitable areas exhibited higher levels of fluctuating asymmetry, indicating increased developmental stress.
- No significant association was observed between morphological variance and environmental suitability.
Conclusions:
- Lower habitat suitability correlates with increased developmental stress during skull ontogeny in Akodon cursor.
- Fluctuating asymmetry serves as a reliable indicator of environmental stress in relation to habitat suitability.
- Findings aid in understanding species evolution and prioritizing conservation areas for Akodon cursor.
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