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Nickel Exposure Has Complex Transgenerational Effects in a Butterfly
Megan E Kobiela1, Emilie C Snell-Rood1
1Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, University of Minnesota, 1479 Gortner Ave, Gortner 140, Saint Paul, MN 55108, USA.
Integrative and Comparative Biology
|July 17, 2018
Summary
Heavy metal pollution tolerance varies between butterfly populations. Some populations show resilience, with nickel exposure even improving survival and development, suggesting organisms may adapt to urban pollution.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Environmental Toxicology
- Evolutionary Biology
Background:
- Heavy metal pollution poses significant risks to wildlife in urban and industrial areas.
- Understanding population-level variation in heavy metal tolerance and transgenerational effects is crucial for predicting animal responses to pollution.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate population-level variation and transgenerational effects of nickel exposure on cabbage white butterflies (Pieris rapae).
- To quantify survival and fitness-related traits across two generations under varying nickel exposure conditions.
Main Methods:
- Cabbage white butterflies from two distinct populations (St. Paul, MN, and Davis, CA) were studied.
- A two-generation, fully factorial design exposed parents and offspring to nickel-dosed or control diets.
- Key fitness traits including survival, development time, body size, and egg characteristics were measured.
Main Results:
- Significant population differences in response to nickel were observed.
- Nickel exposure positively impacted survival and development time in one population across generations.
- Nickel was stressful in one population after two generations, while neutral or slightly beneficial in the other; no costs of environmental mismatch were found.
Conclusions:
- The cabbage white butterfly exhibits notable variation in nickel tolerance between populations.
- Transgenerational effects of nickel exposure are complex and population-specific.
- Observed variation suggests some organisms may possess inherent tolerance to low-level heavy metal pollution in urban environments.
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