Limited thermal plasticity may constrain ecosystem function in a basally heat tolerant tropical telecoprid dung beetle, Allogymnopleurus thalassinus (Klug, 1855)

Abstract Tropical organisms are more vulnerable to climate change and associated heat stress as they live close to their upper thermal limits (UTLs). UTLs do not only vary little across tropical species according to the basal versus plasticity ‘trade-off’ theory but may also be further constrained b...

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Autores principales:	Honest Machekano, Chipo Zidana, Nonofo Gotcha, Casper Nyamukondiwa
Formato:	article
Lenguaje:	EN
Publicado:	Nature Portfolio 2021
Materias:	Medicine R Science Q
Acceso en línea:	https://doaj.org/article/25ec6499ac3f4e608a2c08241ca82acb
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spelling	oai:doaj.org-article:25ec6499ac3f4e608a2c08241ca82acb2021-11-14T12:19:19ZLimited thermal plasticity may constrain ecosystem function in a basally heat tolerant tropical telecoprid dung beetle, Allogymnopleurus thalassinus (Klug, 1855)10.1038/s41598-021-01478-x2045-2322https://doaj.org/article/25ec6499ac3f4e608a2c08241ca82acb2021-11-01T00:00:00Zhttps://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-01478-xhttps://doaj.org/toc/2045-2322Abstract Tropical organisms are more vulnerable to climate change and associated heat stress as they live close to their upper thermal limits (UTLs). UTLs do not only vary little across tropical species according to the basal versus plasticity ‘trade-off’ theory but may also be further constrained by low genetic variation. We tested this hypothesis, and its effects on ecosystem function using a diurnally active dung rolling beetle (telecoprid), Allogymnopleurus thalassinus (Klug, 1855) that inhabits arid environments. Specifically, (i) we tested basal heat tolerance (critical thermal maxima [CTmax] and heat knockdown time [HKDT]), and (ii) ecological functioning (dung removal) efficiency following dynamic chronic acclimation temperatures of variable high (VT-H) (28–45 °C) and variable low (VT-L) (28–16 °C). Results showed that A. thalassinus had extremely high basal heat tolerance (> 50 °C CTmax and high HKDT). Effects of acclimation were significant for heat tolerance, significantly increasing and reducing CTmax values for variable temperature high and variable temperature low respectively. Similarly, effects of acclimation on HKDT were significant, with variable temperature high significantly increasing HKDT, while variable temperature low reduced HKDT. Effects of acclimation on ecological traits showed that beetles acclimated to variable high temperatures were ecologically more efficient in their ecosystem function (dung removal) compared to those acclimated at variable low temperatures. Allogymnopleurus thalassinus nevertheless, had low acclimation response ratios, signifying limited scope for complete plasticity for UTLs tested here. This result supports the ‘trade-off’ theory, and that observed limited plasticity may unlikely buffer A. thalassinus against effects of climate change, and by extension, albeit with caveats to other tropical ecological service providing insect species. This work provides insights on the survival mechanisms of tropical species against heat and provides a framework for the conservation of these natural capital species that inhabit arid environments under rapidly changing environmental climate.Honest MachekanoChipo ZidanaNonofo GotchaCasper NyamukondiwaNature PortfolioarticleMedicineRScienceQENScientific Reports, Vol 11, Iss 1, Pp 1-14 (2021)
institution	DOAJ
collection	DOAJ
language	EN
topic	Medicine R Science Q
spellingShingle	Medicine R Science Q Honest Machekano Chipo Zidana Nonofo Gotcha Casper Nyamukondiwa Limited thermal plasticity may constrain ecosystem function in a basally heat tolerant tropical telecoprid dung beetle, Allogymnopleurus thalassinus (Klug, 1855)
description	Abstract Tropical organisms are more vulnerable to climate change and associated heat stress as they live close to their upper thermal limits (UTLs). UTLs do not only vary little across tropical species according to the basal versus plasticity ‘trade-off’ theory but may also be further constrained by low genetic variation. We tested this hypothesis, and its effects on ecosystem function using a diurnally active dung rolling beetle (telecoprid), Allogymnopleurus thalassinus (Klug, 1855) that inhabits arid environments. Specifically, (i) we tested basal heat tolerance (critical thermal maxima [CTmax] and heat knockdown time [HKDT]), and (ii) ecological functioning (dung removal) efficiency following dynamic chronic acclimation temperatures of variable high (VT-H) (28–45 °C) and variable low (VT-L) (28–16 °C). Results showed that A. thalassinus had extremely high basal heat tolerance (> 50 °C CTmax and high HKDT). Effects of acclimation were significant for heat tolerance, significantly increasing and reducing CTmax values for variable temperature high and variable temperature low respectively. Similarly, effects of acclimation on HKDT were significant, with variable temperature high significantly increasing HKDT, while variable temperature low reduced HKDT. Effects of acclimation on ecological traits showed that beetles acclimated to variable high temperatures were ecologically more efficient in their ecosystem function (dung removal) compared to those acclimated at variable low temperatures. Allogymnopleurus thalassinus nevertheless, had low acclimation response ratios, signifying limited scope for complete plasticity for UTLs tested here. This result supports the ‘trade-off’ theory, and that observed limited plasticity may unlikely buffer A. thalassinus against effects of climate change, and by extension, albeit with caveats to other tropical ecological service providing insect species. This work provides insights on the survival mechanisms of tropical species against heat and provides a framework for the conservation of these natural capital species that inhabit arid environments under rapidly changing environmental climate.
format	article
author	Honest Machekano Chipo Zidana Nonofo Gotcha Casper Nyamukondiwa
author_facet	Honest Machekano Chipo Zidana Nonofo Gotcha Casper Nyamukondiwa
author_sort	Honest Machekano
title	Limited thermal plasticity may constrain ecosystem function in a basally heat tolerant tropical telecoprid dung beetle, Allogymnopleurus thalassinus (Klug, 1855)
title_short	Limited thermal plasticity may constrain ecosystem function in a basally heat tolerant tropical telecoprid dung beetle, Allogymnopleurus thalassinus (Klug, 1855)
title_full	Limited thermal plasticity may constrain ecosystem function in a basally heat tolerant tropical telecoprid dung beetle, Allogymnopleurus thalassinus (Klug, 1855)
title_fullStr	Limited thermal plasticity may constrain ecosystem function in a basally heat tolerant tropical telecoprid dung beetle, Allogymnopleurus thalassinus (Klug, 1855)
title_full_unstemmed	Limited thermal plasticity may constrain ecosystem function in a basally heat tolerant tropical telecoprid dung beetle, Allogymnopleurus thalassinus (Klug, 1855)
title_sort	limited thermal plasticity may constrain ecosystem function in a basally heat tolerant tropical telecoprid dung beetle, allogymnopleurus thalassinus (klug, 1855)
publisher	Nature Portfolio
publishDate	2021
url	https://doaj.org/article/25ec6499ac3f4e608a2c08241ca82acb
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Limited thermal plasticity may constrain ecosystem function in a basally heat tolerant tropical telecoprid dung beetle, Allogymnopleurus thalassinus (Klug, 1855)

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