An Intertidal Sea Star Adjusts Thermal Inertia to Avoid Extreme Body Temperatures

The body temperature of ectotherms is influenced by the interaction of abiotic conditions, morphology, and behavior. Although organisms living in different thermal habitats may exhibit morphological plasticity or move from unfavorable locations, there are few examples of animals adjusting their thermal properties in response to short-term changes in local conditions. Here, we show that the intertidal sea star Pisaster ochraceus modulates its thermal inertia in response to prior thermal exposure. After exposure to high body temperature at low tide, sea stars increase the amount of colder than-air fluid in their coelomic cavity when submerged during high tide, resulting in a lower body temperature during the subsequent low tide. Moreover, this buffering capacity is more effective when seawater is cold during the previous high tide. This ability to modify the volume of coelomic fluid provides sea stars with a novel thermoregulatory backup when faced with prolonged exposure to elevated aerial temperatures

Natural History Note An Intertidal Sea Star Adjusts Thermal Inertia to Avoid Extreme Body Temperatures

abstract: The body temperature of ectotherms is influenced by the interaction of abiotic conditions, morphology, and behavior. Although organisms living in different thermal habitats may exhibit morphological plasticity or move from unfavorable locations, there are few examples of animals adjusting their thermal properties in response to short-term changes in local conditions. Here, we show that the intertidal sea star Pisaster ochraceus modulates its thermal inertia in response to prior thermal exposure. After exposure to high body temperature at low tide, sea stars increase the amount of colderthan-air fluid in their coelomic cavity when submerged during high tide, resulting in a lower body temperature during the subsequent low tide. Moreover, this buffering capacity is more effective when seawater is cold during the previous high tide. This ability to modify the volume of coelomic fluid provides sea stars with a novel thermoregulatory "backup" when faced with prolonged exposure to elevated aerial temperatures

Simulation of multi-platform LiDAR for assessing total leaf area in tree crowns

LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) technology has been increasingly implemented to assess the biophysical attributes of forest canopies. However, LiDAR-based estimation of tree biophysical attributes remains difficult mainly due to the occlusion of vegetative elements in multi-layered tree crowns. In this study, we developed a new algorithm along with a multiple-scan methodology to analyse the impact of occlusion on LiDAR-based estimates of tree leaf area. We reconstructed five virtual tree models using a computer graphic-based approach based on in situ measurements from multiple tree crowns, for which the position, size, orientation and area of all leaves were measured. Multi-platform LiDAR simulations were performed on these 3D tree models through a point-line intersection algorithm. An approach based on the Delaunay triangulation algorithm with automatic adaptive threshold selection was proposed to construct the scanned leaf surface from the simulated discrete LiDAR point clouds. In addition, the leaf area covered by laser beams in each layer was assessed in combination with the ratio and number of the scanned points. Quantitative comparisons of LiDAR scanning for the occlusion effects among various scanning approaches, including fixed-position scanning, multiple terrestrial LiDAR scanning and airborne-terrestrial LiDAR cross-scanning, were assessed on different target trees. The results showed that one simulated terrestrial LiDAR scan alongside the model tree captured only 25–38% of the leaf area of the tree crown. When scanned data were acquired from three simulated terrestrial LiDAR scans around one tree, the accuracy of the leaf area recovery rate reached 60–73% depending on the leaf area index, tree crown volume and leaf area density. When a supplementary airborne LiDAR scanning was included, occlusion was reduced and the leaf area recovery rate increased to 72–90%. Our study provides an approach for the measurement of total leaf area in tree crowns from simulated multi-platform LiDAR data and enables a quantitative assessment of occlusion metrics for various tree crown attributes under different scanning strategies

Scientists' warning on climate change and insects

Climate warming is considered to be among the most serious of anthropogenic stresses to the environment, because it not only has direct effects on biodiversity, but it also exacerbates the harmful effects of other human-mediated threats. The associated consequences are potentially severe, particularly in terms of threats to species preservation, as well as in the preservation of an array of ecosystem services provided by biodiversity. Among the most affected groups of animals are insects—central components of many ecosystems—for which climate change has pervasive effects from individuals to communities. In this contribution to the scientists' warning series, we summarize the effect of the gradual global surface temperature increase on insects, in terms of physiology, behavior, phenology, distribution, and species interactions, as well as the effect of increased frequency and duration of extreme events such as hot and cold spells, fires, droughts, and floods on these parameters. We warn that, if no action is taken to better understand and reduce the action of climate change on insects, we will drastically reduce our ability to build a sustainable future based on healthy, functional ecosystems. We discuss perspectives on relevant ways to conserve insects in the face of climate change, and we offer several key recommendations on management approaches that can be adopted, on policies that should be pursued, and on the involvement of the general public in the protection effort

Biophysique environnementale des insectes endophytes.

Physiology and life history traits of ectothermic organisms depend on microclimate temperature. In some insect - plant relationships, the herbivore manipulates physically and /or chemically its proximate environment, i.e. plant tissues. The effects of such modifications on the phytophage's microclimate are however still poorly understood. We investigated the physical modifications of apple leaf tissues made by the leaf mining moth Phyllonorycter blancardella (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae), and their impact on the thermal ecology of larvae. The larva lives inside a mine, a gallery it builds throughout its development.Spectrometric measurements showed that larvae greatly modify the optical properties of their mines when feeding on leaf tissues. The mine structure absorbs more infrared radiation than intact leaf tissues do. Moreover, the fed areas in the mine integument transmit a large amount of incoming radiation. An increase in the amount of transmitted radiation induces body temperature of larvae located below the fed areas to warm, leading to an increase in their respiration rate. Measurements of mine gas exchange and a model of CO2 diffusion within leaves were developed to show that stomata in the mine integument react by closing due to both (i) the increase in larval CO2 release as incoming radiation increases, and (ii) the effect of feeding activity on CO2 resistance pathways through the mesophyll. The two effects – larval CO2 and lesion effects – have similar quantitative impacts. A biophysical model of heat transfer was built to predict the temperature within a mine from climatic parameters, physical factors (modifications of optical properties) and the physiology of stomata. Model temperature predictions and experimental measurements were confronted to test for the validity of the model. The model predicted leaf and mine temperatures with a precision of 0.9 °C in the temperature range of 12 °C – 42 °C. The model predicted a large temperature excess within a mine: mine temperature can be up to 10 °C warmer than ambient air and up to 5 °C above leaf temperature. Temperature excess was closely related to radiation level due to the impact of this abiotic factor on both radiation absorption and stomatal closure. The modifications of plant tissues – optical properties and stomatal physiology – accounted almost equally for the temperature excess. Our approach clearly demonstrates that leaf miners control the impact of their physical and biotic environments.Our results are discussed in an evolutionary ecology point of view. The warm microclimate of endophagous insects is shown to drive the evolution of their own thermal sensitivities and also those of their parasitoids, when compared to ectophagous herbivores.La physiologie et les traits d'histoire de vie des organismes ectothermes dépendent largement de la température de leur microclimat. Dans certaines relations insecte – plante, le phytophage manipule physiquement et/ou chimiquement son environnement végétal. Cependant, les effets de ces transformations sur le microclimat de l'herbivore sont encore inconnus. Nous avons détaillé précisément les modifications physiques induites par un lépidoptère mineur de feuille (Phyllonorycter blancardella, Gracillariidae) sur son environnement végétal (le pommier). Les impacts sur l'écologie thermique de la larve ont été quantifiés. La larve se nourrit et se développe au sein même des tissus de la feuille, dans une structure appelée mine.Des mesures de spectrométrie optique ont démontré que la larve modifie profondément les propriétés optiques de la surface de la feuille au cours de son nourrissage. La structure mine absorbe bien plus de radiations dans le proche infrarouge que les tissus foliaires intacts. De plus, une quantité importante de radiations est transmise à l'intérieur de la mine par le tégument supérieur dans les zones prélevées par la larve. Ces radiations induisent une élévation importante de son activité respiratoire (rejet de CO2). En utilisant un analyseur de gaz par infrarouge, nous avons pu montrer par ailleurs que les stomates localisés dans le tégument inférieur de la mine réagissent à la présence de la larve en se fermant. Un modèle de diffusion de CO2 a révélé que les stomates réagissent directement aux variations d'émission de CO2 par la larve. Le budget thermique de la mine a ensuite été modélisé. Le modèle permet de prédire la température à l'intérieur de la mine à partir des modifications des propriétés optiques et de la physiologie des stomates, et à partir des variables climatiques. Ce modèle biophysique a été validé en comparant ses prédictions avec des mesures expérimentales de température de mines réalisées en environnement contrôlé. Le modèle à une précision de 0,8 °C dans l'intervalle de 12 °C à 42 °C. Le modèle prédit un important excès de température dans la mine, atteignant 10 °C au dessus de la température de l'air et 5 °C au dessus de la température des tissus foliaires intacts. Les deux types de modifications – propriétés optiques et comportement stomatiques – ont un impact équivalent sur l'excès de température. Cette approche démontre clairement que la larve contrôle son environnement physique en modifiant son environnement. Nos résultats sont finalement discutés dans une perspective d'écologie évolutive. Plus particulièrement, le rôle du microclimat des insectes endophages dans l'évolution de leurs sensibilités thermiques et de celles de leurs parasitoïdes est détaillé

Hypoxia and hypercarbia in endophagous insects: Larval position in the plant gas exchange network is key

International audienceGas composition is an important component of any micro-environment. Insects, as the vast majority of living organisms, depend on O2 and CO2 concentrations in the air they breathe. Low O2 (hypoxia), and high CO2 (hypercarbia) levels can have a dramatic effect. For phytophagous insects that live within plant tissues (endophagous lifestyle), gas is exchanged between ambient air and the atmosphere within the insect habitat. The insect larva contributes to the modification of this environment by expiring CO2. Yet, knowledge on the gas exchange network in endophagous insects remains sparse. Our study identified mechanisms that modulate gas composition in the habitat of endophagous insects. Our aim was toshow that the mere position of the insect larva within plant tissues could be used as a proxy for estimating risk of occurrence of hypoxia and hypercarbia, despite the widely diverse life history traits of these organisms. We developed a conceptual framework for a gas diffusion network determining gas composition in endophagous insect habitats. We applied this framework to mines, galls and insect tunnels (borers) by integrating the numerous obstacles along O2 and CO2 pathways. The nature and the direction of gas transfers depended on the physical structure of the insect habitat, the photosynthesis activity as well as stomatal behavior in plant tissues. We identified the insect larva position within the gas diffusion network as a predictor of risk exposure to hypoxia and hypercarbia. We ranked endophagous insect habitats in terms of risk of exposure to hypoxia and/or hypercarbia, from the more to the less risky as cambium mines > borer tunnelsgalls > bark mines > mines in aquatic plants > upper and lower surface mines. Furthermore, we showed that the photosynthetically active tissues likely assimilate larval CO2 produced. In addition, temperature of the microhabitat and atmospheric CO2 alter gas composition in the insect habitat. We predict that (i) hypoxia indirectly favors the evolution of cold-tolerant gallers, which donot perform well at high temperatures, and (ii) normoxia (ambient O2 level) in mines allows miners todevelop at high temperatures. Little is known, however, about physiological and morphological adaptations to hypoxia and hypercarbia in endophagous insects. Endophagy strongly constrains the diffusion processes with cascading consequences on the evolutionary ecology of endophagous insects

Biophysique environnementale des insectes endophytes

Studies on insect herbivore-plant relationships mainly deals with phusiological interactions between the insect and the host plant (nutrition, production of plant secondary compounds). This thesis highlights and quantifies the impact of herbivory on the insect through physical modifications of the phytophage's microhabitat. The microclimate of a leaf mining lepidopteran larva has been studied. We measured the physical and the physiological modifications provided by larvae to leaf tissues. The biophysical heat budget of the insect microenvironment was built to predict the thermal environment of larvae. The model showed that insect-induced modifications of leaf tissues cause a high temperature excess in the leaf miner's microhabitat. Leaf mining insects control their abiotic environment by manipulating their biotic environment (plant tissues).Depuis les années 1970, les études portant sur les relations insecte herbivore-plante se sont principalement focalisées sur l'impact physiologique de l'herbivorie sur le phytophage et la plante (nutrition, composés toxiques de la plante). Cette thèse met à jour et quantifie l'impact de l'herbivorie sur l'insecte via la modification de l'environnement physique du phytophage. Le microclimat de la larve d'un insecte mineur de feuille a été étudié. Les modifications physiques et physiologiques apportées par la larve à son environnement végétal ont été mesurées. Un modèle biophysique de budget de chaleur a été construit pour prédire l'environnement thermique de la larve. Ce modèle montre que les modifications de la feuille induisent un excès important de température dans le microhabitat de la larve. Les insectes mineurs de feuilles sont capables de contrôler leur environnement abiotique en manipulant leur environnement biotique (les tissus de la plante).TOURS-BU Sciences Pharmacie (372612104) / SudocSudocFranceF