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Haffray, P., Enez, F., Bugeon, J., Chapuis, H., Dupont-Nivet, M., Chatain, B., et al. (2018). Accuracy of BLUP breeding values in a factorial mating design with mixed families and marker-based parentage assignment in rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss. Aquaculture, 490, 350–354.
Résumé: Marker-based parentage assignment provides the opportunity to investigate factors of efficiency for mixed-family designs and factorial mating. In such designs, family size is both uncontrolled and small, which may be thought to limit the accuracy of estimated breeding values (EBVs). The objective of this work was to estimate the accuracy of EBVs of growth and quality traits in a large factorial mating design and in commercial breeding conditions. An expected six hundred full-sib families of rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss (2042 fish in total) were produced by ten factorial matings of six dams with ten sires. Fish were phenotyped for body weight, carcass yield, fillet yield, fillet fat content and fillet colour, and family information was recovered using microsatellite markers. The accuracy of EBVs was estimated using or removing individual performance to mimic combined family selection (with individual phenotype) or sib selection (without individual phenotype). The traits investigated had medium to high heritability (0.17–0.58). High to very high accuracy (0.630–0.817) was estimated for combined family selection. The accuracy of sib selection (not using individual phenotype) was 18–22% lower (0.542–0.638), but remained in the upper range reported for such traits. This level of accuracy was higher than those reported in conventional breeding programs using separate family rearing. This was true even for families with a very low number of full-sibs. Individual EBV accuracy was more closely linked to the total number of full- and half-sibs of each fish than to its number of full-sibs. We hypothesize that this was due to the factorial mating, which led to a high number of the genetic ties between sibs. These results highlight the possibility of introducing precise estimated breeding values for quality traits into combined or sib selection in breeding programs when using mixed families from factorial designs and marker-based parentage assignment in aquaculture species.
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Hillen, J. E. J., Coscia, I., Vandeputte, M., Herten, K., Hellemans, B., Maroso, F., et al. (2017). Estimates of genetic variability and inbreeding in experimentally selected populations of European sea bass. Aquaculture, 479, 742–749.
Résumé: The aquaculture industry has increasingly aimed at improving economically important traits like growth, feed efficiency and resistance to infections. Artificial selection represents an important window of opportunity to significantly improve production. However, the pitfall is that selection will reduce genetic diversity and increase inbreeding in the farmed stocks. Genetic tools are very useful in this context as they provide accurate measures of genetic diversity together with many additional insights in the stock status and the selection process. In this study we assessed the level of genetic variability and relatedness over several generations of two lines of experimentally selected European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax L.). The first line was selected for growth over three generations and the second line for both high and low weight loss under a starvation regime over two generations. We used a genomic approach (2549 single nucleotide polymorphism markers derived from double digest restriction site associated DNA sequencing) in combination with eight microsatellites to estimate genetic variation, relatedness, effective population size and genetic differentiation across generations. Individual heterozygosity estimates indicated that the selected lines showed no significant reduction in diversity compared with wild populations. There was, however, a decreasing trend in allelic richness, suggesting the loss of low frequency alleles. We compared the estimates of effective population size from genetic markers with pedigree information and found good correspondence between methods. This study provides important insights in the genetic consequences of selective breeding and demonstrates the operational use of the latest genomic tools to estimate variability, inbreeding and at a later stage domestication and artificial selection.
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Jeanmougin, M., Leprieur, F., Lois, G., & Clergeau, P. (2014). Fine-scale urbanization affects Odonata species diversity in ponds of a megacity (Paris, France). Acta Oecologica-International Journal of Ecology, 59, 26–34.
Résumé: Current developments in urban ecology include very few studies focused on pond ecosystems, though ponds are recognized as biodiversity hotspots. Using Odonata as an indicator model, we explored changes in species composition in ponds localized along an urban gradient of a megacity (Paris, France). We then assessed the relative importance of local- and landscape-scale variables in shaping Odonata alpha-diversity patterns using a model-averaging approach. Analyses were performed for adult (A) and adult plus exuviae (AE) census data. At 26 ponds, we recorded 657 adults and 815 exuviae belonging to 17 Odonata species. The results showed that the Odonata species assemblage composition was not determined by pond localization along the urban gradient. Similarly, pond characteristics were found to be similar among urban, suburban and periurban ponds. The analyses of AE census data revealed that fine-scale urbanization (i.e., increased density of buildings surrounding ponds) negatively affects Odonata alpha-diversity. In contrast, pond localization along the urban gradient weakly explained the alpha-diversity patterns. Several local-scale variables, such as the coverage of submerged macrophytes, were found to be significant drivers of Odonata alpha-diversity. Together, these results show that the degree of urbanization around ponds must be considered instead of pond localization along the urban gradient when assessing the potential impacts of urbanization on Odonata species diversity This work also indicates the importance of exuviae sampling in understanding the response of Odonata to urbanization. (C) 2014 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.
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Jousset, A., Eisenhauer, N., Merker, M., Mouquet, N., & Scheu, S. (2016). High functional diversity stimulates diversification in experimental microbial communities. Sci. Adv., 2(6), e1600124.
Résumé: There is a growing awareness that biodiversity not only drives ecosystem services but also affects evolutionary dynamics. However, different theories predict contrasting outcomes on when do evolutionary processes occur within a context of competition. We tested whether functional diversity can explain diversification patterns. We tracked the survival and diversification of a focal bacterial species (Pseudomonas fluorescens) growing in bacterial communities of variable diversity and composition. We found that high functional diversity reduced the fitness of the focal species and, at the same time, fostered its diversification. This pattern was linked to resource competition: High diversity increased competition on a portion of the resources while leaving most underexploited. The evolved phenotypes of the focal species showed a better use of underexploited resources, albeit at a cost of lower overall growth rates. As a result, diversification alleviated the impact of competition on the fitness of the focal species. We conclude that biodiversity can stimulate evolutionary diversification, provided that sufficient alternative niches are available.
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Kappes, M. A., Shaffer, S. A., Tremblay, Y., Foley, D. G., Palacios, D. M., Bograd, S. J., et al. (2015). Reproductive constraints influence habitat accessibility, segregation, and preference of sympatric albatross species. Movement Ecology, 3(1), 34.
Résumé: The spatiotemporal distribution of animals is dependent on a suite of factors, including the distribution of resources, interactions within and between species, physiological limitations, and requirements for reproduction, dispersal, or migration. During breeding, reproductive constraints play a major role in the distribution and behavior of central place foragers, such as pelagic seabirds. We examined the foraging behavior and marine habitat selection of Laysan (Phoebastria immutabilis) and black-footed (P. nigripes) albatrosses throughout their eight month breeding cycle at Tern Island, Northwest Hawaiian Islands to evaluate how variable constraints of breeding influenced habitat availability and foraging decisions. We used satellite tracking and light-based geolocation to determine foraging locations of individuals, and applied a biologically realistic null usage model to generate control locations and model habitat preference under a case–control design. Remotely sensed oceanographic data were used to characterize albatross habitats in the North Pacific.
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