Resultados de investigación

Online Appendices Online Appendices 1 and 2 Supplementary Figures Supplementary Figures S1-S9 Supplementary Tables Supplementary Tables S1-S6 SNP matrices Unlinked SNP matrices used in genetic structure analyses. See text for dataset nomenclature SNPs.zip Allele files Sequence datasets used in phylogenetic analyses. Allele files produced by pyRAD are provided. See text for dataset nomenclature alleles.zip, Disentangling species boundaries and phylogenetic relationships within recent evolutionary radiations is a challenge due to the poor morphological differentiation and low genetic divergence between species, frequently accompanied by phenotypic convergence, inter-specific gene flow and incomplete lineage sorting. Here we employed a genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) approach, in combination with morphometric analyses, to investigate a small western Mediterranean clade in the flowering plant genus Linaria that radiated in the Quaternary. After confirming the morphological and genetic distinctness of eight species, we evaluated the relative performances of concatenation and coalescent methods to resolve phylogenetic relationships. Specifically, we focused on assessing the robustness of both approaches to variations in the parameter used to estimate sequence orthology (clustering threshold). Concatenation analyses suffered from strong systematic bias, as revealed by the high statistical support for multiple alternative topologies depending on clustering threshold values. By contrast, topologies produced by two coalescent-based methods (NJst, SVDquartets) were robust to variations in the clustering threshold. Reticulate evolution may partly explain incongruences between NJst, SVDquartets and concatenated trees. Integration of morphometric and coalescent-based phylogenetic results revealed (1) extensive morphological divergence associated with recent splits between geographically close or sympatric sister species, and (2) morphological convergence in geographically disjunct species. These patterns are particularly true for floral traits related to pollinator specialisation, including nectar spur length, tube width and corolla colour, suggesting pollinator-driven diversification. Given its relatively simple and inexpensive implementation, GBS is a promising technique for the phylogenetic and systematic study of recent radiations, but care must be taken to evaluate the robustness of results to variation of data assembly parameters., Peer reviewed

Data-Malo et al 2017 Data for the main analysis of the paper entitled "A father effect explains sex-ratio bias", relating the effects of sperm nucleus area and sperm nucleus length on offspring sex ratio (figure 1), the effects of the coefficient of inbreeding on offspring sex ratio weighing each data point for the total number of offspring (figure 2), and the effects of the coefficient of inbreeding on sperm nucleus area and sperm nucleus length (figure 3)., Sex ratio allocation has important fitness consequences, and theory predicts that parents should adjust offspring sex ratio in cases where the fitness returns of producing male and female offspring vary. The ability of fathers to bias offspring sex ratios has traditionally been dismissed given the expectation of an equal proportion of X- and Y-chromosome-bearing sperm (CBS) in ejaculates due to segregation of sex chromosomes at meiosis. This expectation has been recently refuted. Here we used Peromyscus leucopus to demonstrate that sex ratio is explained by an exclusive effect of the father, and suggest a likely mechanism by which male-driven sex-ratio bias is attained. We identified a male sperm morphological marker that is associated with the mechanism leading to sex ratio bias; differences among males in the sperm nucleus area (a proxy for the sex chromosome that the sperm contains) explain 22% variation in litter sex ratio. We further show the role played by the sperm nucleus area as a mediator in the relationship between individual genetic variation and sex-ratio bias. Fathers with high levels of genetic variation had ejaculates with a higher proportion of sperm with small nuclei area. This, in turn, led to siring a higher proportion of sons (25% increase in sons per 0.1 decrease in the inbreeding coefficient). Our results reveal a plausible mechanism underlying unexplored male-driven sex-ratio biases. We also discuss why this pattern of paternal bias can be adaptive. This research puts to rest the idea that father contribution to sex ratio variation should be disregarded in vertebrates, and will stimulate research on evolutionary constraints to sex ratios—for example, whether fathers and mothers have divergent, coinciding, or neutral sex allocation interests. Finally, these results offer a potential explanation for those intriguing cases in which there are sex ratio biases, such as in humans., Peer reviewed

R script for generating results The file included is a self-contained R script that was used to produce the results and images of the manuscript. Figures obtained with this script will not exactly match the ones of the paper due to the type of analyses performed, based on random parameterizations (within given parameter intervals) of dynamic models. 0IK-04428.R, Ecological communities are defined by species interacting dynamically in a given location at a given time, and can be conveniently represented as networks of interactions. Pairwise interactions can be ascribed to one of five main types, depending on their outcome for the species involved: amensalism, antagonism (including predation, parasitism and disease), commensalism, competition or mutualism. While most studies have dealt so far with networks involving one single type of interaction at a time, often focusing on a specific clade and/or guild, recent studies are being developed that consider networks with more than one interaction type and across several levels of biological organisation. We review these developments and suggest that three main frameworks are in use to investigate the properties of multiple interactions networks: 'expanded food-webs', 'multilayer networks' and 'equal footing networks'. They differ on how interactions are classified and implemented in mathematical models, and on whether the effect of different interaction types is expressed in the same units. We analyse the mathematical and ecological assumptions of these three approaches, and identify some of the questions that can be addressed with each one of them. Since the overwhelming majority of multiple interaction studies are theoretical and use artificially generated data, we also provide recommendations for the incorporation of field data in such studies., Peer reviewed

Data from "Host nest site choice depends on risk of cuckoo parasitism in magpie hosts" Data to analyze the parasitism risk proximity of induced cuckoo risk of parasitism for magpie nests during the experimental year 2013 and the individual magpie site fidelity of magpies between consecutive years 2012-2013. ExpositoGranados_et_al_2017BEHECO_data.xls, Avian brood parasites impose large fitness costs on their hosts and, thus, brood parasitism has selected for an array of host defensive mechanisms to avoid them. So far most studies have focused on antiparasite defenses operating at the egg and chick stages and neglected defenses that may work prior to parasite egg deposition. Here, we experimentally explore the possibility that hosts, as part of a front-line defense, might minimize parasitism costs through informed nest site choice based on perceived risk of cuckoo parasitism. We conducted a large-scale manipulation of visual and auditory cues potentially informing on the risk of great spotted cuckoo Clamator glandarius parasitism during the nest site choice period of the magpie Pica pica host to investigate its effect on host’s nest settlement and individual year to year site fidelity. Early breeding magpies preferentially placed their nests in safe areas (i.e., in sites of low perceived risk of parasitism), and, this effect diluted with time elapsed since risk of parasitism was manipulated. Site fidelity of individual magpies decreased with risk of cuckoo parasitism, for those that were not parasitized in the previous year. Our results constitute the first strong evidence showing that hosts can minimize the costs of cuckoo parasitism through informed nest-site choice, calling for future consideration of defenses potentially operating prior to parasite egg deposition to achieve a better understanding of cuckoo-host coevolution., Peer reviewed

Alignments Alignments of the mitochondrial and nuclear genes (or gene fragments) sequenced to obtain the phylogeny of the subgenus Lumetus (genus Enochrus, family Hydrophilidae, order Coleoptera) in FASTA format alignments.rar, Transitions from fresh to saline habitats are restricted to a handful of insect lineages, as the colonization of saline waters requires specialized mechanisms to deal with osmotic stress. Previous studies have suggested that tolerance to salinity and desiccation could be mechanistically and evolutionarily linked, but the temporal sequence of these adaptations is not well established for individual lineages. We combined molecular, physiological and ecological data to explore the evolution of desiccation resistance, hyporegulation ability (i.e., the ability to osmoregulate in hyperosmotic media) and habitat transitions in the water beetle genus Enochrus subgenus Lumetus (Hydrophilidae). We tested whether enhanced desiccation resistance evolved before increases in hyporegulation ability or vice versa, or whether the two mechanisms evolved in parallel. The most recent ancestor of Lumetus was inferred to have high desiccation resistance and moderate hyporegulation ability. There were repeated shifts between habitats with differing levels of salinity in the radiation of the group, those to the most saline habitats generally occurring more rapidly than those to less saline ones. Significant and accelerated changes in hyporegulation ability evolved in parallel with smaller and more progressive increases in desiccation resistance across the phylogeny, associated with the colonization of meso- and hypersaline waters during global aridification events. All species with high hyporegulation ability were also desiccation-resistant, but not vice versa. Overall, results are consistent with the hypothesis that desiccation resistance mechanisms evolved first and provided the physiological basis for the development of hyporegulation ability, allowing these insects to colonize and diversify across meso- and hypersaline habitats., Peer reviewed

Genotypes and sequences of sampled individuals Microsatellite genotypes in an excel sheet and all sequences obtained in fasta format. Sequences and genotypes coscinasterias tenuispina.zip, Intraspecific genetic diversity and divergence have a large influence on the adaption and evolutionary potential of species. The widely distributed starfish, Coscinasterias tenuispina, combines sexual reproduction with asexual reproduction via fission. Here we analyse the phylogeography of this starfish to reveal historical and contemporary processes driving its intraspecific genetic divergence. We further consider whether asexual reproduction is the most important method of propagation throughout the distribution range of this species. Our study included 326 individuals from 16 populations, covering most of the species’ distribution range. A total of 12 nuclear microsatellite loci and sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene were analysed. COI and microsatellites were clustered in two isolated lineages: one found along the south-western Atlantic and the other along the north-eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea. This suggests the existence of two different evolutionary units. Marine barriers along the European coast would be responsible for population clustering: the Almeria-Oran Front that limits the entrance of migrants from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean, and the Siculo Tunisian strait that divides the two Mediterranean basins. The presence of identical genotypes was detected in all populations, although two monoclonal populations where found in two sites where annual mean temperatures and minimum values were the lowest. Our results based on microsatellite loci showed that intra-population genetic diversity was significantly affected by clonality whereas it had lower effect for the global phylogeography of the species, although still some impact on populations’ genetic divergence could be observed between some populations., Peer reviewed

Zeale sequences Sequences filtered by DAMe using 2/3 filtering strategy and a minimum copy number of 2. zeale_sequences.zip Epp sequences Sequences filtered by DAMe using 2/3 filtering strategy and a minimum copy number of 2. epp_sequences.zip, The interaction between agricultural production and wildlife can shape, and even condition, the functioning of both systems. In this study we i) explored the degree to which a widespread European bat, namely the common bent-wing bat Miniopterus schreibersii, consumes crop-damaging insects at a continental scale, and ii) tested whether its dietary niche is shaped by the extension and type of agricultural fields. We employed a dual-primer DNA metabarcoding approach to characterise arthropod 16S and COI DNA sequences within bat faecal pellets collected across 16 Southern European localities, to first characterise the bat species’ dietary niche, secondly measure the incidence of agricultural pests across their ranges, and thirdly assess whether geographical dietary variation responds to climatic, landscape diversity, agriculture type and vegetation productivity factors. We detected 12 arthropod orders, among which lepidopterans were predominant. We identified >200 species, 44 of which are known to cause agricultural damage. Pest species were detected at all but one sampling site and in 94% of the analysed samples. Furthermore, the dietary diversity of M. schreibersii exhibited a negative linear relation with the area of intensive agricultural fields, thus suggesting crops restrict the dietary niche of bats to prey taxa associated with agricultural production within their foraging range. Overall our results imply that M. schreibersii might be a valuable asset for biological pest suppression in a variety of agricultural productions, and highlight the dynamic interplay between wildlife and agricultural systems., Peer reviewed

Bradypus_microsatellites Microsatellite genotypes. Missing data is coded as 0. Bradypus_dryad.xlsx, Studying Neotropical wild populations is of particular interest. While this region is facing an escalating habitat degradation, it also has remarkable biodiversity levels, whose origin we are only beginning to understand. A myriad of processes might have had idiosyncratic effects on its numerous species. Within the hottest Neotropical biodiversity hotspot, the Atlantic Forest (AF), species and genetic diversities are organized latitudinally, with decreasing diversity levels southwards. Bradypus variegatus, the brown-throated three-toed sloth, was one of the first species observed to present such pattern. Moreover, within AF, B. variegatus populations seem to be geographically isolated and genetically differentiated. Whether AF B. variegatus isolation, differentiation, and loss of genetic diversity are historical or contemporary (anthropogenic-driven), result from species-specific or general historical events, and if this is of conservation concern remains unclear. Here, we combine micro-evolutionary, multilocus, and high-throughput sequencing approaches to detail the processes responsible for the patterns of genetic diversity on B. variegatus populations in AF, and further understand AF biogeographic history. Few studies made use of similar approaches on Neotropical biodiversity. Our results agree with recent re-interpretations on the AF refugia model and support a species-specific refugium in southern AF, characterized by a metapopulation formation. Finally, we present compelling evidences of the need for conservation actions on AF B. variegatus populations, by comparing genetic diversity levels between populations of different Bradypus species. As far as we know, this is the most comprehensive assessment on Bradypus nuclear DNA diversity., Peer reviewed

We present snow observations and a validated daily gridded snowpack dataset that was simulated from downscaled reanalysis of data for the Iberian Peninsula. The Iberian Peninsula has long-lasting seasonal snowpacks in its different mountain ranges, and winter snowfalls occur in most of its area. However, there are only limited direct observations of snow depth (SD) and snow water equivalent (SWE), making it difficult to analyze snow dynamics and the spatiotemporal patterns of snowfall. We used meteorological data from downscaled reanalyses as input of a physically based snow energy balance model to simulate SWE and SD over the Iberian Peninsula from 1980 to 2014. More specifically, the ERA-Interim reanalysis was downscaled to 10 ×10 km resolution using the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model. The WRF outputs were used directly, or as input to other submodels, to obtain data needed to drive the Factorial Snow Model (FSM). We used lapse-rate coefficients and hygrobarometric adjustments to simulate snow series at 100 m elevations bands for each 10 × 10 km grid cell in the Iberian Peninsula. The snow series were validated using data from MODIS satellite sensor and ground observations. The overall simulated snow series accurately reproduced the interannual variability of snowpack and the spatial variability of snow accumulation and melting, even in very complex topographic terrains. Thus, the presented dataset may be useful for many applications, including land management, hydrometeorological studies, phenology of flora and fauna, winter tourism and risk management ., Peer reviewed

This dataset was intended to describe schistosomiasis severity in a backcross cohort and to study the genetic linkage analysis with parasitological, pathological and immunological variables., [Description of methods used for collection/generation of data] F1BX mice were infected with 150 ± 5 S. mansoni cercariae each mouse and nine weeks post-infection were euthanized. We considered 20 variables: granulomas; affected liver surface (mm2/cm2); the number of adult male and female worms; eggs per gram of liver and small intestine; eggs in liver and small intestine per female; CD4, CD8, CD45, CD220 in blood or spleen; IgG, IgG1, IgG2a, IgM antibodies. Multivariate models (cluster and principal component analyses and K-means) identified four levels of infection intensity in the cohort. The genetic regions associated with severity were assessed by massive genotyping and genetic linkage analysis using 961 informative SNPs., [Methods for processing the data] Mean and standard error in each variable, Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. ANOVA and Tukey’ test or Student t-test. The Pearson correlation coefficient (r) and Student t-test for the statistical significance. Multivariant models considering sex influence in worm recovery, eggs in the liver and intestine, fecundity, granulomas and the affected liver surface. All the variables were standardized to 0 mean and standard deviation to 1. Cluster analysis, dendrogram, Principal components analysis and conglomerates by k-means were used to generate clusters. Median proportions were performed. SIMFIT statistical package for Windows version 7.3.7 were used Massive genotyping and geneticlinkage analysis using 961 informative SNPs: The genetic distance based on the recombination frequencies between markers in the F1BX cohort was compared with http://cgd.jax.org/mousemapconverter using maximum-likelihood mapping with HM algorithm. The Haldane function was used with a step size of 2.5 cM and a genotyping error of 0.001. We used the LOD-score to calculate the statistical significance of the linkage of the QTLs found. LOD-score higher than 1.4 suggested linkage. The Ensembl bioinformatics tool (https://www.ensembl.org/index.html) was used to identify syntenic regions between mouse and human., Here we present the dataset used in our study entitled "Identification of genomic regions implicated in susceptibility to Schistosoma mansoni infection in a murine genetic model (backcross)". Thus, we crossed the C57BL/6 mouse strain with the CBA one and then the F1B6CBA females (C57 x CBA) were backcrossed with CBA males generating the F1BX cohort of the study. The study consists of the identification of genetic markers of schistosomiasis. High infection levels and severe liver fibrosis in schistosomiasis appear only in a few highly susceptible infected people. Schistosomiasis could be a complex trait disease and it could be possible to identify genetic markers associated with severity. This study uses a genetically heterogeneous back-cross cohort with genetically unique mice. A backcross (F1BX) mouse cohort was generated after two stages; firstly, we crossed a mouse strain (CBA/2J) susceptible to schistosomiasis with a resistant one (C57BL/6J) to generate the F1B6CBA mice; secondly, the F1BX mice were generated by backcrossing. F1B6CBA female mice with CBA/2J males. F1BX mice were infected with 150 ± 5 S. mansoni cercariae each mouse and nine weeks post-infection were euthanized. We considered 20 variables: granulomas; affected liver surface (mm2/cm2); the number of adult male and female worms; eggs per gram of liver and small intestine; eggs in liver and small intestine per female; CD4, CD8, CD45, CD220 in blood or spleen; IgG, IgG1, IgG2a, IgM antibodies. Multivariate models (cluster and principal component analyses and K-means) identified four levels of infection intensity in the cohort. The genetic regions associated with severity were assessed by massive genotyping and genetic linkage analysis using 961 informative SNPs., The main research project is: Red de Investigación Colaborativa en Enfermedades Tropicales (RICET) Ref.: RD16/0027/0018., Peer reviewed