Rapid Evolution of Stoichiometric Traits

Background: Rapid Evolution Stoichiometry Group Woodstoich 2014

Carrying on the far-out tradition established by Woodstoich I, which was held in Norway during summer, 2004 and continued by Woodstoich II held in Japan during the summer of 2009, five groups of early career researchers participated in five days of peace and stoichiometry during Woodstoich III, held in Sydney, Australia during summer, 2014. These groups were organized to synthesize manuscripts to explore connections between ecological stoichiometry, nutritional geometry, and many diverse ecological and evolutionary topics. The Rapid Evolution (RE) working group was comprised of five members: Masato Yamamichi, Cédric L. Meunier, Angela Peace, Clay Prater, Megan A. Rúa, from across the globe (i.e., Japan, Sweden, USA, and Canada). These members combined their diverse backgrounds and expertise to examine how rapid evolution of consumer stoichiometric traits alters population dynamics and nutrient cycling in a model system.

The work:

Following three months of brainstorming, researching, and simulations, the RE group met along with the other Woodstoich III groups at Chowder Bay, outside of Sydney, Australia to participate in five festive and chaotic days of manuscript preparation, expert talks, trivia, and crafts. The RE group spent most of the time locked away in their “laboratory” running model simulations, editing and streamlining the manuscript, and watching the winter monsoon stir up the bay outside their window. After three days and a lot of input from senior researchers, the groups all emerged with manuscripts ready for submission and rapid review, thanks to the workshop’s partnership with Oikos. After an unconfirmed dance party followed by a zoo safari the following day, the groups received editorial reviews and spent the remainder of the time making edits and polishing the manuscripts for re-submission.

The Payoff:

The four groups’ manuscripts were accepted and combined to form a special section in the July, 2015 issue of Oikos, and one more paper will come along in the near future. The RE group used theoretical modeling techniques to explore the effects of rapid evolution of a consumer stoichiometric trait on model Daphnia–algal systems, assuming the growth rate hypothesis. We used two complimentary models (i.e., an asexual clonal model and a quantitative genetic model) to investigate how the evolution of consumer body carbon and phosphorus content affects the ecological dynamics of consumer–producer systems. Our results displayed a wide range of dynamics in the system including the destabilization of population dynamics and the evolutionary rescue of consumer populations from extinction. Consumer evolution was also shown to have an effect at the ecosystem level where consumers altered nutrient cycling of phosphorus in the system. With these novel findings the group hopes to provide a foundation for future studies in the area of rapid evolution and ecological stoichiometry by identifying the processes driving dynamics in these systems and by suggesting possible consumer stoichiometric traits that may evolve due to environmental selection. Be sure to check the other groovy stoichiometric collaborations including stoichiometry and nutritional geometry, coupled human natural systems, plasticity across scales, and spatial ecology.

Masato Yamamichi and co-authors

Figure: Happy and relieved RE group members submitting their ms. to Bob Sterner at Chowder Bay, Sydney, Australia.

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