Biology subjects

Cuypers, K.

Publications and source records attributed to Cuypers, K..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2025

Rapid temporal adaptation structures tolerance to toxic cyanobacteria in a natural population of the water flea Daphnia.

Cyanobacteria blooms pose a substantial threat to freshwater systems globally. While zooplankton grazers such as Daphnia can have an important role in suppressing cyanobacteria blooms, cyanobacteria can adversely impact Daphnia fitness and even kill them. Earlier work has shown an evolutionary increase in tolerance to cyanobacteria across years and strong genotype x genotype interactions determining the interaction between Daphnia and the cyanobacterium Microcystis. Here, we test the hypothesis that D. magna can adapt during one growing season to changes in dominant strains of Microcystis. Over two consecutive years, we collected D. magna clonal lineages and Microcystis strains from a single pond early and late in the growing season and we assessed whether Daphnia survival differed when exposed to Microcystis strains from either the same or a different time point within the growth season. Our findings reveal important Daphnia genotype x Microcystis genotype interactions, with Daphnia survival being higher when exposed to Microcystis from the same time point than when exposed to Microcystis of a different time point. Our results extend earlier findings to variation within one single natural system and growth season, and suggest an important impact of rapid (co)evolutionary dynamics shaping the tolerance of zooplankton grazers to cyanobacteria.

evolutionary biology↗

bioRxiv2024

The Causal Role Of Beta Band Desynchronization: Individualized High-Definition Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation Improves Bimanual Motor Control

ObjectiveTo unveil if 3 mA peak-to-peak high-definition {beta} transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) applied over C4 -the area overlaying the right sensorimotor cortex- enhances bimanual motor control and affects movement-related {beta} desynchronization (MR{beta}D), thereby providing causal evidence for the polymorphic role of MR{beta}D in motor control. MethodsIn this sham-controlled, crossover study, 36 participants underwent 20 minutes of fixed 20 Hz tACS; tACS individualized to peak {beta} activity during motor planning at baseline; and sham tACS randomized over three consecutive days. Before, during, and after tACS, participants performed a bimanual tracking task (BTT) and 64-channel electroencephalography (EEG) data was measured. Spatiotemporal and temporal clustering statistics with underlying linear mixed effect models were used to test our hypotheses. ResultsIndividualized tACS significantly improved bimanual motor control, both online and offline, and increased online MR{beta}D during motor planning compared to fixed tACS. No offline effects of fixed and individualized tACS on MR{beta}D were found compared to sham, although tACS effects did trend towards the hypothesized MR{beta}D increase. Throughout the course of the study, MR{beta}D and bimanual motor performance improved. Exclusively during motor planning, MR{beta}D was positively associated to bimanual motor performance improvements, emphasizing the functionally polymorphic role of MR{beta}D. tACS was well tolerated and no side-effects occurred. ConclusionIndividualized {beta}-tACS improves bimanual motor control and enhances motor planning MR{beta}D online. These findings provide causal evidence for the importance of MR{beta}D when planning complex motor behavior.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2023

Regional and fine-scale local adaptation in salinity tolerance in Daphnia inhabiting contrasting clusters of inland saline waters

Understanding the spatial scales at which organisms can adapt to strong natural and human-induced environmental gradients is important. Salinisation is a key threat to biodiversity, ecosystem functioning, and the provision of ecosystem services of freshwater systems. Clusters of naturally saline habitats represent ideal test cases to study the extent and scale of local adaptation to salinisation. We studied local adaptation of the water flea Daphnia magna, a key component of pond food webs, to salinity in two contrasting landscapes - a dense cluster of sodic bomb crater ponds and a larger-scale cluster of soda pans. We show regional differentiation in salinity tolerance reflecting the higher salinity levels of soda pans versus bomb crater ponds. We found local adaptation to differences in salinity levels at the scale of tens of metres among bomb crater pond populations but not among geographically more distant soda pan populations. More saline bomb crater ponds showed an upward shift of the minimum salt tolerance observed across clones and a consequent gradual loss of less tolerant clones in a nested pattern. Our results show evolutionary adaptation to salinity gradients at different spatial scales and fine-tuned local adaptation in neighbouring habitat patches in a natural landscape.

evolutionary biology↗