Hufbauer, R. | bioRxiv Science

bioRxiv2024

'Disease-smart' assisted migration can enhance population fitness and increase resistance to pathogens via immune priming

O_LIWe studied the potential of combining insect immune priming to synergize with introduction of diverse migrant to safeguard small populations from disease outbreaks that might otherwise lead to extinction. C_LIO_LIImmune priming in insects refers to the stronger immune response insects have against pathogens after prior exposure. This enhanced immunity can be passed on to offspring and holds promise for insect conservation efforts against diseases. C_LIO_LIWe compared the fitness benefits to a small, inbred population of adding migrants that had not been primed to adding immune primed migrants. While both types of migrants enhanced reproduction, as in cases of genetic rescue, only primed migrants improved survival on exposure to a pathogen. C_LIO_LIBetter immunity led to a trade-off with reproduction in the migrants, but not upon outcrossing with the target population, revealing synergies between hybrid vigor and immune priming. C_LIO_LIGiven the demographic constraints and stochasticity that can exacerbate the effects of disease outbreaks in small populations, combining immune priming with assisted migration offers a proactive strategy to mitigate disease impacts. C_LI

ecology↗

bioRxiv2017

Hybridization affects life-history traits and host specificity in Diorhabda spp.

Hybridization is an influential evolutionary process that has been viewed alternatively as an evolutionary dead-end or as an important creative evolutionary force. In colonizing species, such as introduced biological control agents, hybridization can negate the effects of bottlenecks and genetic drift through increasing genetic variation. Such changes could be beneficial to a biological control program by increasing the chances of establishment success. However, hybridization can also lead to the emergence of transgressive phenotypes that could alter host specificity; an important consideration when assessing potential non-target impacts of planned agents. In a series of lab experiments, we investigated the effects of hybridization between three species of Diorhabda released to control invasive Tamarix (saltcedar) on life history traits through two generations, and through the third generation for one cross. Depending on the cross, hybridization had either a positive or neutral impact on development time, adult mass, and fecundity. We evaluated preference for the target (saltcedar) relative to a non-target host Tamarixaphylla (athel), and found host specificity patterns varied in two of the three hybrids, demonstrating the possibility for hybridization to alter host preference. Importantly, the overall effects of hybridization were inconsistent by cross, leading to unpredictability in the outcome of using hybrids in biological control.

ecology↗