Climate Change, Extreme Temperatures and Sex-Related Responses in Spiders
Climatic extremes, such as heat waves, are increasing in frequency, intensity and duration under anthropogenic climate change. These extreme events pose a great threat to many organisms, and especially ectotherms, which are susceptible to high temperatures. In nature, many ectotherms, such as insect...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-04-01
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| Series: | Biology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/12/4/615 |
| _version_ | 1797606264844320768 |
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| author | Jeffrey A. Harvey Yuting Dong |
| author_facet | Jeffrey A. Harvey Yuting Dong |
| author_sort | Jeffrey A. Harvey |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Climatic extremes, such as heat waves, are increasing in frequency, intensity and duration under anthropogenic climate change. These extreme events pose a great threat to many organisms, and especially ectotherms, which are susceptible to high temperatures. In nature, many ectotherms, such as insects, may seek cooler microclimates and ’ride out´ extreme temperatures, especially when these are transient and unpredictable. However, some ectotherms, such as web-building spiders, may be more prone to heat-related mortality than more motile organisms. Adult females in many spider families are sedentary and build webs in micro-habitats where they spend their entire lives. Under extreme heat, they may be limited in their ability to move vertically or horizontally to find cooler microhabitats. Males, on the other hand, are often nomadic, have broader spatial distributions, and thus might be better able to escape exposure to heat. However, life-history traits in spiders such as the relative body size of males and females and spatial ecology also vary across different taxonomic groups based on their phylogeny. This may make different species or families more or less susceptible to heat waves and exposure to very high temperatures. Selection to extreme temperatures may drive adaptive responses in female physiology, morphology or web site selection in species that build small or exposed webs. Male spiders may be better able to avoid heat-related stress than females by seeking refuge under objects such as bark or rocks with cooler microclimates. Here, we discuss these aspects in detail and propose research focusing on male and female spider behavior and reproduction across different taxa exposed to temperature extremes. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T05:12:46Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-231092f5ee3f4fc7b27b4a3bd8c98609 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2079-7737 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T05:12:46Z |
| publishDate | 2023-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Biology |
| spelling | doaj.art-231092f5ee3f4fc7b27b4a3bd8c986092023-11-17T18:24:43ZengMDPI AGBiology2079-77372023-04-0112461510.3390/biology12040615Climate Change, Extreme Temperatures and Sex-Related Responses in SpidersJeffrey A. Harvey0Yuting Dong1Department of Terrestrial Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology, Droevendaalsesteeg 10, 6708 PB Wageningen, The NetherlandsDepartment of Terrestrial Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology, Droevendaalsesteeg 10, 6708 PB Wageningen, The NetherlandsClimatic extremes, such as heat waves, are increasing in frequency, intensity and duration under anthropogenic climate change. These extreme events pose a great threat to many organisms, and especially ectotherms, which are susceptible to high temperatures. In nature, many ectotherms, such as insects, may seek cooler microclimates and ’ride out´ extreme temperatures, especially when these are transient and unpredictable. However, some ectotherms, such as web-building spiders, may be more prone to heat-related mortality than more motile organisms. Adult females in many spider families are sedentary and build webs in micro-habitats where they spend their entire lives. Under extreme heat, they may be limited in their ability to move vertically or horizontally to find cooler microhabitats. Males, on the other hand, are often nomadic, have broader spatial distributions, and thus might be better able to escape exposure to heat. However, life-history traits in spiders such as the relative body size of males and females and spatial ecology also vary across different taxonomic groups based on their phylogeny. This may make different species or families more or less susceptible to heat waves and exposure to very high temperatures. Selection to extreme temperatures may drive adaptive responses in female physiology, morphology or web site selection in species that build small or exposed webs. Male spiders may be better able to avoid heat-related stress than females by seeking refuge under objects such as bark or rocks with cooler microclimates. Here, we discuss these aspects in detail and propose research focusing on male and female spider behavior and reproduction across different taxa exposed to temperature extremes.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/12/4/615adaptationclimate changeectothermfitnessheatsurvival |
| spellingShingle | Jeffrey A. Harvey Yuting Dong Climate Change, Extreme Temperatures and Sex-Related Responses in Spiders Biology adaptation climate change ectotherm fitness heat survival |
| title | Climate Change, Extreme Temperatures and Sex-Related Responses in Spiders |
| title_full | Climate Change, Extreme Temperatures and Sex-Related Responses in Spiders |
| title_fullStr | Climate Change, Extreme Temperatures and Sex-Related Responses in Spiders |
| title_full_unstemmed | Climate Change, Extreme Temperatures and Sex-Related Responses in Spiders |
| title_short | Climate Change, Extreme Temperatures and Sex-Related Responses in Spiders |
| title_sort | climate change extreme temperatures and sex related responses in spiders |
| topic | adaptation climate change ectotherm fitness heat survival |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/12/4/615 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT jeffreyaharvey climatechangeextremetemperaturesandsexrelatedresponsesinspiders AT yutingdong climatechangeextremetemperaturesandsexrelatedresponsesinspiders |