title: Non-additive effects of simulated heat waves and predators on prey phenotype and transgenerational phenotypic plasticity.
abstract: Understanding the effects of extreme climatic events on species and their interactions is of paramount importance for predicting and mitigating the impacts of climate change on communities and ecosystems. However, the joint effects of extreme climatic events and species interactions on the behaviour and phenotype of organisms remain poorly understood, leaving a substantial gap in our knowledge on the impacts of climatic change on ecological communities. Using an aphid-ladybeetle system, we experimentally investigated the effects of predators and heat shocks on prey body size, microhabitat use, and transgenerational phenotypic plasticity (i.e., the asexual production of winged offspring by unwinged mothers). We found that (i) aphids were smaller in the presence of predators but larger when exposed to frequent heat shocks; (ii) frequent heat shocks shifted aphid distribution towards the plant's apex, but the presence of predators had the opposite effect and dampened the heat-shock effects; and (iii) aphids responded to predators by producing winged offspring, but heat shocks strongly inhibited this transgenerational response to predation. Overall, our experimental results show that heat shocks inhibit phenotypic and behavioural responses to predation (and vice versa) and that such changes may alter trophic interactions, and have important consequences on the dynamics and stability of ecological communities. We conclude that the effects of extreme climatic events on the phenotype and behaviour of interacting species should be considered to understand the effects of climate change on species interactions and communities.
authors.affiliation: Département de sciences biologiques, Institut de recherche en biologie végétale, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada.|Unité Mixte de Recherche 5174 "Evolution et Diversité Biologique", Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Université de Toulouse III - Ecole Nationale Supérieure de Formation de l'Enseignement Agricole, Toulouse, France.
authors.forename: Arnaud
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-4617-3620
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sentis
authors.affiliation: Unité Mixte de Recherche 5174 "Evolution et Diversité Biologique", Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Université de Toulouse III - Ecole Nationale Supérieure de Formation de l'Enseignement Agricole, Toulouse, France.
authors.forename: Jean-Louis
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Hemptinne
authors.affiliation: Département de sciences biologiques, Institut de recherche en biologie végétale, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada.
authors.forename: Jacques
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Brodeur
mesh_terms: D000220:Adaptation, Biological; D000818:Animals; D001042:Aphids / Q000502:physiology; D058448:Biota; D057231:Climate Change; D017753:Ecosystem; D006358:Hot Temperature; D010641:Phenotype; D011235:Predatory Behavior
keywords: aphid; body size; climate change; extreme temperatures; heat stress; ladybeetle; phenotypic plasticity; spatial distribution; trophic interactions; wing polyphenism