Integrating biological invasions, climate change and phenotypic plasticity

Abstract

Invasive species frequently change the ecosystems where they are introduced, e.g., by affecting species interactions and population densities of native species. We outline the connectedness of biological invasions, climate change, and the phenomenon of phenotypic plasticity. Integrating these hot topics is important for understanding the biology of many species, their information transfer and general interactions with other organisms. One example where this is particularly true is the zooplankton species Daphnia lumholtzi which has successfully invaded North America. The combination of a high thermal tolerance and a phenotypically plastic defence in D. lumholtzi might be responsible for its invasion success. Its morphological defence consists of rigid spines and is formed after sensory detecting the presence of native fish predators. The integration of biological invasions, climate change, and phenotypic plasticity is an important goal for integrative biology.

Acknowledgements

J.M.J. thanks the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft for financial support (JE 288/4-1). We thank Editor-in-Chief Frantisek Baluska for his invitation to contribute to Communicative & Integrative Biology.

Figures and Tables

Figure 1 Phenotypic plasticity in two individuals of the same Daphnia lumholtzi clone. The individual on the left, but not the one on the right, was exposed to chemical cues exuded by fish.