Control and conservation of endemic species in the UK and Hawaii
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Nottingham
Department Name: School of Life Sciences
Abstract
Invasive snails and slugs are causing worldwide problems, both in terms of direct damage to crops, and as intermediate vectors for diseases of farm animals. Yet, snails and slugs are difficult to identify and we have little idea of what influences their distributions, hindering appropriate control and conservation efforts. In the UK, modern molecular phylogenetic knowledge of these species - terrestrial and aquatic - and their potential as vectors of disease is relatively limited. In Hawaii, we have recently characterised an aquatic Lymnaeaid snail that has cryptically colonised the archipelago. This snail is endangering the local endemic species, and potentially acts as an intermediate vector for the liver fluke parasite. The aim of this project, therefore, will be to study the process of invasion, using representative species in the UK and Hawaii (with collaborators in the Bishop Museum, Hawaii and Howard University) to understand the evolution of these snails and their parasites, and including methods that may help refine the identification of the invasive species and species of conservation concern. Although much of the work will be lab-based, with a concomitant bioinformatics element, field collection will be a necessary component
Organisations
Studentship Projects
| Project Reference | Relationship | Related To | Start | End | Student Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BB/M008770/1 | 01/10/2015 | 31/10/2024 | |||
| 1803694 | Studentship | BB/M008770/1 | 01/10/2016 | 23/12/2020 |
| Description | Understanding how polymorphism is maintained in populations is a longstanding question in evolutionary biology. Perhaps the pre-eminent model, the snail Cepaea nemoralis, may help understanding the maintenance of the polymorphism. C. nemoralis is a predominantly west European species with a polymorphic shell for three main inherited features controlled by a "supergene", a group of tightly linked loci that co-segregate together; the shell ground colour, banding and band pigmentation. Fine mapping of the polymorphism may be an important step towards identifying the underlying supergene. Past research has shown that five loci are linked together into one "supergene" . One of the past research limitations was the identification of putative recombination events between loci within the supergene. To resolve this issue, new crosses of C. nemoralis were created, with flanking RAD-seq markers used to identify recombination events . Results showed no evidence that presumed "recombinant" individuals, identified by phenotype, were recombinant between loci within the supergene. Instead, incomplete penetrance and epistasis may be a better explanation for these phenotypes. |
| Exploitation Route | The findings challenge the previous assumption of the supergene architecture and provides a new resource for the future creation of a fine mapping of the supergene. |
| Sectors | Environment |
| URL | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41437-019-0190-6 |
| Description | 50 Years of Snail Evolution in the Pyrenees |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Species with short generation times, such as many invertebrates, may offer a quick evolutionary vision to changing selection pressures. Perhaps the pre-eminent model, the snail Cepaea nemoralis will help to understand polymorphism variation. C. nemoralis is a predominantly west European species with a polymorphic shell for three main inherited features, and shell ground colour, banding and band pigmentation. There are many examples of polymorphisms such as classic examples as Müllerian mimic butterfly (Heliconius numata), the two-spotted ladybird (Adalia bipunctata) or the scarlet tiger moth (Callimorpha dominula). Maintenance of phenotype variation of species during rapid climate changes will depend on the efficacy of evolutionary adaptation. Furthermore, to avoid population declines due to significant environmental changes, selective factors may lead to shift in genetically adaptive traits. Therefore, how does changing climate affect the distribution of the different phenotypes due to selection? There is debate on how the phenotype is affected by environmental selective factors. Therefore, one of the emerging strengths of working with Cepaea is that historic collections can be compared against modern day samples, for instance to understand the impact of changing climate and habitat upon shell morph frequencies, and so infer the potential impact of natural selection. In nearly all studies reported to date, absolute change in frequencies of the various shell morphs have been reported, but the direction is not always consistent. The climate and human activity in the Pyrenees has significantly changed since 1960 which the average of temperature has increased by 2.8-4.0 degrees, more than in Europe. Furthermore, Central Pyrenees shows a particular local associations of phenotype variation. A comparison of shell features in C. nemoralis from historical data against actual sampling in the same location in the Pyrenees has been done. Considerable changes in almost all the main valleys in various phenotypes have occurred. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| URL | http://www.malsocaus.org/?page_id=1063 |
| Description | Model optimisation for the prediction of the grove snail colour category |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | I participated in the The world congress of Malacology presenting a poster with the purpose of showing our current research to the people working in the same field looking at possible new ideas, collaborations, etc... |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Tenerife Outreach Trip |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | I organise a full outreach trip in Tenerife. I scanned the schools of the island to choose the school with the best level of English. From here we organize various theoretical and practical activities for the students of this school. Besides the organization of the trip for all the PHD students and contact and manage with the school the activities I was involved in Synthetic biology and bacterial engineering activity. This activity was planned in an interactive paper based session to address the students to face some challenges and to give answer using bacterial engineering. Before to start the activity we introduced the concepts in a brief presentation. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| URL | http://www.colegiohispanobritanico.es/colaboracion-con-nottingham-university/ |