Rapid Change in Life-Cycle Polyphenism across a Subspecies Boundary of the Eastern Newt, Notophthalmus viridescens

2011 ◽  
Vol 45 (3) ◽  
pp. 379-384 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mizuki K. Takahashi ◽  
Yukiko Y. Takahashi ◽  
Matthew J. Parris
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Rapid Change ◽  
Notophthalmus Viridescens ◽  
Eastern Newt

Eastern Newt (Notophthalmus viridescens) larvae alter morphological but not chemical defenses in response to predator cues

2014 ◽  
Vol 92 (4) ◽  
pp. 279-283 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kelly H. Brossman ◽  
Bradley E. Carlson ◽  
Amber N. Stokes ◽  
Tracy Langkilde
Keyword(s):  
Phenotypic Plasticity ◽  
Larval Stage ◽  
Species Interactions ◽  
Tail Length ◽  
Morphological Plasticity ◽  
Chemical Defenses ◽  
Notophthalmus Viridescens ◽  
Predator Cues ◽  
Eastern Newt ◽  
Larval Toxicity

Prey traits are often modified in response to exposure to predators, a phenomenon known as predator-induced phenotypic plasticity. Morphological plasticity in response to predator cues is well documented in amphibians; however, predator-induced chemical defenses have received relatively little attention. The Eastern Newt (Notophthalmus viridescens (Rafinesque, 1820)), which possesses tetrodotoxin—a toxin for chemical defense, is most vulnerable to predation during its larval stage. We assessed whether exposing Eastern Newt larvae to predator scent cues (from dragonfly larvae) would elicit change in their morphological and chemical defenses. Newt larvae exposed to scent cues of predatory dragonfly larvae exhibited significantly greater tail depths, which should increase survival of attempted predation by allowing them to swim faster, but did not differ in mass, snout–vent length, or tail length. Toxin concentrations in newt larvae were not significantly affected by exposure to these predator cues. Larval toxicity may be derived maternally or environmentally and is inflexible, or induced toxicity may only be detectable later in development. Predator-induced phenotypic plasticity, especially of chemical defenses, warrants greater attention, as potentially important outcomes of species interactions remain unclear.

Changes in the gut microbial community of the eastern newt (Notophthalmus viridescens) across its three distinct life stages

2021 ◽  
Vol 97 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Samantha S Fontaine ◽  
Patrick M Mineo ◽  
Kevin D Kohl
Keyword(s):  
Microbial Community ◽  
Community Assembly ◽  
Developmental Stages ◽  
Life Stage ◽  
Complex Life Cycle ◽  
Notophthalmus Viridescens ◽  
Selective Forces ◽  
Eastern Newt ◽  
Two Stages ◽  
Gut Microbial Community

ABSTRACT Understanding the forces that shape vertebrate gut microbial community assembly and composition throughout development is a major focus of the microbiome field. Here, we utilize the complex life cycle of the eastern newt (Notophthalmus viridescens) as a natural wild model to compare the effects of host and environmental factors on gut microbiome development. We compared bacterial inventories of each of the newt's three physiologically distinct developmental stages to determine if each hosted a unique community, or if the two stages which share an aquatic habitat (larvae and adults) harbored more similar communities than those of the third stage, the terrestrial juvenile eft. Additionally, we assessed how the contribution of selective processes to gut microbial assembly changed through development. We found that structurally, each life stage harbored a distinct community, which may be attributable to host factors. Further, across development, we found that community assembly processes shifted from a predominance of neutral to selective forces. However, habitat may also be important in determining community membership and diversity due the uniqueness of eft communities based on these metrics. Our results are similar to those in other vertebrate taxa, suggesting that gut microbiota assembly processes may be conserved across diverse lineages.

The Book Business

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mike Shatzkin ◽  
Robert Paris Riger
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Data Collection ◽  
Rapid Change ◽  
Book Publishing ◽  
Digital Publishing ◽  
Trade Publishing ◽  
The World ◽  
Current Concerns ◽  
Answer Format

Many of us read books every day, either electronically or in print. We remember the books that shaped our ideas about the world as children, go back to favorite books year after year, give or lend books to loved ones and friends to share the stories we've loved especially, and discuss important books with fellow readers in book clubs and online communities. But for all the ways books influence us, teach us, challenge us, and connect us, many of us remain in the dark as to where they come from and how the mysterious world of publishing truly works. How are books created and how do they get to readers? The Book Business: What Everyone Needs to Know® introduces those outside the industry to the world of book publishing. Covering everything from the beginnings of modern book publishing early in the 20th century to the current concerns over the alleged death of print, digital reading, and the rise of Amazon, Mike Shatzkin and Robert Paris Riger provide a succinct and insightful survey of the industry in an easy-to-read question-and-answer format. The authors, veterans of "trade publishing," or the branch of the business that puts books in our hands through libraries or bookstores, answer questions from the basic to the cutting-edge, providing a guide for curious beginners and outsiders. How does book publishing actually work? What challenges is it facing today? How have social media changed the game of book marketing? What does the life cycle of a book look like in 2019? They focus on how practices are changing at a time of great flux in the industry, as digital creation and delivery are altering the commercial realities of the book business. This book will interest not only those with no experience in publishing looking to gain a foothold on the business, but also those working on the inside who crave a bird's eye view of publishing's evolving landscape. This is a moment of dizzyingly rapid change wrought by the emergence of digital publishing, data collection, e-books, audio books, and the rise of self-publishing; these forces make the inherently interesting business of publishing books all the more fascinating.

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