PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Mathematical model illuminates how environment impacts life choices of salmon

New model highlights how ecological change can affect evolutionary strategies

Mathematical model illuminates how environment impacts life choices of salmon
2024-11-02
(Press-News.org)

Tokyo, Japan – Researchers from Tokyo Metropolitan University have created a mathematical model that models how the evolutionary strategies of organisms are affected by the environment. They studied salmonid fishes which choose either to migrate to the sea then return to lay eggs or stay in the river depending on their individual features. Their model correctly predicts how the proportion choosing to migrate changes with environmental conditions, predicting how environmental change can trigger eco-evolutionary responses.

 

Salmonids (or salmon-like) fish are known to face a tough choice early in their lives. They can either stay where they are their entire lives or migrate to the sea where they adapt to seawater. Those that migrate then come back to the river to lay their eggs. This coexistence of steeply diverging strategies by which these fish survive can have a complex impact on how their populations evolve, particularly given their interaction with the environment, and how that might impact the features of individuals and lead to a changing proportion taking up different pathways. While such divergences are not rare in the animal kingdom, the way in which this can impact the evolution of a population is not fully understood.

To get more insight into this problem, a team of scientists led by Jun-nosuke Horita of the Japan Weather Association and Assistant Professor Yuuya Tachiki of Tokyo Metropolitan University have built a mathematical model which incorporates known traits of a particular salmonid, the female masu salmon, and looks at how populations change over time given the availability of alternative tactics. Female masu salmon have three tactics available to them. They can stay in the river where they are born their entire lives (residents), migrate to the sea after a year (early migrants), or move at a later stage of their lives (late migrants). For simplicity, they modeled the salmon to be either resident or early migrants and incorporated known features of salmon demographics such as the number of eggs given per individual, and their survival rate. A key feature was the incorporation of size distributions, since specimens which are smaller at an early stage of their lives are more likely to choose the migratory route.

Using their model, the team were able to show that there was a wide range of parameters over which a stable population was maintained. Importantly, they could identify a set of conditions under which alternative strategies began to kick in. They found that a river environment which was poor for survival coupled with a fertile sea environment led to a greater likelihood of divergent migratory tactics. Importantly, this is exactly what is seen in nature. They were also able to study extreme cases which may be difficult to consider otherwise. For example, when the survival rate of the harsh migration process dips below a certain point, there is a sudden switch which leads to entire populations becoming residents.

The ability to predict how populations choose different migratory strategies is important for understanding eco-evolution, and conversely, how environmental change can impact the survival of organisms. The team hope that their work may be applied to gauge and predict how anthropogenic changes can impact animal populations.

This work was supported by a Grant-in-Aid for JSPS (Japan Society for the Promotion of Science) Research Fellows (19J21686), Grants-in-Aid for Young Scientists (17K1597 and 20K15876), the Fund for the Promotion of Joint International Research (Fostering Joint International Research (B)) (20KK0163), and the JST-MIRAI Program (JPMJMI18G1).

END


[Attachments] See images for this press release:
Mathematical model illuminates how environment impacts life choices of salmon Mathematical model illuminates how environment impacts life choices of salmon 2

ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Houston Methodist researchers shed light on increased rates of severe human infections caused by Streptococcus subspecies

2024-11-01
HOUSTON-(Nov. 1, 2024) – A concerning increase in global rates of severe invasive infections becoming resistant to key antibiotics has a team of infectious disease researchers at the Houston Methodist Research Institute studying a recently emerged strain of bacteria called Streptococcus dysgalactiae subspecies equisimilis (SDSE). SDSE infects humans via the skin, throat, gastrointestinal tract and female genital tract to cause infections ranging in severity from strep throat (pharyngitis) to necrotizing fasciitis (flesh-eating disease).   Closely related to group A streptococcus (also commonly known as Streptococcus pyogenes), which has been very well studied, ...

Auburn University hosts 62nd Hands-On Workshop on Computational Biophysics, featuring the new VMD 2.0

Auburn University hosts 62nd Hands-On Workshop on Computational Biophysics, featuring the new VMD 2.0
2024-11-01
AUBURN, Ala. – The NIH Center for Macromolecular Modeling and Visualization and Auburn University are pleased to announce the 62nd Hands-On Workshop on Computational Biophysics, taking place from December 16-20, 2024, at Auburn University’s Department of Physics. This prestigious workshop series, first launched in June 2003 by the Theoretical and Computational Biophysics Group at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, has become a premier global training event in molecular modeling. Supported by NIH, the workshop provides a unique platform for researchers across disciplines to master the latest computational biophysics techniques. This year’s ...

The Salton Sea — an area rich with lithium — is a hot spot for child respiratory issues

2024-11-01
Windblown dust from the shrinking Salton Sea harms the respiratory health of children living nearby, triggering asthma, coughing, wheezing and disrupted sleep, USC research shows. The findings also indicate that children living closest to the sea, who are exposed to more dust in the air, may be the most affected. The study, published in Environmental Research, found that 24% of children in the area have asthma — which is far higher than the national rate of 8.4% for boys and 5.5% for girls. The abnormally high rate raises health experts’ concerns about the children’s health in this predominantly low-income community of color 150 miles southeast of Los Angeles. Furthermore, ...

University of Maryland-YouGov poll: Alsobrooks dominates Hogan, amendment to state constitution garners broad support

2024-11-01
With only days to go in the 2024 general election, the Applied Political Analytics Program (APAN) at the University of Maryland, in partnership with the public opinion firm YouGov, released today the results from an Oct. 23-27, 2024 poll of 500 likely Maryland voters that finds broad support for reproductive freedom, and Angela Alsobrooks (D) with a sizeable lead over former Maryland governor Larry Hogan (R) in the race to fill a U.S. Senate seat.  The poll found that across the state, Kamala Harris (D, 60.9%) holds a 27 percentage-point lead over Donald Trump (R, 33.9%). The data also show Angela Alsobrooks (D, 57.4%) with a ballooning 23 percentage-point ...

Exposure to particular sources of air pollution is harmful to children’s learning and memory, a USC study shows

2024-11-01
A new USC study involving 8,500 children from across the country reveals that a form of air pollution, largely the product of agricultural emissions, is linked to poor learning and memory performance in 9- and 10-year-olds. The specific component of fine particle air pollution, or PM2.5, ammonium nitrate, is also implicated in Alzheimer’s and dementia risk in adults, suggesting that PM2.5 may cause neurocognitive harm across the lifespan. Ammonium nitrate forms when ammonia gas and nitric acid, produced by agricultural activities and fossil fuel combustion, respectively, react in the atmosphere. The findings appear in Environmental Health Perspectives. “Our study ...

Change of ownership in home health agencies may lead to increased Medicare spending and reduced staffing levels, according to UTHealth Houston research

Change of ownership in home health agencies may lead to increased Medicare spending and reduced staffing levels, according to UTHealth Houston research
2024-11-01
Medicare-certified home health agencies, which are key to allowing older adults to age in place, are increasingly going through ownership changes, raising concerns about health care spending, workforce, and quality of care, according to a study by UTHealth Houston. The research was published in JAMA Health Forum, part of the Journal of the American Medical Association. “The ownership change in health care sectors — including various forms of acquisitions by health systems, insurers, private equity firms, and other corporate investors — is increasingly reshaping U.S. health care system and causing concerns about quality of care,” said Yucheng Hou, PhD, assistant ...

More resources needed to protect birds in Germany

More resources needed to protect birds in Germany
2024-11-01
Member states of the European Union are obliged to designate Special Protection Areas (SPAs) as part of the Natura 2000 network. These areas are designed to guarantee the preservation and restoration of bird populations. However, due to the paucity of data about rare species, it was not known how well these areas worked. Researchers at the University of Göttingen and Dachverband Deutscher Avifaunisten (DDA) developed citizen science platforms as a new data source to evaluate the effectiveness of the 742 protected areas for birds ...

Mission to International Space Station launches research on brain organoids, heart muscle atrophy, and cold welding

Mission to International Space Station launches research on brain organoids, heart muscle atrophy, and cold welding
2024-11-01
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER (FL), November 1, 2024 – More than 25 payloads sponsored by the International Space Station (ISSInternational Space Station) National Laboratory, including technology demonstrations, in-space manufacturing, student experiments, and multiple projects funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF), are bound for the orbiting outpost. These investigations, launching on SpaceX’s 31st Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) mission for NASANational Aeronautics and Space Administration, aim to improve life on Earth through space-based research and foster a sustainable economy in low Earth orbit(Abbreviation: ...

nTIDE November 2024 Jobs Report: Disability employment remains near historic highs over past 18 months

nTIDE November 2024 Jobs Report: Disability employment remains near historic highs over past 18 months
2024-11-01
East Hanover, NJ – November 1, 2024 – Following significant gains since the post-pandemic lockdown, employment rates for people with disabilities may have plateaued, remaining near historic high levels over the past 18 months despite the Federal Reserve’s efforts to slow the economy, according to today’s National Trends in Disability Employment – semi-monthly update (nTIDE) issued by Kessler Foundation and the University of New Hampshire’s Institute on Disability Year-to-Year nTIDE Numbers (comparing October 2023 to October 2024) The employment-to-population ratio for people with disabilities (ages 16-64) ...

Researchers aim to streamline cancer detection with new method for liquid biopsies

2024-11-01
A University of Rochester research team is reporting a new way to detect cancer cells with a “liquid biopsy” that’s designed to be simpler, faster, and more informational than current methods. What is a liquid biopsy? It is a non-invasive test that uses blood, urine, and other bodily fluids as a vehicle for finding cancer cells or other molecules released by tumors. A liquid biopsy can detect or screen for cancer or monitor progression of the disease and how the body responds to cancer treatment. James ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

2 U-M faculty members elected to National Academy of Inventors

Breakthroughs in cell-penetrating monoclonal antibody therapies

Accelerated aging in young sickle cell patients linked to elevated T-cell p16INK4a

Nanofluidic devices redefining matter manipulation at an unprecedented level

Powering the future together – Public-Private Collaboration for the energy transition in Finland

Exosome-mediated crosstalk in the tumor immune microenvironment: Critical drivers of hepatocellular carcinoma progression

JMIR Aging achieves top ranking, accepted into prestigious science citation indexes

Persistent tobacco smoking from childhood may cause heart damage by the mid-twenties

Smoking tobacco from childhood can cause premature heart damage

Southwest Research Institute seeks contractors worldwide to support Oil Sampling Program

Statistical and engineering approaches to federated learning: Comprehensive benchmarking for healthcare applications

AI can help us choose words more carefully when talking about addiction

Religious people are not more generous – with one exception

PARP inhibition shows long-term survival benefits for patients with high-risk, BRCA-positive breast cancer in OlympiA trial

BRCA-mutation carriers with a history of early-onset breast cancer may benefit from risk-reducing surgery

Next-generation SERD protects against progression in some patients with advanced breast cancer resistant to standard hormone therapy

Carnegie Mellon University Africa and Challenger Center collaborate to deliver STEM programs

Top five rising star Texas researchers named in 2025 Edith and Peter O’Donnell Awards by TAMEST

Fast, rewritable computing with DNA origami registers

Uncovering the pigments and techniques used to paint the Berlin Wall

MD Anderson’s Lauren Averett Byers receives TAMEST O’Donnell Award for seminal contributions to lung cancer research

Chung-Ang University researchers unveil the biogenesis and role of transfer RNA fragments in cancer progression

Secret of the female orgasm uncovered by psychologists

Breakthrough in zinc-based rechargeable batteries: A safer, sustainable alternative

"Superman" bacteria offer a sustainable boost to chemical production

FunMap reveals a functional network of genes and proteins in human cancer

First full characterization of kidney microbiome unlocks potential to prevent kidney stones

IMDEA Software researchers present MixBuy, a protocol for secure and privacy-preserving digital purchases

Having a good breakfast reduces cardiovascular risk

New study reveals provincial and territorial inequities and inadequacies in access to medications and treatment for cardiovascular conditions in Canada

[Press-News.org] Mathematical model illuminates how environment impacts life choices of salmon
New model highlights how ecological change can affect evolutionary strategies