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Cold hardening improves larval tick questing under low temperatures at the expense of longevity.

ABSTRACT: Questing in ticks is essential for locating a host, and this behavioral response can occur at regionally specific low temperatures for most tick species. Little is known about the dynamics between tick questing behavior and temperature in ticks, specifically how this may impact other aspects of tick biology. Here, we examine whether cold hardening increases questing in three larval tick species (Ixodes uriae, Dermacentor variabilis, and Amblyomma americanum) at low temperatures and whether cold hardening impacts longevity. Rapid cold hardening and prolonged cold acclimation benefitted ticks by decreasing the temperature of chill coma onset, and increased survival, activity, and questing in ticks at low temperatures. Oxygen consumption increased at low temperatures following acclimation in larvae, suggesting this process has a distinct metabolic expense. This increased metabolism associated with hardening led to a substantial reduction in larval longevity as nutrient reserves are limited and cannot be replenished until a host is located. These studies suggest that tick larvae, and likely other developmental stages, require a delicate balance between the need for questing at low temperatures and survival until the first blood meal.

SUBMITTER: Benoit JB

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9936387 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Cold hardening improves larval tick questing under low temperatures at the expense of longevity.

Benoit Joshua B JB Oyen Kennan K Finch Geoffrey G Gantz J D JD Wendeln Katherine K Arya Thomas T Lee Richard E RE

Comparative biochemistry and physiology. Part A, Molecular & integrative physiology 20210423

Questing in ticks is essential for locating a host, and this behavioral response can occur at regionally specific low temperatures for most tick species. Little is known about the dynamics between tick questing behavior and temperature in ticks, specifically how this may impact other aspects of tick biology. Here, we examine whether cold hardening increases questing in three larval tick species (Ixodes uriae, Dermacentor variabilis, and Amblyomma americanum) at low temperatures and whether cold ...[more]

PMID: 33895321

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Project description:In the coming decades, environmental change like warming and acidification will affect life in the ocean. While data on single stressor effects on fish are accumulating rapidly, we still know relatively little about interactive effects of multiple drivers. Of particular concern in this context are the early life stages of fish, for which direct effects of increased CO2 on growth and development have been observed. Whether these effects are further modified by elevated temperature was investigated here for the larvae of Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus), a commercially important fish species. Over a period of 32 days, larval survival, growth in size and weight, and instantaneous growth rate were assessed in a crossed experimental design of two temperatures (10°C and 12°C) with two CO2 levels (400 μatm and 900 μatm CO2) at food levels mimicking natural levels using natural prey. Elevated temperature alone led to increased swimming activity, as well as decreased survival and instantaneous growth rate (Gi). The comparatively high sensitivity to elevated temperature in this study may have been influenced by low food levels offered to the larvae. Larval size, Gi and swimming activity were not affected by CO2, indicating tolerance of this species to projected "end of the century" CO2 levels. A synergistic effect of elevated temperature and CO2 was found for larval weight, where no effect of elevated CO2 concentrations was detected in the 12°C treatment, but a negative CO2 effect was found in the 10°C treatment. Contrasting CO2 effects were found for survival between the two temperatures. Under ambient CO2 conditions survival was increased at 12°C compared to 10°C. In general, CO2 effects were minor and considered negligible compared to the effect of temperature under these mimicked natural food conditions. These findings emphasize the need to include biotic factors such as energy supply via prey availability in future studies on interactive effects of multiple stressors.

Dataset Information

Cold hardening improves larval tick questing under low temperatures at the expense of longevity.

Publications

Cold hardening improves larval tick questing under low temperatures at the expense of longevity.

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