Publication Date:
2022-08-15
Description:
Understanding biological responses to environmental fluctuations (e.g. heatwaves) is a critical
goal in ecology. Biological responses (e.g. survival) are usually measured with respect to different
time reference frames, i.e. at specific chronological times (e.g. at specific dates) or biological times
(e.g. at reproduction). Measuring responses on the biological frame is central to understand how
environmental fluctuation modifies fitness and population persistence. We use a framework, based
on partial differential equations (PDEs) to explore how responses to the time scale and magnitude
of fluctuations in environmental variables (= drivers) depend on the choice of reference frame. The
PDEs and simulations enabled us to identify different components, responsible for the phenological
and eco-physiological effects of each driver on the response. The PDEs also highlight the conditions
when the choice of reference frame affects the sensitivity of the response to a driver and the type
of join effect of two drivers (additive or interactive) on the response. Experiments highlighted the
importance of studying how environmental fluctuations affect biological time keeping mechanisms, to
develop mechanistic models. Our main result, that the effect of the environmental fluctuations on the
response depends on the scale used to measure time, applies to both field and laboratory conditions.
In addition, our approach, applied to experimental conditions, can helps us quantify how biological
time mediates the response of organisms to environmental fluctuations.
Repository Name:
EPIC Alfred Wegener Institut
Type:
Article
,
NonPeerReviewed
Format:
application/pdf
