Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Public Library of Science
Résumé : International audience
Molecular clock estimates of crown strepsirhine origins generally advocate an ancient antiquity for Malagasy lemuriforms and Afro-Asian lorisiforms, near the onset of the Tertiary but most often extending back to the Late Cretaceous. Despite their inferred early origin, the subsequent evolutionary histories of both groups (except for the Malagasy aye-aye lineage) exhibit a vacuum of lineage diversification during most part of the Eocene, followed by a relative acceleration in diversification from the late Middle Eocene. This early evolutionary stasis was tentatively explained by the possibility of unrecorded lineage extinctions during the early Tertiary. However, this prevailing molecular view regarding the ancient origin and early diversification of crown strepsirhines must be viewed with skepticism due to the new but still scarce paleontological evidence gathered in recent years.
ISSN: 1932-6203

hal-00940986
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00940986
DOI : 10.1371/journal.pone.0080778

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD American Association for the Advancement of Science
Résumé : The biodiversity-productivity relationship (BPR) is foundational to our understanding of the global extinction crisis and its impacts on ecosystem functioning. Understanding BPR is critical for the accurate valuation and effective conservation of biodiversity. Using ground-sourced data from 777,126 permanent plots, spanning 44 countries and most terrestrial biomes, we reveal a globally consistent positive concave-down BPR, showing that continued biodiversity loss would result in an accelerating decline in forest productivity worldwide. The value of biodiversity in maintaining commercial forest productivity alone-US$166 billion to 490 billion per year according to our estimation-is more than twice what it would cost to implement effective global conservation. This highlights the need for a worldwide reassessment of biodiversity values, forest management strategies, and conservation priorities.
ISSN: 0036-8075

hal-01607784
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01607784
DOI : 10.1126/science.aaf8957
PRODINRA : 389856

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Public Library of Science
Résumé : International audience
The extinct Odontopterygiformes are the sole birds known to possess strong and sharp bony pseudoteeth, the shape and location of which are closely mimetic of real teeth. The structure of the pseudoteeth is investigated here in a late Pliocene/early Pleistocene species, Pelagornis mauretanicus, using X-ray microtomography and thin sections. The results are interpreted with regard to the pseudotooth mode of growth, and have implications concerning aspects of Pelagornis ecology. The larger pseudoteeth are hollow and approximately cone-shaped, and the smaller ones are rostro-caudally constricted. The walls of pseudoteeth are composed of bone tissue of the fibro-lamellar type, which is intensively remodeled by Haversian substitution. The jaw bones display the same structure as the pseudoteeth, but their vascular canals are oriented parallel to the long axis of the bones, whereas they are perpendicular to this direction in the pseudoteeth. There is no hiatus or evidence of a fusion between the pseudoteeth and the jaw bones. Two possible models for pseudotooth growth are derived from the histological data. The most plausible model is that pseudotooth growth began after the completion of jaw bone growth, as a simple local protraction of periosteal osteogenic activity. Pseudotooth development thus occurred relatively late during ontogeny. The highly vascularized structure and the relative abundance of parallel-fibered bone tissue in the pseudoteeth suggest poor mechanical capabilities. The pseudoteeth were most likely covered and protected by the hardened, keratinized rhamphotheca in the adult during life. The late development of the pseudoteeth would involve a similarly late and/or partial hardening of the rhamphotheca, as displayed by extant Anseriformes, Apterygiformes and some Charadriiformes. This would add support to the hypothesis of a close phylogenetic relationship between Odontopterygiformes and Anseriformes. The late maturation of the Pelagornis feeding apparatus, and hence the delayed capability for efficient prey catching, suggests that Pelagornis was altricial.
ISSN: 1932-6203

hal-01545486
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01545486
DOI : 10.1371/journal.pone.0080372

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD
Résumé : Land-use changes have deep consequences on species diversity, community structure and ecosystem functioning. Consequently, many works have tried to understand the effects of such changes on the diversity and functional properties of organisms. It has been demonstrated that species traits are oftenly more important than the identity of species per se in order to account understand the ecological roles of species. Besides, while the majority of assessments about land-use change effects on ecosystem functioning have focused on primary producers, the contribution of other organisms is essential to maintain the functioning and resilience of ecosystems.Ants are interesting organisms to track land-use changes due to their abundance, ubiquity and ecological dominance. Ants are present in most of terrestrial biomes and participate in several ecosystem processes through their consumption of food resources. They are also easy to sample and standard methods exist to provide accurate comparisons between studies. While a number of studies have demonstrated abrupt changes in ant species composition along environmental gradients, only a reduced number of such studies have tried to understand how ant community changes affect ecosystem processes. Moreover, the traits responsible for the stability of ant communities in response to land-use changes are little known. It is therefore necessary to develop a methodology that enables a proper identification of ant participation to different ecosystem processes and their contribution to ecosystems’ resistance and resilience.In this thesis I aim to bring some light about i) how land-use changes affect ant community structure? ii) what traits are responsible of the ecological success of a species or it’s extinction from a given environment? iii) how changes in the species or trait composition affect the participation intensity of ants in different ecosystem processes ?
Les perturbations d’origine anthropique sont à l’origine de l’érosion de la biodiversité avec des conséquences sur la structure des communautés et pour le fonctionnement des écosystèmes. La vitesse de ces changements a stimulé de nombreuses recherches portant sur les effets de ces modifications sur la biodiversité des organismes et leurs propriétés fonctionnelles. En effet il a été montré que les traits des espèces sont plus importants que leur identité elle-même pour tenir compte de leurs rôles écologiques. Même si la majorité de ces travaux ont étudié la réponse des producteurs primaires sur les écosystèmes terrestres, la contribution d’autres organismes est toutefois essentielle pour maintenir un fonctionnement et une résilience des écosystèmes corrects.Les fourmis sont des organismes cibles intéressants pour étudier de telles modifications du fait de leur abondance et de leur dominance écologique. En effet elles ont une distribution cosmopolite et participent à de nombreuses fonctions dans l’écosystème terrestre. Elles sont également faciles à étudier et des méthodes d’échantillonnage standard existent. Bien que de nombreuses recherches aient démontré des modifications dans la composition spécifique des fourmis dans des gradients environnementaux, un nombre réduit d’entre elles ont étudié la contribution de ces organismes sur le fonctionnement des écosystèmes. De plus, les traits responsables de la stabilité des communautés de fourmis en réponse à ces modifications sont encore peu connus. Il est donc nécessaire de développer une méthodologie capable d‘identifier la participation des fourmis dans des processus écosystémiques permettant également de quantifier leur activité afin de comprendre comment ces organismes agissent sur les capacités de résistance et résilience des écosystèmes.Ainsi, cette thèse vise mettre en lumière i) en quoi la simplification des habitats liée aux activités humaines a des répercussions sur les communautés de fourmis, ii) quels sont les traits responsables du succès écologique d’une espèce ou de son déclin au sein d’un environnement donné, et iii) comment ces variations en composition spécifique impactent l’intensité de participation des fourmis aux processus écosystémiques.
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/tel-01389102

NNT : 2016YANE0004
tel-01389102
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/tel-01389102
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/tel-01389102v2/document
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/tel-01389102/file/these.pdf

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Springer Verlag (Germany)
Résumé : 5 pages
International audience
This study investigates the recent evolution of a rich parasite community associated with one of the world's most invasive species, the cichlid fish Oreochromis mossambicus. Populations from the species' native range (Mozambique) are compared to a population from New Caledonia (Wester Pacific), an island where the species was introduced in 1954. The results support the complete local extinction of the gill parasite community in the course of the invasion process. Up to six gill parasite species per locality were documented in the O. mossambicus native range, and previous surveys consistently reported at least one parasite species introduced along African cichlid species established out of Africa. The absence of parasites in New Caledonia is therefore exceptional. This can be attributed to local factors, such as a strong initial population bottleneck, the likely absence of multiple host introductions, and the frequent occurrence of brackish watersheds that might enhance the probability for natural deparasitation.
ISSN: 0932-0113

hal-01356378
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01356378
PUBMED : 27334451
DOI : 10.1007/s00436-016-5168-1

Résumé : Le mérou géant, Epinephelus itajara, espèce en danger critique d’extinction au niveau mondial, est présent dans les eaux turbides et saumâtres de la Guyane française où l’espèce est exploitée par une pêcherie côtière. Dans la partie est du plateau continental guyanais, les mérous géants se localisent autour de tous les sites rocheux marins où ils se répartissent en fonction de la profondeur et du faciès (éboulis ou tombant). Les analyses des isotopes stables du carbone et de l’azote suggèrent qu’environ 30 % des mérous géants < 115 cm présents sur ces sites rocheux, proviendraient des mangroves alentours. Les analyses de contenus stomacaux révèlent un changement ontogénétique du régime alimentaire. Les petits individus (< 90 cm) s’alimentent principalement de Crustacés puis intègrent progressivement les poissons à leur alimentation jusqu’à devenir essentiellement piscivores au-delà de 140 cm. La population de Guyane est principalement composée d’individus juvéniles : seulement 8,5 % des individus capturés en Guyane a plus de 6 ans. Ces jeunes mérous sont très territoriaux durant les 4-5 premières années de leur vie puis ne sont plus retrouvés sur les sites rocheux. Le devenir de ces juvéniles est incertain, soit ils sont pêchés, soit ils migrent vers d’autres sites ou vers les agrégations de reproduction. Cependant, les mérous géants ne semblent pas se reproduire en Guyane. Il est possible que les conditions environnementales (forte turbidité et température) ne favorisent pas le développement gonadique, ce qui engendrerait une omission totale de reproduction. Le suivi par tags satellite suggère que les mérous géants migrent dans le sens des courants marins vers Trinidad-et-Tobago, potentiellement pour la reproduction. Aucun mouvement vers le Brésil n’a été mis en évidence bien que les stocks de mérous géants du Brésil et de Guyane semblent liés. En effet, ces deux stocks évoluent conjointement avec un déclin des populations au début des années 90. Le maintien de la population de mérou géant en Guyane se ferait grâce à l’apport de larves des sites d’agrégation du Brésil par le courant marin. La mortalité totale des mérous géants (0,65) est aussi élevée au sein de la réserve marine ainsi que sur les sites de pêche. Cela suggère que l’interdiction de pêche à la réserve n’est pas respectée et que les grands individus quittent la réserve pour des sites plus spacieux. En supposant que la population de mérous géants adultes a été réduite à cause de la pêche, une protection régionale des individus > 150 cm doit être instaurée afin de régénérer le stock d’individus matures. Il semble nécessaire de développer une politique de gestion internationale de l’espèce, surtout entre la Guyane et le Brésil, afin de conserver les populations de mérous géants d’Amérique du Sud.
The critically endangered Goliath Grouper, Epinephelus itajara, is found in the turbid and brackish waters of French Guiana, where the species is subject to a coastal fishery. Goliath Grouper populations inhabit all rocky habitats and exhibit increasing abundance with depth. Around 30% of individuals less than 115 cm may derive from the abundant mangrove habitat along the french Guiana coast. There is a ontogenetic shift of the diet, primarily crustacivorous, individuals >140 cm become piscivorous. The Goliath Grouper population in French Guiana is composed primarily og juvelines. The fate of the juvelines is unknonw, some may be caught in the fishery, others may move to other habitat. No evidence of spawning or gonadal readiness was found in french Guiana. it is possible that environmental conditions (high turbidity and temperature) are not conducive to reproductive activity. Goliath Grouper may migrate down current from French Guiana to Trinidad and Tobago or further. No movement of Goliath Grouper was found against the current toward Brazil. French Guiana juveniles may be derived from spawns occuring off Brazil. Calculated total mortality of Goliath Grouper off French Guiana is high (0.65) in both fished and protected areas suggesting that illegal fishing is occuring within the protected area, or that emigration rates are high. Assuming that the adult population of Goliath Grouper in French Guiana has been reduced due to fishing, protection of spawning-size adults (larger than about 150 cm TL) should be instated.

http://www.theses.fr/2014AGUY0721/document

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Elsevier
Résumé : International audience
Ecological signs of Earth's biosphere forewarn an alarming trajectory towards a global mass-extinction. Assessing species performance and susceptibilities to decline is essential to comprehend and reverse this trend. Yet it is challenging, given difficulties associated with quantifying individual and population processes that are variable across time, space, and life-stages. We describe a new approach to estimating and comparing species performances that combines empirical data, a novel theoretical consideration of population dynamics, and modern statistics. Our approach allows for a more realistic continuous representation of individual performances along development stages while taking into account non-linearity, and natural variability as captured by spatio-temporally replicated observations. We illustrate its application in a coral meta-assemblage composed of populations of the three major reef-building taxa Acropora, Pocillopora, Porites. Using a unique set of highly replicated observations of individual coral dynamics under various environmental conditions, we show how taxa differ in their investment in recruitment and size-specific aptitude for growth and survival, notably through different use of clonal shrinkage, fragmentation, fission, and fusion processes. Our results reveal contrasting life-history trade-offs among taxa which, along with differing patterns of density-dependent recruitment, modulate species responses to decline. These differences in coral life history traits reflect opposing life-strategies, imply regulation at differing life-stages, and explain divergence in species trajectories. Our findings indicate a high potential for resilience in Pocillopora and Porites populations, thanks respectively to a sustained recruitment that promotes demographic elasticity through replacement of individuals, and a steady resistance to mortality which confers persistence through lingering of individuals. Resilience in Acropora appears more arbitrary, given high susceptibility to perturbations and dependency of recruitment on presence of established local populations. We identify management actions that can complement Acropora's life history and benefit recovery of its populations following mortality events. Our regression-modelling approach to quantifying and comparing species performances in different population processes is applicable to all taxa, as illustrated even those with complex clonal life histories, and can be implemented at wide spatio-temporal and taxonomic coverage. It can promote more accurate representation of species dynamics in both descriptive and predictive modelling approaches. The semi-parametric contrast curve method we develop facilitates comparing response variables along continuous explicative metrics while accounting for multiple sources of complexity in empirical data. It should widely benefit investigations in ecology and quantitative science.
ISSN: 1476-945X

hal-01212337
https://hal-univ-perp.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01212337
DOI : 10.1016/j.ecocom.2015.07.003

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Public Library of Science
Résumé : International audience
Growth series of Palaeozoic fishes are rare because of the fragility of larval and juvenile specimens owing to their weak mineralisation and the scarcity of articulated specimens. This rarity makes it difficult to describe early vertebrate growth patterns and processes in extinct taxa. Indeed, only a few growth series of complete Palaeozoic fishes are available; however, they allow the growth of isolated elements to be described and individual growth from these isolated elements to be inferred. In addition, isolated and in situ scales are generally abundant and well-preserved, and bring information on (1) their morphology and structure relevant to phylogenetic relationships and (2) individual growth patterns and processes relative to species ontogeny. The Late Devonian acanthodian Triazeugacanthus affinis from the Miguasha Fossil-Lagerstä tte preserves one of the best known fossilised ontogenies of early vertebrates because of the exceptional preservation, the large size range, and the abundance of complete specimens. Here, we present morphological, histological, and chemical data on scales from juvenile and adult specimens (scales not being formed in lar-vae). Histologically, Triazeugacanthus scales are composed of a basal layer of acellular bone housing Sharpey's fibers, a mid-layer of mesodentine, and a superficial layer of ganoine. Developmentally, scales grow first through concentric addition of mesodentine and bone around a central primordium and then through superposition of ganoine layers. Onto-genetically, scales form first in the region below the dorsal fin spine, then squamation spreads anteriorly and posteriorly, and on fin webs. Phylogenetically, Triazeugacanthus scales show similarities with acanthodians (e.g. " box-in-box " growth), chondrichthyans (e.g. squamation pattern), and actinopterygians (e.g. ganoine). Scale histology and growth are interpreted in the light of a new phylogenetic analysis of gnathostomes supporting acantho-dians as stem chondrichthyans.
ISSN: 1932-6203

Droits : http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/
hal-01526367
http://hal.upmc.fr/hal-01526367
http://hal.upmc.fr/hal-01526367/document
http://hal.upmc.fr/hal-01526367/file/journal.pone.0174655.pdf
DOI : 10.1371/journal.pone.0174655

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Public Library of Science
Résumé : International audience
Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the commonest tumor in human. About 70% sporadic BCCs bear somatic mutations in the PATCHED1 tumor suppressor gene which encodes the receptor for the Sonic Hedgehog morphogen (SHH). PATCHED1 germinal mutations are associated with the dominant Nevoid Basal Cell Carcinoma Syndrome (NBCCS), a major hallmark of which is a high susceptibility to BCCs. Although the vast majority of sporadic BCCs arises exclusively in sun exposed skin areas, 40 to 50% BCCs from NBCCS patients develop in non photo-exposed skin. Since overwhelming evidences indicate that microenvironment may both be modified by- and influence the- epithelial tumor, we hypothesized that NBCCS fibroblasts could contribute to BCCs in NBCCS patients, notably those developing in non photo-exposed skin areas. The functional impact of NBCCS fibroblasts was then assessed in organotypic skin cultures with control keratinocytes. Onset of epidermal differentiation was delayed in the presence of primary NBCCS fibroblasts. Unexpectedly, keratinocyte proliferation was severely reduced and showed high levels of nuclear P53 in both organotypic skin cultures and in fibroblast-led conditioning experiments. However, in spite of increased levels of senescence associated β-galactosidase activity in keratinocytes cultured in the presence of medium conditioned by NBCCS fibroblasts, we failed to observe activation of P16 and P21 and then of bona fide features of senescence. Constitutive extinction of P53 in WT keratinocytes resulted in an invasive phenotype in the presence of NBCCS fibroblasts. Finally, we found that expression of SHH was limited to fibroblasts but was dependent on the presence of keratinocytes. Inhibition of SHH binding resulted in improved epidermal morphogenesis. Altogether, these data suggest that the repertoire of diffusible factors (including SHH) expressed by primary NBCCS fibroblasts generate a stress affecting keratinocytes behavior and epidermal homeostasis. Our findings suggest that defects in dermo/epidermal interactions could contribute to BCC susceptibility in NBCCS patients.
ISSN: 1932-6203

Droits : http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/
hal-01257867
http://hal.upmc.fr/hal-01257867
http://hal.upmc.fr/hal-01257867/document
http://hal.upmc.fr/hal-01257867/file/journal.pone.0145369.pdf
DOI : 10.1371/journal.pone.0145369