Due to a lack of internal thermoregulation, ectotherm physiology is highly temperature dependent including development, immunity, and digestion. Temperature can also impact host-microbe interactions through direct or host-mediated mechanisms. For example, increasing temperature is associated with the loss of bacterial taxa that perform functions potentially important for host nutrition.
However, our work has also demonstrated that manipulating the environmental microbiome can have impacts on tadpole thermal performance, and their ability to survive simulated heat waves. In particular, tadpoles housed with natural pond microbes were buffered from the effects of heat stress compared to those living in more sterile conditions. We are working to understand the mechanisms by which microbes support thermal tolerance, perhaps through nutrient provisioning or interactions with metabolic physiology.
Publications:
Fontaine, S.S., Mineo, P.M., Kohl, K.D. (2022) Experimental manipulation of microbiota reduces host thermal tolerance and fitness under heat stress in a vertebrate ectotherm. Nature Ecology & Evolution. 6: 405-417. [link]
Fontaine, S. S., Kohl, K. D. (2023). Ectotherm heat tolerance and the microbiome: current understanding, future directions and potential applications. Journal of Experimental Biology, 226(12), jeb245761.
Fontaine, S.S., Kohl, K.D. (2023) The microbiome buffers tadpole hosts from heat stress: a hologenomic approach to understand host-microbe interactions under warming. Journal of Experimental Biology. 226: jeb245191.
Fontaine, S.S., Kohl, K.D. (2020) Gut microbiota of invasive bullfrog tadpoles responds more rapidly to temperature than a non-invasive congener. Molecular Ecology. 29: 2449-2462. [link]
Fontaine, S.S., Novarro, A.J., Kohl, K.D. (2018) Environmental temperature alters the digestive performance and gut microbiota of a terrestrial amphibian. Journal of Experimental Biology. 221: 187559. [Link]
However, our work has also demonstrated that manipulating the environmental microbiome can have impacts on tadpole thermal performance, and their ability to survive simulated heat waves. In particular, tadpoles housed with natural pond microbes were buffered from the effects of heat stress compared to those living in more sterile conditions. We are working to understand the mechanisms by which microbes support thermal tolerance, perhaps through nutrient provisioning or interactions with metabolic physiology.
Publications:
Fontaine, S.S., Mineo, P.M., Kohl, K.D. (2022) Experimental manipulation of microbiota reduces host thermal tolerance and fitness under heat stress in a vertebrate ectotherm. Nature Ecology & Evolution. 6: 405-417. [link]
Fontaine, S. S., Kohl, K. D. (2023). Ectotherm heat tolerance and the microbiome: current understanding, future directions and potential applications. Journal of Experimental Biology, 226(12), jeb245761.
Fontaine, S.S., Kohl, K.D. (2023) The microbiome buffers tadpole hosts from heat stress: a hologenomic approach to understand host-microbe interactions under warming. Journal of Experimental Biology. 226: jeb245191.
Fontaine, S.S., Kohl, K.D. (2020) Gut microbiota of invasive bullfrog tadpoles responds more rapidly to temperature than a non-invasive congener. Molecular Ecology. 29: 2449-2462. [link]
Fontaine, S.S., Novarro, A.J., Kohl, K.D. (2018) Environmental temperature alters the digestive performance and gut microbiota of a terrestrial amphibian. Journal of Experimental Biology. 221: 187559. [Link]
