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Warming during different life stages has distinct impacts on host resistance ecology and evolution
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  • Jingdi Li,
  • Cameron Smith,
  • Jinlin Chen,
  • Kieran Bates,
  • Kayla King
Jingdi Li
Oxford University

Corresponding Author:judylion@mail.ubc.ca

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Cameron Smith
Oxford University
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Jinlin Chen
Oxford University
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Kieran Bates
Queen Mary University of London Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry
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Kayla King
The University of British Columbia - Vancouver Campus
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Abstract

Climate change is increasing extreme heating events and the potential for disease outbreaks. Whether hosts can adapt to infection with rising temperatures is important for forecasting species persistence. We tested whether warming -- at different host life-stages -- affects the ecological and evolutionary dynamics of resistance in Caenhorabditis elegans infected by a wild bacterial pathogen. We competed genotypes across 10 passages and tracked the spread of resistance in the population. Infection and prolonged warming strongly selected for the resistant genotype. Warming during host development induced plastic defenses against infection, reducing the selective pressure for costly genetic-based resistance. Resistance was lost under ambient temperatures and periodic warming. Selection for resistance was likely weakened at ambient temperatures by the dilution effect, whereby resistant genotype reduced pathogen transmission. Evolutionary dynamics of resistance depend on the balance among pathogen virulence, costs of genetic-based resistance, the dilution effect, and plastic defenses induced by temperature stress.
18 Nov 2024Submitted to Ecology Letters
19 Nov 2024Submission Checks Completed
19 Nov 2024Assigned to Editor
19 Nov 2024Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
19 Nov 2024Reviewer(s) Assigned
13 Dec 2024Editorial Decision: Revise Minor
16 Dec 2024Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
16 Dec 20241st Revision Received
17 Dec 2024Submission Checks Completed
17 Dec 2024Assigned to Editor
17 Dec 2024Reviewer(s) Assigned