Higher temperature induces oxidative stress in hybrids but not in parental species: A case study of crested newts

Ectotherms are particularly sensitive to global warming due to their limited capacity to thermoregulate, which can impact their performance and fitness. From a physiological standpoint, higher temperatures often enhance biological processes that can induce the production of reactive oxygen species and result in a state of cellular oxidative stress. Temperature alters interspecific interactions, including species hybridization. Hybridization under different thermal conditions could amplify parental (genetic) incompatibilities, thus affecting a hybrid's development and distribution. Understanding the impact of global warming on the physiology of hybrids and particularly their oxidative status could help in predicting future scenarios in ecosystems and in hybrids. In the present study, we investigated the effect of water temperature on the development, growth and oxidative stress of two crested newt species and their reciprocal hybrids. Larvae of Triturus macedonicus and T. ivanbureschi, and their T. macedonicus-mothered and T. ivanbureschi-mothered hybrids were exposed for 30 days to temperatures of 19°C and 24°C. Under the higher temperature, the hybrids experienced increases in both growth and developmental rates, while parental species exhibited accelerated growth (T. macedonicus) or development (T. ivanbureschi). Warm conditions also had different effects on the oxidative status of hybrid and parental species. Parental species had enhanced antioxidant responses (catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione S-transferase and SH groups), which allowed them to alleviate temperature-induced stress (revealed by the absence of oxidative damage). However, warming induced an antioxidant response in the hybrids, including oxidative damage in the form of lipid peroxidation. These findings point to a greater disruption of redox regulation and metabolic machinery in hybrid newts, which can be interpreted as the cost of hybridization that is likely linked to parental incompatibilities expressed under a higher temperature. Our study aims to improve mechanistic understanding of the resilience and distribution of hybrid species that cope with climate-driven changes.

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