Significance: Microbes regulate nutrient flux and carbon storage within ecosystems, making them essential to the global carbon cycle and ecosystem responses to climate change. Understanding how climate change will alter microbial communities and how this will feed back to influence the pace of climate change requires linking processes across levels of organization, from individual organisms to whole ecosystems. We show that the physical characteristics (traits) of protist species influence how their populations will respond to changes in temperature. These species-level temperature responses also alter the composition, dynamics, and functioning of whole microbial communities. Using traits to understand how complex, multilevel microbial processes change with temperature can help us anticipate possible consequences of rapid global climate change.

Genetic diversity and temperature increases associated with global climate change are known to independently influence population growth and extinction risk. Whether increasing temperature may influence the effect of genetic diversity on population growth, however, is not known. We address this issue in the model protist system Tetrahymena thermophila. We test the hypothesis that at temperatures closer to the species’ thermal optimum (i.e., the temperature at which population growth is maximal, or T_opt), genetic diversity should have a weaker effect on population growth compared to temperatures away from the thermal optimum. To do so, we grew populations of T. thermophila with varying levels of genetic diversity at increasingly warmer temperatures and quantified their intrinsic population growth rate, r. We found that genetic diversity increases population growth at cooler temperatures, but that as temperature increases, this effect weakens. We also show that a combination of changes in the amount of expressed genetic diversity (G) in r, plastic changes in population growth across temperatures (E), and strong G × E interactions underlie this temperature effect. Our results uncover important but largely overlooked temperature effects that have implications for the management of small populations with depauperate genetic stocks in an increasingly warming world.

Purpose This study investigates the knowledge gaps about fragile X-associated primary ovarian insufficiency (FXPOI) among women’s healthcare providers. Previous research highlighted a lack of awareness regarding FXPOI as a cause of primary ovarian insufficiency (POI) and its diagnosis. The objective of this study was to describe these gaps and explore demographic factors influencing FXPOI knowledge in women’s healthcare practitioners. Methods A survey assessed familiarity with primary ovarian insufficiency and FXPOI knowledge among 107 women’s healthcare providers and 14 medical students in the USA. Knowledge Scores, ranging from 0 to 16, were assigned, and demographic data, including healthcare provider type, specialty, and genetics exposure in education or training, were collected. Results Participants scored an average of 6.92 (± 2.19) out of 16 (42%) despite 88% of participants reporting genetics exposure in training. Maternal fetal medicine (MFM) and reproductive endocrinology (REI) providers significantly outperformed general obstetrics and gynecology (OBGYN) practitioners (p = 0.0186 and 0.0125, respectively). Participants with a genetic counselor in their clinic scored 8% higher (p = 0.0083) than those without. Additionally, medical school graduation year was a significant predictor for knowledge score (p = 0.0397). Conclusion This study underscores limited FXPOI knowledge among women’s healthcare providers, aligning with patient reports. Notably, medical specialty and the presence of a genetic counselor impacted knowledge, emphasizing the urgency for broader education in women’s healthcare, particularly among OBGYNs, the initial point of contact for patients with POI symptoms.

Genetic diversity and temperature increases associated with global climate change, are known to independently influence population growth and extinction risk. Whether increasing temperature may influence the effect of genetic diversity on population growth, however, is not known. We address this issue in the model protist system Tetrahymena thermophila . We test the hypothesis that at temperatures closer to the species thermal optimum (i.e., the temperature at which population growth is maximal), genetic diversity should have a weaker effect on population growth compared to temperatures away from the thermal optimum. To do so, we grew populations of T. thermophila with varying levels of genetic diversity at increasingly warmer temperatures and quantified their intrinsic population growth rate, r . We found that genetic diversity increases population growth at cooler temperatures, but that as temperature increases, this effect almost completely disappears. We also show that a combination of changes in the amount of expressed genetic diversity (G), plastic changes in population growth across temperatures (E), and strong GxE interactions, underlie this temperature effect. Our results uncover important but largely overlooked temperature effects that have implications for the management of small populations with depauperate genetic stocks in an increasingly warming world.

Purpose Gaps in knowledge among women’s healthcare providers have contributed to diagnostic delays and delayed care for women with fragile X-associated primary ovarian insufficiency (FXPOI). The objective of this study was to assess if an educational tool could improve women’s healthcare providers’ knowledge of FXPOI. Methods A one-page educational tool about the premutation and FXPOI was developed. To assess the impact, a pre- and post-intervention survey was given to 95 providers. The post-intervention survey was emailed approximately 1 month after the pre-intervention survey. Surveys consisted of 12 knowledge-based questions (12 points total). Additional information collected included demographics, routine POI workup, comfort level explaining carrier screening results, and feedback on the tool. Results Provider knowledge significantly improved from 7.34/12 (± 1.75) to 8.66/12 (± 2.30) (p < 0.0001). Significant predictors of pre-intervention knowledge included provider type, specialty, presence of a genetic counselor (GC) in clinic, and graduation year. Physicians outperformed nurse practitioners and nurse midwives (p < 0.0128). Reproductive endocrinologists and maternal–fetal medicine providers outperformed other specialties (p < 0.0001). Providers with a GC in the clinic performed better than those without (p = 0.0128). Providers who graduated between 2010 and 2019 outperformed more recent graduates (p = 0.0348). No significant predictors were identified for post-intervention scores. Conclusions The implementation of our novel educational tool led to measurable improvement in provider knowledge regarding FXPOI and the fragile X premutation. The absence of significant demographic predictor variables on the post-intervention survey suggests that the educational tool may help reduce provider gaps in knowledge and ultimately reduce time to diagnosis and improve reproductive care for women with FXPOI.