Habitat Complexity Drives Experimental Evolution of a Conditionally Expressed Secondary Sexual Trait

Habitat Complexity Drives Experimental Evolution of a Conditionally Expressed Secondary Sexual Trait

The conditional expression of alternative phenotypes underlies the production of almost all life history decisions and many dichotomous traits [1–6], including male alternative reproductive morphs and behavioral tactics [7]. Changes in tactic fitness should lead to evolutionary shifts in development...

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Published in:Current biology Vol. 21; no. 7; pp. 569 - 573
Main Authors: Tomkins, Joseph L., Hazel, Wade N., Penrose, Marissa A., Radwan, Jacek W., LeBas, Natasha R.
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: England Elsevier Inc 12-04-2011
Subjects:
Acaridae - anatomy & histology
Acaridae - genetics
Acaridae - physiology
Animals
Biological Evolution
body size
Body Size - genetics
divergent evolution
Ecosystem
Female
Genetic Variation
habitats
life history
Male
males
mites
morphs
Phenotype
rearing
Rhizoglyphus echinopus
Sexual Behavior, Animal
sexual selection
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Summary:The conditional expression of alternative phenotypes underlies the production of almost all life history decisions and many dichotomous traits [1–6], including male alternative reproductive morphs and behavioral tactics [7]. Changes in tactic fitness should lead to evolutionary shifts in developmental switch points that underlie tactic expression [8]. We used experimental evolution to directly test this hypothesis by rearing ten generations of the male-dimorphic mite Rhizoglyphus echinopus in either simple or three-dimensionally complex habitats that differed in their effects on morph fitness. In R. echinopus, fighter males develop weapons used for killing rivals, whereas scrambler males do not [9]. Populations evolving in complex 3D habitats, where fighters had reduced fitness, produced fewer fighters because the switch point for fighter development evolved to a larger critical body size. Both the reduced mobility of fighter males and the altered spatial distribution of potential mates and rivals in the complex habitat were implicated in the evolutionary divergence of switch point between the habitats. Our results demonstrate how abiotic factors like habitat complexity can have a profound effect on evolution through sexual selection. ► In mites, the development of weaponized “fighter” males is dependent on body size ► In complex habitats, fighter males were less mobile and less fit than scrambler males ► Laboratory evolution in a complex habitat altered the fighter body size switch point ► As a result, fewer fighters were produced in the complex habitat
Bibliography:http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2011.02.032
ObjectType-Article-1
SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1
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content type line 23
ISSN:0960-9822
1879-0445
DOI:10.1016/j.cub.2011.02.032