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Fox JA, Wyatt Toure M, Heckley A, Fan R, Reader SM, Barrett RDH. Insights into adaptive behavioural plasticity from the guppy model system. Proc Biol Sci 2024; 291:20232625. [PMID: 38471561 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.2625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Behavioural plasticity allows organisms to respond to environmental challenges on short time scales. But what are the ecological and evolutionary processes that underlie behavioural plasticity? The answer to this question is complex and requires experimental dissection of the physiological, neural and molecular mechanisms contributing to behavioural plasticity as well as an understanding of the ecological and evolutionary contexts under which behavioural plasticity is adaptive. Here, we discuss key insights that research with Trinidadian guppies has provided on the underpinnings of adaptive behavioural plasticity. First, we present evidence that guppies exhibit contextual, developmental and transgenerational behavioural plasticity. Next, we review work on behavioural plasticity in guppies spanning three ecological contexts (predation, parasitism and turbidity) and three underlying mechanisms (endocrinological, neurobiological and genetic). Finally, we provide three outstanding questions that could leverage guppies further as a study system and give suggestions for how this research could be done. Research on behavioural plasticity in guppies has provided, and will continue to provide, a valuable opportunity to improve understanding of the ecological and evolutionary causes and consequences of behavioural plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janay A Fox
- Department of Biology, McGill University, Montréal, Canada H3A 1B1
| | - M Wyatt Toure
- Department of Biology, McGill University, Montréal, Canada H3A 1B1
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology, Columbia University, New York 10027-6902, NY, USA
| | - Alexis Heckley
- Department of Biology, McGill University, Montréal, Canada H3A 1B1
| | - Raina Fan
- Department of Biology, McGill University, Montréal, Canada H3A 1B1
| | - Simon M Reader
- Department of Biology, McGill University, Montréal, Canada H3A 1B1
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Paull GC, Lee CJ, Tyler CR. Beyond compliance: harmonising research and husbandry practices to improve experimental reproducibility using fish models. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2024; 99:253-264. [PMID: 37817305 DOI: 10.1111/brv.13020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2023] [Revised: 09/19/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/12/2023]
Abstract
Reproducibility in animal research is impacted by the environment, by husbandry practices in the laboratory and by the animals' provenance. These factors, however, are often not adequately considered by researchers. A disconnect between researchers and animal care staff can result in inappropriate housing and husbandry decisions for scientific studies with those animals. This is especially the case for the research in neuro-behaviour, epigenetics, and the impact of climate change, as heritable phenotypic, behavioural or physiological changes are known to result from the animals' environmental housing, husbandry, provenance and prior experience. This can lead to greater variation (even major differences) in data outcomes among studies, driving scientific uncertainties. Herein, we illustrate some of the endpoints measured in fish studies known to be intrinsically linked to the environment and husbandry conditions and assess the significance of housing and husbandry practice decisions for research adopting these endpoints for different fish species. We highlight the different priorities and challenges faced by researchers and animal care staff and how harmonising their activities and building greater understanding of how husbandry practices affect the fish will improve reproducibility in research outcomes. We furthermore illustrate how improving engagement between stakeholders, including regulatory bodies, can better underpin fish husbandry decisions and where researchers could help to drive best husbandry practices through their own research with fish models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregory C Paull
- Biosciences, Geoffrey Pope Building, University of Exeter, Stocker Road, Exeter, EX4 4QD, UK
| | - Carole J Lee
- Biosciences, Geoffrey Pope Building, University of Exeter, Stocker Road, Exeter, EX4 4QD, UK
| | - Charles R Tyler
- Biosciences, Geoffrey Pope Building, University of Exeter, Stocker Road, Exeter, EX4 4QD, UK
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Iribarne J, Brachetta V, Kittlein M, Schleich C, Zenuto R. Effects of acute maternal stress induced by predator cues on spatial learning and memory of offspring in the subterranean rodent Ctenomys talarum. Anim Cogn 2023; 26:1997-2008. [PMID: 37632596 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-023-01822-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2023] [Revised: 08/17/2023] [Accepted: 08/18/2023] [Indexed: 08/28/2023]
Abstract
One of the main selection pressures to which animals are exposed in nature is predation, which affects a wide variety of biological traits. When the mother experiences this stressor during pregnancy and/or lactation, behavioral and physiological responses may be triggered in the offspring as well. Thus, in order to broaden and deepen knowledge on the transgenerational effects of predation stress, we evaluated how maternal stress experienced during pregnancy and/or lactation affects the spatial abilities of progeny at the onset of adulthood in the subterranean rodent Ctenomys talarum. The results showed that, contrary to what was observed in other rodent species, maternal exposure to predator cues during pregnancy and lactation did not negatively affect the spatial abilities of the offspring, even registering some minor positive effects. Concomitantly, no effects of predatory cues on physiological parameters associated with stress were observed in the progeny. This difference in results between the present study and previous works on maternal stress highlights the importance of considering the species to be evaluated (strain, age and origin-wild or captive-) and the type of stressor used (artificial or natural, intensity of exposure) in the evaluation of the possible transgenerational effects of maternal stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Iribarne
- Grupo de Ecologia Fisiologica y del Comportamiento, Departamento Biologia, FCEyN, Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras (IIMyC) CONICET - Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Mar del Plata, Argentina.
| | - V Brachetta
- Grupo de Ecologia Fisiologica y del Comportamiento, Departamento Biologia, FCEyN, Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras (IIMyC) CONICET - Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Mar del Plata, Argentina
| | - M Kittlein
- Grupo de Ecologia y Genetica de Poblacion de Mamiferos, Departamento Biologia, FCEyN, Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras (IIMyC) CONICET - Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Mar del Plata, Argentina
| | - C Schleich
- Grupo de Ecologia Fisiologica y del Comportamiento, Departamento Biologia, FCEyN, Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras (IIMyC) CONICET - Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Mar del Plata, Argentina
| | - R Zenuto
- Grupo de Ecologia Fisiologica y del Comportamiento, Departamento Biologia, FCEyN, Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras (IIMyC) CONICET - Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Mar del Plata, Argentina
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Stein LR, Hoke K. Parental and individual experience with predation risk interact in shaping phenotypes in a sex-specific manner. Anim Behav 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2022.06.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
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Meuthen D, Ferrari MCO, Chivers DP. Paternal care effects outweigh gamete-mediated and personal environment effects during the transgenerational estimation of risk in fathead minnows. BMC Ecol Evol 2021; 21:187. [PMID: 34635051 PMCID: PMC8507329 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-021-01919-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2021] [Accepted: 09/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Individuals can estimate risk by integrating prenatal with postnatal and personal information, but the relative importance of different information sources during the transgenerational response is unclear. The estimated level of risk can be tested using the cognitive rule of risk allocation, which postulates that under consistent high-risk, antipredator efforts should decrease so that individual metabolic requirements can be satisfied. Here we conduct a comprehensive study on transgenerational risk transmission by testing whether risk allocation occurs across 12 treatments that consist of different maternal, paternal, parental care (including cross-fostering) and offspring risk environment combinations in the fathead minnow Pimephales promelas, a small cyprinid fish with alloparental care. In each risk environment, we manipulated perceived risk by continuously exposing individuals from birth onwards to conspecific alarm cues or a control water treatment. Using 2810 1-month old individuals, we then estimated shoaling behaviour prior to and subsequent to a novel mechanical predator disturbance. RESULTS Overall, shoals estimating risk to be high were denser during the prestimulus period, and, following the risk allocation hypothesis, resumed normal shoaling densities faster following the disturbance. Treatments involving parental care consistently induced densest shoals and greatest levels of risk allocation. Although prenatal risk environments did not relate to paternal care intensity, greater care intensity induced more risk allocation when parents provided care for their own offspring as opposed to those that cross-fostered fry. In the absence of care, parental effects on shoaling density were relatively weak and personal environments modulated risk allocation only when parental risk was low. CONCLUSIONS Our study highlights the high relative importance of parental care as opposed to other information sources, and its function as a mechanism underlying transgenerational risk transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Denis Meuthen
- Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan, 112 Science Place, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5E2, Canada.
- Evolutionary Biology, Bielefeld University, Konsequenz 45, 33615, Bielefeld, Germany.
| | - Maud C O Ferrari
- Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences, WCVM, University of Saskatchewan, 52 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5B4, Canada
| | - Douglas P Chivers
- Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan, 112 Science Place, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5E2, Canada
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Predator-induced maternal effects determine adaptive antipredator behaviors via egg composition. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2017063118. [PMID: 34507981 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2017063118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
In high-risk environments with frequent predator encounters, efficient antipredator behavior is key to survival. Parental effects are a powerful mechanism to prepare offspring for coping with such environments, yet clear evidence for adaptive parental effects on offspring antipredator behaviors is missing. Rapid escape reflexes, or "C-start reflexes," are a key adaptation in fish and amphibians to escape predator strikes. We hypothesized that mothers living in high-risk environments might induce faster C-start reflexes in offspring by modifying egg composition. Here, we show that offspring of the cichlid fish Neolamprologus pulcher developed faster C-start reflexes and were more risk averse if their parents had been exposed to cues of their most dangerous natural predator during egg production. This effect was mediated by differences in egg composition. Eggs of predator-exposed mothers were heavier with higher net protein content, and the resulting offspring were heavier and had lower igf-1 gene expression than control offspring shortly after hatching. Thus, changes in egg composition can relay multiple putative pathways by which mothers can influence adaptive antipredator behaviors such as faster escape reflexes.
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McGhee KE, Barbosa AJ, Bissell K, Darby NA, Foshee S. Maternal stress during pregnancy affects activity, exploration and potential dispersal of daughters in an invasive fish. Anim Behav 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2020.11.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
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Cattelan S, Herbert-Read J, Panizzon P, Devigili A, Griggio M, Pilastro A, Morosinotto C. Maternal predation risk increases offspring’s exploration but does not affect schooling behavior. Behav Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/araa071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Abstract
The environment that parents experience can influence their reproductive output and their offspring’s fitness via parental effects. Perceived predation risk can affect both parent and offspring phenotype, but it remains unclear to what extent offspring behavioral traits are affected when the mother is exposed to predation risk. This is particularly unclear in live-bearing species where maternal effects could occur during embryogenesis. Here, using a half-sib design to control for paternal effects, we experimentally exposed females of a live-bearing fish, the guppy (Poecilia reticulata), to visual predator cues and conspecific alarm cues during their gestation. Females exposed to predation risk cues increased their antipredator behaviors throughout the entire treatment. Offspring of mothers exposed to the predation stimuli exhibited more pronounced exploratory behavior, but did not show any significant differences in their schooling behavior, compared to controls. Thus, while maternally perceived risk affected offspring’s exploration during early stages of life, offspring’s schooling behavior could be influenced more by direct environmental experience rather than via maternal cues. Our results suggest a rather limited role in predator-induced maternal effects on the behavior of juvenile guppies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - James Herbert-Read
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, UK
- Department of Biology, Aquatic Ecology Unit, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Paolo Panizzon
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | | | - Matteo Griggio
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | | | - Chiara Morosinotto
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
- Bioeconomy Research Team, Novia University of Applied Sciences, Ekenäs, Finland
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