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Fernlund Isaksson E, Reuland C, Kahrl AF, Devigili A, Fitzpatrick JL. Resource-dependent investment in male sexual traits in a viviparous fish. Behav Ecol 2022; 33:954-966. [PMID: 36382231 PMCID: PMC9639585 DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arac060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2021] [Revised: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 05/25/2022] [Indexed: 09/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Exaggerated and conspicuous sexually selected traits are often costly to produce and maintain. Costly traits are expected to show resource-dependent expression, since limited resources prevent animals from investing maximally in multiple traits simultaneously. However, there may be critical periods during an individual's life where the expression of traits is altered if resources are limited. Moreover, costly sexual traits may arise from sexual selection acting both before (pre-copulatory) and after mating (post-copulatory). Gaining a robust understanding of resource-dependent trait expression therefore requires an approach that examines both episodes of sexual selection after resource limitation during different times in an individual's life. Yet few studies have taken such an approach. Here, we examine how resource restriction influences a set of pre- and post-copulatory traits in male pygmy halfbeaks (Dermogenys collettei), which invest in sexual ornaments and routinely engage in male-male contests and sperm competition. Critically, we examined responses in males when resources were restricted during development and after reaching sexual maturity. Both pre- and post-copulatory traits are resource-dependent in male halfbeaks. Body size, beak size, courtship behavior, and testes size were reduced by diet restriction, while, unexpectedly, the restricted-diet group had a larger area of red color on the beak and fins after diet treatment. These patterns were generally consistent when resources were restricted during development and after reaching sexual maturity. The study reinforces the role of resource acquisition in maintaining variation among sexual traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erika Fernlund Isaksson
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Svante Arrhenius väg 18B, 10691 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Charel Reuland
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Svante Arrhenius väg 18B, 10691 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Ariel F Kahrl
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Svante Arrhenius väg 18B, 10691 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Alessandro Devigili
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Svante Arrhenius väg 18B, 10691 Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Via Ugo Bassi 58B, 35131 Padova, Italy
| | - John L Fitzpatrick
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Svante Arrhenius väg 18B, 10691 Stockholm, Sweden
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2
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McMahon S, Matzke M, Tuni C. Food Limitation but Not Enhanced Rates of Ejaculate Production Imposes Reproductive and Survival Costs to Male Crickets. Cells 2021; 10:cells10061498. [PMID: 34203610 PMCID: PMC8232169 DOI: 10.3390/cells10061498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2021] [Revised: 06/07/2021] [Accepted: 06/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Estimating costs of ejaculate production is challenging. Metabolic investment in ejaculates may come at the expense of other physiological functions and may negatively affect future reproduction and/or survival. These trade-offs are especially likely to occur under constrained resource pools (e.g., poor nutrition). Here, we investigated costs of ejaculate production via trade-offs in the field cricket Gryllus bimaculatus. We experimentally increased rates of ejaculate production, while keeping an unmanipulated group, in adult males kept at high and low feeding regimes and tested the effects of our treatments on (i) somatic maintenance (i.e., changes in male body mass), (ii) future reproduction (i.e., the likelihood of producing a spermatophore and the viability of its sperm), and (iii) lifetime survival and longevity. We predicted investment in ejaculates to impinge upon all measured responses, especially in low-fed individuals. Instead, we only found negative effects of food limitation, suggesting low or undetectable costs of spermatophore production. High mating rates may select for males to maximize their capacity of ejaculate production, making ejaculate traits less prone to trade-offs with other fitness-related life history traits. Nevertheless, males were impaired due to nutrient deficiency in producing viable ejaculates, suggesting condition-dependent costs for ejaculate production.
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3
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Hiermes M, Reher S, Rick IP, Bakker TCM. Influence of lighting environment on social preferences in sticklebacks from two different photic habitats. I. mate preferences of wild-caught females. Curr Zool 2021; 67:299-308. [PMID: 34616922 PMCID: PMC8488994 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zoab008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2020] [Accepted: 01/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Ultraviolet (UV) A signals (320-400 nm) are important in mate choice in numerous species. The sensitivity for UV signals is not only assumed to be costly, but also expected to be a function of the prevailing ecological conditions. Generally, those signals are favored by selection that efficiently reach the receiver. A decisive factor for color signaling is the lighting environment, especially in aquatic habitats, as the visibility of signals, and thus costs and benefits, are instantaneously influenced by it. Although ecological aspects of color signal evolution are relatively well-studied, there is little data on specific effects of environmental UV-light conditions on signaling at these shorter wavelengths. We studied wild-caught gravid female 3-spined sticklebacks Gasterosteus aculeatus of 2 photic habitat types (tea-stained and clear-water lakes), possessing great variation in their UV transmission. In 2 treatments, tea-stained and clear-water, preferences for males viewed under UV-present (UV+) and UV-absent (UV-) conditions were tested. A preference for males under UV+ conditions was found for females from both habitat types, thus stressing the significance of UV signals in stickleback's mate choice decisions. However, females from both habitat types showed the most pronounced preferences for males under UV+ conditions under clear-water test conditions. Moreover, reflectance measurements revealed that the carotenoid-based orange-red breeding coloration in wild-caught males of both habitat types differed significantly in color intensity (higher in clear-water males) and hue (more red shifted in clear-water males) while no significant differences in UV coloration were found. The differential reflection patterns in longer wavelengths suggest that sticklebacks of both habitat types have adapted to the respective water conditions. Adaptations of UV signals in a sexual context to ambient light conditions in both behavior and coloration seem less evident.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meike Hiermes
- Institute for Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, University of Bonn, An der Immenburg 1, Bonn, 53121, Germany
| | - Stephanie Reher
- Institute for Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, University of Bonn, An der Immenburg 1, Bonn, 53121, Germany
- Institute of Zoology, Functional Ecology, University of Hamburg, Martin-Luther-King-Platz 3, Hamburg, 20146, Germany
| | - Ingolf P Rick
- Institute for Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, University of Bonn, An der Immenburg 1, Bonn, 53121, Germany
- Institute of Zoology, University of Bonn, Meckenheimer Allee 169, Bonn, 53115, Germany
| | - Theo C M Bakker
- Institute for Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, University of Bonn, An der Immenburg 1, Bonn, 53121, Germany
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4
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Hiermes M, Marder MB, Reher S, Rick IP, Vitt S, Bakker TCM. Influence of lighting environment on social preferences in sticklebacks from two different photic habitats. II. Shoaling and mate preferences of lab-bred fishes. Curr Zool 2021; 67:309-319. [PMID: 34616923 PMCID: PMC8489012 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zoab033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2020] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Different environmental conditions may lead to diverse morphological, behavioral, and physiological adaptations of different populations of the same species. Lighting conditions, for example, vary vastly especially between aquatic habitats, and have been shown to elicit adaptations. The availability of short-wave ultraviolet (UV) light is especially fluctuating, as UV wavelengths are attenuated strongly depending on water properties. The island of North Uist, Scotland, comprises 2 differential habitat types, tea-stained and clear-water lakes, varying considerably in UV transmission. In previous studies, wild-caught 3-spined stickleback Gasterosteus aculeatus populations (3 populations of each habitat type) were tested with respect to their shoaling and mate preferences for fish viewed under UV-present and UV-absent conditions. The results revealed a habitat-dependent preference of UV cues during shoal choice (tea-stained populations: preference for UV-absent condition in tea-stained water; clear-water populations: no preference in clear-water) but an overall preference for UV-present conditions during mate choice. To assess genetic influences on these behavioral patterns, similar experiments were conducted with lab-bred F1-generations of the same stickleback populations that were raised in a common environment (i.e. standardized clear-water conditions). Offspring of sticklebacks from tea-stained lakes tended to prefer shoals viewed under UV-absent conditions (only in tea-stained water), while sticklebacks from clear-water lakes showed a significant preference for the shoal viewed under UV-present conditions in clear-water but not in tea-stained water. Mate-preference experiments demonstrated that females from the tea-stained lakes significantly preferred and females from the clear-water lakes preferred by trend the male viewed under UV-present conditions in the clear-water treatment. The results for both shoaling- and mate-preference tests were largely similar for wild-caught and lab-bred sticklebacks, thus hinting at a genetic basis for the preference patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meike Hiermes
- Institute for Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, University of Bonn, An der Immenburg 1, Bonn 53121, Germany
| | - Michael B Marder
- Institute for Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, University of Bonn, An der Immenburg 1, Bonn 53121, Germany
| | - Stephanie Reher
- Institute for Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, University of Bonn, An der Immenburg 1, Bonn 53121, Germany
- Institute of Zoology, Functional Ecology, Universität Hamburg, Martin-Luther-King-Platz 3, Hamburg 20146, Germany
| | - Ingolf P Rick
- Institute for Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, University of Bonn, An der Immenburg 1, Bonn 53121, Germany
- Institute of Zoology, University of Bonn, Meckenheimer Allee 169, Bonn 53115, Germany
| | - Simon Vitt
- Institute for Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, University of Bonn, An der Immenburg 1, Bonn 53121, Germany
| | - Theo C M Bakker
- Institute for Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, University of Bonn, An der Immenburg 1, Bonn 53121, Germany
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5
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Bath E, Buzzoni D, Ralph T, Wigby S, Sepil I. Male condition influences female post mating aggression and feeding in
Drosophila. Funct Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Eleanor Bath
- Department of Zoology University of Oxford Oxford UK
| | - Daisy Buzzoni
- Department of Zoology University of Oxford Oxford UK
- University of Victoria Victoria BC Canada
| | - Toby Ralph
- Department of Zoology University of Oxford Oxford UK
| | - Stuart Wigby
- Department of Zoology University of Oxford Oxford UK
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Behaviour Institute of Infection, Veterinary & Ecological Sciences University of Liverpool Liverpool UK
| | - Irem Sepil
- Department of Zoology University of Oxford Oxford UK
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6
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Vitt S, Bakker TCM, Rick IP. Differential investment in pre- and post-mating male sexual traits in response to prolonged exposure to ambient UVB radiation in a fish. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 712:136341. [PMID: 31931223 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.136341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2019] [Revised: 12/12/2019] [Accepted: 12/24/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Increasing UVB radiation (UVB) reaching earth's surface following stratospheric ozone depletion is linked to serious consequences for organisms. While studies have focused on direct cytocidal and immunomodulatory effects of UVB, indirect consequences for fitness-related life-history traits are largely unexplored, although knowledge is needed to understand organismal responses to climate change. The present study investigates the effects of developmental exposure to enhanced, but ecologically relevant, ambient UVB levels on growth (body size), parental behavior (nest-building), fitness-enhancing traits of pre-mating (sexual ornamentation) and post-mating (sperm traits) sexual selection as well as their interrelationships in male three-spined sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus). Moreover, potentially underlying direct UVB effects, testicular antioxidant capacity (TAC) and testes and skin melanization were quantified. Juvenile full-siblings were split into two groups and raised until adulthood in a semi-natural set-up under light conditions including either natural (UVBnormal) or elevated UVB levels (UVBenhanced). When becoming reproductive, males were kept individually before data collection took place at their reproductive peak. The results showed that males from the UVBenhanced-group were smaller than their brothers from the UVBnormal-treatment, whereas no treatment differences were observed for sexual ornamentation, sperm traits and TAC. Moreover, UVB-stressed males built their nests faster and the relationship between body size and nest size was negative for UVBenhanced-males while being positive for UVBnormal-males. These results demonstrate that, depending on physical state, UVB-stressed males adjusted their behavior to some extent. Additionally, a trade-off between the investment in pre- and post-mating traits was found for UVBenhanced-males, i.e. the intensity of their breeding coloration was negatively correlated with sperm number whereas this relationship was reversed for UVBnormal-males, thus showing an interaction between pre- and post-mating traits regarding exposure treatment. The interaction provides first experimental evidence that differential allocation to energetically demanding pre- and post-mating components of male fitness is triggered by a key environmental stressor of climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Vitt
- Institute for Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, University of Bonn, An der Immenburg 1, D-53121 Bonn, Germany.
| | - Theo C M Bakker
- Institute for Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, University of Bonn, An der Immenburg 1, D-53121 Bonn, Germany
| | - Ingolf P Rick
- Institute for Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, University of Bonn, An der Immenburg 1, D-53121 Bonn, Germany
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7
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Kim SY, Velando A. Attractive male sticklebacks carry more oxidative DNA damage in the soma and germline. J Evol Biol 2019; 33:121-126. [PMID: 31610052 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.13552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2019] [Revised: 10/07/2019] [Accepted: 10/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Trade-offs between the expression of sexual signals and the maintenance of somatic and germline tissues are expected when these depend upon the same resources. Despite the importance of sperm DNA integrity, its trade-off with sexual signalling has rarely been explored. We experimentally tested the trade-off between carotenoid-based sexual coloration and oxidative DNA damage in skeletal muscle, testis and sperm by manipulating reproductive schedule (early vs. late onset of breeding) in male three-spined sticklebacks. Oxidative DNA damage was measured as the amount of 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine in genomic DNA. Irrespective of the experimentally manipulated reproductive schedule, individuals investing more in red coloration showed higher levels of oxidative DNA damage in muscle, testis and sperm during the peak breeding season. Our results show that the expression of red coloration traded off against the level of oxidative DNA damage possibly due to the competing functions of carotenoids as colorants and antioxidants. Thus, female sticklebacks may risk fertility and viability of offspring by choosing redder, more deteriorated partners with decreased sperm DNA integrity. The evolution of sexual signal may be constrained by oxidative DNA damage in the soma and germline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sin-Yeon Kim
- Departamento de Ecoloxía e Bioloxía Animal, Universidade de Vigo, Vigo, Spain
| | - Alberto Velando
- Departamento de Ecoloxía e Bioloxía Animal, Universidade de Vigo, Vigo, Spain
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8
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Rystrom TL, Bakker TCM, Rick IP. Mate assessment behavior is correlated to learning ability in female threespine sticklebacks. Curr Zool 2019; 65:295-304. [PMID: 31263488 PMCID: PMC6595426 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zoz010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2018] [Accepted: 03/12/2019] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
In many species, males signal quality with elaborate traits, but females often show inter-individual variation in preference for these traits. Choosing a mate requires multiple cognitive steps; therefore, cognitive style (how an individual processes information) likely influences the perception of sexual signals and ability to choose a high-quality mate. An important component of cognitive style is flexibility; cognitively flexible individuals are more perceptive to shifts in cues. We hypothesized that cognitively flexible individuals would acquire more information about potential mates, better discern between two quality-signaling traits, and thus be more discriminatory. Here, we show that mate assessment is correlated to other cognitive traits. Although we did not detect an effect of cognitive style on mate preference or discrimination, we found that female threespine sticklebacks Gasterosteus aculeatus that spent more time assessing potential mates (more responsive) in a dichotomous mate choice task reached both the initial and reversal learning criterion in a spatial learning task with fewer errors. However, these highly responsive females made more consecutive mistakes immediately at the beginning of the reversal phase, suggesting that they did not quickly adapt to the environmental change but instead rapidly formed strict routines during the learning task that were eventually reversible after repeated errors. Furthermore, we found evidence for condition-dependent mate preference, with larger females preferring the high-quality male. These are among the first results that illustrate how cognitive traits might influence mate choice, which has implications for the strength and direction of sexual selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taylor L Rystrom
- Department of Behavioural Biology, University of Münster, Badestrasse 13, Münster, Germany.,Institute for Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, University of Bonn, An der Immenburg 1, Bonn, Germany
| | - Theo C M Bakker
- Institute for Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, University of Bonn, An der Immenburg 1, Bonn, Germany
| | - Ingolf P Rick
- Institute for Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, University of Bonn, An der Immenburg 1, Bonn, Germany
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9
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Macartney EL, Crean AJ, Nakagawa S, Bonduriansky R. Effects of nutrient limitation on sperm and seminal fluid: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2019; 94:1722-1739. [PMID: 31215758 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2019] [Revised: 05/01/2019] [Accepted: 05/03/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Theory predicts that costly sexual traits should be reduced when individuals are in poor condition (i.e. traits should exhibit condition-dependent expression). It is therefore widely expected that male ejaculate traits, such as sperm and seminal fluid, will exhibit reduced quantity and quality when dietary nutrients are limited. However, reported patterns of ejaculate condition dependence are highly variable, and there has been no comprehensive synthesis of underlying sources of such variation in condition-dependent responses. In particular, it remains unclear whether all ejaculate traits are equally sensitive to nutrient intake, and whether such traits are particularly sensitive to certain dietary nutrients, respond more strongly to nutrients during specific life stages, or respond more strongly in some taxonomic groups. We systematically reviewed these potential sources of variation through a meta-analysis across 50 species of arthropods and vertebrates (from 71 papers and 348 effect sizes). We found that overall, ejaculate traits are moderately reduced when dietary nutrients are limited, but we also detected substantial variation in responses. Seminal fluid quantity was strongly and consistently condition dependent, while sperm quantity was moderately condition dependent. By contrast, aspects of sperm quality (particularly sperm viability and morphology) were less consistently reduced under nutrient limitation. Ejaculate traits tended to respond in a condition-dependent manner to a wide range of dietary manipulations, especially to caloric and protein restriction. Finally, while all major taxa for which sufficient data exist (i.e. arthropods, mammals, fish) showed condition dependence of ejaculate traits, we detected some taxonomic differences in the life stage that is most sensitive to nutrient limitation, and in the degree of condition dependence of specific ejaculate traits. Together, these biologically relevant factors accounted for nearly 20% of the total variance in ejaculate responses to nutrient limitation. Interestingly, body size showed considerably stronger condition-dependent responses compared to ejaculate traits, suggesting that ejaculate trait expression may be strongly canalised to protect important reproductive functions, or that the cost of producing an ejaculate is relatively low. Taken together, our findings show that condition-dependence of ejaculate traits is taxonomically widespread, but there are also many interesting, biologically relevant sources of variation that require further investigation. In particular, further research is needed to understand the differences in selective pressures that result in differential patterns of ejaculate condition dependence across taxa and ejaculate traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin L Macartney
- Evolution and Ecology Research Centre and School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, UNSW Australia, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Angela J Crean
- Sydney School of Veterinary Science, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Shinichi Nakagawa
- Evolution and Ecology Research Centre and School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, UNSW Australia, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Russell Bonduriansky
- Evolution and Ecology Research Centre and School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, UNSW Australia, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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10
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Vitt S, Mehlis-Rick M, Bakker TCM, Rick IP. Enhanced ambient UVB radiation affects post-mating, but not pre-mating sexual traits in a fish. Oecologia 2019; 190:355-366. [PMID: 31134331 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-019-04422-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2018] [Accepted: 05/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Organisms inhabiting shallow aquatic habitats currently experience increasing levels of solar ultraviolet B radiation (UVB). UVB causes damage on cellular and molecular levels and can affect associated life-history traits either through direct exposure or indirectly through oxidative stress generation. We examined UVB effects on pre- and post-mating sexual traits in three-spined stickleback fish (Gasterosteus aculeatus). Adult, reproductively non-active males were assigned to two exposure treatments under semi-natural conditions in an outdoor experiment; one group received natural radiation (UVBnormal) whilst the other group received additional UVB (UVBenhanced). After two months, colour metrics were used to quantify male breeding colouration as pre-mating trait. At the post-mating stage, sperm morphology, number and movement as well as testes mass were determined. Males did not significantly differ in sexual ornamentation between treatments, but UVBenhanced fish had smaller testes as well as fewer and shorter sperm than UVBnormal fish. Sperm movement was not significantly different between treatments. However, in UVBenhanced males, linear and progressive movement of sperm was positively correlated with sperm morphology (head-to-tail length ratio), whereas in UVBnormal males this relationship was negative (but not significant). Additionally, there was a significant treatment by body condition interaction concerning head-to-tail length ratio, i.e. head-to-tail length ratio increased with condition in UVBnormal males whereas there was no relationship in UVBenhanced fish. Our findings reveal that increased UVB levels influence post-mating fitness-relevant traits in males whilst having no significant impact on pre-mating sexual traits, suggesting selective UVB-effects at the gamete level with consequences for reproductive performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Vitt
- Institute for Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, University of Bonn, An der Immenburg 1, 53121, Bonn, Germany.
| | - Marion Mehlis-Rick
- Institute for Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, University of Bonn, An der Immenburg 1, 53121, Bonn, Germany
| | - Theo C M Bakker
- Institute for Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, University of Bonn, An der Immenburg 1, 53121, Bonn, Germany
| | - Ingolf P Rick
- Institute for Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, University of Bonn, An der Immenburg 1, 53121, Bonn, Germany
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11
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Supriya K, Price TD, Rowe M. Resource variation generates positive correlations between pre- and postcopulatory sexual traits. Behav Ecol 2018. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/ary170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- K Supriya
- Committee on Evolutionary Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, USA
| | - Trevor D Price
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Chicago, Chicago, USA
| | - Melissah Rowe
- Natural History Museum, University of Oslo, Blindern, Oslo, Norway
- Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis, Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, Blindern, Oslo, Norway
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12
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Macartney EL, Nicovich PR, Bonduriansky R, Crean AJ. Developmental diet irreversibly shapes male post-copulatory traits in the neriid fly Telostylinus angusticollis. J Evol Biol 2018; 31:1894-1902. [PMID: 30267554 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.13384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2018] [Revised: 08/20/2018] [Accepted: 09/23/2018] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Nutrient availability has been shown to influence investment in many fitness-related traits, including male reproductive success. Many studies have demonstrated that a reduction in nutrient availability alters male post-copulatory trait expression, with some studies demonstrating an effect of developmental nutrients and others, an effect of adult nutrients. However, few studies have manipulated both developmental and adult nutrients in the same experiment. Therefore, it is not clear what life-stage has the greatest effect on post-copulatory trait expression, and if the effects of developmental and adult nutrients can interact. Here, we investigate effects of developmental and adult nutrition on male testes and accessory gland size, sperm movement within the female reproductive tract and sperm length in the neriid fly, Telostylinus angusticollis. We found that males fed a nutrient-poor developmental diet produced sperm with a reduced tail beat frequency and had smaller testes and accessory glands compared to males fed a nutrient-rich developmental diet. In contrast, we found no effects of adult nutrition on any traits measured, although sperm length was correlated with body size and male age but unaffected by nutrition at any stage. Therefore, investment in adult post-copulatory traits is determined early on by developmental nutrients in male neriid flies, and this effect is not altered by adult nutrient availability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin L Macartney
- Evolution and Ecology Research Centre and School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, UNSW Australia, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Philip R Nicovich
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging and EMBL Australia Node in Single Molecule Science, School of Medical Sciences, UNSW, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Russell Bonduriansky
- Evolution and Ecology Research Centre and School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, UNSW Australia, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Angela J Crean
- Evolution and Ecology Research Centre and School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, UNSW Australia, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,Sydney School of Veterinary Science, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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13
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Bocedi G, Reid JM. Feed-backs among inbreeding, inbreeding depression in sperm traits, and sperm competition can drive evolution of costly polyandry. Evolution 2017; 71:2786-2802. [PMID: 28895138 PMCID: PMC5765454 DOI: 10.1111/evo.13363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2016] [Revised: 08/28/2017] [Accepted: 08/31/2017] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Ongoing ambitions are to understand the evolution of costly polyandry and its consequences for species ecology and evolution. Emerging patterns could stem from feed-back dynamics between the evolving mating system and its genetic environment, defined by interactions among kin including inbreeding. However, such feed-backs are rarely considered in nonselfing systems. We use a genetically explicit model to demonstrate a mechanism by which inbreeding depression can select for polyandry to mitigate the negative consequences of mating with inbred males, rather than to avoid inbreeding, and to elucidate underlying feed-backs. Specifically, given inbreeding depression in sperm traits, costly polyandry evolved to ensure female fertility, without requiring explicit inbreeding avoidance. Resulting sperm competition caused evolution of sperm traits and further mitigated the negative effect of inbreeding depression on female fertility. The evolving mating system fed back to decrease population-wide homozygosity, and hence inbreeding. However, the net overall decrease was small due to compound effects on the variances in sex-specific reproductive success and paternity skew. Purging of deleterious mutations did not eliminate inbreeding depression in sperm traits or hence selection for polyandry. Overall, our model illustrates that polyandry evolution, both directly and through sperm competition, might facilitate evolutionary rescue for populations experiencing sudden increases in inbreeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Greta Bocedi
- School of Biological SciencesUniversity of AberdeenZoology BuildingTillydrone AvenueAberdeen AB24 2TZUnited Kingdom
| | - Jane M. Reid
- School of Biological SciencesUniversity of AberdeenZoology BuildingTillydrone AvenueAberdeen AB24 2TZUnited Kingdom
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14
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Hook, Line and Infection: A Guide to Culturing Parasites, Establishing Infections and Assessing Immune Responses in the Three-Spined Stickleback. ADVANCES IN PARASITOLOGY 2017; 98:39-109. [PMID: 28942772 DOI: 10.1016/bs.apar.2017.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The three-spined stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) is a model organism with an extremely well-characterized ecology, evolutionary history, behavioural repertoire and parasitology that is coupled with published genomic data. These small temperate zone fish therefore provide an ideal experimental system to study common diseases of coldwater fish, including those of aquacultural importance. However, detailed information on the culture of stickleback parasites, the establishment and maintenance of infections and the quantification of host responses is scattered between primary and grey literature resources, some of which is not readily accessible. Our aim is to lay out a framework of techniques based on our experience to inform new and established laboratories about culture techniques and recent advances in the field. Here, essential knowledge on the biology, capture and laboratory maintenance of sticklebacks, and their commonly studied parasites is drawn together, highlighting recent advances in our understanding of the associated immune responses. In compiling this guide on the maintenance of sticklebacks and a range of common, taxonomically diverse parasites in the laboratory, we aim to engage a broader interdisciplinary community to consider this highly tractable model when addressing pressing questions in evolution, infection and aquaculture.
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15
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Vega-Trejo R, Jennions MD, Head ML. Are sexually selected traits affected by a poor environment early in life? BMC Evol Biol 2016; 16:263. [PMID: 27905874 PMCID: PMC5134236 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-016-0838-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2016] [Accepted: 11/25/2016] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Challenging conditions experienced early in life, such as a restricted diet, can detrimentally affect key life-history traits. Individuals can reduce these costs by delaying their sexual maturation, albeit at the price of the later onset of breeding, to eventually reach the same adult size as individuals that grow up in a benevolent environment. Delayed maturation can, however, still lead to other detrimental morphological and physiological changes that become apparent later in adulthood (e.g. shorter lifespan, faster senescence). In general, research focuses on the naturally selected costs of a poor early diet. In mosquitofish (Gambusia holbrooki), males with limited food intake early in life delay maturation to reach a similar adult body size to their well-fed counterparts (‘catch-up growth’). Here we tested whether a poor early diet is costly due to the reduced expression of sexually selected male characters, namely genital size and ejaculate traits. Results We found that a male’s diet early in life significantly influenced his sperm reserves and sperm replenishment rate. Shortly after maturation males with a restricted early diet had significantly lower sperm reserves and slower replenishment rates than control diet males, but this dietary difference was no longer detectable in older males. Conclusions Although delaying maturation to reach the same body size as well fed juveniles can ameliorate some costs of a poor start in life, our findings suggest that costs might still arise because of sexual selection against these males. It should be noted, however, that the observed effects are modest (Hedges’ g = 0.20–0.36), and the assumption that lower sperm production translates into a decline in fitness under sperm competition remains unconfirmed. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12862-016-0838-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Regina Vega-Trejo
- Division of Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Acton, ACT 2601, Australia.
| | - Michael D Jennions
- Division of Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Acton, ACT 2601, Australia.,Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin, Wallotstraße 19, Berlin, 14193, Germany
| | - Megan L Head
- Division of Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Acton, ACT 2601, Australia
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16
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Evans JP, Garcia-Gonzalez F. The total opportunity for sexual selection and the integration of pre- and post-mating episodes of sexual selection in a complex world. J Evol Biol 2016; 29:2338-2361. [PMID: 27520979 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.12960] [Citation(s) in RCA: 91] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2016] [Revised: 08/05/2016] [Accepted: 08/05/2016] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
It is well known that sexual selection can target reproductive traits during successive pre- and post-mating episodes of selection. A key focus of recent studies has been to understand and quantify how these episodes of sexual selection interact to determine overall variance in reproductive success. In this article, we review empirical developments in this field but also highlight the considerable variability in patterns of pre- and post-mating sexual selection, attributable to variation in patterns of resource acquisition and allocation, ecological and social factors, genotype-by-environment interaction and possible methodological factors that might obscure such patterns. Our aim is to highlight how (co)variances in pre- and post-mating sexually selected traits can be sensitive to changes in a range of ecological and environmental variables. We argue that failure to capture this variation when quantifying the opportunity for sexual selection may lead to erroneous conclusions about the strength, direction or form of sexual selection operating on pre- and post-mating traits. Overall, we advocate for approaches that combine measures of pre- and post-mating selection across contrasting environmental or ecological gradients to better understand the dynamics of sexual selection in polyandrous species. We also discuss some directions for future research in this area.
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Affiliation(s)
- J P Evans
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Animal Biology (M092), University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia
| | - F Garcia-Gonzalez
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Animal Biology (M092), University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia.,Doñana Biological Station, Spanish Research Council CSIC, Sevilla, Spain
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17
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House CM, Sharma MD, Okada K, Hosken DJ. Pre and Post-copulatory Selection Favor Similar Genital Phenotypes in the Male Broad Horned Beetle. Integr Comp Biol 2016; 56:682-93. [PMID: 27371390 PMCID: PMC5035384 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icw079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Sexual selection can operate before and after copulation and the same or different trait(s) can be targeted during these episodes of selection. The direction and form of sexual selection imposed on characters prior to mating has been relatively well described, but the same is not true after copulation. In general, when male–male competition and female choice favor the same traits then there is the expectation of reinforcing selection on male sexual traits that improve competitiveness before and after copulation. However, when male–male competition overrides pre-copulatory choice then the opposite could be true. With respect to studies of selection on genitalia there is good evidence that male genital morphology influences mating and fertilization success. However, whether genital morphology affects reproductive success in more than one context (i.e., mating versus fertilization success) is largely unknown. Here we use multivariate analysis to estimate linear and nonlinear selection on male body size and genital morphology in the flour beetle Gnatocerus cornutus, simulated in a non-competitive (i.e., monogamous) setting. This analysis estimates the form of selection on multiple traits and typically, linear (directional) selection is easiest to detect, while nonlinear selection is more complex and can be stabilizing, disruptive, or correlational. We find that mating generates stabilizing selection on male body size and genitalia, and fertilization causes a blend of directional and stabilizing selection. Differences in the form of selection across these bouts of selection result from a significant alteration of nonlinear selection on body size and a marginally significant difference in nonlinear selection on a component of genital shape. This suggests that both bouts of selection favor similar genital phenotypes, whereas the strong stabilizing selection imposed on male body size during mate acquisition is weak during fertilization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clarissa M House
- *Centre for Ecology and Conservation, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Cornwall, TR10 9EZ, UK
| | - M D Sharma
- *Centre for Ecology and Conservation, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Cornwall, TR10 9EZ, UK
| | - Kensuke Okada
- Laboratory of Evolutionary Ecology, Graduate School of Environmental Science, Okayama University, Tsushima-naka 1-1-1, Okayama, Japan
| | - David J Hosken
- *Centre for Ecology and Conservation, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Cornwall, TR10 9EZ, UK
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18
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Sutter A, Lindholm AK. Meiotic drive changes sperm precedence patterns in house mice: potential for male alternative mating tactics? BMC Evol Biol 2016; 16:133. [PMID: 27328665 PMCID: PMC4915163 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-016-0710-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2016] [Accepted: 06/13/2016] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND With female multiple mating (polyandry), male-male competition extends to after copulation (sperm competition). Males respond to this selective pressure through physiological, morphological and behavioural adaptations. Sperm competitiveness is commonly decreased in heterozygote carriers of male meiotic drivers, selfish genetic elements that manipulate the production of gametes in males. This might give carriers an evolutionary incentive to reduce the risk of sperm competition. Here, we explore this possibility in house mice. Natural populations frequently harbour a well-characterised male driver (t haplotype), which is transmitted to 90 % of heterozygous (+/t) males' offspring. Previous research demonstrated strong detrimental effects on sperm competitiveness, and suggested that +/t males are particularly disadvantaged against wild type males when first-to-mate. Low paternity success in the first-to-mate role is expected to favour male adaptations that decrease the risk of sperm competition by preventing female remating. Genotype-specific paternity patterns (sperm precedence) could lead to genetically determined alternative reproductive tactics that can spread through gene level selection. Here, we seek confirmation that +/t males are generally disadvantaged when first-to-mate and address whether males of different genotypes differ in reproductive tactics (copulatory and morphological) to maximise individual or driver fitness. Finally, we attempt to explain the mechanistic basis for alternative sperm precedence patterns in this species. RESULTS We confirmed that +/t males are weak sperm competitors when first to mate. When two +/t males competed, the second-to-mate was more successful, which contrasts with first male sperm precedence when wild type males competed. However, we found no differences between male genotypes in reproductive behaviour or morphology that were consistent with alternative reproductive tactics. Sperm of +/+ and +/t males differed with respect to in vitro sperm features. Premature hypermotility in +/t males' sperm can potentially explain why +/t males are very weak sperm competitors when first-to-mate. CONCLUSIONS Our results demonstrate that meiotic drivers can have strong effects on sperm precedence patterns, and may provide a heritable basis for alternative reproductive tactics motivated by reduced sperm competitiveness. We discuss how experimental and evolutionary constraints may help explain why male genotypes did not show the predicted differences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Sutter
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057, Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Anna K Lindholm
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057, Zurich, Switzerland
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19
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Differential effects of male nutrient balance on pre- and post-copulatory traits, and consequences for female reproduction in Drosophila melanogaster. Sci Rep 2016; 6:27673. [PMID: 27270223 PMCID: PMC4897696 DOI: 10.1038/srep27673] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2016] [Accepted: 05/24/2016] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Male fitness depends on the expression of costly traits involved in obtaining mates (pre-copulatory) and fertilization (post-copulatory). However, very little is known about the nutrient requirements for these traits and whether males compromise their diet to maximize one trait at the expense of another. Here we used Nutritional Geometry to investigate macronutrient requirements for pre- and post-copulatory traits in Drosophila, when males were the first or second to mate with females. We found no significant effects of male diet on sperm competitiveness. However, although males self-regulate their macronutrient intake at a protein-to-carbohydrate ratio ("P:C ratio") of 1:1.5, this ratio does not coincide with their optima for several key reproductive traits: both the short-term (~24 hr) rate of offspring production after a female's first mating, as well as the total offspring number sired when males were second to mate were maximized at a P:C ratio of 1:9, whereas male attractiveness (latency to mate), were maximised at a P:C ratio of 1:1. These results suggest a compromised optimum diet, and no single diet that simultaneously maximizes all male reproductive traits. The protein intake of first males also negatively affected female offspring production following remating, suggesting a long-term intersexual effect of male nutrition.
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20
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Travers LM, Garcia-Gonzalez F, Simmons LW. Genetic variation but weak genetic covariation between pre- and post-copulatory episodes of sexual selection in Drosophila melanogaster. J Evol Biol 2016; 29:1535-52. [PMID: 27159063 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.12890] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2016] [Revised: 04/20/2016] [Accepted: 04/29/2016] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
When females mate polyandrously, male reproductive success depends both on the male's ability to attain matings and on his ability to outcompete rival males in the fertilization of ova post-copulation. Increased investment in ejaculate components may trade off with investment in precopulatory traits due to resource allocation. Alternatively, pre- and post-copulatory traits could be positively related if individuals can afford to invest heavily in traits advantageous at both episodes of selection. There is empirical evidence for both positive and negative associations between pre- and post-copulatory episodes, but little is known about the genetic basis of these correlations. In this study, we measured morphological, chemical and behavioural precopulatory male traits and investigated their relationship with measures of male fitness (male mating success, remating inhibition and offensive sperm competitiveness) across 40 isofemale lines of Drosophila melanogaster. We found significant variation among isofemale lines, indicating a genetic basis for most of the traits investigated. However, we found weak evidence for genetic correlations between precopulatory traits and our indices of male fitness. Moreover, pre- and post-copulatory episodes of selection were uncorrelated, suggesting selection may act independently at the different episodes to maximize male reproductive success.
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Affiliation(s)
- L M Travers
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Animal Biology (M092), The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia
| | - F Garcia-Gonzalez
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Animal Biology (M092), The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia.,Doñana Biological Station, Spanish Research Council CSIC, Isla de la Cartuja, Seville, Spain
| | - L W Simmons
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Animal Biology (M092), The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia
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