1
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De Meester G, Van Linden L, Torfs J, Pafilis P, Šunje E, Steenssens D, Zulčić T, Sassalos A, Van Damme R. Learning with lacertids: Studying the link between ecology and cognition within a comparative framework. Evolution 2022; 76:2531-2552. [PMID: 36111365 DOI: 10.1111/evo.14618] [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: 04/03/2022] [Revised: 08/10/2022] [Accepted: 08/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Cognition is an essential tool for animals to deal with environmental challenges. Nonetheless, the ecological forces driving the evolution of cognition throughout the animal kingdom remain enigmatic. Large-scale comparative studies on multiple species and cognitive traits have been advanced as the best way to facilitate our understanding of cognitive evolution, but such studies are rare. Here, we tested 13 species of lacertid lizards (Reptilia: Lacertidae) using a battery of cognitive tests measuring inhibitory control, problem-solving, and spatial and reversal learning. Next, we tested the relationship between species' performance and (a) resource availability (temperature and precipitation), habitat complexity (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index), and habitat variability (seasonality) in their natural habitat and (b) their life history (size at hatching and maturity, clutch size, and frequency). Although species differed markedly in their cognitive abilities, such variation was mostly unrelated to their ecology and life history. Yet, species living in more variable environments exhibited lower behavioral flexibility, likely due to energetic constrains in such habitats. Our standardized protocols provide opportunities for collaborative research, allowing increased sample sizes and replication, essential for moving forward in the field of comparative cognition. Follow-up studies could include more detailed measures of habitat structure and look at other potential selective drivers such as predation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gilles De Meester
- Functional Morphology Lab, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, 2610, Belgium.,Section of Zoology and Marine Biology, Department of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, 157 84, Greece
| | - Lisa Van Linden
- Functional Morphology Lab, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, 2610, Belgium
| | - Jonas Torfs
- Functional Morphology Lab, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, 2610, Belgium
| | - Panayiotis Pafilis
- Section of Zoology and Marine Biology, Department of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, 157 84, Greece
| | - Emina Šunje
- Functional Morphology Lab, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, 2610, Belgium.,Department of Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Sarajevo, Sarajevo, 71000, Bosnia and Herzegovina.,Herpetological Association in Bosnia and Herzegovina: BHHU: ATRA, Sarajevo, 71000, Bosnia and Herzegovina
| | - Dries Steenssens
- Functional Morphology Lab, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, 2610, Belgium
| | - Tea Zulčić
- Herpetological Association in Bosnia and Herzegovina: BHHU: ATRA, Sarajevo, 71000, Bosnia and Herzegovina
| | - Athanasios Sassalos
- Section of Zoology and Marine Biology, Department of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, 157 84, Greece
| | - Raoul Van Damme
- Functional Morphology Lab, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, 2610, Belgium
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2
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Reyes AS, Bittar A, Ávila LC, Botia C, Esmeral NP, Bloch NI. Divergence in brain size and brain region volumes across wild guppy populations. Proc Biol Sci 2022; 289:20212784. [PMID: 36000235 PMCID: PMC9399710 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2021.2784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Complex evolutionary dynamics have produced extensive variation in brain anatomy in the animal world. In guppies, Poecilia reticulata, brain size and anatomy have been extensively studied in the laboratory contributing to our understanding of brain evolution and the cognitive advantages that arise with brain anatomical variation. However, it is unclear whether these laboratory results can be translated to natural populations. Here, we study brain neuroanatomy and its relationship with sexual traits across 18 wild guppy populations in diverse environments. We found extensive variation in female and male relative brain size and brain region volumes across populations in different environment types and with varying degrees of predation risk. In contrast with laboratory studies, we found differences in allometric scaling of brain regions, leading to variation in brain region proportions across populations. Finally, we found an association between sexual traits, mainly the area of black patches and tail length, and brain size. Our results suggest differences in ecological conditions and sexual traits are associated with differences in brain size and brain regions volumes in the wild, as well as sexual dimorphisms in the brain's neuroanatomy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angie S. Reyes
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Los Andes, Bogota, Colombia
| | - Amaury Bittar
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Los Andes, Bogota, Colombia
| | - Laura C. Ávila
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Los Andes, Bogota, Colombia
| | - Catalina Botia
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Los Andes, Bogota, Colombia
| | - Natalia P. Esmeral
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Los Andes, Bogota, Colombia
| | - Natasha I. Bloch
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Los Andes, Bogota, Colombia
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3
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Závorka L, Wallerius ML, Kainz MJ, Höjesjö J. Linking omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in natural diet with brain size of wild consumers. Oecologia 2022; 199:797-807. [PMID: 35960390 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-022-05229-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2021] [Accepted: 07/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 LC-PUFA) are key structural lipids and their dietary intake is essential for brain development of virtually all vertebrates. The importance of n-3 LC-PUFA has been demonstrated in clinical and laboratory studies, but little is known about how differences in the availability of n-3 LC-PUFA in natural prey influence brain development of wild consumers. Consumers foraging at the interface of aquatic and terrestrial food webs can differ substantially in their intake of n-3 LC-PUFA, which may lead to differences in brain development, yet this hypothesis remains to be tested. Here we use the previously demonstrated shift towards higher reliance on n-3 LC-PUFA deprived terrestrial prey of native brown trout Salmo trutta living in sympatry with invasive brook trout Salvelinus fontinalis to explore this hypothesis. We found that the content of n-3 LC-PUFA in muscle tissues of brown trout decreased with increasing consumption of n-3 LC-PUFA deprived terrestrial prey. Brain volume was positively related to the content of the n-3 LC-PUFA, docosahexaenoic acid, in muscle tissues of brown trout. Our study thus suggests that increased reliance on diets low in n-3 LC-PUFA, such as terrestrial subsidies, can have a significant negative impact on brain development of wild trout. Our findings provide the first evidence of how brains of wild vertebrate consumers response to scarcity of n-3 LC-PUFA content in natural prey.
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Affiliation(s)
- Libor Závorka
- WasserCluster Lunz, Inter-university Centre for Aquatic Ecosystem Research, 3293, Lunz am See, Austria.
| | - Magnus Lovén Wallerius
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Box 463, 405 30, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Martin J Kainz
- WasserCluster Lunz, Inter-university Centre for Aquatic Ecosystem Research, 3293, Lunz am See, Austria.,Department of Biomedical Research, Danube University Krems, 3500, Krems, Austria
| | - Johan Höjesjö
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Box 463, 405 30, Gothenburg, Sweden
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4
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Heldstab SA, Isler K, Graber SM, Schuppli C, van Schaik CP. The economics of brain size evolution in vertebrates. Curr Biol 2022; 32:R697-R708. [PMID: 35728555 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2022.04.096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Across the animal kingdom, we see remarkable variation in brain size. This variation has even increased over evolutionary time. Traditionally, studies aiming to explain brain size evolution have looked at the fitness benefits of increased brain size in relation to its increased cognitive performance in the social and/or ecological domain. However, brains are among the most energetically expensive tissues in the body and also require an uninterrupted energy supply. If not compensated, these energetic demands inevitably lead to a reduction in energy allocation to other vital functions. In this review, we summarize how an increasing number of studies show that to fully comprehend brain size evolution and the large variation in brain size across lineages, it is important to look at the economics of brains, including the different pathways through which the high energetic costs of brains can be offset. We further show how numerous studies converge on the conclusion that cognitive abilities can only drive brain size evolution in vertebrate lineages where they result in an improved energy balance through favourable ecological preconditions. Cognitive benefits that do not directly improve the organism's energy balance can only be selectively favoured when they produce such large improvements in reproduction or survival that they outweigh the negative energetic effects of the large brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra A Heldstab
- Department of Anthropology, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland; Development and Evolution of Cognition Research Group, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Bücklestrasse 5a, 78467 Konstanz, Germany.
| | - Karin Isler
- Department of Anthropology, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Sereina M Graber
- Department of Anthropology, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Caroline Schuppli
- Department of Anthropology, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland; Development and Evolution of Cognition Research Group, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Bücklestrasse 5a, 78467 Konstanz, Germany
| | - Carel P van Schaik
- Department of Anthropology, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland; Comparative Socioecology Group, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Bücklestrasse 5a, 78467 Konstanz, Germany; Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Science, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
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5
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Fischer S, Jungwirth A. The costs and benefits of larger brains in fishes. J Evol Biol 2022; 35:973-985. [PMID: 35612352 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.14026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2022] [Revised: 04/07/2022] [Accepted: 05/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
The astonishing diversity of brain sizes observed across the animal kingdom is typically explained in the context of trade-offs: the benefits of a larger brain, such as enhanced cognitive ability, are balanced against potential costs, such as increased energetic demands. Several hypotheses have been formulated in this framework, placing different emphasis on ecological, behavioural, or physiological aspects of trade-offs in brain size evolution. Within this body of work, there exists considerable taxonomic bias towards studies of birds and mammals, leaving some uncertainty about the generality of the respective arguments. Here, we test three of the most prominent such hypotheses, the 'expensive tissue', 'social brain' and 'cognitive buffer' hypotheses, in a large dataset of fishes, derived from a publicly available resource (FishBase). In accordance with predictions from the 'expensive tissue' and the 'social brain' hypothesis, larger brains co-occur with reduced fecundity and increased sociality in at least some Classes of fish. Contrary to expectations, however, lifespan is reduced in large-brained fishes, and there is a tendency for species that perform parental care to have smaller brains. As such, it appears that some potential costs (reduced fecundity) and benefits (increased sociality) of large brains are near universal to vertebrates, whereas others have more lineage-specific effects. We discuss our findings in the context of fundamental differences between the classically studied birds and mammals and the fishes we analyse here, namely divergent patterns of growth, parenting and neurogenesis. As such, our work highlights the need for a taxonomically diverse approach to any fundamental question in evolutionary biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan Fischer
- Department of Interdisciplinary Life Sciences, Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria.,Department of Behavioural and Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Arne Jungwirth
- Department of Interdisciplinary Life Sciences, Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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6
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Fong S, Rogell B, Amcoff M, Kotrschal A, van der Bijl W, Buechel SD, Kolm N. Rapid mosaic brain evolution under artificial selection for relative telencephalon size in the guppy ( Poecilia reticulata). SCIENCE ADVANCES 2021; 7:eabj4314. [PMID: 34757792 PMCID: PMC8580313 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abj4314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
The mosaic brain evolution hypothesis, stating that brain regions can evolve relatively independently during cognitive evolution, is an important idea to understand how brains evolve with potential implications even for human brain evolution. Here, we provide the first experimental evidence for this hypothesis through an artificial selection experiment in the guppy (Poecilia reticulata). After four generations of selection on relative telencephalon volume (relative to brain size), we found substantial changes in telencephalon size but no changes in other regions. Further comparisons revealed that up-selected lines had larger telencephalon, while down-selected lines had smaller telencephalon than wild Trinidadian populations. Our results support that independent evolutionary changes in specific brain regions through mosaic brain evolution can be important facilitators of cognitive evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Fong
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
- Corresponding author. (S.F.); (N.K.)
| | - Björn Rogell
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Aquatic Resources, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Drottningholm, Sweden
| | - Mirjam Amcoff
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Alexander Kotrschal
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Behavioural Ecology, Wageningen University, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Wouter van der Bijl
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | | | - Niclas Kolm
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
- Corresponding author. (S.F.); (N.K.)
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7
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Sowersby W, Eckerström-Liedholm S, Kotrschal A, Näslund J, Rowiński P, Gonzalez-Voyer A, Rogell B. Fast life-histories are associated with larger brain size in killifishes. Evolution 2021; 75:2286-2298. [PMID: 34270088 DOI: 10.1111/evo.14310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2020] [Revised: 06/11/2021] [Accepted: 06/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
The high energetic demands associated with the vertebrate brain are proposed to result in a trade-off between the pace of life-history and relative brain size. However, because both life-history and brain size also have a strong relationship with body size, any associations between the pace of life-history and relative brain size may be confounded by coevolution with body size. Studies on systems where contrasts in the pace of life-history occur without concordant contrasts in body size could therefore add to our understanding of the potential coevolution between relative brain size and life-history. Using one such system - 21 species of killifish - we employed a common garden design across two ontogenetic stages to investigate the association between relative brain size and the pace of life-history. Contrary to predictions, we found that relative brain size was larger in adult fast-living killifishes, compared to slow-living species. Although we found no differences in relative brain size between juvenile killifishes. Our results suggest that fast- and slow-living killifishes do not exhibit the predicted trade-off between brain size and life-history. Instead, fast and slow-living killifishes could differ in the ontogenetic timing of somatic versus neural growth or inhabit environments that differ considerably in cognitive demands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Will Sowersby
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Biology, Osaka City University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Simon Eckerström-Liedholm
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden.,Wild Animal Initiative, Farmington, Minnesota, USA
| | - Alexander Kotrschal
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Animal Sciences: Behavioural Ecology, Wageningen University, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Joacim Näslund
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Aquatic Resources, Institute of Freshwater Research, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Drottningholm, Sweden
| | - Piotr Rowiński
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Alejandro Gonzalez-Voyer
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden.,Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México, Mexico
| | - Björn Rogell
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Aquatic Resources, Institute of Freshwater Research, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Drottningholm, Sweden
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8
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Carvalho-Paulo D, Bento Torres Neto J, Filho CS, de Oliveira TCG, de Sousa AA, dos Reis RR, dos Santos ZA, de Lima CM, de Oliveira MA, Said NM, Freitas SF, Sosthenes MCK, Gomes GF, Henrique EP, Pereira PDC, de Siqueira LS, de Melo MAD, Guerreiro Diniz C, Magalhães NGDM, Diniz JAP, Vasconcelos PFDC, Diniz DG, Anthony DC, Sherry DF, Brites D, Picanço Diniz CW. Microglial Morphology Across Distantly Related Species: Phylogenetic, Environmental and Age Influences on Microglia Reactivity and Surveillance States. Front Immunol 2021; 12:683026. [PMID: 34220831 PMCID: PMC8250867 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.683026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2021] [Accepted: 05/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Microglial immunosurveillance of the brain parenchyma to detect local perturbations in homeostasis, in all species, results in the adoption of a spectrum of morphological changes that reflect functional adaptations. Here, we review the contribution of these changes in microglia morphology in distantly related species, in homeostatic and non-homeostatic conditions, with three principal goals (1): to review the phylogenetic influences on the morphological diversity of microglia during homeostasis (2); to explore the impact of homeostatic perturbations (Dengue virus challenge) in distantly related species (Mus musculus and Callithrix penicillata) as a proxy for the differential immune response in small and large brains; and (3) to examine the influences of environmental enrichment and aging on the plasticity of the microglial morphological response following an immunological challenge (neurotropic arbovirus infection). Our findings reveal that the differences in microglia morphology across distantly related species under homeostatic condition cannot be attributed to the phylogenetic origin of the species. However, large and small brains, under similar non-homeostatic conditions, display differential microglial morphological responses, and we argue that age and environment interact to affect the microglia morphology after an immunological challenge; in particular, mice living in an enriched environment exhibit a more efficient immune response to the virus resulting in earlier removal of the virus and earlier return to the homeostatic morphological phenotype of microglia than it is observed in sedentary mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dario Carvalho-Paulo
- Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, Brazil
| | - João Bento Torres Neto
- Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, Brazil
- Faculdade de Fisioterapia e Terapia Ocupacional, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, Brazil
| | - Carlos Santos Filho
- Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, Brazil
| | - Thais Cristina Galdino de Oliveira
- Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, Brazil
| | - Aline Andrade de Sousa
- Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, Brazil
| | - Renata Rodrigues dos Reis
- Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, Brazil
| | - Zaire Alves dos Santos
- Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, Brazil
| | - Camila Mendes de Lima
- Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, Brazil
| | - Marcus Augusto de Oliveira
- Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, Brazil
| | - Nivin Mazen Said
- Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, Brazil
| | - Sinara Franco Freitas
- Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, Brazil
| | - Marcia Consentino Kronka Sosthenes
- Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, Brazil
| | - Giovanni Freitas Gomes
- Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, Brazil
| | - Ediely Pereira Henrique
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Neuroecologia, Instituto Federal de Educação Ciência e Tecnologia do Pará, Bragança, Brazil
| | - Patrick Douglas Côrrea Pereira
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Neuroecologia, Instituto Federal de Educação Ciência e Tecnologia do Pará, Bragança, Brazil
| | - Lucas Silva de Siqueira
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Neuroecologia, Instituto Federal de Educação Ciência e Tecnologia do Pará, Bragança, Brazil
| | - Mauro André Damasceno de Melo
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Neuroecologia, Instituto Federal de Educação Ciência e Tecnologia do Pará, Bragança, Brazil
| | - Cristovam Guerreiro Diniz
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Neuroecologia, Instituto Federal de Educação Ciência e Tecnologia do Pará, Bragança, Brazil
| | - Nara Gyzely de Morais Magalhães
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Neuroecologia, Instituto Federal de Educação Ciência e Tecnologia do Pará, Bragança, Brazil
| | | | - Pedro Fernando da Costa Vasconcelos
- Dep. de Arbovirologia e Febres Hemorrágicas, Instituto Evandro Chagas, Belém, Brazil
- Departamento de Patologia, Universidade do Estado do Pará, Belém, Brazil
| | - Daniel Guerreiro Diniz
- Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, Brazil
- Laboratório de Microscopia Eletrônica, Instituto Evandro Chagas, Belém, Brazil
| | | | - David Francis Sherry
- Department of Psychology, Advanced Facility for Avian Research, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Dora Brites
- Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Medicines, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Cristovam Wanderley Picanço Diniz
- Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, Brazil
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9
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Yao Z, Qi Y, Yue B, Fu J. Brain size variation along altitudinal gradients in the Asiatic Toad ( Bufo gargarizans). Ecol Evol 2021; 11:3015-3027. [PMID: 33841763 PMCID: PMC8019028 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2020] [Revised: 12/05/2020] [Accepted: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Size changes in brain and brain regions along altitudinal gradients provide insight into the trade-off between energetic expenditure and cognitive capacity. We investigated the brain size variations of the Asiatic Toad (Bufo gargarizans) across altitudes from 700 m to 3,200 m. A total of 325 individuals from 11 sites and two transects were sampled. To reduce confounding factors, all sampling sites within each transect were within a maximum distance of 85 km and an altitudinal difference close to 2,000 m. Brains were dissected, and five regions were both measured directly and with 3D CT scan. There is a significant negative correlation between the relative whole-brain volume (to snout-vent length) and altitude. Furthermore, the relative volumes (to whole-brain volume) of optic tectum and cerebellum also decrease along the altitudinal gradients, while the telencephalon increases its relative volume along the gradients. Therefore, our results are mostly consistent with the expensive brain hypothesis and the functional constraint hypothesis. We suggest that most current hypotheses are not mutually exclusive and data supporting one hypothesis are often partially consistent with others. More studies on mechanisms are needed to explain the brain size evolution in natural populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhongyi Yao
- Chengdu Institute of BiologyChinese Academy of SciencesChengduChina
- College of Life SciencesSichuan UniversityChengduChina
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Yin Qi
- Chengdu Institute of BiologyChinese Academy of SciencesChengduChina
| | - Bisong Yue
- College of Life SciencesSichuan UniversityChengduChina
| | - Jinzhong Fu
- Chengdu Institute of BiologyChinese Academy of SciencesChengduChina
- Department of Integrative BiologyUniversity of GuelphGuelphONCanada
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10
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Boussard A, Amcoff M, Buechel SD, Kotrschal A, Kolm N. The link between relative brain size and cognitive ageing in female guppies (Poecilia reticulata) artificially selected for variation in brain size. Exp Gerontol 2020; 146:111218. [PMID: 33373711 DOI: 10.1016/j.exger.2020.111218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2020] [Revised: 12/10/2020] [Accepted: 12/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Cognitive ageing is the general process when certain mental skills gradually deteriorate with age. Across species, there is a pattern of a slower brain structure degradation rate in large-brained species. Hence, having a larger brain might buffer the impact of cognitive ageing and positively affect survival at older age. However, few studies have investigated the link between relative brain size and cognitive ageing at the intraspecific level. In particular, experimental data on how brain size affects brain function also into higher age is largely missing. We used 288 female guppies (Poecilia reticulata), artificially selected for large and small relative brain size, to investigate variation in colour discrimination and behavioural flexibility, at 4-6, 12 and 24 months of age. These ages are particularly interesting since they cover the life span from sexual maturation until maximal life length under natural conditions. We found no evidence for a slower cognitive ageing rate in large-brained females in neither initial colour discrimination nor reversal learning. Behavioural flexibility was predicted by large relative brain size in the youngest group, but the effect of brain size disappeared with increasing age. This result suggests that cognitive ageing rate is faster in large-brained female guppies, potentially due to the faster ageing and shorter lifespan in the large-brained selection lines. It also means that cognition levels align across different brain sizes with older age. We conclude that there are cognitive consequences of ageing that vary with relative brain size in advanced learning abilities, whereas fundamental aspects of learning can be maintained throughout the ecologically relevant life span.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annika Boussard
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Svante Arrhenius väg 18B, 10691 Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Mirjam Amcoff
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Svante Arrhenius väg 18B, 10691 Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Severine D Buechel
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Svante Arrhenius väg 18B, 10691 Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Animal Sciences: Behavioural Ecology, Wageningen University & Research, 6708 WD Wageningen, Netherlands.
| | - Alexander Kotrschal
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Svante Arrhenius väg 18B, 10691 Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Animal Sciences: Behavioural Ecology, Wageningen University & Research, 6708 WD Wageningen, Netherlands.
| | - Niclas Kolm
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Svante Arrhenius väg 18B, 10691 Stockholm, Sweden.
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11
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Interactions with conspecific outsiders as drivers of cognitive evolution. Nat Commun 2020; 11:4937. [PMID: 33024110 PMCID: PMC7538913 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-18780-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2020] [Accepted: 09/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The social intelligence hypothesis (SIH) posits that within-group interactions drive cognitive evolution, but it has received equivocal support. We argue the SIH overlooks a major component of social life: interactions with conspecific outsiders. Competition for vital resources means conspecific outsiders present myriad threats and opportunities in all animal taxa across the social spectrum (from individuals to groups). We detail cognitive challenges generated by conspecific outsiders, arguing these select for ‘Napoleonic’ intelligence; explain potential influences on the SIH; and highlight important considerations when empirically testing these ideas. Including interactions with conspecific outsiders may substantially improve our understanding of cognitive evolution. The social intelligence hypothesis predicts that social organisms tend to be more intelligent because within-group interactions drive cognitive evolution. Here, authors propose that conspecific outsiders can be just as important in selecting for sophisticated cognitive adaptations.
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12
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Ducatez S, Lefebvre L, Sayol F, Audet JN, Sol D. Host Cognition and Parasitism in Birds: A Review of the Main Mechanisms. Front Ecol Evol 2020. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2020.00102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
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13
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14
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Kotrschal A, Corral-Lopez A, Kolm N. Large brains, short life: selection on brain size impacts intrinsic lifespan. Biol Lett 2019; 15:20190137. [PMID: 31088278 PMCID: PMC6548732 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2019.0137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The relationship between brain size and ageing is a paradox. The cognitive benefits of large brains should protect from extrinsic mortality and thus indirectly select for slower ageing. However, the substantial energetic cost of neural tissue may also impact the energetic budget of large-brained organisms, causing less investment in somatic maintenance and thereby faster ageing. While the positive association between brain size and survival in the wild is well established, no studies exist on the direct effects of brain size on ageing. Here we test how brain size influences intrinsic ageing in guppy (Poecilia reticulata) brain size selection lines with 12% difference in relative brain size. Measuring survival under benign conditions, we find that large-brained animals live 22% shorter than small-brained animals and the effect is similar in both males and females. Our results suggest a trade-off between investment into brain size and somatic maintenance. This implies that the link between brain size and ageing is contingent on the mechanism of mortality, and selection for positive correlations between brain size and ageing should occur mainly under cognition-driven survival benefits from increased brain size. We show that accelerated ageing can be a cost of evolving a larger brain.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Niclas Kolm
- Department of Zoology/Ethology, Stockholm University , Stockholm , Sweden
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15
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Corral-López A, Romensky M, Kotrschal A, Buechel SD, Kolm N. Brain size affects responsiveness in mating behaviour to variation in predation pressure and sex ratio. J Evol Biol 2019; 33:165-177. [PMID: 31610058 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.13556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2019] [Revised: 09/24/2019] [Accepted: 10/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Despite ongoing advances in sexual selection theory, the evolution of mating decisions remains enigmatic. Cognitive processes often require simultaneous processing of multiple sources of information from environmental and social cues. However, little experimental data exist on how cognitive ability affects such fitness-associated aspects of behaviour. Using advanced tracking techniques, we studied mating behaviours of guppies artificially selected for divergence in relative brain size, with known differences in cognitive ability, when predation threat and sex ratio was varied. In females, we found a general increase in copulation behaviour in when the sex ratio was female biased, but only large-brained females responded with greater willingness to copulate under a low predation threat. In males, we found that small-brained individuals courted more intensively and displayed more aggressive behaviours than large-brained individuals. However, there were no differences in female response to males with different brain size. These results provide further evidence of a role for female brain size in optimal decision-making in a mating context. In addition, our results indicate that brain size may affect mating display skill in male guppies. We suggest that it is important to consider the association between brain size, cognitive ability and sexual behaviour when studying how morphological and behavioural traits evolve in wild populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Corral-López
- Department of Zoology/Ethology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden.,Division of Biosciences, Genetics, Evolution & Environment, University College of London, London, UK
| | - Maksym Romensky
- Department of Mathematics, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.,Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Alexander Kotrschal
- Department of Zoology/Ethology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden.,Behavioural Ecology Group, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | | | - Niclas Kolm
- Department of Zoology/Ethology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
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16
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Herczeg G, Urszán TJ, Orf S, Nagy G, Kotrschal A, Kolm N. Yes, correct context is indeed the key: An answer to Haave-Audet et al. 2019. J Evol Biol 2019; 32:1450-1455. [PMID: 31604005 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.13548] [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: 10/04/2019] [Accepted: 10/07/2019] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
We published a study recently testing the link between brain size and behavioural plasticity using brain size selected guppy (Poecilia reticulata) lines (2019, Journal of Evolutionary Biology, 32, 218-226). Only large-brained fish showed habituation to a new, but actually harmless environment perceived as risky, by increasing movement activity over the 20-day observation period. We concluded that "Our results suggest that brain size likely explains some of the variation in behavioural plasticity found at the intraspecific level". In a commentary published in the same journal, Haave-Audet et al. challenged the main message of our study, stating that (a) relative brain size is not a suitable proxy for cognitive ability and (b) habituation measured by us is likely not adaptive and costly. In our response, we first show that a decade's work has proven repeatedly that relative brain size is indeed positively linked to cognitive performance in our model system. Second, we discuss how switching from stressed to unstressed behaviour in stressful situations without real risk is likely adaptive. Finally, we point out that the main cost of behavioural plasticity in our case is the development and maintenance of the neural system needed for information processing, and not the expression of plasticity. We hope that our discussion with Haave-Audet et al. helps clarifying some central issues in this emerging research field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gábor Herczeg
- Behavioural Ecology Group, Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Tamás János Urszán
- Behavioural Ecology Group, Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Stephanie Orf
- Behavioural Ecology Group, Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Gergely Nagy
- Behavioural Ecology Group, Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | | | - Niclas Kolm
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
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17
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18
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Miller CW, Joseph PN, Kilner RM, Emberts Z. A weapons-testes trade-off in males is amplified in female traits. Proc Biol Sci 2019; 286:20190906. [PMID: 31362640 PMCID: PMC6710601 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2019.0906] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2019] [Accepted: 07/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Sexually selected weapons are assumed to trade off with traits related to ejaculates, such as testes. However, remarkably little is known about what governs resource allocation and why trade-offs are found in some cases and not others. Often-used models depict competitive allocation occurring within the functional grouping of traits (e.g. reproduction); however, other factors including tissue expense and developmental timing may influence allocation. Experimental comparisons of investment across the sexes have the potential to illuminate allocation rules, because the sexes do not always use traits for the same functions. Here, we capitalize upon a species where females have weapons-testes homologues. We report that a documented trade-off in investment between hind-limb weapons and testes in leaf-footed cactus bugs, Narnia femorata, is even more pronounced in female hind limbs and ovaries. Female hind limbs in this species do not share the clear reproductive function of male hind limbs; therefore, this trade-off spans trait functional groups. Such patterns of investment suggest that future studies of reproductive trade-offs should consider factors such as tissue expense and developmental timing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine W. Miller
- Entomology and Nematology Department, University of Florida, 1881 Natural Area Drive, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Paul N. Joseph
- Entomology and Nematology Department, University of Florida, 1881 Natural Area Drive, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Rebecca M. Kilner
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK
| | - Zachary Emberts
- Department of Biology, University of Florida, 876 Newell Drive, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
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19
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Jaatinen K, Møller AP, Öst M. Annual variation in predation risk is related to the direction of selection for brain size in the wild. Sci Rep 2019; 9:11847. [PMID: 31413345 PMCID: PMC6694153 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-48153-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2019] [Accepted: 07/22/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The direction of predator-mediated selection on brain size is debated. However, the speed and the accuracy of performing a task cannot be simultaneously maximized. Large-brained individuals may be predisposed to accurate but slow decision-making, beneficial under high predation risk, but costly under low risk. This creates the possibility of temporally fluctuating selection on brain size depending on overall predation risk. We test this idea in nesting wild eider females (Somateria mollissima), in which head volume is tightly linked to brain mass (r2 = 0.73). We determined how female relative head volume relates to survival, and characterized the seasonal timing of predation. Previous work suggests that relatively large-brained and small-brained females make slow versus fast nest-site decisions, respectively, and that predation events occur seasonally earlier when predation is severe. Large-brained, late-breeding females may therefore have higher survival during high-predation years, but lower survival during safe years, assuming that predation disproportionately affects late breeders in such years. Relatively large-headed females outsurvived smaller-headed females during dangerous years, whereas the opposite was true in safer years. Predation events occurred relatively later during safe years. Fluctuations in the direction of survival selection on relative brain size may therefore arise due to brain-size dependent breeding phenology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kim Jaatinen
- Nature and Game Management Trust Finland, Degerbyvägen 176, FI-10160, Degerby, Finland.
| | - Anders P Møller
- Ecologie Systématique Evolution, Université Paris-Sud, CNRS, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay, F-91405, Orsay Cedex, France
| | - Markus Öst
- Environmental and Marine Biology, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Åbo Akademi University, Artillerigatan 6, FI-20520, Turku, Finland
- Novia University of Applied Sciences, Raseborgsvägen 9, FI-10600, Ekenäs, Finland
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20
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Boogert NJ, Madden JR, Morand-Ferron J, Thornton A. Measuring and understanding individual differences in cognition. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2019; 373:rstb.2017.0280. [PMID: 30104425 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2017.0280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 122] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/10/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Individuals vary in their cognitive performance. While this variation forms the foundation of the study of human psychometrics, its broader importance is only recently being recognized. Explicitly acknowledging this individual variation found in both humans and non-human animals provides a novel opportunity to understand the mechanisms, development and evolution of cognition. The papers in this special issue highlight the growing emphasis on individual cognitive differences from fields as diverse as neurobiology, experimental psychology and evolutionary biology. Here, we synthesize this body of work. We consider the distinct challenges in quantifying individual differences in cognition and provide concrete methodological recommendations. In particular, future studies would benefit from using multiple task variants to ensure they target specific, clearly defined cognitive traits and from conducting repeated testing to assess individual consistency. We then consider how neural, genetic, developmental and behavioural factors may generate individual differences in cognition. Finally, we discuss the potential fitness consequences of individual cognitive variation and place these into an evolutionary framework with testable hypotheses. We intend for this special issue to stimulate researchers to position individual variation at the centre of the cognitive sciences.This article is part of the theme issue 'Causes and consequences of individual differences in cognitive abilities'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neeltje J Boogert
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, Daphne du Maurier Building, University of Exeter, Penryn TR10 9FE, UK
| | - Joah R Madden
- Department of Psychology, Washington Singer Labs, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QG, UK
| | - Julie Morand-Ferron
- Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, 30 Marie Curie, Ottawa, Canada, K1N 6N5
| | - Alex Thornton
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, Daphne du Maurier Building, University of Exeter, Penryn TR10 9FE, UK
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21
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Verhagen I, Gienapp P, Laine VN, Grevenhof EM, Mateman AC, Oers K, Visser ME. Genetic and phenotypic responses to genomic selection for timing of breeding in a wild songbird. Funct Ecol 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Irene Verhagen
- Department of Animal Ecology Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO‐KNAW) Wageningen The Netherlands
| | - Phillip Gienapp
- Department of Animal Ecology Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO‐KNAW) Wageningen The Netherlands
| | - Veronika N. Laine
- Department of Animal Ecology Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO‐KNAW) Wageningen The Netherlands
| | - Elizabeth M. Grevenhof
- Department of Animal Ecology Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO‐KNAW) Wageningen The Netherlands
| | - Andrea C. Mateman
- Department of Animal Ecology Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO‐KNAW) Wageningen The Netherlands
| | - Kees Oers
- Department of Animal Ecology Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO‐KNAW) Wageningen The Netherlands
| | - Marcel E. Visser
- Department of Animal Ecology Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO‐KNAW) Wageningen The Netherlands
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22
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Fong S, Buechel SD, Boussard A, Kotrschal A, Kolm N. Plastic changes in brain morphology in relation to learning and environmental enrichment in the guppy ( Poecilia reticulata). ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2019; 222:jeb.200402. [PMID: 31053644 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.200402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2019] [Accepted: 04/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Despite the common assumption that the brain is malleable to surrounding conditions mainly during ontogeny, plastic neural changes can occur also in adulthood. One of the driving forces responsible for alterations in brain morphology is increasing environmental complexity that may demand enhanced cognitive abilities (e.g. attention, memory and learning). However, studies looking at the relationship between brain morphology and learning are scarce. Here, we tested the effects of both learning and environmental enrichment on neural plasticity in guppies (Poecilia reticulata), by means of either a reversal-learning test or a spatial-learning test. Given considerable evidence supporting environmentally induced plastic alterations, two separate control groups that were not subjected to any cognitive test were included to account for potential changes induced by the experimental setup alone. We did not find any effect of learning on any of our brain measurements. However, we found strong evidence for an environmental effect, where fish given access to the spatial-learning environment had larger relative brain size and optic tectum size in relation to those exposed to the reversal-learning environment. Our results demonstrate the plasticity of the adult brain to respond adaptively mainly to environmental conditions, providing support for the environmental enhancement theory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Fong
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Séverine D Buechel
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Annika Boussard
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | - Niclas Kolm
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
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23
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van der Woude E, Groothuis J, Smid HM. No gains for bigger brains: Functional and neuroanatomical consequences of relative brain size in a parasitic wasp. J Evol Biol 2019; 32:694-705. [PMID: 30929291 PMCID: PMC6850633 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.13450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2018] [Revised: 10/25/2018] [Accepted: 03/26/2019] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Heritable genetic variation in relative brain size can underlie the relationship between brain performance and the relative size of the brain. We used bidirectional artificial selection to study the consequences of genetic variation in relative brain size on brain morphology, cognition and longevity in Nasonia vitripennis parasitoid wasps. Our results show a robust change in relative brain size after 26 generations of selection and six generations of relaxation. Total average neuropil volume of the brain was 16% larger in wasps selected for relatively large brains than in wasps selected for relatively small brains, whereas the body length of the large‐brained wasps was smaller. Furthermore, the relative volume of the antennal lobes was larger in wasps with relatively large brains. Relative brain size did not influence olfactory memory retention, whereas wasps that were selected for larger relative brain size had a shorter longevity, which was even further reduced after a learning experience. These effects of genetic variation on neuropil composition and memory retention are different from previously described effects of phenotypic plasticity in absolute brain size. In conclusion, having relatively large brains may be costly for N. vitripennis, whereas no cognitive benefits were recorded.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma van der Woude
- Laboratory of Entomology, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Jitte Groothuis
- Laboratory of Entomology, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Hans M Smid
- Laboratory of Entomology, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
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24
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Ducatez S, Audet JN, Lefebvre L. Speed–accuracy trade-off, detour reaching and response to PHA in Carib grackles. Anim Cogn 2019; 22:625-633. [DOI: 10.1007/s10071-019-01258-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2018] [Revised: 02/26/2019] [Accepted: 03/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
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25
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Herczeg G, Urszán TJ, Orf S, Nagy G, Kotrschal A, Kolm N. Brain size predicts behavioural plasticity in guppies (Poecilia reticulata): An experiment. J Evol Biol 2018; 32:218-226. [PMID: 30474900 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.13405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2018] [Revised: 11/12/2018] [Accepted: 11/18/2018] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Understanding how animal personality (consistent between-individual behavioural differences) arises has become a central topic in behavioural sciences. This endeavour is complicated by the fact that not only the mean behaviour of individuals (behavioural type) but also the strength of their reaction to environmental change (behavioural plasticity) varies consistently. Personality and cognitive abilities are linked, and we suggest that behavioural plasticity could also be explained by differences in brain size (a proxy for cognitive abilities), since accurate decisions are likely essential to make behavioural plasticity beneficial. We test this idea in guppies (Poecilia reticulata), artificially selected for large and small brain size, which show clear cognitive differences between selection lines. To test whether those lines differed in behavioural plasticity, we reared them in groups in structurally enriched environments and then placed adults individually into empty tanks, where we presented them daily with visual predator cues and monitored their behaviour for 20 days with video-aided motion tracking. We found that individuals differed consistently in activity and risk-taking, as well as in behavioural plasticity. In activity, only the large-brained lines demonstrated habituation (increased activity) to the new environment, whereas in risk-taking, we found sensitization (decreased risk-taking) in both brain size lines. We conclude that brain size, potentially via increasing cognitive abilities, may increase behavioural plasticity, which in turn can improve habituation to novel environments. However, the effects seem to be behaviour-specific. Our results suggest that brain size likely explains some of the variation in behavioural plasticity found at the intraspecific level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gábor Herczeg
- Behavioural Ecology Group, Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology, EötvösLoránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Tamás J Urszán
- Behavioural Ecology Group, Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology, EötvösLoránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Stephanie Orf
- Behavioural Ecology Group, Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology, EötvösLoránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Gergely Nagy
- Behavioural Ecology Group, Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology, EötvösLoránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | | | - Niclas Kolm
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
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26
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Bloch NI, Corral-López A, Buechel SD, Kotrschal A, Kolm N, Mank JE. Early neurogenomic response associated with variation in guppy female mate preference. Nat Ecol Evol 2018; 2:1772-1781. [PMID: 30297748 PMCID: PMC6349141 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-018-0682-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2018] [Accepted: 08/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Understanding the evolution of mate choice requires dissecting the mechanisms of female preference, particularly how these differ among social contexts and preference phenotypes. Here we study the female neurogenomic response after only 10 minutes of mate exposure in both a sensory component (optic tectum) and a decision-making component (telencephalon) of the brain. By comparing the transcriptional response between females with and without preferences for colorful males, we identified unique neurogenomic elements associated with the female preference phenotype that are not present in females without preference. Network analysis revealed different properties for this response at the sensory-processing and the decision-making levels, and showed that this response is highly centralized in the telencephalon. Furthermore, we identified an additional set of genes that vary in expression across social contexts, beyond mate evaluation. We show that transcription factors among those loci are predicted to regulate the transcriptional response of the genes we found to be associated with female preference.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natasha I Bloch
- Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, London, UK.
| | | | | | | | - Niclas Kolm
- Department of Zoology/Ethology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Judith E Mank
- Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, London, UK.,Department of Organismal Biology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
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27
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Reddon AR, Chouinard‐Thuly L, Leris I, Reader SM. Wild and laboratory exposure to cues of predation risk increases relative brain mass in male guppies. Funct Ecol 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Adam R. Reddon
- Department of BiologyMcGill University Montreal Quebec Canada
| | | | - Ioannis Leris
- Department of BiologyMcGill University Montreal Quebec Canada
- Department of Biology and Helmholtz InstituteUtrecht University Utrecht The Netherlands
| | - Simon M. Reader
- Department of BiologyMcGill University Montreal Quebec Canada
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28
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Dornburg A, Warren DL, Zapfe KL, Morris R, Iglesias TL, Lamb A, Hogue G, Lukas L, Wong R. Testing ontogenetic patterns of sexual size dimorphism against expectations of the expensive tissue hypothesis, an intraspecific example using oyster toadfish ( Opsanus tau). Ecol Evol 2018; 8:3609-3616. [PMID: 29686842 PMCID: PMC5901164 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.3835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2017] [Revised: 12/04/2017] [Accepted: 12/06/2017] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Trade‐offs associated with sexual size dimorphism (SSD) are well documented across the Tree of Life. However, studies of SSD often do not consider potential investment trade‐offs between metabolically expensive structures under sexual selection and other morphological modules. Based on the expectations of the expensive tissue hypothesis, investment in one metabolically expensive structure should come at the direct cost of investment in another. Here, we examine allometric trends in the ontogeny of oyster toadfish (Opsanus tau) to test whether investment in structures known to have been influenced by strong sexual selection conform to these expectations. Despite recovering clear changes in the ontogeny of a sexually selected trait between males and females, we find no evidence for predicted ontogenetic trade‐offs with metabolically expensive organs. Our results are part of a growing body of work demonstrating that increased investment in one structure does not necessarily drive a wholesale loss of mass in one or more organs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex Dornburg
- North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences Raleigh NC USA
| | - Dan L Warren
- Senckenberg Institute for Biodiversity and Climate Frankfurt am Main Germany
| | | | - Richard Morris
- North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences Raleigh NC USA
| | - Teresa L Iglesias
- Physics and Biology Unit Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University Okinawa Japan
| | - April Lamb
- North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences Raleigh NC USA.,Department of Applied Ecology North Carolina State University Raleigh NC USA
| | - Gabriela Hogue
- North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences Raleigh NC USA
| | - Laura Lukas
- North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences Raleigh NC USA
| | - Richard Wong
- Delaware Division of Fish and Wildlife Dover DE USA
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Yu X, Zhong MJ, Li DY, Jin L, Liao WB, Kotrschal A. Large-brained frogs mature later and live longer. Evolution 2018; 72:1174-1183. [PMID: 29611630 DOI: 10.1111/evo.13478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2018] [Revised: 03/20/2018] [Accepted: 03/24/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Xin Yu
- Key Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation (Ministry of Education); China West Normal University; Nanchong Sichuan 637009 China
- Institute of Eco-Adaptation in Amphibians and Reptiles; China West Normal University; Nanchong Sichuan 637009 China
| | - Mao Jun Zhong
- Key Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation (Ministry of Education); China West Normal University; Nanchong Sichuan 637009 China
- Institute of Eco-Adaptation in Amphibians and Reptiles; China West Normal University; Nanchong Sichuan 637009 China
| | - Da Yong Li
- Key Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation (Ministry of Education); China West Normal University; Nanchong Sichuan 637009 China
- Institute of Eco-Adaptation in Amphibians and Reptiles; China West Normal University; Nanchong Sichuan 637009 China
| | - Long Jin
- Key Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation (Ministry of Education); China West Normal University; Nanchong Sichuan 637009 China
- Institute of Eco-Adaptation in Amphibians and Reptiles; China West Normal University; Nanchong Sichuan 637009 China
| | - Wen Bo Liao
- Key Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation (Ministry of Education); China West Normal University; Nanchong Sichuan 637009 China
- Institute of Eco-Adaptation in Amphibians and Reptiles; China West Normal University; Nanchong Sichuan 637009 China
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30
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Corral-López A, Kotrschal A, Kolm N. Selection for relative brain size affects context-dependent male preferences, but not discrimination, of female body size in guppies. J Exp Biol 2018; 221:jeb.175240. [DOI: 10.1242/jeb.175240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2017] [Accepted: 05/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Understanding what drives animal decisions is fundamental in evolutionary biology, and mate choice decisions are arguably some of the most important decisions in any individual's life. As cognitive ability can impact decision-making, elucidating the link between mate choice and cognitive ability is necessary to fully understand mate choice. To experimentally study this link, we used guppies (Poecilia reticulata) artificially selected for divergence in relative brain size and with previously demonstrated differences in cognitive ability. A previous test in our female guppy selection lines demonstrated the impact of brain size and cognitive ability on information processing during female mate choice decisions. Here we evaluated the effect of brain size and cognitive ability on male mate choice decisions. Specifically, we investigated the preferences of large-brained, small-brained, and non-selected guppy males for female body size, a key indicator of female fecundity in this species. For this, male preferences were quantified in dichotomous choice tests when presented to dyads of females with small, medium and large body size differences. All types of males showed preference for larger females but no effect of brain size was found in the ability to discriminate between differently sized females. However, we found that non-selected and large-brained males, but not small-brained males, showed context-dependent preferences for larger females depending on the difference in female size. Our results have two important implications. First, they provide further evidence that male mate choice occurs also in a species in which secondary sexual ornamentation occurs only in males. Second, they show that brain size and cognitive ability have important effects on individual variation in mating preferences and sexually selected traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Corral-López
- Department of Zoology/Ethology, Stockholm University, Svante Arrhenius väg 18B. SE-10691, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Alexander Kotrschal
- Department of Zoology/Ethology, Stockholm University, Svante Arrhenius väg 18B. SE-10691, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Niclas Kolm
- Department of Zoology/Ethology, Stockholm University, Svante Arrhenius väg 18B. SE-10691, Stockholm, Sweden
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31
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Kotrschal A, Szorkovszky A, Romenskyy M, Perna A, Buechel SD, Zeng HL, Pelckmans K, Sumpter D, Kolm N. Brain size does not impact shoaling dynamics in unfamiliar groups of guppies (Poecilia reticulata). Behav Processes 2017; 147:13-20. [PMID: 29248747 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2017.12.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2017] [Revised: 12/13/2017] [Accepted: 12/13/2017] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Collective movement is achieved when individuals adopt local rules to interact with their neighbours. How the brain processes information about neighbours' positions and movements may affect how individuals interact in groups. As brain size can determine such information processing it should impact collective animal movement. Here we investigate whether brain size affects the structure and organisation of newly forming fish shoals by quantifying the collective movement of guppies (Poecilia reticulata) from large- and small-brained selection lines, with known differences in learning and memory. We used automated tracking software to determine shoaling behaviour of single-sex groups of eight or two fish and found no evidence that brain size affected the speed, group size, or spatial and directional organisation of fish shoals. Our results suggest that brain size does not play an important role in how fish interact with each other in these types of moving groups of unfamiliar individuals. Based on these results, we propose that shoal dynamics are likely to be governed by relatively basic cognitive processes that do not differ in these brain size selected lines of guppies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Maksym Romenskyy
- Department of Mathematics, Uppsala University, 75106, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Andrea Perna
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Roehampton, London, United Kingdom
| | - Severine D Buechel
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, SE-10691, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Hong-Li Zeng
- Department of Mathematics, Uppsala University, 75106, Uppsala, Sweden
| | | | - David Sumpter
- Department of Mathematics, Uppsala University, 75106, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Niclas Kolm
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, SE-10691, Stockholm, Sweden
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32
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Luo Y, Zhong MJ, Huang Y, Li F, Liao WB, Kotrschal A. Seasonality and brain size are negatively associated in frogs: evidence for the expensive brain framework. Sci Rep 2017; 7:16629. [PMID: 29192284 PMCID: PMC5709389 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-16921-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2017] [Accepted: 11/20/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The challenges of seasonal environments are thought to contribute to brain evolution, but in which way is debated. According to the Cognitive Buffer Hypothesis (CBH) brain size should increase with seasonality, as the cognitive benefits of a larger brain should help overcoming periods of food scarcity via, for instance, increased behavioral flexibility. However, in line with the Expensive Brain Framework (EBF) brain size should decrease with seasonality because a smaller brain confers energetic benefits in periods of food scarcity. Empirical evidence is inconclusive and mostly limited to homoeothermic animals. Here we used phylogenetic comparative analyses to test the impact of seasonality on brain evolution across 30 species of anurans (frogs) experiencing a wide range of temperature and precipitation. Our results support the EBF because relative brain size and the size of the optic tectum were negatively correlated with variability in temperature. In contrast, we found no association between the variability in precipitation and the length of the dry season with either brain size or the sizes of other major brain regions. We suggest that seasonality-induced food scarcity resulting from higher variability in temperature constrains brain size evolution in anurans. Less seasonal environments may therefore facilitate the evolution of larger brains in poikilothermic animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Luo
- Key Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation (Ministry of Education), China West Normal University, Nanchong, 637009, Sichuan, China
- Institute of Eco-adaptation in Amphibians and Reptiles, China West Normal University, Nanchong, 637009, Sichuan, China
| | - Mao Jun Zhong
- Key Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation (Ministry of Education), China West Normal University, Nanchong, 637009, Sichuan, China
- Institute of Eco-adaptation in Amphibians and Reptiles, China West Normal University, Nanchong, 637009, Sichuan, China
| | - Yan Huang
- Key Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation (Ministry of Education), China West Normal University, Nanchong, 637009, Sichuan, China
- Institute of Eco-adaptation in Amphibians and Reptiles, China West Normal University, Nanchong, 637009, Sichuan, China
| | - Feng Li
- Key Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation (Ministry of Education), China West Normal University, Nanchong, 637009, Sichuan, China
- Institute of Eco-adaptation in Amphibians and Reptiles, China West Normal University, Nanchong, 637009, Sichuan, China
| | - Wen Bo Liao
- Key Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation (Ministry of Education), China West Normal University, Nanchong, 637009, Sichuan, China.
- Institute of Eco-adaptation in Amphibians and Reptiles, China West Normal University, Nanchong, 637009, Sichuan, China.
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33
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Corral-López A, Garate-Olaizola M, Buechel SD, Kolm N, Kotrschal A. On the role of body size, brain size, and eye size in visual acuity. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2017; 71:179. [PMID: 29213179 PMCID: PMC5705735 DOI: 10.1007/s00265-017-2408-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2017] [Revised: 11/11/2017] [Accepted: 11/16/2017] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Abstract The visual system is highly variable across species, and such variability is a key factor influencing animal behavior. Variation in the visual system, for instance, can influence the outcome of learning tasks when visual stimuli are used. We illustrate this issue in guppies (Poecilia reticulata) artificially selected for large and small relative brain size with pronounced behavioral differences in learning experiments and mate choice tests. We performed a study of the visual system by quantifying eye size and optomotor response of large-brained and small-brained guppies. This represents the first experimental test of the link between brain size evolution and visual acuity. We found that female guppies have larger eyes than male guppies, both in absolute terms and in relation to their body size. Likewise, individuals selected for larger brains had slightly larger eyes but not better visual acuity than small-brained guppies. However, body size was positively associated with visual acuity. We discuss our findings in relation to previous macroevolutionary studies on the evolution of brain morphology, eye morphology, visual acuity, and ecological variables, while stressing the importance of accounting for sensory abilities in behavioral studies. Significance statement Pre-existing perceptual biases can be keys for the development of specific behavioral patterns. Hence, potential differences in sensory systems need to be taken into account in the study of animal behavior. We highlight this necessity concentrating on the visual domain and using experimental data on brain size-selected guppies in which we assessed eye size and visual acuity. Behavioral differences between large-brained and small-brained guppies in learning and mate choice predominantly relied on tests using visual cues. Analyses of visual capabilities in this system are therefore necessary. Furthermore, this system offers the unprecedented opportunity to experimentally test the relationship between brain size, eye morphology, and visual capabilities. Our results show similar visual acuities between large-brained and small-brained guppies. However, the differences observed in eye area between the sexes, together with the observed positive relationship between body size and visual acuity, highlight the need to incorporate perceptive differences in the study of animal behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Corral-López
- Department of Zoology/Ethology, Stockholm University, Svante Arrhenius väg 18B, SE-10691 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Maddi Garate-Olaizola
- Department of Zoology/Ethology, Stockholm University, Svante Arrhenius väg 18B, SE-10691 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Severine D Buechel
- Department of Zoology/Ethology, Stockholm University, Svante Arrhenius väg 18B, SE-10691 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Niclas Kolm
- Department of Zoology/Ethology, Stockholm University, Svante Arrhenius väg 18B, SE-10691 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Alexander Kotrschal
- Department of Zoology/Ethology, Stockholm University, Svante Arrhenius väg 18B, SE-10691 Stockholm, Sweden
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Corral-López A, Bloch NI, Kotrschal A, van der Bijl W, Buechel SD, Mank JE, Kolm N. Female brain size affects the assessment of male attractiveness during mate choice. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2017; 3:e1601990. [PMID: 28345039 PMCID: PMC5362185 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.1601990] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2016] [Accepted: 02/09/2017] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Mate choice decisions are central in sexual selection theory aimed to understand how sexual traits evolve and their role in evolutionary diversification. We test the hypothesis that brain size and cognitive ability are important for accurate assessment of partner quality and that variation in brain size and cognitive ability underlies variation in mate choice. We compared sexual preference in guppy female lines selected for divergence in relative brain size, which we have previously shown to have substantial differences in cognitive ability. In a dichotomous choice test, large-brained and wild-type females showed strong preference for males with color traits that predict attractiveness in this species. In contrast, small-brained females showed no preference for males with these traits. In-depth analysis of optomotor response to color cues and gene expression of key opsins in the eye revealed that the observed differences were not due to differences in visual perception of color, indicating that differences in the ability to process indicators of attractiveness are responsible. We thus provide the first experimental support that individual variation in brain size affects mate choice decisions and conclude that differences in cognitive ability may be an important underlying mechanism behind variation in female mate choice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Corral-López
- Department of Zoology/Ethology, Stockholm University, Svante Arrhenius väg 18B, SE-10691 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Natasha I. Bloch
- Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, U.K
| | - Alexander Kotrschal
- Department of Zoology/Ethology, Stockholm University, Svante Arrhenius väg 18B, SE-10691 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Wouter van der Bijl
- Department of Zoology/Ethology, Stockholm University, Svante Arrhenius väg 18B, SE-10691 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Severine D. Buechel
- Department of Zoology/Ethology, Stockholm University, Svante Arrhenius väg 18B, SE-10691 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Judith E. Mank
- Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, U.K
| | - Niclas Kolm
- Department of Zoology/Ethology, Stockholm University, Svante Arrhenius väg 18B, SE-10691 Stockholm, Sweden
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35
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Logan CJ, Kruuk LEB, Stanley R, Thompson AM, Clutton-Brock TH. Endocranial volume is heritable and is associated with longevity and fitness in a wild mammal. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2016; 3:160622. [PMID: 28083105 PMCID: PMC5210687 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.160622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2016] [Accepted: 11/17/2016] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Research on relative brain size in mammals suggests that increases in brain size may generate benefits to survival and costs to fecundity: comparative studies of mammals have shown that interspecific differences in relative brain size are positively correlated with longevity and negatively with fecundity. However, as yet, no studies of mammals have investigated whether similar relationships exist within species, nor whether individual differences in brain size within a wild population are heritable. Here we show that, in a wild population of red deer (Cervus elaphus), relative endocranial volume was heritable (h2 = 63%; 95% credible intervals (CI) = 50-76%). In females, it was positively correlated with longevity and lifetime reproductive success, though there was no evidence that it was associated with fecundity. In males, endocranial volume was not related to longevity, lifetime breeding success or fecundity.
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Affiliation(s)
- C. J. Logan
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Author for correspondence: C. J. Logan e-mail:
| | - L. E. B. Kruuk
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
- Division of Evolution, Ecology and Genetics, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
| | - R. Stanley
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - A. M. Thompson
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
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36
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Liao WB, Lou SL, Zeng Y, Kotrschal A. Large Brains, Small Guts: The Expensive Tissue Hypothesis Supported within Anurans. Am Nat 2016; 188:693-700. [DOI: 10.1086/688894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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