1
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Han CS, Lee B, Moon J. Activity-aggression behavioural syndromes exist in males but not in females of the field cricket Teleogryllus emma. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e10642. [PMID: 37859828 PMCID: PMC10582681 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2023] [Revised: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Previous studies on sex differences in behaviour have largely focused on differences in average behaviours between sexes. However, males and females can diverge not only in average behaviours but also in the direction of behavioural correlations at the individual level (i.e. behavioural syndromes). Behavioural syndromes, with their potential to constrain the independent evolution of behaviours, may play a role in shaping sex-specific responses to selection and contributing to the development of sex differences in behaviour. Despite the pivotal role of behavioural syndromes in the evolution of sexual dimorphism in behaviour, robust empirical evidence of sex differences in behavioural syndromes based on repeated measurements of behaviours is scarce. In this study, we conducted repeated measurements of activity and aggression in male and female field crickets Teleogryllus emma, providing evidence of sex differences in the existence of behavioural syndromes. Males exhibited a significantly positive behavioural syndrome between activity and aggression, whereas females, in contrast, did not show any aggressive behaviour, resulting in the absence of such a syndrome. The sex differences in the existence of the activity-aggression behavioural syndromes in this species could be attributed to differences in selection. Selection favouring more active and aggressive males may have shaped a positive activity-aggression behavioural syndrome in males, whereas the absence of selection favouring female aggression may have resulted in the absence of aggression and the related behavioural syndrome in females. However, given the plasticity of behaviour with changes in age or the environment, further research is needed to explore how sex differences in the existence of activity-aggression behavioural syndromes change across contexts. Furthermore, understanding the genetic underpinning of sex differences in a behavioural syndrome would be pivotal to assess the role of behavioural syndromes in the evolution of sexual dimorphism in behaviours.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chang S. Han
- Department of BiologyKyung Hee UniversitySeoulKorea
| | - Byeongho Lee
- Department of BiologyKyung Hee UniversitySeoulKorea
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2
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Kerman K, Roggero A, Rolando A, Palestrini C. Sexual horn dimorphism predicts the expression of active personality trait: males perform better only in the sexually horn dimorphic Onthophagus dung beetle. J ETHOL 2023. [DOI: 10.1007/s10164-023-00782-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/28/2023]
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3
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Rech F, Narimanov N, Bauer T, Schirmel J. Urbanization increases fluctuating asymmetry and affects behavioral traits of a common grasshopper. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e9658. [PMID: 36568863 PMCID: PMC9772494 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.9658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2022] [Revised: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 12/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Urbanization has a major impact on biodiversity. For many organisms, the urbanization process means environmental stress caused by fragmentation and increased temperatures in cities and atmospheric, soil, light, and noise pollution. Such environmental stress can influence both the morphology and behavior of animals. Hence, individuals might be selected for survival-facilitating traits under high pressures in urban areas. The specific impact of urbanization on insect behavior is still largely unexplored. We studied the impact of urbanization on one of the most common grasshopper species in Germany, Chorthippus biguttulus, by comparing morphological and behavioral traits of individuals sampled from grasslands with low, medium, and high urbanization levels. We first investigated whether urbanization as a stressor affected body size and fluctuating asymmetry in the locomotor organs. Next, we examined whether urbanization induced changes in the individuals' boldness and activity. Our results showed that fluctuating asymmetry of grasshoppers' locomotory organs increased more than twofold with urbanization level. Further, individuals' boldness and walking activity increased from areas with low to high urbanization levels. Our results indicate strong responses of grasshoppers in terms of morphology and behavior to the urban environment. To compensate for urbanization effects on arthropod populations, management strategies need to be developed that maintain ecological processes and reduce environmental stress in urban areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florian Rech
- iES Landau, Institute for Environmental SciencesUniversity of Koblenz‐LandauLandauGermany
- Faculty of Environment and Natural ResourcesUniversity of FreiburgFreiburgGermany
| | - Nijat Narimanov
- iES Landau, Institute for Environmental SciencesUniversity of Koblenz‐LandauLandauGermany
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution (iomE)Johannes Gutenberg UniversityMainzGermany
| | - Tobias Bauer
- iES Landau, Institute for Environmental SciencesUniversity of Koblenz‐LandauLandauGermany
- State Museum of Natural History KarlsruheKarlsruheGermany
| | - Jens Schirmel
- iES Landau, Institute for Environmental SciencesUniversity of Koblenz‐LandauLandauGermany
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4
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Kellermann V, Overgaard J, Sgrò CM, Hoffmann AA. Phylogenetic and environmental patterns of sex differentiation in physiological traits across Drosophila species. J Evol Biol 2022; 35:1548-1557. [PMID: 36196885 PMCID: PMC9828785 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.14104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2022] [Revised: 06/14/2022] [Accepted: 08/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Sex-based differences in physiological traits may be influenced by both evolutionary and environmental factors. Here we used male and female flies from >80 Drosophila species reared under common conditions to examine variance in a number of physiological traits including size, starvation, desiccation and thermal tolerance. Sex-based differences for desiccation and starvation resistance were comparable in magnitude to those for size, with females tending to be relatively more resistant than males. In contrast thermal resistance showed low divergence between the sexes. Phylogenetic signal was detected for measures of divergence between the sexes, such that species from the Sophophora clade showed larger differences between the sexes than species from the Drosophila clade. We also found that sex-based differences in desiccation resistance, body size and starvation resistance were weakly associated with climate (annual mean temperature/precipitation seasonality) but the direction and association with environment depended on phylogenetic position. The results suggest that divergence between the sexes can be linked to environmental factors, while an association with phylogeny suggests sex-based differences persist over long evolutionary time-frames.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Carla M. Sgrò
- School of Biological SciencesMonash UniversityMelbourneVic.Australia
| | - Ary A. Hoffmann
- School of BioSciences, Bio21 InstituteThe University of MelbourneMelbourneVic.Australia
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5
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Canal D, Garamszegi LZ, Rodriguez‐Exposito E, Garcia‐Gonzalez F. Experimental evolution reveals differential evolutionary trajectories in male and female activity levels in response to sexual selection and metapopulation structure. Evolution 2022; 76:1347-1359. [PMID: 35483712 PMCID: PMC9320835 DOI: 10.1111/evo.14499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2021] [Revised: 11/23/2021] [Accepted: 12/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Behavior is central to interactions with the environment and thus has significant consequences for individual fitness. Sexual selection and demographic processes have been shown to independently shape behavioral evolution. Although some studies have tested the simultaneous effects of these forces, no studies have investigated their interplay in behavioral evolution. We applied experimental evolution in the seed beetle Callosobruchus maculatus to investigate, for the first time, the interactive effects of sexual selection intensity (high [polygamy] vs. minimal [enforced monogamy]) and metapopulation structure (yes/no) on the evolution of movement activity, a crucial behavior involved in multiples functions (e.g., dispersal, predator avoidance, or resource acquisition) and thus, closely related to fitness. We found that the interactive effects of the selection regimes did not affect individual activity, which was assayed under two different environments (absence vs. presence of conspecific cues from both sexes). However, contrasting selection regimes led to sex- and context-dependent divergence in activity. The relaxation of sexual selection favored an increase in female, but not male, movement activity that was consistent between environmental contexts. In contrast, selection associated with the presence/absence of metapopulation structure led to context-dependent responses only in male activity. In environments containing cues from conspecifics, males from selection lines under population subdivision showed increased levels of activity compared to those assayed in an environment devoid of conspecifics cues, whereas the opposite was true for males from panmictic lines. These results underscore that both the effects of sexual selection and population spatial structure may be crucial in shaping sex-specific behavioral evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Canal
- Institute of Ecology and BotanyCentre for Ecological ResearchVácrátótH‐2163Hungary,Estación Biológica de Doñana‐CSICSeville41092Spain
| | - László Zsolt Garamszegi
- Institute of Ecology and BotanyCentre for Ecological ResearchVácrátótH‐2163Hungary,Estación Biológica de Doñana‐CSICSeville41092Spain,MTA‐ELTE, Theoretical Biology and Evolutionary Ecology Research Group, Department of Plant Systematics, Ecology and Theoretical BiologyEötvös Loránd UniversityBudapestH‐1053Hungary
| | | | - Francisco Garcia‐Gonzalez
- Estación Biológica de Doñana‐CSICSeville41092Spain,Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological SciencesUniversity of Western AustraliaCrawleyWA6009Australia
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6
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Narimanov N, Bonte D, Entling MH. Heritability of dispersal in a rapidly spreading invasive spider. Anim Behav 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2021.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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7
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Haave-Audet E, Besson AA, Nakagawa S, Mathot KJ. Differences in resource acquisition, not allocation, mediate the relationship between behaviour and fitness: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2021; 97:708-731. [PMID: 34859575 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12819] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2021] [Revised: 11/17/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Within populations, individuals often show repeatable variation in behaviour, called 'animal personality'. In the last few decades, numerous empirical studies have attempted to elucidate the mechanisms maintaining this variation, such as life-history trade-offs. Theory predicts that among-individual variation in behavioural traits could be maintained if traits that are positively associated with reproduction are simultaneously associated with decreased survival, such that different levels of behavioural expression lead to the same net fitness outcome. However, variation in resource acquisition may also be important in mediating the relationship between individual behaviour and fitness components (survival and reproduction). For example, if certain phenotypes (e.g. dominance or aggressiveness) are associated with higher resource acquisition, those individuals may have both higher reproduction and higher survival, relative to others in the population. When individuals differ in their ability to acquire resources, trade-offs are only expected to be observed at the within-individual level (i.e. for a given amount of resource, if an individual increases its allocation to reproduction, it comes at the cost of allocation to survival, and vice versa), while among individuals traits that are associated with increased survival may also be associated with increased reproduction. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis, asking: (i) do among-individual differences in behaviour reflect among-individual differences in resource acquisition and/or allocation, and (ii) is the relationship between behaviour and fitness affected by the type of behaviour and the testing environment? Our meta-analysis consisted of 759 estimates from 193 studies. Our meta-analysis revealed a positive correlation between pairs of estimates using both survival and reproduction as fitness proxies. That is, for a given study, behaviours that were associated with increased reproduction were also associated with increased survival, suggesting that variation in behaviour at the among-individual level largely reflects differences among individuals in resource acquisition. Furthermore, we found the same positive correlation between pairs of estimates using both survival and reproduction as fitness proxies at the phenotypic level. This is significant because we also demonstrated that these phenotypic correlations primarily reflect within-individual correlations. Thus, even when accounting for among-individual differences in resource acquisition, we did not find evidence of trade-offs at the within-individual level. Overall, the relationship between behaviour and fitness proxies was not statistically different from zero at the among-individual, phenotypic, and within-individual levels; this relationship was not affected by behavioural category nor by the testing condition. Our meta-analysis highlights that variation in resource acquisition may be more important in driving the relationship between behaviour and fitness than previously thought, including at the within-individual level. We suggest that this may come about via heterogeneity in resource availability or age-related effects, with higher resource availability and/or age leading to state-dependent shifts in behaviour that simultaneously increase both survival and reproduction. We emphasize that future studies examining the mechanisms maintaining behavioural variation in populations should test the link between behavioural expression and resource acquisition - both within and among individuals. Such work will allow the field of animal personality to develop specific predictions regarding the mediating effect of resource acquisition on the fitness consequences of individual behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elène Haave-Audet
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, CW 405, Biological Sciences Bldg, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2E9, Canada
| | - Anne A Besson
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, CW 405, Biological Sciences Bldg, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2E9, Canada.,Department of Zoology, University of Otago, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin, 9054, New Zealand
| | - Shinichi Nakagawa
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Kimberley J Mathot
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, CW 405, Biological Sciences Bldg, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2E9, Canada.,Canada Research Chair, Integrative Ecology, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2E9, Canada
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8
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Videlier M, Rundle HD, Careau V. Sex-specific genetic (co)variances of standard metabolic rate, body mass and locomotor activity in Drosophila melanogaster. J Evol Biol 2021; 34:1279-1289. [PMID: 34107129 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.13887] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2021] [Revised: 04/14/2021] [Accepted: 06/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
A longstanding focus in evolutionary physiology concerns the causes and consequences of variation in maintenance metabolism. Insight into this can be gained by estimating the sex-specific genetic architecture of maintenance metabolism alongside other, potentially correlated traits on which selection may also act, such as body mass and locomotor activity. This may reveal potential genetic constraints affecting the evolution of maintenance metabolism. Here, we used a half-sibling breeding design to quantify the sex-specific patterns of genetic (co)variance in standard metabolic rate (SMR), body mass and daily locomotor activity in Drosophila melanogaster. There was detectable additive genetic variance for all traits in both sexes. As expected, SMR and body mass were strongly and positively correlated, with genetic allometry exponents (bA ± SE) that were close to 2/3 in females (0.66 ± 0.16) and males (0.58 ± 0.32). There was a significant and positive genetic correlation between SMR and locomotor activity in males, suggesting that alleles that increase locomotion have pleiotropic effects on SMR. Sexual differences in the genetic architecture were largely driven by a difference in genetic variance in locomotor activity between the sexes. Overall, genetic variation was mostly shared between males and females, setting the stage for a potential intralocus sexual conflict in the face of sexually antagonistic selection.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Howard D Rundle
- Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Vincent Careau
- Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
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9
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Kralj‐Fišer S, Schneider JM, Kuntner M, Laskowski K, Garcia‐Gonzalez F. The genetic architecture of behavioral traits in a spider. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:5381-5392. [PMID: 34026014 PMCID: PMC8131798 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7430] [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: 12/23/2020] [Accepted: 02/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The existence of consistent individual differences in behavior has been shown in a number of species, and several studies have found observable sex differences in these behaviors, yet their evolutionary implications remain unclear. Understanding the evolutionary dynamics of behavioral traits requires knowledge of their genetic architectures and whether this architecture differs between the sexes. We conducted a quantitative genetic study in a sexually size-dimorphic spider, Larinioides sclopetarius, which exhibits sex differences in adult lifestyles. We observed pedigreed spiders for aggression, activity, exploration, and boldness and used animal models to disentangle genetic and environmental influences on these behaviors. We detected trends toward (i) higher additive genetic variances in aggression, activity, and exploration in males than females, and (ii) difference in variances due to common environment/maternal effects, permanent environment and residual variance in aggression and activity with the first two variances being higher in males for both behaviors. We found no sex differences in the amount of genetic and environmental variance in boldness. The mean heritability estimates of aggression, activity, exploration, and boldness range from 0.039 to 0.222 with no sizeable differences between females and males. We note that the credible intervals of the estimates are large, implying a high degree of uncertainty, which disallow a robust conclusion of sex differences in the quantitative genetic estimates. However, the observed estimates suggest that sex differences in the quantitative genetic architecture of the behaviors cannot be ruled out. Notably, the present study suggests that genetic underpinnings of behaviors may differ between sexes and it thus underscores the importance of taking sex differences into account in quantitative genetic studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simona Kralj‐Fišer
- Scientific and Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and ArtsInstitute of BiologyEvolutionary Zoology LaboratoryLjubljanaSlovenia
| | - Jutta M. Schneider
- Institut für ZoologieFachbereich BiologieUniversität HamburgHamburgGermany
| | - Matjaž Kuntner
- Scientific and Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and ArtsInstitute of BiologyEvolutionary Zoology LaboratoryLjubljanaSlovenia
- Department of Organisms and Ecosystems ResearchEvolutionary Zoology LaboratoryNational Institute of BiologyLjubljanaSlovenia
| | | | - Francisco Garcia‐Gonzalez
- Estación Biológica de Doñana‐CSICSevilleSpain
- Centre for Evolutionary BiologySchool of Biological SciencesUniversity of Western AustraliaWestern AustraliaAustralia
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10
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Moran NP, Sánchez‐Tójar A, Schielzeth H, Reinhold K. Poor nutritional condition promotes high‐risk behaviours: a systematic review and meta‐analysis. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2020; 96:269-288. [DOI: 10.1111/brv.12655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2020] [Revised: 09/09/2020] [Accepted: 09/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas P. Moran
- Evolutionary Biology Bielefeld University Morgenbreede 45 Bielefeld 33615 Germany
- Centre for Ocean Life DTU‐Aqua Technical University of Denmark Building 201, Kemitorvet Kgs. Lyngby 2800 Denmark
| | | | - Holger Schielzeth
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution Friedrich Schiller University Jena Dornburger Straße 159 Jena 07743 Germany
| | - Klaus Reinhold
- Evolutionary Biology Bielefeld University Morgenbreede 45 Bielefeld 33615 Germany
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11
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Chang CC, Connahs H, Tan ECY, Norma-Rashid Y, Mrinalini, Li D, Chew FT. Female spider aggression is associated with genetic underpinnings of the nervous system and immune response to pathogens. Mol Ecol 2020; 29:2626-2638. [PMID: 32510793 DOI: 10.1111/mec.15502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2019] [Revised: 05/26/2020] [Accepted: 06/01/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Identifying the genetic architecture underlying phenotypic variation in natural populations and assessing the consequences of polymorphisms for individual fitness are fundamental goals in evolutionary and molecular ecology. Consistent between-individual differences in behaviour have been documented for a variety of taxa. Dissecting the genetic basis of such behavioural differences is however a challenging endeavour. The molecular underpinnings of natural variation in aggression remain elusive. Here, we used comparative gene expression (transcriptome analysis and RT-PCR), genetic association analysis and pharmacological experiments to gain insight into the genetic basis of aggression in wild-caught jumping spiders (Portia labiata). We show that spider aggression is associated with a putative viral infection response gene, BTB/POZ domain-containing protein 17 (BTBDH), in addition to a putative serotonin receptor 1A (5-HT1A) gene. Spider aggression varies with virus loads, and BTBDH is upregulated in docile spiders and exhibits a genetic variant associated with aggression. We also identify a putative serotonin receptor 5-HT1A gene upregulated in docile P. labiata. Individuals that have been treated with serotonin become less aggressive, but individuals treated with a nonselective serotonin receptor antagonist (methiothepin) also reduce aggression. Further, we identify the genetic variants in the 5-HT1A gene that are associated with individual variation in aggression. We therefore conclude that co-evolution of the immune and nervous systems may have shaped the between-individual variation in aggression in natural populations of jumping spiders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chia-Chen Chang
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Heidi Connahs
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Estella Cai Yu Tan
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Y Norma-Rashid
- Institute of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Mrinalini
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Daiqin Li
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Fook Tim Chew
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore
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12
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Temporal and genetic variation in female aggression after mating. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0229633. [PMID: 32348317 PMCID: PMC7190144 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0229633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2020] [Accepted: 03/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Aggression between individuals of the same sex is almost ubiquitous across the animal kingdom. Winners of intrasexual contests often garner considerable fitness benefits, through greater access to mates, food, or social dominance. In females, aggression is often tightly linked to reproduction, with females displaying increases in aggressive behavior when mated, gestating or lactating, or when protecting dependent offspring. In the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, females spend twice as long fighting over food after mating as when they are virgins. However, it is unknown when this increase in aggression begins or whether it is consistent across genotypes. Here we show that aggression in females increases between 2 to 4 hours after mating and remains elevated for at least a week after a single mating. In addition, this increase in aggression 24 hours after mating is consistent across three diverse genotypes, suggesting this may be a universal response to mating in the species. We also report here the first use of automated tracking and classification software to study female aggression in Drosophila and assess its accuracy for this behavior. Dissecting the genetic diversity and temporal patterns of female aggression assists us in better understanding its generality and adaptive function, and will facilitate the identification of its underlying mechanisms.
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13
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Collet J, Fellous S. Do traits separated by metamorphosis evolve independently? Concepts and methods. Proc Biol Sci 2020; 286:20190445. [PMID: 30966980 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2019.0445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite the ubiquity of complex life cycles, we know little of the evolutionary constraints exerted by metamorphosis. Here, we present pitfalls and methods to answer whether animals with a complex life cycle can independently adapt to the environments encountered at each life stage, with a specific focus on the microevolution of quantitative characters. We first discuss challenges associated with study traits and populations. We further emphasize the benefits of using a combination of approaches. We then develop how multivariate methods can limit several issues by revealing genetic patterns that are invisible when only considering trait-by-trait genetic correlations. Finally, we detail how Lande's work on sexual dimorphism can be applied in measuring G matrices across life stages. The methods and tools described here will contribute towards building a predictive framework for trait evolution across life stages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie Collet
- 1 CBGP, INRA, CIRAD, IRD, Montpellier SupAgro, Univ. Montpellier , Montpellier , France.,2 CEFE, CNRS, Univ. Montpellier, Univ. Paul Valéry Montpellier 3, EPHE, IRD , Montpellier , France
| | - Simon Fellous
- 1 CBGP, INRA, CIRAD, IRD, Montpellier SupAgro, Univ. Montpellier , Montpellier , France
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14
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Kralj‐Fišer S, Laskowski KL, Garcia‐Gonzalez F. Sex differences in the genetic architecture of aggressiveness in a sexually dimorphic spider. Ecol Evol 2019; 9:10758-10766. [PMID: 31624579 PMCID: PMC6787860 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.5595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2019] [Revised: 08/02/2019] [Accepted: 08/05/2019] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Sex differences in the genetic architecture of behavioral traits can offer critical insight into the processes of sex-specific selection and sexual conflict dynamics. Here, we assess genetic variances and cross-sex genetic correlations of two personality traits, aggression and activity, in a sexually size-dimorphic spider, Nuctenea umbratica. Using a quantitative genetic approach, we show that both traits are heritable. Males have higher heritability estimates for aggressiveness compared to females, whereas the coefficient of additive genetic variation and evolvability did not differ between the sexes. Furthermore, we found sex differences in the coefficient of residual variance in aggressiveness with females exhibiting higher estimates. In contrast, the quantitative genetic estimates for activity suggest no significant differentiation between males and females. We interpret these results with caution as the estimates of additive genetic variances may be inflated by nonadditive genetic effects. The mean cross-sex genetic correlations for aggression and activity were 0.5 and 0.6, respectively. Nonetheless, credible intervals of both estimates were broad, implying high uncertainty for these estimates. Future work using larger sample sizes would be needed to draw firmer conclusions on how sexual selection shapes sex differences in the genetic architecture of behavioral traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simona Kralj‐Fišer
- Evolutionary Zoology LaboratoryInstitute of BiologyScientific and Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and ArtsLjubljanaSlovenia
| | - Kate L. Laskowski
- Department of Biology & Ecology of FishesLeibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology & Inland FisheriesBerlinGermany
- Department of Evolution & EcologyUniversity of California DavisDavisCAUSA
| | - Francisco Garcia‐Gonzalez
- Estación Biológica de Doñana‐CSICSevilleSpain
- Centre for Evolutionary BiologySchool of Biological SciencesUniversity of Western AustraliaCrawleyWAAustralia
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15
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Han CS, Gosden TP, Dingemanse NJ. Protein deprivation facilitates the independent evolution of behavior and morphology. Evolution 2019; 73:1809-1820. [PMID: 31318455 DOI: 10.1111/evo.13802] [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: 08/04/2018] [Revised: 06/12/2019] [Accepted: 07/08/2019] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Ecological conditions such as nutrition can change genetic covariances between traits and accelerate or slow down trait evolution. As adaptive trait correlations can become maladaptive following rapid environmental change, poor or stressful environments are expected to weaken genetic covariances, thereby increasing the opportunity for independent evolution of traits. Here, we demonstrate the differences in genetic covariance among multiple behavioral and morphological traits (exploration, aggression, and body weight) between southern field crickets (Gryllus bimaculatus) raised in favorable (free-choice) versus stressful (protein-deprived) nutritional environments. We also quantify the extent to which differences in genetic covariance structures contribute to the potential for the independent evolution of these traits. We demonstrate that protein-deprived environments tend to increase the potential for traits to evolve independently, which is caused by genetic covariances that are significantly weaker for crickets raised on protein-deprived versus free-choice diets. The weakening effects of stressful environments on genetic covariances tended to be stronger in males than in females. The weakening of the genetic covariance between traits under stressful nutritional environments was expected to facilitate the opportunity for adaptive evolution across generations. Therefore, the multivariate gene-by-environment interactions revealed here may facilitate behavioral and morphological adaptations to rapid environmental change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chang S Han
- Behavioural Ecology, Department of Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians University of Munich, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany.,School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Australia.,Current Address: Department of Biology, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Thomas P Gosden
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Australia
| | - Niels J Dingemanse
- Behavioural Ecology, Department of Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians University of Munich, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
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16
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Jäger HY, Han CS, Dingemanse NJ. Social experiences shape behavioral individuality and within-individual stability. Behav Ecol 2019. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arz042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Individual repeatability characterizes many behaviors. Repeatable behavior may result from repeated social interactions among familiar group members, owing to adaptive social niche specialization. In the context of aggression, in species like field crickets, social niche specialization should also occur when individuals repeatedly interact with unfamiliar individuals. This would require the outcome of social interactions to have carry-over effects on fighting ability and aggressiveness in subsequent interactions, leading to long-term among-individual differentiation. To test this hypothesis, we randomly assigned freshly emerged adult males of the southern field cricket Gryllus bimaculatus to either a solitary or social treatment. In social treatment, males interacted with a same-sex partner but experienced a new partner every 3 days. After 3 weeks of treatment, we repeatedly subjected treated males to dyadic interactions to measure aggression. During this time, we also continuously measured the 3-daily rate of carbohydrate and protein consumption. Individual differentiation was considerably higher among males reared in the social versus solitary environment for aggressiveness but not for nutrient intake. Simultaneously, social experience led to lower within-individual stability (i.e., increased within-individual variance) in carbohydrate intake. Past social experiences, thus, shaped both behavioral individuality and stability. While previous research has emphasized behavioral individuality resulting from repeated interactions among familiar individuals, our study implies that behavioral individuality, in the context of aggression, may generally result from social interactions, whether with familiar or unfamiliar individuals. Our findings thus imply that social interactions may have a stronger effect on individual differentiation than previously appreciated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heidi Y Jäger
- Behavioural Ecology, Department of Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | - Chang S Han
- Behavioural Ecology, Department of Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
- School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Niels J Dingemanse
- Behavioural Ecology, Department of Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
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Han CS, Tuni C, Ulcik J, Dingemanse NJ. Increased developmental density decreases the magnitude of indirect genetic effects expressed during agonistic interactions in an insect. Evolution 2018; 72:2435-2448. [PMID: 30221347 DOI: 10.1111/evo.13600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2018] [Revised: 08/07/2018] [Accepted: 08/28/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The expression of aggression depends not only on the direct genetic effects (DGEs) of an individual's genes on its own behavior, but also on indirect genetic effects (IGEs) caused by heritable phenotypes expressed by social partners. IGEs can affect the amount of heritable variance on which selection can act. Despite the important roles of IGEs in the evolutionary process, it remains largely unknown whether the strength of IGEs varies across life stages or competitive regimes. Based on manipulations of nymphal densities and > 3000 pair-wise aggression tests across multiple life stages, we experimentally demonstrate that IGEs on aggression are stronger in field crickets (Gryllus bimaculatus) that develop at lower densities than in those that develop at higher densities, and that these effects persist with age. The existence of density-dependent IGEs implies that social interactions strongly determine the plastic expression of aggression when competition for resources is relaxed. A more competitive (higher density) rearing environment may fail to provide crickets with sufficient resources to develop social cognition required for strong IGEs. The contribution of IGEs to evolutionary responses was greater at lower densities. Our study thereby demonstrates the importance of considering IGEs in density-dependent ecological and evolutionary processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chang S Han
- Behavioural Ecology, Department of Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians University of Munich, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany.,Current Address: School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Cristina Tuni
- Behavioural Ecology, Department of Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians University of Munich, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | - Jakob Ulcik
- Behavioural Ecology, Department of Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians University of Munich, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | - Niels J Dingemanse
- Behavioural Ecology, Department of Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians University of Munich, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
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Tuni C, Han CS, Dingemanse NJ. Multiple biological mechanisms result in correlations between pre- and post-mating traits that differ among versus within individuals and genotypes. Proc Biol Sci 2018; 285:rspb.2018.0951. [PMID: 30135156 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2018.0951] [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: 04/27/2018] [Accepted: 07/26/2018] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Reproductive traits involved in mate acquisition (pre-mating traits) are predicted to covary with those involved in fertilization success (post-mating traits). Variation in male quality may give rise to positive, and resource allocation trade-offs to negative, covariances between pre- and post-mating traits. Empirical studies have yielded mixed results. Progress is hampered as researchers often fail to appreciate that mentioned biological mechanisms can act simultaneously but at different hierarchical levels of biological variation: genetic correlations may, for example, be negative due to genetic trade-offs but environmental correlations may instead be positive due to individual variation in resource acquisition. We measured pre-mating (aggression, body weight) and post-mating (ejaculate size) reproductive traits in a pedigreed population of southern field crickets (Gryllus bimaculatus). To create environmental variation, crickets were raised on either a low or a high nymphal density treatment. We estimated genetic and environmental sources of correlations between pre- and post-mating traits. We found positive genetic correlations between pre- and post-mating traits, implying the existence of genetic variation in male quality. Over repeated trials of the same individual (testing order), positive changes in one trait were matched with negative changes in other traits, suggesting energy allocating trade-offs within individuals among days. These findings demonstrate the need for research on pre- and post-mating traits to consider the hierarchical structure of trait correlations. Only by doing so was our study able to conclude that multiple mechanisms jointly shape phenotypic associations between pre- and post-mating traits in crickets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Tuni
- Behavioural Ecology, Department of Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians University of Munich, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | - Chang S Han
- Behavioural Ecology, Department of Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians University of Munich, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany .,The School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Niels J Dingemanse
- Behavioural Ecology, Department of Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians University of Munich, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
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Evolutionary genetics of personality in the Trinidadian guppy II: sexual dimorphism and genotype-by-sex interactions. Heredity (Edinb) 2018; 122:15-28. [PMID: 29795179 PMCID: PMC6288163 DOI: 10.1038/s41437-018-0083-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2018] [Accepted: 03/29/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Sexual dimorphism in behaviour and personality has been identified in a number of species, but few studies have assessed the extent of shared genetic architecture across the sexes. Under sexually antagonistic selection, mechanisms are expected to evolve that reduce evolutionary conflict, resulting in genotype-by-sex (GxS) interactions. Here we assess the extent of sexual dimorphism in four risk-taking behaviour traits in the Trinidadian guppy, Poecilia reticulata, and apply a multivariate approach to test for GxS interactions. We also quantify the among-individual and genetic covariances between personality and size and growth, which are known a priori to differ between the sexes. We found significant sexual dimorphism in three of the four behaviours, although rmf between sex-specific homologous traits was significantly <+1 for only one behaviour. Using multivariate models, we then estimated sex-specific genetic (co)variance matrices (Gm and Gf) and tested for asymmetry of the cross-trait cross-sex genetic covariance structure (submatrix B). While Gm and Gf were not significantly different from each other overall, their respective leading eigenvectors were poorly aligned. Statistical support for asymmetry in B was found, but limited to a single trait pair for which the cross-sex covariances differed (i.e., COVA(m,f) ≠ COVA(f,m)). Thus, while single- and multi-trait perspectives evidence some GxS, the overall picture is one of similarity between the sexes in their genetic (co)variance structures. Our results suggest behavioural traits related to risk-taking may lack the sex-specific genetic architecture for further dimorphism to evolve under what is hypothesised to be antagonistic selection.
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Santostefano F, Wilson AJ, Niemelä PT, Dingemanse NJ. Behavioural mediators of genetic life-history trade-offs: a test of the pace-of-life syndrome hypothesis in field crickets. Proc Biol Sci 2018; 284:rspb.2017.1567. [PMID: 28978731 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2017.1567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2017] [Accepted: 08/21/2017] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The pace-of-life syndrome (POLS) hypothesis predicts associations between life history and 'risky' behaviours. Individuals with 'fast' lifestyles should develop faster, reproduce earlier, exhibit more risk-prone behaviours, and die sooner than those with 'slow' lifestyles. While support for POLS has been equivocal to date, studies have relied on individual-level (phenotypic) patterns in which genetic trade-offs may be masked by environmental effects on phenotypes. We estimated genetic correlations between life history (development, lifespan, size) and risky behaviours (exploration, aggression) in a pedigreed population of Mediterranean field crickets (Gryllus bimaculatus). Path analyses showed that behaviours mediated some genetic relationships between life history traits, though not those involved in trade-offs. Thus, while specific predictions of POLS theory were not supported, genetic integration of behaviour and life history was present. This implies a major role for risky behaviours in life history evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Santostefano
- Research Group Evolutionary Ecology of Variation, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Seewiesen, Germany
| | - Alastair J Wilson
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Cornwall Campus, Penryn, UK
| | - Petri T Niemelä
- Behavioral Ecology, Department of Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | - Niels J Dingemanse
- Research Group Evolutionary Ecology of Variation, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Seewiesen, Germany.,Behavioral Ecology, Department of Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
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Han CS, Dingemanse NJ. Sex-dependent expression of behavioural genetic architectures and the evolution of sexual dimorphism. Proc Biol Sci 2018; 284:rspb.2017.1658. [PMID: 28978735 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2017.1658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2017] [Accepted: 08/21/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Empirical studies imply that sex-specific genetic architectures can resolve evolutionary conflicts between males and females, and thereby facilitate the evolution of sexual dimorphism. Sex-specificity of behavioural genetic architectures has, however, rarely been considered. Moreover, as the expression of genetic (co)variances is often environment-dependent, general inferences on sex-specific genetic architectures require estimates of quantitative genetics parameters under multiple conditions. We measured exploration and aggression in pedigreed populations of southern field crickets (Gryllus bimaculatus) raised on either naturally balanced (free-choice) or imbalanced (protein-deprived) diets. For each dietary condition, we measured for each behavioural trait (i) level of sexual dimorphism, (ii) level of sex-specificity of survival selection gradients, (iii) level of sex-specificity of additive genetic variance, and (iv) strength of the cross-sex genetic correlation. We report here evidence for sexual dimorphism in behaviour as well as sex-specificity in the expression of genetic (co)variances as predicted by theory. The additive genetic variances of exploration and aggression were significantly greater in males compared with females. Cross-sex genetic correlations were highly positive for exploration but deviating (significantly) from one for aggression; findings were consistent across dietary treatments. This suggests that genetic architectures characterize the sexually dimorphic focal behaviours across various key environmental conditions in the wild. Our finding also highlights that sexual conflict can be resolved by evolving sexually independent genetic architectures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chang S Han
- Behavioural Ecology, Department of Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians University of Munich, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | - Niels J Dingemanse
- Behavioural Ecology, Department of Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians University of Munich, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
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Immonen E, Hämäläinen A, Schuett W, Tarka M. Evolution of sex-specific pace-of-life syndromes: genetic architecture and physiological mechanisms. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2018; 72:60. [PMID: 29576676 PMCID: PMC5856903 DOI: 10.1007/s00265-018-2462-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2017] [Revised: 11/13/2017] [Accepted: 02/07/2018] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Sex differences in life history, physiology, and behavior are nearly ubiquitous across taxa, owing to sex-specific selection that arises from different reproductive strategies of the sexes. The pace-of-life syndrome (POLS) hypothesis predicts that most variation in such traits among individuals, populations, and species falls along a slow-fast pace-of-life continuum. As a result of their different reproductive roles and environment, the sexes also commonly differ in pace-of-life, with important consequences for the evolution of POLS. Here, we outline mechanisms for how males and females can evolve differences in POLS traits and in how such traits can covary differently despite constraints resulting from a shared genome. We review the current knowledge of the genetic basis of POLS traits and suggest candidate genes and pathways for future studies. Pleiotropic effects may govern many of the genetic correlations, but little is still known about the mechanisms involved in trade-offs between current and future reproduction and their integration with behavioral variation. We highlight the importance of metabolic and hormonal pathways in mediating sex differences in POLS traits; however, there is still a shortage of studies that test for sex specificity in molecular effects and their evolutionary causes. Considering whether and how sexual dimorphism evolves in POLS traits provides a more holistic framework to understand how behavioral variation is integrated with life histories and physiology, and we call for studies that focus on examining the sex-specific genetic architecture of this integration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elina Immonen
- Department of Ecology and Genetics, Evolutionary Biology Centre (EBC), Uppsala University, Norbyvägen 18 D, SE-75 236 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Anni Hämäläinen
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, T6G 2E9 Canada
| | - Wiebke Schuett
- Zoological Institute, University of Hamburg, Martin-Luther-King Platz 3, 20146 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Maja Tarka
- Center for Biodiversity Dynamics, Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Høgskoleringen 5, 7491 Trondheim, Norway
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