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Vitt S, Mehlis-Rick M, Bakker TCM, Rick IP. Enhanced ambient UVB radiation affects post-mating, but not pre-mating sexual traits in a fish. Oecologia 2019; 190:355-366. [PMID: 31134331 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-019-04422-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2018] [Accepted: 05/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Organisms inhabiting shallow aquatic habitats currently experience increasing levels of solar ultraviolet B radiation (UVB). UVB causes damage on cellular and molecular levels and can affect associated life-history traits either through direct exposure or indirectly through oxidative stress generation. We examined UVB effects on pre- and post-mating sexual traits in three-spined stickleback fish (Gasterosteus aculeatus). Adult, reproductively non-active males were assigned to two exposure treatments under semi-natural conditions in an outdoor experiment; one group received natural radiation (UVBnormal) whilst the other group received additional UVB (UVBenhanced). After two months, colour metrics were used to quantify male breeding colouration as pre-mating trait. At the post-mating stage, sperm morphology, number and movement as well as testes mass were determined. Males did not significantly differ in sexual ornamentation between treatments, but UVBenhanced fish had smaller testes as well as fewer and shorter sperm than UVBnormal fish. Sperm movement was not significantly different between treatments. However, in UVBenhanced males, linear and progressive movement of sperm was positively correlated with sperm morphology (head-to-tail length ratio), whereas in UVBnormal males this relationship was negative (but not significant). Additionally, there was a significant treatment by body condition interaction concerning head-to-tail length ratio, i.e. head-to-tail length ratio increased with condition in UVBnormal males whereas there was no relationship in UVBenhanced fish. Our findings reveal that increased UVB levels influence post-mating fitness-relevant traits in males whilst having no significant impact on pre-mating sexual traits, suggesting selective UVB-effects at the gamete level with consequences for reproductive performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Vitt
- Institute for Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, University of Bonn, An der Immenburg 1, 53121, Bonn, Germany.
| | - Marion Mehlis-Rick
- Institute for Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, University of Bonn, An der Immenburg 1, 53121, Bonn, Germany
| | - Theo C M Bakker
- Institute for Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, University of Bonn, An der Immenburg 1, 53121, Bonn, Germany
| | - Ingolf P Rick
- Institute for Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, University of Bonn, An der Immenburg 1, 53121, Bonn, Germany
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Taugbøl A, Mazzarella AB, Cramer ERA, Laskemoen T. Salinity-induced phenotypic plasticity in threespine stickleback sperm activation. Biol Lett 2018; 13:rsbl.2017.0516. [PMID: 29021318 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2017.0516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2017] [Accepted: 09/18/2017] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Phenotypic expression may be and often is influenced by an organism's developmental environment, referred to as phenotypic plasticity. The sperm cells of teleosts have been found to be inactive in the seminal plasma and are activated by osmotic shock for most fish species, through release in either hypertonic (for marine fish) or hypotonic (for freshwater fish) water. If this is the case, the regulatory system of sperm mobility should be reversed in salt- and freshwater fish. We tested this hypothesis by first activating sperm of salt- and freshwater populations of threespine stickleback in salt- and freshwater. The sperm from saltwater stickleback could be activated in either salinity, which matches the freshwater colonization history of the species, whereas the sperm from the freshwater population acted as predicted by the osmotic shock theory and was activated in freshwater only. As the freshwater population used here was calculated to be thousands of years old, we went on to test whether the trait(s) were plastic and sperm from freshwater males still could be activated in saltwater after individuals were exposed to saltwater. After raising freshwater stickleback in saltwater, we found the mature males to have active sperm in both saltwater and freshwater. Further, we also found the sperm of wild-caught freshwater stickleback to be active in saltwater after exposing those mature males to saltwater for only 2 days. This illustrates that the ability for stickleback sperm to be activated in a range of water qualities is an environmentally induced plastic trait.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annette Taugbøl
- Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis (CEES), Department of Bioscience, University of Oslo, 0316 Oslo, Norway .,Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, 2624 Lillehammer, Norway
| | - Anna B Mazzarella
- Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis (CEES), Department of Bioscience, University of Oslo, 0316 Oslo, Norway
| | - Emily R A Cramer
- Natural History Museum, University of Oslo, PO Box 1172, Blindern, 0381 Oslo, Norway
| | - Terje Laskemoen
- Natural History Museum, University of Oslo, PO Box 1172, Blindern, 0381 Oslo, Norway
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Mehlis M, Rick IP, Bakker TCM. Dynamic resource allocation between pre- and postcopulatory episodes of sexual selection determines competitive fertilization success. Proc Biol Sci 2016; 282:20151279. [PMID: 26490787 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2015.1279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
In polyandrous mating systems, male reproductive success depends on both mate-acquisition traits (precopulatory) and sperm competitive abilities (postcopulatory). Empirical data on the interaction between these traits are inconsistent; revealing positive, negative or no relationships. It is generally expected that the investment in pre- and postcopulatory traits is mediated by environmental conditions. To test how dietary resource availability affects sexual ornamentation, sperm quality and their interrelationship in three-spined sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus), full-sibling groups were raised under three conditions differing in food quantity and/or quality (i.e. carotenoid content): (i) high-quantity/high-quality, (ii) high-quantity/low-quality or (iii) low-quantity/low-quality. After 1 year of feeding, food-restricted males developed a more intense breeding coloration and faster sperm compared with their well-fed brothers, indicating that they allocated relatively more in pre- and postcopulatory traits. Moreover, they outcompeted their well-fed, carotenoid-supplemented brothers in sperm competition trials with equal numbers of competing sperm, suggesting that food-restricted males maximize their present reproductive success. This may result in reduced future reproductive opportunities as food-restricted males suffered from a higher mortality, had an overall reduced body size, and sperm number available for fertilization. In accordance with theory, a trade-off between the investment in pre- and postcopulatory traits was observed in food-restricted males, whereas well-fed males were able to allocate to both traits resulting in a significantly positive relationship.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marion Mehlis
- Institute for Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, University of Bonn, An der Immenburg 1, Bonn 53121, Germany
| | - Ingolf P Rick
- Institute for Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, University of Bonn, An der Immenburg 1, Bonn 53121, Germany
| | - Theo C M Bakker
- Institute for Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, University of Bonn, An der Immenburg 1, Bonn 53121, Germany
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Mehlis M, Rahn AK, Bakker TCM. Sperm quality but not relatedness predicts sperm competition success in threespine sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus). BMC Evol Biol 2015; 15:74. [PMID: 25928309 PMCID: PMC4415302 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-015-0353-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2014] [Accepted: 04/15/2015] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mating between close relatives often leads to a reduction of an individual's fitness, due to an increased expression of deleterious alleles. Thus, in many animal taxa pre- as well as postcopulatory inbreeding avoidance mechanisms have evolved. An increased risk of inbreeding and hence a loss of genetic variation may occur during founder events as in most cases only few individuals establish a new population. The threespine stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) is a small externally fertilizing fish species subject to strong sperm competition. Sticklebacks inhabit both marine and freshwater environments and anadromous populations have repeatedly established new genetically less diverse freshwater populations. Previous studies showed that anadromous sticklebacks strongly suffer from inbreeding depression and when given the choice females prefer to mate with unrelated males. RESULTS The present study aimed to address whether there exists a postcopulatory inbreeding avoidance mechanism solely based on sperm-egg interactions in sperm competition experiments. We used F1 individuals that originated either from a large, genetically heterogeneous anadromous population or from a small, genetically less diverse freshwater population. For each population, eggs of two different females were in vitro fertilized by the same two males' sperm in a paired study design. In the main experiment one male was the female's full-sib brother and in the control experiment all individuals were unrelated. The results revealed that fertilization success was independent of relatedness in both populations suggesting a general lack of a postcopulatory inbreeding avoidance mechanism. Instead, male quality (i.e. sperm morphology) predicted paternity success during competitive fertilization trials. CONCLUSION In sticklebacks, there is no evidence for postcopulatory inbreeding avoidance. Sperm morphology predicted paternity instead, thus sperm quality traits are under strong sexual selection, presumably driven by the high risk of sperm competition under natural conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marion Mehlis
- Institute for Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, University of Bonn, An der Immenburg 1, D-53121, Bonn, Germany.
| | - Anna K Rahn
- Institute for Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, University of Bonn, An der Immenburg 1, D-53121, Bonn, Germany.
| | - Theo C M Bakker
- Institute for Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, University of Bonn, An der Immenburg 1, D-53121, Bonn, Germany.
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The influence of ambient water temperature on sperm performance and fertilization success in three-spined sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus). Evol Ecol 2014. [DOI: 10.1007/s10682-014-9707-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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Bakker TCM, Hollmann M, Mehlis M, Zbinden M. Functional variation of sperm morphology in sticklebacks. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2014. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-013-1676-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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Rick IP, Mehlis M, Eßer E, Bakker TCM. The influence of ambient ultraviolet light on sperm quality and sexual ornamentation in three-spined sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus). Oecologia 2013; 174:393-402. [DOI: 10.1007/s00442-013-2773-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2013] [Accepted: 09/03/2013] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Mehlis M, Bakker TC. Male reproductive traits of full-sibs of different age classes in three-spined sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus). SPRINGERPLUS 2013; 2:175. [PMID: 23667819 PMCID: PMC3650239 DOI: 10.1186/2193-1801-2-175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2013] [Accepted: 04/04/2013] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The process of ageing is associated with negative effects of mutations acting late in life, which range from those affecting cells to those affecting the whole organism. In many animal taxa, the deterioration of the phenotype with age also affects traits such as males’ primary and secondary sexual characteristics. In three-spined sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus), males usually reproduce at one or two years of age. To see whether sexual selection has the potential to differ between young and old males, full-sib brothers of different age classes were compared, which were bred and raised under standardised laboratory conditions. During two simulated, successive breeding seasons males were allowed to build their nest in single tanks either in the first (“young males”) or in the second (“old males”) breeding season. A comparison of reproductively active brothers of the first and second breeding season showed that older males produce more but smaller sperm, which might be of lower quality. The fact that older males stored more sperm is size dependent as the results show that larger males possess a greater absolute testis mass, which is inextricably linked to sperm number. However, independent of body size, old males had a lower intensity of red/orange and UV breeding coloration as well as a reduced testis melanisation, which might have consequences in female mate choice and sperm competition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marion Mehlis
- Institute for Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, University of Bonn, An der Immenburg 1, D-53121 Bonn, Germany
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Mehlis M, Frommen JG, Rahn AK, Bakker TCM. Inbreeding in three-spined sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatusL.): effects on testis and sperm traits. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2012. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1095-8312.2012.01950.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Marion Mehlis
- Institute for Evolutionary Biology and Ecology; University of Bonn; An der Immenburg 1 D-53121 Bonn Germany
| | - Joachim G. Frommen
- Institute for Evolutionary Biology and Ecology; University of Bonn; An der Immenburg 1 D-53121 Bonn Germany
- Department of Behavioural Ecology; Institute of Ecology and Evolution; University of Bern; Wohlenstrasse 50a CH-3032 Hinterkappelen Switzerland
| | - Anna K. Rahn
- Institute for Evolutionary Biology and Ecology; University of Bonn; An der Immenburg 1 D-53121 Bonn Germany
| | - Theo C. M. Bakker
- Institute for Evolutionary Biology and Ecology; University of Bonn; An der Immenburg 1 D-53121 Bonn Germany
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Metabolism of motile zebrafish sperm. Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol 2011; 158:461-7. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2010.12.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2010] [Revised: 12/01/2010] [Accepted: 12/02/2010] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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Mehlis M, Bakker TCM, Engqvist L, Frommen JG. To eat or not to eat: egg-based assessment of paternity triggers fine-tuned decisions about filial cannibalism. Proc Biol Sci 2010; 277:2627-35. [PMID: 20410042 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2010.0234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Filial cannibalism occurs in many animal species ranging from insects to mammals, and is especially well described in teleost fishes. Numerous causes may lead to this behaviour, e.g. certainty of paternity. However, the cues males use to assess their paternity often remain unknown. One possible way to differentiate between own and foreign offspring is by using egg cues. Nevertheless, in egg-laying species, evidence for this is still scarce. In this study, male three-spined sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus), a fish with paternal care in which sneaking as well as filial cannibalism is common, were allowed to care for manipulated nests that contained different percentages of own fertilized eggs. After 7 days, embryo survival was determined. Furthermore, brood-caring as well as aggressive behaviour was measured daily. Clutches containing a higher proportion of foreign eggs were more likely to be completely cannibalized than clutches containing a lower proportion of foreign eggs, particularly when the clutch was laid early in the breeding season. However, the behavioural observations revealed no influence of paternity. The results show that paternity triggers filial cannibalism in sticklebacks and that males are able to evaluate their paternity using egg cues alone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marion Mehlis
- Institute for Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, University of Bonn, An der Immenburg 1, 53121 Bonn, Germany.
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Pike TW, Blount JD, Lindström J, Metcalfe NB. Dietary carotenoid availability, sexual signalling and functional fertility in sticklebacks. Biol Lett 2009; 6:191-3. [PMID: 19923137 PMCID: PMC2865065 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2009.0815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
In species where males express carotenoid-based sexual signals, more intensely coloured males may be signalling their enhanced ability to combat oxidative stress. This may include mitigating deleterious oxidative damage to their sperm, and so be directly related to their functional fertility. Using a split-clutch in vitro fertilization technique and dietary carotenoid manipulation, we demonstrate that in non-competitive fertilization assays, male three-spined sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus) that are fed higher (but biologically relevant) levels of carotenoids had a significantly increased fertilization success, irrespective of maternal carotenoid intake. Furthermore, within diet groups, a male's fertilization success was positively related to the expression of his carotenoid-based nuptial coloration, with more intensely coloured males having higher functional fertility. These data provide, to our knowledge, the first demonstration that dietary access to carotenoids influences fertilization success, and suggest that females could use a male's nuptial coloration as an indicator of his functional fertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas W Pike
- Division of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Biomedical and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Graham Kerr Building, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK.
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Vlieger L, Candolin U. How not to be seen: does eutrophication influence three-spined stickleback Gasterosteus aculeatus sneaking behaviour? JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY 2009; 75:2163-2174. [PMID: 20738680 DOI: 10.1111/j.1095-8649.2009.02403.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
Experiments done in aquaria under control and either turbid or densely vegetated conditions indicated that three-spined stickleback Gasterosteus aculeatus sneaking behaviour is affected by decreased underwater visibility. Success of sneaking behaviour decreased significantly under increased turbidity but not increased vegetation density. The total number of sneaking attempts, including unsuccessful ones, was not affected by either form of decreasing visibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Vlieger
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, P. O. Box 65, Helsinki, Finland.
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Côté J, Blier PU, Caron A, Dufresne F. Do territorial male three-spined sticklebacks have sperm with different characteristics than nonterritorial males? CAN J ZOOL 2009. [DOI: 10.1139/z09-094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The three-spined stickleback ( Gasterosteus aculeatus aculeatus L., 1758) shows unequal energetic expenditure upon reproduction as some males defend territories and build nest (territorials: TM) where they spawn singly with females, whereas other males remain nonterritorial (NTM), do not build nests, and resort to sneaking fertilizations from nesting males. We examined the effects of reproductive strategy on various sperm parameters. Territorial status was assessed by introducing males in small wading pools and recording the number of males with a nest. Males from all pools were remixed and nesting status was reassessed. This allowed us to discriminate a group of males with repetitive territorial or nonterritorial behaviours (TM and NTM) or a “facultative” territorial behaviour (FM). TM had a significantly larger gonadosomatic index (GSI) than both FM and NTM. FM had a GSI that was significantly larger than NTM, but significantly smaller than TM. Sperm motility did not differ among males with different reproductive tactics. There were no significant differences in citrate synthase (CS) and pyruvate kinase (PK) activities among males with different status. Curiously, we found a significant negative relationship between CS and PK activities and total number of sperm.
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Affiliation(s)
- J. Côté
- Département de Biologie, Université du Québec à Rimouski, 300 allée des Ursulines, Rimouski, QC G5L 3A1, Canada
| | - P. U. Blier
- Département de Biologie, Université du Québec à Rimouski, 300 allée des Ursulines, Rimouski, QC G5L 3A1, Canada
| | - A. Caron
- Département de Biologie, Université du Québec à Rimouski, 300 allée des Ursulines, Rimouski, QC G5L 3A1, Canada
| | - F. Dufresne
- Département de Biologie, Université du Québec à Rimouski, 300 allée des Ursulines, Rimouski, QC G5L 3A1, Canada
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