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Hellmann JK, Rogers MM. The transgenerational consequences of paternal social isolation and predation exposure in threespined sticklebacks. J Anim Ecol 2024. [PMID: 39049666 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.14151] [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: 12/30/2023] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024]
Abstract
Parents routinely encounter stress in the ecological environment that can affect offspring development (transgenerational plasticity: TGP); however, parents' interactions with conspecifics may alter how parents respond to ecological stressors. During social buffering, the presence of conspecifics can reduce the response to or increase the speed of recovery from a stressor. This may have cascading effects on offspring if conspecifics can mitigate parental responses to ecological stress in ways that blunt the transmission of stress-induced transgenerational effects. Here, we simultaneously manipulated both paternal social isolation and experience with predation risk prior to fertilisation in threespined stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus). We generated offspring via in-vitro fertilisation to allow us to isolate paternal effects mediated via sperm alone (i.e. in the absence of paternal care). If social buffering mitigates TGP induced by paternal exposure to predation risk, then we expect the transgenerational effects of predation exposure to be weaker when a conspecific is present compared to when the father is isolated. Offspring of predator-exposed fathers showed reduced anxiety-like behaviour and tended to be captured faster by the predator. Fathers who were socially isolated also had offspring that were captured faster by a live predator, suggesting that paternal social isolation may have maladaptive effects on how offspring respond to ecological stressors. Despite additive effects of paternal social isolation and paternal predation risk, we found no evidence of an interaction between these paternal treatments, suggesting that the presence of a conspecific did not buffer fathers and/or offspring from the effects of predation risk. Our results suggest that socially induced stress is an important, yet underappreciated, mediator of TGP and can elicit transgenerational effects even in species that do not form permanent social groups. Future studies should therefore consider how the parental social environment can affect both within and trans-generational responses to ecological stressors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer K Hellmann
- Department of Biology, University of Dayton, Dayton, Ohio, USA
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Michaela M Rogers
- Department of Biology, University of Dayton, Dayton, Ohio, USA
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
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2
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Barrett R, Stein LR. Short-term heat waves have long-term consequences for parents and offspring in stickleback. Behav Ecol 2024; 35:arae036. [PMID: 38779597 PMCID: PMC11110458 DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arae036] [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: 11/22/2023] [Revised: 04/13/2024] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Extreme temperature events, such as heat waves, can have lasting effects on the behavior, physiology, and reproductive success of organisms. Here, we examine the impact of short-term exposure to a simulated heat wave on condition, parental care, and reproductive success in a population of threespine stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus), a small fish with exclusive paternal care, currently experiencing regular heat waves. Males were either exposed to a simulated heat wave (23 °C) for 5 d or held at an ideal temperature (18 °C). Following this 5-d treatment, all males were transferred to 18 °C, where they completed a full parenting cycle. Offspring were raised at 18 °C. We found that while mass and body condition were unaffected in males exposed to a heat wave, cortisol responses were dampened across the nesting cycle compared to control males. In addition, heat wave males had longer latency for eggs to hatch, lower hatching success, and showed lower levels of parental care behavior compared to control males. Offspring of heat wave males had lower body condition, affecting swimming performance. Altogether, our results highlight the long-term impact that even short-term events can have on reproductive success, parental behavior, and subsequent generations, providing insight into population responses to rapid environmental change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Barrett
- School of Biological Sciences, 730 Van Vleet Oval, Rm 314, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, United States
| | - Laura R Stein
- School of Biological Sciences, 730 Van Vleet Oval, Rm 314, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, United States
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3
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Bonzi LC, Donelson JM, Spinks RK, Munday PL, Ravasi T, Schunter C. Matching maternal and paternal experiences underpin molecular thermal acclimation. Mol Ecol 2024:e17328. [PMID: 38520127 DOI: 10.1111/mec.17328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2023] [Revised: 01/25/2024] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 03/25/2024]
Abstract
The environment experienced by one generation has the potential to affect the subsequent one through non-genetic inheritance of parental effects. Since both mothers and fathers can influence their offspring, questions arise regarding how the maternal, paternal and offspring experiences integrate into the resulting phenotype. We aimed to disentangle the maternal and paternal contributions to transgenerational thermal acclimation in a reef fish, Acanthochromis polyacanthus, by exposing two generations to elevated temperature (+1.5°C) in a fully factorial design and analysing the F2 hepatic gene expression. Paternal and maternal effects showed not only common but also parent-specific components, with the father having the largest influence in shaping the offspring's transcriptomic profile. Fathers contributed to transcriptional transgenerational response to warming through transfer of epigenetically controlled stress-response mechanisms while mothers influenced increased gene expression associated with lipid metabolism regulation. However, the key to acclimation potential was matching thermal experiences of the parents. When both parents were exposed to the same condition, offspring showed increased expression of genes related to structural RNA production and transcriptional regulation, whereas environmental mismatch in parents resulted in maladaptive parental condition transfer, revealed by translation suppression and endoplasmic reticulum stress. Interestingly, the offspring's own environmental experience had the smallest influence on their hepatic transcription profiles. Taken together, our results show the complex nature of the interplay among paternal, maternal and offspring cue integration, and reveal that acclimation potential to ocean warming might depend not only on maternal and paternal contributions but importantly on congruent parental thermal experiences.
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Affiliation(s)
- L C Bonzi
- The Swire Institute of Marine Science, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR
| | - J M Donelson
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
- College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
| | - R K Spinks
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
- Blue Carbon Section, Australian Government Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | - P L Munday
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
- College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
| | - T Ravasi
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
- Marine Climate Change Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Okinawa, Japan
| | - C Schunter
- The Swire Institute of Marine Science, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution and Department of Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR
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4
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Hellmann JK, Keagy J, Carlson ER, Kempfer S, Bell AM. Predator-induced transgenerational plasticity of parental care behaviour in male three-spined stickleback fish across two generations. Proc Biol Sci 2024; 291:20232582. [PMID: 38196352 PMCID: PMC10777160 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.2582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Parental care is a critical determinant of offspring fitness, and parents adjust their care in response to ecological challenges, including predation risk. The experiences of both mothers and fathers can influence phenotypes of future generations (transgenerational plasticity). If it is adaptive for parents to alter parental care in response to predation risk, then we expect F1 and F2 offspring who receive transgenerational cues of predation risk to shift their parental care behaviour if these ancestral cues reliably predict a similarly risky environment as their F0 parents. Here, we used three-spined sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus) to understand how paternal exposure to predation risk prior to mating alters reproductive traits and parental care behaviour in unexposed F1 sons and F2 grandsons. Sons of predator-exposed fathers took more attempts to mate than sons of control fathers. F1 sons and F2 grandsons with two (maternal and paternal) predator-exposed grandfathers shifted their paternal care (fanning) behaviour in strikingly similar ways: they fanned less initially, but fanned more near egg hatching. This shift in fanning behaviour matches shifts observed in response to direct exposure to predation risk, suggesting a highly conserved response to pre-fertilization predator exposure that persists from the F0 to the F1 and F2 generations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer K. Hellmann
- Department of Evolution, Ecology and Behavior, School of Integrative Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Jason Keagy
- Department of Evolution, Ecology and Behavior, School of Integrative Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
- Department of Ecosystem Science and Management, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Erika R. Carlson
- Department of Evolution, Ecology and Behavior, School of Integrative Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Shayne Kempfer
- Department of Evolution, Ecology and Behavior, School of Integrative Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Alison M. Bell
- Department of Evolution, Ecology and Behavior, School of Integrative Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
- Program in Ecology, Evolution and Conservation, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
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5
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Liu JF, He XZ, Ye S, Zhou JJ, Han P, Gao YL, Yang MF. Pest management of postharvest potatoes: lethal, sublethal and transgenerational effects of the ectoparasitic mite Pyemotes zhonghuajia on the potato worm Phthorimaea operculella. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2023; 79:5250-5259. [PMID: 37595072 DOI: 10.1002/ps.7730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2023] [Revised: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/18/2023] [Indexed: 08/20/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Potato, Solanum tuberosum, is one of the most important food crops in the world, playing a significant role in global food security. However, many potato industries and farms may suffer losses of tuber yield and quality in storage due to lepidopteran pests. Here, we evaluated the effectiveness of an ectoparasitic idiobiont mite Pyemotes zhonghuajia in the biological control of the potato tuber moth (PTM) Phthorimaea operculella by determining the lethal, sublethal (nonconsumptive) and transgenerational effects of P. zhonghuajia of various population densities and exposure durations on PTM survival, development and reproduction. RESULTS Pyemotes zhonghuajia females were capable of killing all instar stages of PTM, while resistance to mite parasitism increased with the development of PTM life stage. The mortality of mature larvae (i.e., fourth instar) and pupae increased with increasing mite density and exposure duration. P. zhonghuajia imposed significant negative sublethal impacts on PTM pupation rate, female fecundity and adult longevity but not on immature development. The sublethal stress was transgenerational, resulting in lower reproduction in the offspring generation. CONCLUSION P. zhonghuajia induces lethal, sublethal and transgenerational effects and significantly decreases PTM survival and reproductive out, demonstrating its high efficiency in the biological control of PTM. Our study provides insight into the mechanisms underlying the nonconsumptive effects of parasitism in an ectoparasite-host system and delivers critical information for the design and implementation of augmentative releases of P. zhonghuajia in the biological control of PTM in potato storage. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian-Feng Liu
- Institute of Entomology, Guizhou University, Guizhou Provincial Key Laboratory for Agricultural Pest Management of the Mountainous Region; Scientific Observing and Experiment Station of Crop Pest Guiyang, Ministry of Agriculture, Guiyang, China
- State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Guizhou University, Guiyang, China
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xiong Z He
- School of Agriculture and Environment, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
| | - Shuai Ye
- Institute of Entomology, Guizhou University, Guizhou Provincial Key Laboratory for Agricultural Pest Management of the Mountainous Region; Scientific Observing and Experiment Station of Crop Pest Guiyang, Ministry of Agriculture, Guiyang, China
| | - Jing-Jiang Zhou
- State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide and Agricultural Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Guizhou University, Guiyang, China
| | - Peng Han
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Plant Reproductive Adaptation and Evolutionary Ecology, Laboratory of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, School of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming, China
| | - Yu-Lin Gao
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Mao-Fa Yang
- Institute of Entomology, Guizhou University, Guizhou Provincial Key Laboratory for Agricultural Pest Management of the Mountainous Region; Scientific Observing and Experiment Station of Crop Pest Guiyang, Ministry of Agriculture, Guiyang, China
- College of Tobacco Science, Guizhou University, Guiyang, China
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6
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Meuthen D, Salahinejad A, Chivers DP, Ferrari MCO. Transgenerational plasticity of exploratory behavior and a hidden cost of mismatched risk environments between parental sexes. Sci Rep 2023; 13:19737. [PMID: 37957198 PMCID: PMC10643415 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-46269-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023] Open
Abstract
We require a better understanding of the relative contribution of different modes of non-genetic inheritance in behavioral trait development. Thus, we investigate variation in exploratory behavior, which is ecologically relevant and a target of selection. The metabolic hypothesis predicts exploratory behavior to be size-dependent across taxa. This size-dependency is cancelled out under high perceived risk, allowing us to determine the transgenerationally integrated estimated level of risk. Using fathead minnows Pimephales promelas, we manipulated perceived risk in mothers, fathers, caring males and offspring through continuous exposure to either conspecific alarm cues or to a control water treatment. In 1000 four-month old offspring, we determined body sizes and exploratory behavior. Perceived high risk in mothers, followed by personal risk, was most effective in eliminating size-dependent behavior whereas effects of paternal risk on offspring behavioral development were substantially weaker. When maternal risk is high, environmental mismatches between parents prevented offspring from responding appropriately to personal high risk. The environment of the caring male also impacted offspring behavior to a greater extent than that of its genetic parents. Our study highlights the high relative importance of maternal, personal and caring male risk environments and showcases potential costs of an environmental mismatch between parental sexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Denis Meuthen
- Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan, 112 Science Place, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5E2, Canada.
- Evolutionary Biology, Bielefeld University, Konsequenz 45, 33615, Bielefeld, Germany.
| | - Arash Salahinejad
- Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan, 112 Science Place, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5E2, Canada
| | - Douglas P Chivers
- Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan, 112 Science Place, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5E2, Canada
| | - Maud C O Ferrari
- Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences, WCVM, University of Saskatchewan, 52 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5B4, Canada
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7
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Bhattacharya S, MacCallum PE, Dayma M, McGrath-Janes A, King B, Dawson L, Bambico FR, Berry MD, Yuan Q, Martin GM, Preisser EL, Blundell JJ. A short pre-conception bout of predation risk affects both children and grandchildren. Sci Rep 2023; 13:10886. [PMID: 37407623 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-37455-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2023] [Accepted: 06/22/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Traumatic events that affect physiology and behavior in the current generation may also impact future generations. We demonstrate that an ecologically realistic degree of predation risk prior to conception causes lasting changes in the first filial (F1) and second filial (F2) generations. We exposed male and female mice to a live rat (predator stress) or control (non-predator) condition for 5 min. Ten days later, stressed males and females were bred together as were control males and females. Adult F1 offspring from preconception-stressed parents responded to a mild stressor with more anxiety-like behavior and hyperarousal than offspring from control parents. Exposing these F1 offspring to the mild stressor increased neuronal activity (cFOS) in the hippocampus and altered glucocorticoid system function peripherally (plasma corticosterone levels). Even without the mild stressor, F1 offspring from preconception-stressed parents still exhibited more anxiety-like behaviors than controls. Cross-fostering studies confirmed that preconception stress, not maternal social environment, determined offspring behavioral phenotype. The effects of preconception parental stress were also unexpectedly persistent and produced similar behavioral phenotypes in the F2 offspring. Our data illustrate that a surprisingly small amount of preconception predator stress alters the brain, physiology, and behavior of future generations. A better understanding of the 'long shadow' cast by fearful events is critical for understanding the adaptive costs and benefits of transgenerational plasticity. It also suggests the intriguing possibility that similar risk-induced changes are the rule rather than the exception in free-living organisms, and that such multigenerational impacts are as ubiquitous as they are cryptic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sriya Bhattacharya
- Department of Psychology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, A1B 3X9, Canada
- Northwestern Polytechnic, Grande Prairie, AB, T8V 4C4, Canada
| | - Phillip E MacCallum
- Department of Psychology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, A1B 3X9, Canada
| | - Mrunal Dayma
- Department of Biochemistry, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, A1B 3X9, Canada
| | - Andrea McGrath-Janes
- Department of Psychology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, A1B 3X9, Canada
| | - Brianna King
- Department of Psychology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, A1B 3X9, Canada
| | - Laura Dawson
- Department of Psychology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, A1B 3X9, Canada
| | - Francis R Bambico
- Department of Psychology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, A1B 3X9, Canada
| | - Mark D Berry
- Department of Biochemistry, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, A1B 3X9, Canada
| | - Qi Yuan
- Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, A1B 3X9, Canada
| | - Gerard M Martin
- Department of Psychology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, A1B 3X9, Canada
| | - Evan L Preisser
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, 02881, USA
| | - Jacqueline J Blundell
- Department of Psychology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, A1B 3X9, Canada.
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8
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Piekarski PK, Valdés-Rodríguez S, Kronauer DJC. Conditional indirect genetic effects of caregivers on brood in the clonal raider ant. Behav Ecol 2023; 34:642-652. [PMID: 37434637 PMCID: PMC10332452 DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arad033] [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: 11/28/2022] [Revised: 03/22/2023] [Accepted: 04/15/2023] [Indexed: 07/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Caregivers shape the rearing environment of their young. Consequently, offspring traits are influenced by the genes of their caregivers via indirect genetic effects (IGEs). However, the extent to which IGEs are modulated by environmental factors, other than the genotype of social partners (i.e., intergenomic epistasis), remains an open question. Here we investigate how brood are influenced by the genotype of their caregivers in the clonal raider ant, Ooceraea biroi, a species in which the genotype, age and number of both caregivers and brood can be experimentally controlled. First, we used four clonal lines to establish colonies that differed only in the genotype of caregivers and measured effects on foraging activity, as well as IGEs on brood phenotypes. In a second experiment, we tested whether these IGEs are conditional on the age and number of caregivers. We found that caregiver genotype affected the feeding and foraging activity of colonies, and influenced the rate of development, survival, body size, and caste fate of brood. Caregiver genotype interacted with other factors to influence the rate of development and survival of brood, demonstrating that IGEs can be conditional. Thus, we provide an empirical example of phenotypes being influenced by IGE-by-environment interactions beyond intergenomic epistasis, highlighting that IGEs of caregivers/parents are alterable by factors other than their brood's/offspring's genotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick K Piekarski
- Laboratory of Social Evolution and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Stephany Valdés-Rodríguez
- Laboratory of Social Evolution and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Daniel J C Kronauer
- Laboratory of Social Evolution and Behavior, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, New York, NY 10065, USA
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9
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Sabarís G, Fitz‐James MH, Cavalli G. Epigenetic inheritance in adaptive evolution. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2023. [DOI: 10.1111/nyas.14992] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/03/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Gonzalo Sabarís
- Institute of Human Genetics, CNRS Montpellier France
- University of Montpellier Montpellier France
| | - Maximilian H. Fitz‐James
- Institute of Human Genetics, CNRS Montpellier France
- University of Montpellier Montpellier France
| | - Giacomo Cavalli
- Institute of Human Genetics, CNRS Montpellier France
- University of Montpellier Montpellier France
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10
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Moseby K, Van der Weyde L, Letnic M, Blumstein DT, West R, Bannister H. Addressing prey naivety in native mammals by accelerating selection for antipredator traits. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2023; 33:e2780. [PMID: 36394506 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2780] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2022] [Revised: 08/13/2022] [Accepted: 09/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Harnessing natural selection to improve conservation outcomes is a recent concept in ecology and evolutionary biology and a potentially powerful tool in species conservation. One possible application is the use of natural selection to improve antipredator responses of mammal species that are threatened by predation from novel predators. We investigated whether long-term exposure of an evolutionary naïve prey species to a novel predator would lead to phenotypic changes in a suite of physical and behavioral traits. We exposed a founder population of 353 burrowing bettongs (Bettongia lesueur) to feral cats (Felis catus) over 5 years and compared the physical and behavioral traits of this population (including offspring) to a control (non-predator exposed) population. We used selection analysis to investigate whether changes in the traits of bettongs were likely due to phenotypic plasticity or natural selection. We also quantified selection in both populations before and during major population crashes caused by drought (control) and high predation pressure (predator-exposed). Results showed that predator-exposed bettongs had longer flight initiation distances, larger hind feet, and larger heads than control bettongs. Trait divergence began soon after exposure and continued to intensify over time for flight initiation distance and hind foot length relative to control bettongs. Selection analysis found indicators of selection for larger hind feet and longer head length in predator-exposed populations. Results of a common garden experiment showed that the progeny of predator-exposed bettongs had larger feet than control bettongs. Results suggest that long-term, low-level exposure of naïve prey to novel predators can drive phenotypic changes that may assist with future conservation efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine Moseby
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Arid Recovery, Roxby Downs, South Australia, Australia
| | - Leanne Van der Weyde
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Mike Letnic
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Daniel T Blumstein
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, The University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Rebecca West
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Hannah Bannister
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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11
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Batabyal A, Lukowiak K. Tracking the path of predator recognition in a predator-naive population of the pond snail. Behav Ecol 2022. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arac107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Organisms evolve adaptive strategies to adjust to rapidly changing environmental stressors. Predation pressure is one of the strongest selective forces and organisms respond to predatory threats via innate and learned responses. We utilized a natural, experimental set-up, where two lakes Stoney and Margo in Canada containing natural populations of the prey Lymnaea stagnalis differed in the presence and absence of an invasive, predatory Northern crayfish, Faxonius virilis. We exploited the contrast in the predation backgrounds of the snail populations from the two lakes to test, 1) predator recognition in predator-experienced snails is innate, (2) predator-naive snails learn to detect a novel invasive predator, and 3) learning about a novel predator gets transmitted to the successive generations. We quantified predator fear memory formation using a higher-order learning paradigm called configural learning. We found that 1) predator recognition in predator-experienced snails is innate, 2) predator-naive snails learned to recognize the novel predator even after a brief exposure to predator cues highlighting the role of learning in combating invasive predators and the critical time-window during development that accounts for predator recognition, and 3) the learning and predator detection mechanism in predator-naive snails are not transmitted to successive generations. The population variation observed in the predator-detection mechanism may be due to the past and current experience of predators in one population over the other. We find an interesting study system to address how fear learning occurs and prospective future directions to understand the mechanism of innate fear recognition from a learned fear recognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anuradha Batabyal
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary , 3330, Hospital Drive, NW, Calgary, Alberta T2N 4N1 , Canada
- Department of Physical and Natural Sciences, FLAME University , Lavale, Off. Pune Bangalore Highway, Pune, Maharashtra 412115 , India
| | - Ken Lukowiak
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary , 3330, Hospital Drive, NW, Calgary, Alberta T2N 4N1 , Canada
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12
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Ristyadi D, He XZ, Wang Q. Predator- and killed prey-induced fears bear significant cost to an invasive spider mite: Implications in pest management. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2022; 78:5456-5462. [PMID: 36057852 PMCID: PMC9826069 DOI: 10.1002/ps.7168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2022] [Revised: 08/17/2022] [Accepted: 09/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The success of biological control using predators is normally assumed to be achieved through direct predation. Yet it is largely unknown how the predator- and killed prey-induced stress to prey may contribute to biological control effectiveness. Here, we investigate variations in life-history traits and offspring fitness of the spider mite Tetranychus ludeni in response to cues from the predatory mite Phytoseiulus persimilis and killed T. ludeni, providing knowledge for evaluation of the nonconsumptive contribution to the biological control of T. ludeni and for future development of novel spider mite control measures using these cues. RESULTS Cues from predators and killed prey shortened longevity by 23-25% and oviposition period by 35-40%, and reduced fecundity by 31-37% in T. ludeni females. These cues significantly reduced the intrinsic rate of increase (rm ) and net population growth rate (R0 ), and extended time to double the population size (Dt ). Predator cues significantly delayed lifetime production of daughters. Mothers exposed to predator cues laid significantly smaller eggs and their offspring developed significantly more slowly but these eggs had significantly higher hatch rate. CONCLUSION Predator- and killed prey-induced fears significantly lower the fitness of T. ludeni, suggesting that these nonconsumptive effects can contribute to the effectiveness of biological control to a great extent. Our study provides critical information for evaluation of biological control effectiveness using predators and paves the way for identification of chemical odors from the predator and killed prey, and development of new materials and methods for the control of spider mite pests. © 2022 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dwi Ristyadi
- School of Agriculture and EnvironmentMassey UniversityPalmerston NorthNew Zealand
- Agriculture FacultyJambi UniversityJambiIndonesia
| | - Xiong Z He
- School of Agriculture and EnvironmentMassey UniversityPalmerston NorthNew Zealand
| | - Qiao Wang
- School of Agriculture and EnvironmentMassey UniversityPalmerston NorthNew Zealand
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13
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Predator-induced transgenerational plasticity in animals: a meta-analysis. Oecologia 2022; 200:371-383. [DOI: 10.1007/s00442-022-05274-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2022] [Accepted: 10/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
AbstractThere is growing evidence that the environment experienced by one generation can influence phenotypes in the next generation via transgenerational plasticity (TGP). One of the best-studied examples of TGP in animals is predator-induced transgenerational plasticity, whereby exposing parents to predation risk triggers changes in offspring phenotypes. Yet, there is a lack of general consensus synthesizing the predator–prey literature with existing theory pertaining to ecology and evolution of TGP. Here, we apply a meta-analysis to the sizable literature on predator-induced TGP (441 effect sizes from 29 species and 49 studies) to explore five hypotheses about the magnitude, form and direction of predator-induced TGP. Hypothesis #1: the strength of predator-induced TGP should vary with the number of predator cues. Hypothesis #2: the strength of predator-induced TGP should vary with reproductive mode. Hypothesis #3: the strength and direction of predator-induced TGP should vary among offspring phenotypic traits because some traits are more plastic than others. Hypothesis #4: the strength of predator-induced TGP should wane over ontogeny. Hypothesis #5: predator-induced TGP should generate adaptive phenotypes that should be more evident when offspring are themselves exposed to risk. We found strong evidence for predator-induced TGP overall, but no evidence that parental predator exposure causes offspring traits to change in a particular direction. Additionally, we found little evidence in support of any of the specific hypotheses. We infer that the failure to find consistent evidence reflects the heterogeneous nature of the phenomena, and the highly diverse experimental designs used to study it. Together, these findings set an agenda for future work in this area.
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14
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Sha Y, Hansson L. Ancestral environment determines the current reaction to ultraviolet radiation in Daphnia magna. Evolution 2022; 76:1821-1835. [PMID: 35788927 PMCID: PMC9542806 DOI: 10.1111/evo.14555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2022] [Revised: 06/08/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
An individual's phenotype can be altered by direct contact with its present environment but also by environmental features experienced by previous generations, that is, parental or grandparental effects. However, the strength and direction of these transgenerational effects may be highly variable according to the ecological conditions experienced by ancestral generations. Here, we performed a reciprocal split-brood experiment to compare transgenerational responses to the threat of ultraviolet radiation (UVR) in the zooplankter Daphnia magna, which had, or had not, been exposed to UVR for more than 150 generations. We found that the environment at which parents and grandparents were reared significantly influenced both behavior and life-history traits of their descendants. However, such transgenerational responses differed between D. magna individuals with contrasting ancestral stress history, that is, when exposed to UVR previously unexposed individuals rapidly changed their behavior and life-history traits, whereas individuals previously exposed to UVR showed less pronounced response when the UVR threat level relaxed. Hence, we here demonstrate an asymmetric transgenerational plasticity in response to UVR threat. The findings advance our understanding on the evolutionary ecology of such transgenerational effects and their potential role in response to changes in the local environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongcui Sha
- Department of Biology, Aquatic EcologyLund UniversityLundSE‐22362Sweden,School of Marine Science and EngineeringQingdao Agricultural UniversityQingdao266109China
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15
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Walzer A, Nachman G, Spangl B, Stijak M, Tscholl T. Trans- and Within-Generational Developmental Plasticity May Benefit the Prey but Not Its Predator during Heat Waves. BIOLOGY 2022; 11:1123. [PMID: 36009751 PMCID: PMC9404866 DOI: 10.3390/biology11081123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2022] [Revised: 07/15/2022] [Accepted: 07/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Theoretically, parents can adjust vital offspring traits to the irregular and rapid occurrence of heat waves via developmental plasticity. However, the direction and strength of such trait modifications are often species-specific. Here, we investigated within-generational plasticity (WGP) and trans-generational plasticity (TGP) effects induced by heat waves during the offspring development of the predator Phytoseiulus persimilis and its herbivorous prey, the spider mite Tetranychus urticae, to assess plastic developmental modifications. Single offspring individuals with different parental thermal origin (reared under mild or extreme heat waves) of both species were exposed to mild or extreme heat waves until adulthood, and food consumption, age and size at maturity were recorded. The offspring traits were influenced by within-generational plasticity (WGP), trans-generational plasticity (TGP), non-plastic trans-generational effects (TGE) and/or their interactions. When exposed to extreme heat waves, both species speeded up development (exclusively WGP), consumed more (due to the fact of WGP but also to TGP in prey females and to non-plastic TGE in predator males), and predator females got smaller (non-plastic TGE and WGP), whereas prey males and females were equally sized irrespective of their origin, because TGE, WGP and TGP acted in opposite directions. The body sizes of predator males were insensitive to parental and offspring heat wave conditions. Species comparisons indicated stronger reductions in the developmental time and reduced female predator-prey body size ratios in favor of the prey under extreme heat waves. Further investigations are needed to evaluate, whether trait modifications result in lowered suppression success of the predator on its prey under heat waves or not.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Walzer
- University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Department of Crop Sciences, Institute of Plant Protection, Gregor-Mendel-Straße 33, 1180 Vienna, Austria; (A.W.); (M.S.)
| | - Gösta Nachman
- Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, DK-2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark;
| | - Bernhard Spangl
- University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Department of Landscape, Spatial and Infrastructure Sciences, Institute of Statistics, Peter-Jordan-Straße 82/I, 1190 Vienna, Austria;
| | - Miroslava Stijak
- University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Department of Crop Sciences, Institute of Plant Protection, Gregor-Mendel-Straße 33, 1180 Vienna, Austria; (A.W.); (M.S.)
| | - Thomas Tscholl
- University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Department of Crop Sciences, Institute of Plant Protection, Gregor-Mendel-Straße 33, 1180 Vienna, Austria; (A.W.); (M.S.)
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16
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Berkel C, Cacan E. Intersexual differences in the number of genes differentially expressed in wild mammals in response to predation risk. Physiol Behav 2022; 255:113920. [PMID: 35868539 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2022.113920] [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: 02/23/2022] [Revised: 06/30/2022] [Accepted: 07/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/09/2022]
Abstract
Predation is a psychological stressor in prey animals. Besides direct killing and consumption by predators, the perception of predation risk indirectly influence prey population behavior, dynamics and physiology. Few studies identified the transcriptomic response associated with predator presence/abundance in natural populations and uncontrolled settings. However, to our knowledge, intersexual differences in the number of genes whose expression change in response to high predation risk have not been previously reported in wild mammals. Here, by using publicly available gene expression data in wild yellow-bellied marmots (Marmota flaviventer), we found that the number of differentially expressed genes in response to predator stress is higher in female marmots (n = 516) than males (n = 387). Only a small percentage of these differentially expressed genes (n = 36) are shared between the sexes, and that the most of the differentially expressed genes are expressed in a sex-specific manner in response to predation stress. Overall, our results provide new insight into sex-specific variation in gene expression changes in wild mammals under high predation risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caglar Berkel
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Tokat Gaziosmanpasa University, Tokat, 60250, Turkey.
| | - Ercan Cacan
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Tokat Gaziosmanpasa University, Tokat, 60250, Turkey.
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17
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Gibert JP, Han Z, Wieczynski DJ, Votzke S, Yammine A. Feedbacks between size and density determine rapid eco‐phenotypic dynamics. Funct Ecol 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.14070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Ze‐Yi Han
- Department of Biology Duke University Durham NC USA
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18
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Fear of predators in free-living wildlife reduces population growth over generations. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:2112404119. [PMID: 35131939 PMCID: PMC8851447 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2112404119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Accurately evaluating the total impact of predators on prey population growth rates is fundamental to forecasting the consequences of predator conservation and management. That the fear (antipredator responses) predators inspire could contribute to this total impact has only relatively recently been recognized. We experimentally demonstrate that fear itself can impact prey population growth rates in free-living wildlife, extending to transgenerational impacts reducing population growth beyond the parental generation. We report how fear may contribute considerably to the total impact of predators and why this may be the norm in birds and mammals. The critical significance of our work lies in experimentally establishing that inferring the effects of predators using data on direct killing alone risks dramatically underestimating their total impact. Correctly assessing the total impact of predators on prey population growth rates (lambda, λ) is critical to comprehending the importance of predators in species conservation and wildlife management. Experiments over the past decade have demonstrated that the fear (antipredator responses) predators inspire can affect prey fecundity and early offspring survival in free-living wildlife, but recent reviews have highlighted the absence of evidence experimentally linking such effects to significant impacts on prey population growth. We experimentally manipulated fear in free-living wild songbird populations over three annual breeding seasons by intermittently broadcasting playbacks of either predator or nonpredator vocalizations and comprehensively quantified the effects on all the components of population growth, together with evidence of a transgenerational impact on offspring survival as adults. Fear itself significantly reduced the population growth rate (predator playback mean λ = 0.91, 95% CI = 0.80 to 1.04; nonpredator mean λ = 1.06, 95% CI = 0.96 to 1.16) by causing cumulative, compounding adverse effects on fecundity and every component of offspring survival, resulting in predator playback parents producing 53% fewer recruits to the adult breeding population. Fear itself was consequently projected to halve the population size in just 5 years, or just 4 years when the evidence of a transgenerational impact was additionally considered (λ = 0.85). Our results not only demonstrate that fear itself can significantly impact prey population growth rates in free-living wildlife, comparing them with those from hundreds of predator manipulation experiments indicates that fear may constitute a very considerable part of the total impact of predators.
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19
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Hellmann JK, Carlson ER, Bell AM. The interplay between sperm-mediated and care-mediated paternal effects in threespine sticklebacks. Anim Behav 2021; 179:267-277. [PMID: 34658382 PMCID: PMC8513676 DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2021.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
The environment experienced by one generation can influence the phenotypes of future generations. Because parental cues can be conveyed to offspring at multiple points in time, ranging from fertilization to posthatching/parturition, offspring can potentially receive multiple cues from their parents via different mechanisms. We have relatively little information regarding how different mechanisms operate in isolation and in tandem, but it is possible, for example, that offspring phenotypes induced by nongenetic changes to gametes may be amplified by, mitigated by, or depend upon parental care. Here, we manipulated paternal experience with predation risk prior to fertilization in threespine stickleback, Gasterosteus aculeatus, and then examined the potential of paternal care to mitigate and/or amplify sperm-mediated paternal effects. Specifically, we compared (1) offspring of predator-exposed fathers who were reared without paternal care, (2) offspring of predator-exposed fathers who were reared with paternal care, (3) offspring of control (unexposed) fathers who were reared without paternal care and (4) offspring of control fathers who were reared with paternal care. We found that offspring of predator-exposed fathers were less active and had higher cortisol following a simulated predator attack. Although predator-exposed males shifted their paternal care behaviours - reduced fanning early in egg development and increased fanning right before egg hatching compared to control males - this shift in paternal behavior did not appear to affect offspring traits. This suggests that paternal care neither amplifies nor compensates for these phenotypic effects induced by sperm and that nongenetic changes induced by sperm may occur independently of nongenetic changes induced by paternal care. Overall, these results underscore the importance of considering how parents may have multiple nongenetic mechanisms by which they can influence offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer K. Hellmann
- Department of Evolution, Ecology and Behavior, School of Integrative Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, U.S.A
| | - Erika R. Carlson
- Department of Evolution, Ecology and Behavior, School of Integrative Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, U.S.A
| | - Alison M. Bell
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, U.S.A
- Program in Ecology, Evolution and Conservation, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, U.S.A
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20
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Stamps JA, Bell AM. Combining information from parental and personal experiences: Simple processes generate diverse outcomes. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0250540. [PMID: 34255774 PMCID: PMC8277055 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0250540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2021] [Accepted: 06/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Experiences of parents and/or offspring are often assumed to affect the development of trait values in offspring because they provide information about the external environment. However, it is currently unclear how information from parental and offspring experiences might jointly affect the information-states that provide the foundation for the offspring phenotypes observed in empirical studies of developmental plasticity in response to environmental cues. We analyze Bayesian models designed to mimic fully-factorial experimental studies of trans and within- generational plasticity (TWP), in which parents, offspring, both or neither are exposed to cues from predators, to determine how different durations of cue exposure for parents and offspring, the devaluation of information from parents or the degradation of information from parents would affect offspring estimates of environmental states related to risk of predation at the end of such experiments. We show that the effects of different cue durations, the devaluation of information from parents, and the degradation of information from parents on offspring estimates are all expected to vary as a function of interactions with two other key components of information-based models of TWP: parental priors and the relative cue reliability in the different treatments. Our results suggest empiricists should expect to observe considerable variation in the patterns observed in experimental studies of TWP based on simple principles of information-updating, without needing to invoke additional assumptions about costs, tradeoffs, development constraints, the fitness consequences of different trait values, or other factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judy A. Stamps
- Department of Evolution and Ecology, University of California, Davis, Davis, California, United States of America
| | - Alison M. Bell
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Behavior, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, United States of America
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21
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Walsh MR, Gillis MK. Transgenerational plasticity in the eye size of Daphnia. Biol Lett 2021; 17:20210143. [PMID: 34129799 PMCID: PMC8205523 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2021.0143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2021] [Accepted: 05/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
It is well established that environmental signals can induce phenotypic responses that persist for multiple generations. The induction of such 'transgenerational plasticity' (TGP) depends upon the ability of organisms to accurately receive and process information from environmental signals. Thus, sensory systems are likely intertwined with TGP. Here we tested the link between an environmental stressor and transgenerational responses in a component of the sensory system (eye size) that is linked to enhanced vision and ecologically relevant behaviours. We reared 45 clones of Daphnia pulicaria in the presence and absence of a low-quality resource (cyanobacteria) and evaluated shifts in relative eye size in offspring. Our results revealed divergent shifts in relative eye size within- and across-generations. Parental Daphnia that were fed cyanobacteria produced a smaller eye than Daphnia fed high-quality algae. Such differences were then reversed in the offspring generation; Daphnia whose mothers were fed cyanobacteria produced larger eyes than Daphnia that were continually fed green algae. We discuss the extent to which this maternal effect on eye size is an adaptive response linked to improved foraging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew R. Walsh
- Department of Biology, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX 76019, USA
| | - Michael K. Gillis
- Department of Biology, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX 76019, USA
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22
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Sarma RR, Crossland MR, Eyck HJF, DeVore JL, Edwards RJ, Cocomazzo M, Zhou J, Brown GP, Shine R, Rollins LA. Intergenerational effects of manipulating DNA methylation in the early life of an iconic invader. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2021; 376:20200125. [PMID: 33866803 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2020.0125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
In response to novel environments, invasive populations often evolve rapidly. Standing genetic variation is an important predictor of evolutionary response but epigenetic variation may also play a role. Here, we use an iconic invader, the cane toad (Rhinella marina), to investigate how manipulating epigenetic status affects phenotypic traits. We collected wild toads from across Australia, bred them, and experimentally manipulated DNA methylation of the subsequent two generations (G1, G2) through exposure to the DNA methylation inhibitor zebularine and/or conspecific tadpole alarm cues. Direct exposure to alarm cues (an indicator of predation risk) increased the potency of G2 tadpole chemical cues, but this was accompanied by reductions in survival. Exposure to alarm cues during G1 also increased the potency of G2 tadpole cues, indicating intergenerational plasticity in this inducible defence. In addition, the negative effects of alarm cues on tadpole viability (i.e. the costs of producing the inducible defence) were minimized in the second generation. Exposure to zebularine during G1 induced similar intergenerational effects, suggesting a role for alteration in DNA methylation. Accordingly, we identified intergenerational shifts in DNA methylation at some loci in response to alarm cue exposure. Substantial demethylation occurred within the sodium channel epithelial 1 subunit gamma gene (SCNN1G) in alarm cue exposed individuals and their offspring. This gene is a key to the regulation of sodium in epithelial cells and may help to maintain the protective epidermal barrier. These data suggest that early life experiences of tadpoles induce intergenerational effects through epigenetic mechanisms, which enhance larval fitness. This article is part of the theme issue 'How does epigenetics influence the course of evolution?'
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Affiliation(s)
- Roshmi R Sarma
- Evolution & Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney 2052, Australia
| | - Michael R Crossland
- Evolution & Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney 2052, Australia
| | - Harrison J F Eyck
- Evolution & Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney 2052, Australia
| | - Jayna L DeVore
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney 2006, Australia
| | - Richard J Edwards
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney 2052, Australia
| | - Michael Cocomazzo
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong 3216, Australia
| | - Jia Zhou
- Evolution & Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney 2052, Australia.,School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, University of Adelaide, Waite Campus, PMB 1 Glen Osmond, 5064, Australia
| | - Gregory P Brown
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney 2109, Australia
| | - Richard Shine
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney 2109, Australia
| | - Lee A Rollins
- Evolution & Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney 2052, Australia.,Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong 3216, Australia
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