scholarly journals Density-dependent natural selection mediates harvest-induced trait changes

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alix Bouffet-Halle ◽  
Jacques Mériguet ◽  
David Carmignac ◽  
Simon Agostini ◽  
Alexis Millot ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Life History ◽  
Body Size ◽  
Natural Selection ◽  
Large Body ◽  
Population Densities ◽  
Large Body Size ◽  
Density Dependent ◽  
Show Evidence ◽  
Selection For ◽  
Density Dependent Selection

ABSTRACTRapid life-history changes caused by size-selective harvesting are often interpreted as a response to direct harvest selection against a large body size. However, similar trait changes may result from a harvest-induced relaxation of natural selection for a large body size via density-dependent selection. Here, we show evidence of such density-dependent selection favouring large-bodied individuals at high population densities, in replicated pond populations of medaka fish. Harvesting, in contrast, selected medaka directly against large-bodied medaka and, in parallel, decreased medaka population densities. Five years of harvesting were enough for harvested and unharvested medaka populations to inherit the classically-predicted trait differences, whereby harvested medaka grew slower and matured earlier than unharvested medaka. We demonstrate that this life-history divergence was not driven by direct harvest selection for a smaller body size in harvested populations, but by density-dependent natural selection for a larger body size in unharvested populations.

scholarly journals Atmospheric Hypoxia Limits Selection for Large Body Size in Insects

PLoS ONE ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. e3876 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Jaco Klok ◽  
Jon F. Harrison
Keyword(s):  
Body Size ◽  
Large Body ◽  
Large Body Size ◽  
Selection For

Rapid growth and large body size in annual fish populations are compromised by density‐dependent regulation

2019 ◽  
Vol 95 (2) ◽  
pp. 673-678 ◽  
Author(s):  
Milan Vrtílek ◽  
Jakub Žák ◽  
Matej Polačik ◽  
Radim Blažek ◽  
Martin Reichard
Keyword(s):  
Body Size ◽  
Rapid Growth ◽  
Large Body ◽  
Fish Populations ◽  
Large Body Size ◽  
Annual Fish ◽  
Density Dependent ◽  
Density Dependent Regulation

scholarly journals SELECTION FOR SMALL AND LARGE BODY SIZE IN THE HOUSE MOUSE

Genetics ◽  
1949 ◽  
Vol 34 (2) ◽  
pp. 194-209
Author(s):  
John W MacArthur
Keyword(s):  
Body Size ◽  
House Mouse ◽  
Large Body ◽  
Large Body Size ◽  
Selection For

scholarly journals Effect of Phenotype Selection on Genome Size Variation in Two Species of Diptera

Genes ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 218
Author(s):  
Carl E. Hjelmen ◽  
Jonathan J. Parrott ◽  
Satyam P. Srivastav ◽  
Alexander S. McGuane ◽  
Lisa L. Ellis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Body Size ◽  
Cell Count ◽  
Genome Size ◽  
Large Body ◽  
Population Variation ◽  
Phenotypic Traits ◽  
Stabilizing Selection ◽  
Large Body Size ◽  
Slow Development ◽  
Selection For

Genome size varies widely across organisms yet has not been found to be related to organismal complexity in eukaryotes. While there is no evidence for a relationship with complexity, there is evidence to suggest that other phenotypic characteristics, such as nucleus size and cell-cycle time, are associated with genome size, body size, and development rate. However, what is unknown is how the selection for divergent phenotypic traits may indirectly affect genome size. Drosophila melanogaster were selected for small and large body size for up to 220 generations, while Cochliomyia macellaria were selected for 32 generations for fast and slow development. Size in D. melanogaster significantly changed in terms of both cell-count and genome size in isolines, but only the cell-count changed in lines which were maintained at larger effective population sizes. Larger genome sizes only occurred in a subset of D. melanogaster isolines originated from flies selected for their large body size. Selection for development time did not change average genome size yet decreased the within-population variation in genome size with increasing generations of selection. This decrease in variation and convergence on a similar mean genome size was not in correspondence with phenotypic variation and suggests stabilizing selection on genome size in laboratory conditions.

scholarly journals Unidirectional response to bidirectional selection on body size. I. Phenotypic, life history and endocrine response

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clémentine Renneville ◽  
Alexis Millot ◽  
Simon Agostini ◽  
David Carmignac ◽  
Gersende Maugars ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Life History ◽  
Body Size ◽  
Small Body ◽  
Large Body ◽  
Detailed Knowledge ◽  
Control Line ◽  
Large Body Size ◽  
Size Dependent ◽  
Body Sizes ◽  
Anthropogenic Perturbations

ABSTRACTAnthropogenic perturbations such as harvesting often select against a large body size and are predicted to induce rapid evolution towards smaller body sizes and earlier maturation. However, body-size evolvability and, hence, adaptability to anthropogenic perturbations remain seldom evaluated in wild populations. Here, we use a laboratory experiment over 6 generations to measure the ability of wild-caught medaka fish (Oryzias latipes) to evolve in response to bidirectional size-dependent selection mimicking opposite harvest regimes. Specifically, we imposed selection against a small body size (Large line), against a large body size (Small line) or random selection (Control line), and measured correlated responses across multiple phenotypic, life-history and endocrine traits. As expected, the Large line evolved faster somatic growth and delayed maturation, but also evolved smaller body sizes at hatch, with no change in average levels of pituitary gene expressions of luteinizing, folliclestimulating or growth (GH) hormones. In contrast, the Small medaka line was unable to evolve smaller body sizes or earlier maturation, but evolved smaller body sizes at hatch and showed marginally-significant signs of increased reproductive investment, including larger egg sizes and elevated pituitary GH production. Natural selection on medaka body size was too weak to significantly hinder the effect of artificial selection, indicating that the asymmetric body-size response to size-dependent selection reflected an asymmetry in body-size evolvability. Our results show that trait evolvability may be contingent upon the direction of selection, and that a detailed knowledge of trait evolutionary potential is needed to forecast population response to anthropogenic change.

scholarly journals Body size affects the evolution of eyespots in caterpillars

2015 ◽  
Vol 112 (21) ◽  
pp. 6664-6669 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas John Hossie ◽  
John Skelhorn ◽  
Jesse W. Breinholt ◽  
Akito Y. Kawahara ◽  
Thomas N. Sherratt
Keyword(s):  
Body Size ◽  
Large Body ◽  
Large Prey ◽  
Laboratory Setting ◽  
Large Body Size ◽  
Small Prey ◽  
Avian Predators ◽  
Predator Attack ◽  
Large Size ◽  
Selection For

Many caterpillars have conspicuous eye-like markings, called eyespots. Despite recent work demonstrating the efficacy of eyespots in deterring predator attack, a fundamental question remains: Given their protective benefits, why have eyespots not evolved in more caterpillars? Using a phylogenetically controlled analysis of hawkmoth caterpillars, we show that eyespots are associated with large body size. This relationship could arise because (i) large prey are innately conspicuous; (ii) large prey are more profitable, and thus face stronger selection to evolve such defenses; and/or (iii) eyespots are more effective on large-bodied prey. To evaluate these hypotheses, we exposed small and large caterpillar models with and without eyespots in a 2 × 2 factorial design to avian predators in the field. Overall, eyespots increased prey mortality, but the effect was particularly marked in small prey, and eyespots decreased mortality of large prey in some microhabitats. We then exposed artificial prey to naïve domestic chicks in a laboratory setting following a 2 × 3 design (small or large size × no, small, or large eyespots). Predators attacked small prey with eyespots more quickly, but were more wary of large caterpillars with large eyespots than those without eyespots or with small eyespots. Taken together, these data suggest that eyespots are effective deterrents only when both prey and eyespots are large, and that innate aversion toward eyespots is conditional. We conclude that the distribution of eyespots in nature likely results from selection against eyespots in small caterpillars and selection for eyespots in large caterpillars (at least in some microhabitats).

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