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Nest defence behavioural reaction norms: testing life-history and parental investment theory predictions.

ABSTRACT: Predation is the primary source of reproductive failure in many avian taxa and nest defence behaviour against predators is hence an important aspect of parental investment. Nest defence is a complex trait that might consistently differ among individuals (personality), while simultaneously vary within individuals (plasticity) according to the reproductive value of the offspring. Both complementary aspects of individual variation can influence fitness, but the causality of links with reproductive success remains poorly understood. We repeatedly tested free-living female great tits (Parus major) for nest defence (hissing) behaviour across the nesting cycle, by presenting them with a model predator. Hissing behaviour was highly repeatable but, despite population-level plasticity, we found no support for individual differences in plasticity. Path analysis revealed that repeatable differences in hissing behaviour had no direct effect on nest success or fledgling number. However, our best supported path-model showed that more fiercely hissing females laid smaller clutches, with clutch size in turn positively influencing fledgling number, suggesting that females are most likely facing a trade-off between investment in nest defence and reproduction. Strong stabilizing selection for optimal plasticity, in combination with life-history trade-offs, might explain the high repeatability of nest defence and its link with reproductive success.

SUBMITTER: Thys B

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6502369 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Nest defence behavioural reaction norms: testing life-history and parental investment theory predictions.

Thys Bert B Lambreghts Yorick Y Pinxten Rianne R Eens Marcel M

Royal Society open science 20190410 4

Predation is the primary source of reproductive failure in many avian taxa and nest defence behaviour against predators is hence an important aspect of parental investment. Nest defence is a complex trait that might consistently differ among individuals (personality), while simultaneously vary within individuals (plasticity) according to the reproductive value of the offspring. Both complementary aspects of individual variation can influence fitness, but the causality of links with reproductive ...[more]

PMID: 31183140

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Project description:Local adaptation and its underlying molecular basis has long been a key focus in evolutionary biology. There has recently been increased interest in the evolutionary role of plasticity and the molecular mechanisms underlying local adaptation. Using transcriptome analysis, we assessed differences in gene expression profiles for three brown trout (Salmo trutta) populations, one resident and two anadromous, experiencing different temperature regimes in the wild. The study was based on an F2 generation raised in a common garden setting. A previous study of the F1 generation revealed different reaction norms and significantly higher QST than FST among populations for two early life-history traits. In the present study we investigated if similar reaction norm patterns were present at the transcriptome level. Eggs from the three populations were incubated at two temperatures (5 and 8 degrees C) representing conditions encountered in the local environments. Global gene expression for fry at the stage of first feeding was analysed using a 32k cDNA microarray. The results revealed differences in gene expression between populations and temperatures and population M-CM-^W temperature interactions, the latter indicating locally adapted reaction norms. Moreover, the reaction norms paralleled those observed previously at early life-history traits. We were able to identify 90 cDNA clones among the genes with an interaction effect that were differently expressed between the ecologically divergent populations. These included genes involved in immune- and stress response. We observed less plasticity in the resident as compared to the anadromous populations, possibly reflecting that the degree of environmental heterogeneity encountered by individuals throughout their life cycle will select for variable level of phenotypic plasticity at the transcriptome level. Our study demonstrates the usefulness of transcriptome approaches to identify genes with different temperature reaction norms. The responses observed suggest that populations may vary in their susceptibility to climate change. Brown trout populations from three rivers in Denmark were studied: the Karup (KAR), Norring Moellebaek (NOR) and Lilleaa Rivers (LIL). These rivers experience different temperature regimes during the period lasting from egg incubation until fry emergence. During the autumn of 2004 and the winter of 2004/2005, adults from the three populations were collected by electro fishing. The fish were stripped for milt and eggs to establish an F1 generation. In autumn/winter 2008/2009, mature F1s were used to establish F2 offspring for each of the three populations. For KAR and LIL, 20 full-sib families were established, whereas for NOR, 15 full-sib families were established. Eggs from each full sib family were divided into two pools that were incubated at 5 and 8M-BM-!C in separate hatching troughs. At the time of first feeding (ca. 750-780 day-degrees), 10 individuals from each family and temperature were collected and transferred to separate tubes containing RNAlater (QIAGEN, Hilden, Germany). A 32K cDNA microarray developed for salmonids by cGRASP was used for the analyses. Ten families were randomly selected from each population. From each family two individuals were analyzed for each temperature (5 and 8oC, respectively), amounting to a total of 120 individuals. Of the two individuals from each temperature treatment within a family, one was labeled with CY5 and the other with CY3. For each family there were two comparisons of individuals representing different temperatures, but with dyes swapped between comparisons.

Dataset Information

Nest defence behavioural reaction norms: testing life-history and parental investment theory predictions.

Publications

Nest defence behavioural reaction norms: testing life-history and parental investment theory predictions.

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