Low heritability but significant early environmental effects on resting metabolic rate in a wild passerine
(2021) In American Naturalist 198(4). p.551-560- Abstract
Predicting the impact of climate change on biodiversity requires understanding the adaptation potential of wild organisms. Evolutionary responses depend on the additive genetic variation associated with the phenotypic traits targeted by selection. We combine 5 years of cross-fostering experiments, measurements of resting metabolic rate (RMR) on nearly 200 wild collared flycatcher (Ficedula albicollis) nestlings, and animal models using a 17-year pedigree to evaluate the potential for an evolutionary response to changing environmental conditions. Contrary to other avian studies, we find no significant heritability of whole-organism, mass-independent, or mass-specific RMR, but we report a strong effect of nest environment instead. We... (More)
Predicting the impact of climate change on biodiversity requires understanding the adaptation potential of wild organisms. Evolutionary responses depend on the additive genetic variation associated with the phenotypic traits targeted by selection. We combine 5 years of cross-fostering experiments, measurements of resting metabolic rate (RMR) on nearly 200 wild collared flycatcher (Ficedula albicollis) nestlings, and animal models using a 17-year pedigree to evaluate the potential for an evolutionary response to changing environmental conditions. Contrary to other avian studies, we find no significant heritability of whole-organism, mass-independent, or mass-specific RMR, but we report a strong effect of nest environment instead. We therefore conclude that variation in nestling RMR is explained by variation in the early-life environment provided by the parents. We discuss possible underlying specific parental effects and the importance of taking different mechanisms into account to understand how animals phenotypically adapt (or fail to adapt) to climate change.
(Less)
- author
- McFarlane, S. Eryn ; Ålund, Murielle ; Sirkiä, Päivi M. and Qvarnström, Anna
- publishing date
- 2021
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- Environmental effects, Ficedula albicollis, Heritability, Maternal effects, Metabolic rate
- in
- American Naturalist
- volume
- 198
- issue
- 4
- pages
- 551 - 560
- publisher
- University of Chicago Press
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:85113566579
- pmid:34559605
- ISSN
- 0003-0147
- DOI
- 10.1086/715842
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- no
- id
- 05a56ce9-4292-49ad-9a19-7d2f3d93d3f2
- date added to LUP
- 2021-09-09 09:26:58
- date last changed
- 2024-06-15 16:03:40
@article{05a56ce9-4292-49ad-9a19-7d2f3d93d3f2,
abstract = {{<p>Predicting the impact of climate change on biodiversity requires understanding the adaptation potential of wild organisms. Evolutionary responses depend on the additive genetic variation associated with the phenotypic traits targeted by selection. We combine 5 years of cross-fostering experiments, measurements of resting metabolic rate (RMR) on nearly 200 wild collared flycatcher (Ficedula albicollis) nestlings, and animal models using a 17-year pedigree to evaluate the potential for an evolutionary response to changing environmental conditions. Contrary to other avian studies, we find no significant heritability of whole-organism, mass-independent, or mass-specific RMR, but we report a strong effect of nest environment instead. We therefore conclude that variation in nestling RMR is explained by variation in the early-life environment provided by the parents. We discuss possible underlying specific parental effects and the importance of taking different mechanisms into account to understand how animals phenotypically adapt (or fail to adapt) to climate change.</p>}},
author = {{McFarlane, S. Eryn and Ålund, Murielle and Sirkiä, Päivi M. and Qvarnström, Anna}},
issn = {{0003-0147}},
keywords = {{Environmental effects; Ficedula albicollis; Heritability; Maternal effects; Metabolic rate}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{4}},
pages = {{551--560}},
publisher = {{University of Chicago Press}},
series = {{American Naturalist}},
title = {{Low heritability but significant early environmental effects on resting metabolic rate in a wild passerine}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1086/715842}},
doi = {{10.1086/715842}},
volume = {{198}},
year = {{2021}},
}