The adaptive value of phenotypic plasticity between two ecotypes of a marine gastropod
(2010) In BMC Evolutionary Biology 10(333).- Abstract
- Background
Few surveys have concentrated on studying the adaptive value of phenotypic plasticity within genetically-distinct conspecific ecotypes. Here, we conduct a test to assess the adaptive value that partial phenotypic plasticity may have for survival in the marine gastropod Littorina saxatilis. This species has evolved canalized ecotypes but, nevertheless, the ecotypes show some phenotypic plasticity for the traits under divergent selection between wave-exposed and high-predation habitats.
Results
We exposed juveniles of each ecotype to several environmental treatments under laboratory conditions in order to produce shape variation associated with plasticity. The two ecotypes from different... (More) - Background
Few surveys have concentrated on studying the adaptive value of phenotypic plasticity within genetically-distinct conspecific ecotypes. Here, we conduct a test to assess the adaptive value that partial phenotypic plasticity may have for survival in the marine gastropod Littorina saxatilis. This species has evolved canalized ecotypes but, nevertheless, the ecotypes show some phenotypic plasticity for the traits under divergent selection between wave-exposed and high-predation habitats.
Results
We exposed juveniles of each ecotype to several environmental treatments under laboratory conditions in order to produce shape variation associated with plasticity. The two ecotypes from different treatments were then transplanted to the wave-exposed habitat and the survival rate was monitored. Ecotype explained the largest distinction in survival rate while treatment caused variation in survival rate within the ecotype released into its parental habitat which was correlated with plastic changes in shell shape. Snails that had experienced a treatment mimicking the environment of the transplantation location survived with the highest rate, while individuals from the contrary experimental treatment had lower survivorship.
Conclusions
We conclude that the partial plastic response shown in Littorina saxatilis has a significant impact on fitness, although this remains small compared to the overall adaptive difference between ecotypes. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/1982135
- author
- Hollander, Johan LU and Butlin, Roger
- publishing date
- 2010
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- in
- BMC Evolutionary Biology
- volume
- 10
- issue
- 333
- publisher
- BioMed Central (BMC)
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:77958601249
- pmid:21029403
- ISSN
- 1471-2148
- DOI
- 10.1186/1471-2148-10-333
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- no
- id
- 43983360-65e7-45f4-ae0c-5171fef2a94d (old id 1982135)
- alternative location
- http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2148/10/333
- date added to LUP
- 2016-04-01 14:11:46
- date last changed
- 2022-03-29 19:40:07
@article{43983360-65e7-45f4-ae0c-5171fef2a94d,
abstract = {{Background<br/><br>
Few surveys have concentrated on studying the adaptive value of phenotypic plasticity within genetically-distinct conspecific ecotypes. Here, we conduct a test to assess the adaptive value that partial phenotypic plasticity may have for survival in the marine gastropod Littorina saxatilis. This species has evolved canalized ecotypes but, nevertheless, the ecotypes show some phenotypic plasticity for the traits under divergent selection between wave-exposed and high-predation habitats.<br/><br>
<br/><br>
Results<br/><br>
We exposed juveniles of each ecotype to several environmental treatments under laboratory conditions in order to produce shape variation associated with plasticity. The two ecotypes from different treatments were then transplanted to the wave-exposed habitat and the survival rate was monitored. Ecotype explained the largest distinction in survival rate while treatment caused variation in survival rate within the ecotype released into its parental habitat which was correlated with plastic changes in shell shape. Snails that had experienced a treatment mimicking the environment of the transplantation location survived with the highest rate, while individuals from the contrary experimental treatment had lower survivorship.<br/><br>
<br/><br>
Conclusions<br/><br>
We conclude that the partial plastic response shown in Littorina saxatilis has a significant impact on fitness, although this remains small compared to the overall adaptive difference between ecotypes.}},
author = {{Hollander, Johan and Butlin, Roger}},
issn = {{1471-2148}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{333}},
publisher = {{BioMed Central (BMC)}},
series = {{BMC Evolutionary Biology}},
title = {{The adaptive value of phenotypic plasticity between two ecotypes of a marine gastropod}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/1471-2148-10-333}},
doi = {{10.1186/1471-2148-10-333}},
volume = {{10}},
year = {{2010}},
}