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Fluctuating selection on basal metabolic rate

Nilsson, Johan LU and Nilsson, Jan-Åke LU (2016) In Ecology and Evolution 6(4). p.1197-1202
Abstract
BMR (Basal metabolic rate) is an important trait in animal life history as it represents a significant part of animal energy budgets. BMR has also been shown to be positively related to sustainable work rate and maximal thermoregulatory capacity. To this date, most of the studies have focused on the causes of interspecific and intraspecific variation in BMR, and fairly little is known about the fitness consequences of different metabolic strategies. In this study, we show that winter BMR affects local survival in a population of wild blue tits (Cyanistes caeruleus), but that the selection direction differs between years. We argue that this fluctuating selection is probably a consequence of varying winter climate with a positive relation... (More)
BMR (Basal metabolic rate) is an important trait in animal life history as it represents a significant part of animal energy budgets. BMR has also been shown to be positively related to sustainable work rate and maximal thermoregulatory capacity. To this date, most of the studies have focused on the causes of interspecific and intraspecific variation in BMR, and fairly little is known about the fitness consequences of different metabolic strategies. In this study, we show that winter BMR affects local survival in a population of wild blue tits (Cyanistes caeruleus), but that the selection direction differs between years. We argue that this fluctuating selection is probably a consequence of varying winter climate with a positive relation between survival and BMR during cold and harsh conditions, but a negative relation during mild winters. This fluctuating selection can not only explain the pronounced variation in BMR in wild populations, but will also give us new insights into how energy turnover rates can shape the life-history strategies of animals. Furthermore, the study shows that the process of global warming may cause directional selection for a general reduction in BMR, affecting the general life-history strategy on the population level. (Less)
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author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Basal metabolic rate, fluctuating selection, metabolic strategy, winter survival
in
Ecology and Evolution
volume
6
issue
4
pages
1197 - 1202
publisher
Wiley-Blackwell
external identifiers
  • pmid:26839687
  • scopus:84958837984
  • wos:000371069800027
  • pmid:26839687
ISSN
2045-7758
DOI
10.1002/ece3.1954
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
ef8fbddf-b8db-4354-88eb-4e35d15c8f62 (old id 8599434)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 13:58:50
date last changed
2022-04-22 00:38:40
@article{ef8fbddf-b8db-4354-88eb-4e35d15c8f62,
  abstract     = {{BMR (Basal metabolic rate) is an important trait in animal life history as it represents a significant part of animal energy budgets. BMR has also been shown to be positively related to sustainable work rate and maximal thermoregulatory capacity. To this date, most of the studies have focused on the causes of interspecific and intraspecific variation in BMR, and fairly little is known about the fitness consequences of different metabolic strategies. In this study, we show that winter BMR affects local survival in a population of wild blue tits (Cyanistes caeruleus), but that the selection direction differs between years. We argue that this fluctuating selection is probably a consequence of varying winter climate with a positive relation between survival and BMR during cold and harsh conditions, but a negative relation during mild winters. This fluctuating selection can not only explain the pronounced variation in BMR in wild populations, but will also give us new insights into how energy turnover rates can shape the life-history strategies of animals. Furthermore, the study shows that the process of global warming may cause directional selection for a general reduction in BMR, affecting the general life-history strategy on the population level.}},
  author       = {{Nilsson, Johan and Nilsson, Jan-Åke}},
  issn         = {{2045-7758}},
  keywords     = {{Basal metabolic rate; fluctuating selection; metabolic strategy; winter survival}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{4}},
  pages        = {{1197--1202}},
  publisher    = {{Wiley-Blackwell}},
  series       = {{Ecology and Evolution}},
  title        = {{Fluctuating selection on basal metabolic rate}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ece3.1954}},
  doi          = {{10.1002/ece3.1954}},
  volume       = {{6}},
  year         = {{2016}},
}