Kin-mediated plasticity in alternative reproductive tactics

Samuel J Lymbery; Joseph L Tomkins; Bruno A. Buzatto; D. Hosken

doi:10.1098/rspb.2021.1069

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Kin-mediated plasticity in alternative reproductive tactics

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

Kin-mediated plasticity in alternative reproductive tactics

Samuel J Lymbery, Joseph L Tomkins, Bruno A. Buzatto and D. Hosken

Proceedings of the Royal Society. B, Biological sciences, Vol.288(1956), Art. 20211069

Winter 2021

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2021.1069

PMID: 34344179

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Abstract

Biology

Evolutionary Biology

Alternative reproductive tactics

Population density

Relatedness

Kin selection

Phenotypic Plasticity

Conditional strategy

Behavioural ecology

Evolutionary biology

Conditional strategies occur when the relative fitness pay-off from expressing a given phenotype is contingent upon environmental circumstances. This conditional strategy model underlies cases of alternative reproductive tactics, in which individuals of one sex employ different means to obtain reproduction. How kin structure affects the expression of alternative reproductive tactics remains unexplored. We address this using the mite Rhizoglyphus echinopus, in which large males develop into aggressive 'fighters' and small males develop into non-aggressive 'scramblers.' Because only fighters kill their rivals, they should incur a greater indirect fitness cost when competing with their relatives, and thus fighter expression could be reduced in the presence of relatives. We raised mites in full-sibling or mixed-sibship groups and found that fighters were more common at higher body weights in full-sibling groups, not less common as we predicted (small individuals were almost exclusively scramblers in both treatments). This result could be explained if relatedness and cue variability are interpreted signals of population density, since fighters are more common at low densities in this species. Alternatively, our results may indicate that males compete more intensely with relatives in this species. We provide the first evidence of kin-mediated plasticity in the expression of alternative reproductive tactics.

Details

Title: Kin-mediated plasticity in alternative reproductive tactics
Authors/Creators: Samuel J Lymbery
Joseph L Tomkins - Univ Western Australia, Sch Biol Sci M092, Ctr Evolutionary Biol, Crawley, Western Austral, Australia
Bruno A. Buzatto - Univ Western Australia, Sch Biol Sci M092, Ctr Evolutionary Biol, Crawley, Western Austral, Australia
D. Hosken - Univ Exeter, Coll Life & Environm Sci, Ctr Ecol & Conservat, Penryn TR10 9EZ, Cornwall, England
Publication Details: Proceedings of the Royal Society. B, Biological sciences, Vol.288(1956), Art. 20211069
Publisher: Royal Society
Identifiers: 991005553267007891
Murdoch Affiliation: Murdoch University
Language: English
Resource Type: Journal article

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Collaboration types: Domestic collaboration; International collaboration
Citation topics: 3 Agriculture, Environment & Ecology; 3.35 Zoology & Animal Ecology; 3.35.434 Sexual Selection
Web Of Science research areas: Biology; Ecology; Evolutionary Biology
ESI research areas: Plant & Animal Science