The adaptive value of phenotypic plasticity in two ecotypes of a marine gastropod

BMC Evolutionary Biology

Research Article

Roger K Butlin¹  Johan Hollander¹ 

[1] Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, N10 2TN, Sheffield, UK;

关键词: Phenotypic Plasticity;    Plastic Response;    Selection Gradient;    Shell Shape;    Green Crab;   

DOI  :  10.1186/1471-2148-10-333

 received in 2010-07-20, accepted in 2010-10-28,  发布年份 2010

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundFew 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.ResultsWe 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.ConclusionsWe 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.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© Hollander and Butlin; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. 2010