Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 8, 2026
08:16
Experimental Protocol for Manipulating Plant-induced Soil Heterogeneity
Published on: March 13, 2014
Bet-hedging response to environmental variability, an intraspecific comparison
Marie Nevoux1, Jaume Forcada, Christophe Barbraud
1Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, CNRS UPR 1934, 79360 Villiers en Bois, France. m.nevoux@reading.ac.uk
Ecology
|September 15, 2010
Summary
In variable environments, species evolve longer lifespans through bet-hedging. This strategy involves reduced breeding and increased survival, buffering populations against environmental changes.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Evolutionary Biology
- Animal Behavior
Background:
- Environmental variability poses challenges to population stability.
- Life history theory suggests bet-hedging as a strategy for fitness in variable environments.
- Bet-hedging involves reduced reproduction and increased adult survival to spread reproductive attempts over more years.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the adaptive significance of bet-hedging in response to environmental variability.
- To compare life history traits of Black-browed Albatross populations in different climatic variability environments.
- To test the hypothesis that increased environmental variability favors longer lifespans and reduced reproductive output.
Main Methods:
- Comparative study of two Black-browed Albatross (Thalassarche melanophrys) populations.
- Populations were located in South Georgia (high variability) and Kerguelen (low variability).
- Life history traits including adult survival and breeding success were measured and compared.
Main Results:
- South Georgia albatrosses (more variable environment) exhibited higher adult survival (0.959) and lower breeding success (0.285) than Kerguelen birds (survival=0.925, breeding success=0.694).
- Climatic conditions impacted breeding success and survival of inexperienced breeders in both populations.
- The effect of climate on breeding success was stronger in the more variable environment.
Conclusions:
- Results support bet-hedging as an adaptive strategy in response to environmental variability.
- Evolution towards longer lifespans can mitigate negative effects of environmental fluctuations on populations.
- Life history adjustments, such as reduced breeding and increased survival, are key to population persistence.
Related Concept Videos
01:21Testing a Claim about Mean: Unknown Population SD
A complete procedure of testing a hypothesis about a population mean when the population standard deviation is unknown is explained here.
Estimating a population mean requires the samples to be approximately normally distributed. The data should be collected from the randomly selected samples having no sampling bias. There is no specific requirement for sample size. But if the sample size is less than 30, and we don't know the population standard deviation, a different approach is used; instead...
Estimating a population mean requires the samples to be approximately normally distributed. The data should be collected from the randomly selected samples having no sampling bias. There is no specific requirement for sample size. But if the sample size is less than 30, and we don't know the population standard deviation, a different approach is used; instead...
02:39Predator-Prey Interactions
Predators consume prey for energy. Predators that acquire prey and prey that avoid predation both increase their chances of survival and reproduction (i.e., fitness). Routine predator-prey interactions elicit mutual adaptations that improve predator offenses, such as claws, teeth, and speed, as well as prey defenses, including crypsis, aposematism, and mimicry. Thus, predator-prey interactions resemble an evolutionary arms race.Although predation is commonly associated with carnivory, for...
01:32What is Natural Selection?
Natural selection is an evolutionary process in which individuals with survival-promoting traits reproduce at higher rates. These favorable traits become more common within a population or species. Naturally selected traits initially arise via random genetic mutations. In order for selection to occur, there must be variation within a population, the trait controlling the variation must be heritable, and there must be an evolutionary advantage for variation in the trait.The Theory of Natural...
02:34Competition
When organisms require the same limited resources within an environment, they may have to compete for them. Competition is a net-negative interaction. Even if two competing individuals or populations do not interact directly, the overall fitness of both competitors is lowered as a result of not having full access to the limited resource.Intraspecific competition, which occurs between individuals of the same species, serves as a natural mechanism for regulating population size. Too much...
01:38Limits to Natural Selection
Organisms that are well-adapted to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce. However, natural selection does not lead to perfectly adapted organisms. Several factors constrain natural selection.For one, natural selection can only act upon existing genetic variation. Hypothetically, redtusks may enhance elephant survival by deterring ivory-seeking poachers. However, if there are no gene variants—or alleles—for redtusks, natural selection cannot increase the prevalence of...
01:11Testing a Claim about Mean: Known Population SD
A complete procedure of testing the hypothesis about a population mean is explained here.
Estimating a population mean requires the samples to be distributed normally. The data should be collected from the randomly selected samples having no sampling bias. The sample size needed to be higher than 30, and most importantly, the population standard deviation should be already known.
In most realistic situations, the population standard deviation is often unknown, but in rare circumstances, when it...
Estimating a population mean requires the samples to be distributed normally. The data should be collected from the randomly selected samples having no sampling bias. The sample size needed to be higher than 30, and most importantly, the population standard deviation should be already known.
In most realistic situations, the population standard deviation is often unknown, but in rare circumstances, when it...