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Luis-Miguel Chevin1,2, Russell Lande3

  • 1UMR 5175 CEFE, CNRS - Université Montpellier - Université P. Valéry - EPHE, 1919 route de Mende, 34293, Montpellier Cedex 5, France. luis-miguel.chevin@cefe.cnrs.fr.

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Phenotypic plasticity allows organisms to adapt to changing environments. This study models how traits evolve when responding to multiple environmental cues, revealing complex adaptive strategies.

Keywords:
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Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Theoretical Ecology
  • Quantitative Genetics

Background:

  • Phenotypic plasticity, the ability of an organism to alter its phenotype in response to environmental changes, is crucial for adaptation.
  • While plasticity can respond to single environmental variables, its evolution under multiple, correlated environmental factors remains theoretically underexplored.
  • Understanding the evolutionary consequences of plasticity to multivariate environmental cues is essential for predicting species' responses to environmental fluctuations.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To theoretically model the evolution of linear reaction norms in response to multiple, correlated environmental variables.
  • To investigate the evolutionary equilibrium of plastic traits under stationary environmental fluctuations.
  • To explore conditions under which indirect environmental indicators can influence plastic phenotypes.

Main Methods:

  • Development of a theoretical model for the evolution of linear reaction norms.
  • Analysis of trait evolution under stationary environmental fluctuations.
  • Mathematical derivation of evolutionary equilibrium conditions for plastic traits.

Main Results:

  • At evolutionary equilibrium, the developmental cue for plasticity is the multivariate best linear predictor of changes in the environmental optimum.
  • Plasticity with respect to single environmental variables can appear nonintuitive, including maladaptive or hyperadaptive responses.
  • Costs of plasticity can paradoxically increase plasticity in response to certain environmental variables; indirect environmental indicators can evolve.

Conclusions:

  • The evolution of phenotypic plasticity in response to multivariate environments leads to complex adaptive strategies.
  • Apparent maladaptation or hyperadaptation in response to single cues can arise from selection acting on multivariate environmental interactions.
  • The model provides insights into the evolution of indirect environmental sensing, influencing phenotypic expression without direct selection.