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A Real-Time Interactive System for Studying Confrontational Pursuit Behavior in Rodents

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Evolution of a predator-induced, nonlinear reaction norm.

Mauricio J Carter^1,2, Martin I Lind³, Stuart R Dennis⁴

¹Centro Nacional del Medio Ambiente, Universidad de Chile, Avenida Larrain 9975, La Reina, Santiago, Chile.

Proceedings. Biological Sciences

|August 25, 2017

Summary

Predator-induced defenses in Daphnia pulex show evolutionary responses influenced by genetic factors and predation history. A strong covariance between defense sensitivity and maximum response leads to more uniform micro-evolution than predicted.

Keywords:

Daphnia pulex evolution morphological defence predator-induced plasticity reaction norm

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Area of Science:

Evolutionary Biology
Ecology
Phenotypic Plasticity

Background:

Inducible anti-predator traits exemplify phenotypic plasticity, crucial for survival.
Evolutionary dynamics are shaped by genetic basis, predation history, and selection gradients.
Contrasting predator hunting strategies can drive divergent micro-evolutionary responses.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the micro-evolutionary response of anti-predator traits in Daphnia pulex under heterogeneous predation.
To explore adaptive evolution patterns of predator-induced morphological reaction norms.
To analyze how predator-specific selection gradients influence evolutionary trajectories.

Main Methods:

Combined estimates of selection gradients across different habitats experienced by D. pulex.
Detailed analysis of the quantitative genetic architecture of inducible morphological defenses.
Examined the response of the reaction norm to plausible, predator-specific selection gradients.

Main Results:

Revealed fine-scale descriptions of daphnid defensive reaction norms.
Identified a strong covariance between the sensitivity to predator cues and the maximum defensive response.
Demonstrated that this covariance can lead to more uniform micro-evolution than predicted by size-selective predation theory.

Conclusions:

Covariance between sensitivity and maximum response in morphological defense shapes evolutionary trajectories.
Micro-evolution of anti-predator defenses in D. pulex may be more uniform than previously thought.
Understanding these dynamics is key to predicting species adaptation to changing environments.