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Behavioural syndromes shape evolutionary trajectories via conserved genetic architecture
Raphaël Royauté1, Ann Hedrick2, Ned A Dochtermann1
1Department of Biological Sciences, North Dakota State University, 1340 Bolley Drive, 201 Stevens Hall, Fargo, ND 58102.
Proceedings. Biological Sciences
|May 21, 2020
Summary
Behavioral syndromes, groups of correlated behaviors, show conserved genetic structures in field crickets. This genetic architecture influences population evolution across diverse environments, demonstrating shared evolutionary paths.
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary Biology
- Animal Behavior
- Genetics
Background:
- Behavioral traits often cluster into syndromes, suggesting one behavior's evolution can influence others.
- While behavioral syndromes are common, their direct evolutionary impact on linked traits remains largely undemonstrated.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if behavioral syndromes have a conserved genetic structure across populations.
- To determine if this conserved genetic architecture influences the evolutionary trajectories of populations.
Main Methods:
- Analyzed genetic variation and covariance of behavioral traits in field cricket (Gryllus integer) populations.
- Compared genetic structure to identify underlying genetic mechanisms versus correlated selection.
Main Results:
- Field cricket populations exhibit a consistent genetic structure for behavioral syndromes, despite variations in average behaviors.
- Genetic variation and covariance patterns support a genetic basis for syndromes, not just correlated selection.
- Population divergence in average behaviors is constrained by the conserved syndrome structure.
Conclusions:
- A conserved genetic architecture underlies behavioral syndromes in field crickets.
- This genetic linkage shapes evolutionary paths, leading to shared evolutionary fates for populations in different environments.
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