Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Fixed Action Patterns01:06

Fixed Action Patterns

16.3K
A fixed action pattern (FAP) is a specific, hard-wired sequence of behaviors that occurs in response to an external stimulus, called a sign stimulus. The behavior is “fixed” because it is essentially unchangeable—proceeding similarly across individuals of a species every time it occurs.
16.3K
Conservation of Small Populations02:04

Conservation of Small Populations

13.2K
Small population sizes put a species at extreme risk of extinction due to a lack of variation, and a consequent decrease in adaptability. This weakens the chances of survival under pressures such as climate change, competition from other species, or new diseases. Large populations are more likely to survive pressures such as these, as such populations are more likely to harbor individuals that have genetic variants that are adaptive under new stresses. Small populations are much less...
13.2K
Types of Selection01:46

Types of Selection

41.0K
Natural selection influences the frequencies of particular alleles and phenotypes within populations in several different ways. Primarily, natural selection can be directional, stabilizing, or disruptive. Directional selection favors one extreme trait and shifts the population towards that phenotype while selecting against individuals displaying alternate traits. Stabilizing selection favors an intermediate trait with a narrow range of variation. Deviation from the optimal phenotype towards an...
41.0K
Limits to Natural Selection01:38

Limits to Natural Selection

31.5K
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.
31.5K
Mutation, Gene Flow, and Genetic Drift01:09

Mutation, Gene Flow, and Genetic Drift

58.9K
In a population that is not at Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, the frequency of alleles changes over time. Therefore, any deviations from the five conditions of Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium can alter the genetic variation of a given population. Conditions that change the genetic variability of a population include mutations, natural selection, non-random mating, gene flow, and genetic drift (small population size).
58.9K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Genomic changes underlying repeated niche shifts in an adaptive radiation.

Evolution; international journal of organic evolution·2022
Same author

Behavioural responses of threespine stickleback with lateral line asymmetries to experimental mechanosensory stimuli.

The Journal of experimental biology·2021
Same author

Polymorphism and multiple correlated characters: Do flatfish asymmetry morphs also differ in swimming performance and metabolic rate?

Ecology and evolution·2019
Same author

The ecology of asymmetry in stickleback defense structures.

Evolution; international journal of organic evolution·2008

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 9, 2025

Microinjection for Transgenesis and Genome Editing in Threespine Sticklebacks
08:51

Microinjection for Transgenesis and Genome Editing in Threespine Sticklebacks

Published on: May 13, 2016

14.1K

Multi-generation selective landscapes and sub-lethal injuries in stickleback.

Thomas E Reimchen1, Carolyn A Bergstrom2

  • 1Department of Biology, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada.

Evolution; International Journal of Organic Evolution
|February 22, 2023
PubMed
Summary

Predator-induced injuries in threespine stickleback reveal that the most common phenotypes are not always the fittest. This indicates that selection can favor multiple optimal phenotypes, driving evolutionary diversity.

Keywords:
Gasterosteusfitnessfluctuating selectionlateral platespredator–preyunsuccessful predation

More Related Videos

Dissection and Flat-mounting of the Threespine Stickleback Branchial Skeleton
08:02

Dissection and Flat-mounting of the Threespine Stickleback Branchial Skeleton

Published on: May 7, 2016

9.9K
Shifting Zebrafish Lethal Skeletal Mutant Penetrance by Progeny Testing
08:39

Shifting Zebrafish Lethal Skeletal Mutant Penetrance by Progeny Testing

Published on: September 1, 2017

7.7K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Aug 9, 2025

Microinjection for Transgenesis and Genome Editing in Threespine Sticklebacks
08:51

Microinjection for Transgenesis and Genome Editing in Threespine Sticklebacks

Published on: May 13, 2016

14.1K
Dissection and Flat-mounting of the Threespine Stickleback Branchial Skeleton
08:02

Dissection and Flat-mounting of the Threespine Stickleback Branchial Skeleton

Published on: May 7, 2016

9.9K
Shifting Zebrafish Lethal Skeletal Mutant Penetrance by Progeny Testing
08:39

Shifting Zebrafish Lethal Skeletal Mutant Penetrance by Progeny Testing

Published on: September 1, 2017

7.7K

Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary biology
  • Ecology
  • Population genetics

Background:

  • Predation influences prey evolution and phenotypic diversity.
  • Threespine stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) exhibit variation in lateral plate number and position.
  • Long-term ecological studies provide insights into evolutionary processes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate how predation shapes phenotypic variability in threespine stickleback.
  • To determine if predator-induced injuries inform the selective landscape.
  • To analyze the relationship between lateral plate phenotypes and fitness.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of predator-induced sub-lethal injuries in 8,069 wild-caught stickleback.
  • Cohort analyses to assess injury distribution and selective pressures.
  • Estimation of selective differentials and relative fitness in 1,735 fish across 6 cohorts.

Main Results:

  • Injury incidence varied with lateral plate phenotypes, particularly in younger fish.
  • Higher plate counts correlated with increased injury risk, while modal phenotypes had fewer injuries.
  • Non-modal phenotypes showed elevated relative fitness, and selection varied annually, favoring diversifying selection.

Conclusions:

  • Multiple optimal phenotypes exist within stickleback populations, challenging simple stabilizing selection models.
  • Predation and phenotypic variability interact dynamically, influencing fitness landscapes.
  • Short-term ecological variations are crucial for understanding evolutionary dynamics and intrapopulation variability.