Among-population differences in morphology and behaviors such as boldness have been shown to co-vary with eco- logical conditions, including predation regime. However, between- and within-population covariation of pre...Among-population differences in morphology and behaviors such as boldness have been shown to co-vary with eco- logical conditions, including predation regime. However, between- and within-population covariation of predator defense mor- phology with variation in behaviors relevant to ecology and evolution （boldness, exploration, activity, sociability and aggressive- ness, often defined as personality traits when they are consistent across time and contexts） have never been quantified together in a single study in juvenile fish from populations found in contrasting environments. We measured predator defense morphology differences between adults from two freshwater populations of threespine sticklebacks with different ecological conditions. We then quantified five behaviors in juveniles from both populations raised in a common environment. Wild-caught adults showed significant differences in predator defense morphology. One population had significantly lower lateral plate number, shorter dorsal spine, pelvic spine and pelvic girdle. Furthermore, 61% of individuals from that population showed an absence of pelvic spine and girdle. At the population level, we found that differences in defense morphology in adults between the two lakes were coupled with differences in behaviors in juveniles raised in a common environment. Levels of activity, aggressiveness and boldness were higher in juveniles from the population lacking predator defense structures. At the individual level, anti-predator morphology of adult females could not predict their offspring＇s behavior, but juvenile coloration predicted individual boldness in a popula- tion-specific manner. Our results suggest that ecological conditions, as reflected in adult predator defense morphology, also affect juvenile behavior in threespine sticklebacks, resulting in trait co-specialization, and that there is a genetic or epigenetic compo- nent to these behavioral differences [Current Zoology 58 （1）： 53-65, 2012].展开更多
There is growing evidence that individual animals show consistent differences in behavior. For example, individual threespined stickleback fish differ in how they react to predators and how aggressive they are during ...There is growing evidence that individual animals show consistent differences in behavior. For example, individual threespined stickleback fish differ in how they react to predators and how aggressive they are during social interactions with con- specifics. A relatively unexplored but potentially important axis of variation is parental behavior. In sticklebacks, fathers provide all of the parental care that is necessary for offspring survival; therefore paternal care is directly tied to fitness. In this study, we assessed whether individual male sticklebacks differ consistently from each other in parental behavior. We recorded visits to nest, total time fanning, and activity levels of 11 individual males every day throughout one clutch, and then allowed the males to breed again. Half of the males were exposed to predation risk while parenting during the first clutch, and the other half of the males ex- perienced predation risk during the second clutch. We detected dranlatic temporal changes in parental behaviors over the course of the clutch： for example, total time fanning increased six-fold prior to eggs hatching, then decreased to approximately zero. De- spite these temporal changes, males retained their individually-distinctive parenting styles within a clutch that could not be ex- plained by differences in body size or egg mass. Moreover, individual differences in parenting were maintained when males re- produced for a second time. Males that were exposed to simulated predation risk briefly decreased fanning and increased activity levels. Altogether, these results show that individual sticklebacks consistently differ from each other in how they behave as parents [Current Zoology 58 （1）： 45-52, 2012].展开更多
Aims Environmental heterogeneity affects the performance of clonal aquatic plants.Few researchers integrated two aspects of heterogeneity into the study of clonal plant ecology.The aims of the present study are to(i)t...Aims Environmental heterogeneity affects the performance of clonal aquatic plants.Few researchers integrated two aspects of heterogeneity into the study of clonal plant ecology.The aims of the present study are to(i)test whether different substrate heterogeneity and submergence exert similar effects on plant performance and(ii)explore the foraging behaviour.Methods In this study,Scirpus yagara was subjected to multiple levels of substrate heterogeneity and submergence.Substrate treatments included one homogeneous substrate and three heterogeneous substrates(two-patch,four-patch and eight-patch).Water level treatments included 0,10 and 30 cm.Traits including ramet number,generation number,leaf number,bulb number,ramet height,culm length,rhizome length,clonal radius,spacer length,spacer thickness,total biomass,biomass of bulbs and biomass per bulb were measured.Important Findings Deeper water levels significantly reduced variables associated with growth such as ramet number,generation number,leaf number and bulb number,while substrate patchiness induced significant variations in traits such as spacer length and spacer thickness.Significant interactive effects of the two factors were found for ramet number,leaf number and spacer length.Scirpus yagara showed colonization towards the lake sediment patch in two-patch and four-patch substrates,and more structures were placed in the lake sediment patch.Especially for the two-patch substrate,all structures occupied the lake sediment patch.Two-sided intrusion was observed in the eight-patch substrate,which induced an even allocation of structures in different patches.The foraging behaviour was correlated with the patch size.展开更多
文摘Among-population differences in morphology and behaviors such as boldness have been shown to co-vary with eco- logical conditions, including predation regime. However, between- and within-population covariation of predator defense mor- phology with variation in behaviors relevant to ecology and evolution （boldness, exploration, activity, sociability and aggressive- ness, often defined as personality traits when they are consistent across time and contexts） have never been quantified together in a single study in juvenile fish from populations found in contrasting environments. We measured predator defense morphology differences between adults from two freshwater populations of threespine sticklebacks with different ecological conditions. We then quantified five behaviors in juveniles from both populations raised in a common environment. Wild-caught adults showed significant differences in predator defense morphology. One population had significantly lower lateral plate number, shorter dorsal spine, pelvic spine and pelvic girdle. Furthermore, 61% of individuals from that population showed an absence of pelvic spine and girdle. At the population level, we found that differences in defense morphology in adults between the two lakes were coupled with differences in behaviors in juveniles raised in a common environment. Levels of activity, aggressiveness and boldness were higher in juveniles from the population lacking predator defense structures. At the individual level, anti-predator morphology of adult females could not predict their offspring＇s behavior, but juvenile coloration predicted individual boldness in a popula- tion-specific manner. Our results suggest that ecological conditions, as reflected in adult predator defense morphology, also affect juvenile behavior in threespine sticklebacks, resulting in trait co-specialization, and that there is a genetic or epigenetic compo- nent to these behavioral differences [Current Zoology 58 （1）： 53-65, 2012].
文摘There is growing evidence that individual animals show consistent differences in behavior. For example, individual threespined stickleback fish differ in how they react to predators and how aggressive they are during social interactions with con- specifics. A relatively unexplored but potentially important axis of variation is parental behavior. In sticklebacks, fathers provide all of the parental care that is necessary for offspring survival; therefore paternal care is directly tied to fitness. In this study, we assessed whether individual male sticklebacks differ consistently from each other in parental behavior. We recorded visits to nest, total time fanning, and activity levels of 11 individual males every day throughout one clutch, and then allowed the males to breed again. Half of the males were exposed to predation risk while parenting during the first clutch, and the other half of the males ex- perienced predation risk during the second clutch. We detected dranlatic temporal changes in parental behaviors over the course of the clutch： for example, total time fanning increased six-fold prior to eggs hatching, then decreased to approximately zero. De- spite these temporal changes, males retained their individually-distinctive parenting styles within a clutch that could not be ex- plained by differences in body size or egg mass. Moreover, individual differences in parenting were maintained when males re- produced for a second time. Males that were exposed to simulated predation risk briefly decreased fanning and increased activity levels. Altogether, these results show that individual sticklebacks consistently differ from each other in how they behave as parents [Current Zoology 58 （1）： 45-52, 2012].
基金The present work was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(31800299,31170339)the general financial grant from the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(2017M622184)the Special Foundation of National Science and Technology Basic Research(2013FY112300).
文摘Aims Environmental heterogeneity affects the performance of clonal aquatic plants.Few researchers integrated two aspects of heterogeneity into the study of clonal plant ecology.The aims of the present study are to(i)test whether different substrate heterogeneity and submergence exert similar effects on plant performance and(ii)explore the foraging behaviour.Methods In this study,Scirpus yagara was subjected to multiple levels of substrate heterogeneity and submergence.Substrate treatments included one homogeneous substrate and three heterogeneous substrates(two-patch,four-patch and eight-patch).Water level treatments included 0,10 and 30 cm.Traits including ramet number,generation number,leaf number,bulb number,ramet height,culm length,rhizome length,clonal radius,spacer length,spacer thickness,total biomass,biomass of bulbs and biomass per bulb were measured.Important Findings Deeper water levels significantly reduced variables associated with growth such as ramet number,generation number,leaf number and bulb number,while substrate patchiness induced significant variations in traits such as spacer length and spacer thickness.Significant interactive effects of the two factors were found for ramet number,leaf number and spacer length.Scirpus yagara showed colonization towards the lake sediment patch in two-patch and four-patch substrates,and more structures were placed in the lake sediment patch.Especially for the two-patch substrate,all structures occupied the lake sediment patch.Two-sided intrusion was observed in the eight-patch substrate,which induced an even allocation of structures in different patches.The foraging behaviour was correlated with the patch size.
