Behavioural plasticity compensates for adaptive loss of cricket song
Abstract
Behavioural flexibility might help animals cope with costs of genetic variants under selection, promoting genetic adaptation. However, it has proven challenging to experimentally link behavioural flexibility to the predicted compensation of population-level fitness. We tested this prediction using the field cricket Teleogryllus oceanicus. In Hawaiian populations, a mutation silences males and protects against eavesdropping parasitoids. To examine how the loss of this critical acoustic communication signal impacts offspring production and mate location, we developed a high- resolution, individual-based tracking system for low-light, naturalistic conditions. Offspring production did not differ significantly in replicate silent versus singing populations, and fitness compensation in silent conditions was associated with significantly increased locomotion in both sexes. Our results provide evidence that flexible behaviour can promote genetic adaptation via compensation in reproductive output and suggest that rapid evolution of animal communication systems may be less constrained than previously appreciated.
Citation
Schneider , W , Rutz , C & Bailey , N W 2024 , ' Behavioural plasticity compensates for adaptive loss of cricket song ' , Ecology Letters , vol. 27 , no. 3 , e14404 . https://doi.org/10.1111/ele.14404
Publication
Ecology Letters
Status
Peer reviewed
ISSN
1461-023XType
Journal article
Description
Funding: Funding was provided by UK Natural Environment Research Council grants to N.W.B. (NE/L011255/1, NE/T000619/1) and a University of St Andrews School of Biology PhD studentship to W.T.S.Collections
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