Publication
Title
Adaptive sex-specific life history plasticity to temperature and photoperiod in a damselfly
Author
Abstract
We investigated four predictions about how temperature, photoperiod and sex affect the life history plasticity and foraging activity of a damselfly. (i) As predicted, increased temperatures increased foraging activity and growth rates, but in contrast with the prediction, late photoperiod (high time stress) did not affect foraging activity and growth rate. (ii) Unexpectedly, the increase in growth rate at increasing temperatures was not larger under high time stress. (iii) As predicted, age and size at emergence decreased at higher temperatures and at the late photoperiod. Temperature-induced life history shifts were direct or the result of behavioural growth mediation depending on the temperature range. Photoperiod-induced life history shifts were direct. (iv) As predicted, males emerged before females but at a smaller size. The degree of sexual size dimorphism was influenced by the joint effects of temperature and photoperiod. We could only detect genetic variation in size plasticity to photoperiod. The match between the sex-specific life history responses to temperature and photoperiod and predictions by relevant optimality models suggests adaptive life history plasticity to these variables.
Language
English
Source (journal)
Journal of evolutionary biology. - Basel, 1987, currens
Publication
Basel : Birkhäuser , 2003
ISSN
1010-061X [print]
1420-9101 [online]
DOI
10.1046/J.1420-9101.2003.00581.X
Volume/pages
16 :5 (2003) , p. 986-995
ISI
000185203300022
Full text (Publisher's DOI)
Full text (publisher's version - intranet only)
UAntwerpen
Faculty/Department
Research group
Publication type
Subject
Affiliation
Publications with a UAntwerp address
External links
Web of Science
Record
Identifier
Creation 12.07.2012
Last edited 03.12.2021
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