Rapid genetic divergence in postglacial populations of threespine stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus): the role of habitat type, drainage and geographical proximity

2001 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. 2435-2445 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. B. H. Reusch ◽  
K. M. Wegner ◽  
M. Kalbe
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Divergence ◽  
Gasterosteus Aculeatus ◽  
Habitat Type ◽  
Threespine Stickleback ◽  
Geographical Proximity

scholarly journals Genetic divergence outpaces phenotypic evolution among threespine stickleback populations in old freshwater habitats

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark C Currey ◽  
Susan L Bassham ◽  
William A Cresko
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Divergence ◽  
Gasterosteus Aculeatus ◽  
Habitat Type ◽  
Threespine Stickleback ◽  
Ice Age ◽  
Phenotypic Change ◽  
Small Fish ◽  
Evolutionary Processes ◽  
Phenotypic Divergence ◽  
Freshwater Habitats

Abstract Species such as threespine stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) that inhabit divergent selective environments and that have diversified on different time scales can be of value for understanding evolutionary processes. Here we synthesize high-resolution genotypic and phenotypic data to explore a largely unstudied distribution of threespine stickleback populations living in oceanic and freshwater habitats along coastal and inland regions of Oregon. Many inland aquatic habitats of Oregon remained unglaciated during the last ice age, meaning that some extant Oregon lake and river stickleback may have descended from freshwater populations established long before more well-studied, post-glacial freshwater populations. To address the degree of congruence between genetic and phenotypic divergence, we directly compared Oregon stickleback to much younger (post-glacial) Alaskan populations. We found phenotypic variation in Oregon stickleback to be primarily partitioned between oceanic and freshwater habitats, as has been documented in other stickleback systems. However, the main axis of genetic divergence was between coastal and inland regions regardless of habitat type. Furthermore, when comparing patterns between Oregon and Alaska we found similar levels of phenotypic divergence, but much greater genetic divergence among Oregon’s populations. The Oregon stickleback system therefore appears well suited for future studies linking genotypic and phenotypic change, further extending the utility of this small fish to provide general insights into evolutionary processes.

Flexibility of nuptial colouration in a unique ecotype of Threespine Stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachel Corney ◽  
Anne Haley ◽  
Laura Weir
Keyword(s):  
Breeding Season ◽  
Gasterosteus Aculeatus ◽  
Colour Change ◽  
Threespine Stickleback ◽  
Relative Role ◽  
Mate Quality ◽  
Breeding Seasons ◽  
Potential Signal ◽  
Intersexual Competition

Nuptial colouration in animals may serve as a signal of competitor and/or mate quality during breeding. In many temperate fishes, nuptial colouration develops during discrete breeding seasons and is a target of sexual selection. We examine nuptial colouration and behaviour of a unique ecotype of Threespine Stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus Linnaeus, 1758), wherein males turn from dull brown-grey to pearlescent white during the breeding season. The main goal of this work was to determine the relative role of white colouration in intersexual competition and mate choice. In a combination of a field and laboratory work, we found that males are brightest white when engaging in courtship activities in the presence of a female; this indicates that white colouration may be primarily related to enhancing signalling during mate attraction. White colouration intensity increased as the breeding season progressed and may be related to an influx of conspecifics. Colour change from cryptic grey to bright white occurred rapidly (< 90 seconds) and may be deployed to enhance behavioural signals. We conclude that bright white colouration in the white ecotype is a potential signal of mate quality and may have evolved from a previously existing capacity for colour plasticity in common Threespine Stickleback.

Effect of progesterone and estradiol-17β on ovarian fluid secretion in the threespine stickleback, Gasterosteus aculeatus L., form trachurus

1979 ◽  
Vol 57 (2) ◽  
pp. 468-471 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. J. Lam ◽  
K. Chan ◽  
W. S. Hoar
Keyword(s):  
Gasterosteus Aculeatus ◽  
Fluid Secretion ◽  
Threespine Stickleback ◽  
Corpora Lutea ◽  
Fluid Accumulation ◽  
Ovarian Fluid ◽  
Estradiol 17Β ◽  
Ovarian Cavity ◽  
Stimulation Of

Immersion of postspawning sticklebacks in seawater containing 0.5 ppm progesterone for 5 days (medium changed daily) caused marked fluid accumulation in the ovarian cavity. A similar effect was obtained in overripe fish treated in the same way for 9 days; overripe fish have overripe ovulated eggs in the ovarian cavity with very little fluid. Estradiol-17β (1 ppm) also caused ovarian fluid secretion in some postspawning fish, but this may be related to its marked stimulation of ovarian recrudescence. The findings are discussed in relation to the possible role of the postovulatory corpora lutea in ovarian fluid secretion for the maintenance of ovulated eggs.

Phenotypic, genetic, and environmental integration of morphology in a stream population of the threespine stickleback, Gasterosteus aculeatus

1995 ◽  
Vol 52 (6) ◽  
pp. 1307-1317 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey V. Baumgartner
Keyword(s):  
Natural Selection ◽  
Gasterosteus Aculeatus ◽  
Genetic Factors ◽  
Threespine Stickleback ◽  
Morphometric Traits ◽  
Genetic Determination ◽  
Functional Phenotype ◽  
Pleiotropic Mutation

Phenotypic, genetic, and environmental variances and covariances for 33 morphometric traits were estimated for a population of threespine stickleback, Gasterosteus aculeatus, from the Brush Creek drainage, California, by sib analysis of laboratory-bred families. Heritabilities of the morphometric traits ranged from −0.28 to 0.78, and were moderately low (mean h2 = 0.26); the mean and range of heritabilities for five phenotypic eigenvectors were similar. The average coefficient of genetic determination of the traits and eigenvectors was high (0.57 and 0.63, respectively), indicating a substantial genotypic contribution to variation in body morphology. The defensive complex, a functional set of bony armor structures, was genetically and environmentally integrated: genetic factors (e.g., pleiotropy) are reinforced by environmental factors to produce a functional phenotype. Other components of morphology, including body form, were environmentally, but not genetically, integrated. Given the importance of genetic factors to evolutionary change under natural selection, these results implicate natural selection in the evolution of the defensive complex; the role of natural selection in the evolution of other components of morphology is equivocal. Genetic integration of functionally (phenotypically) independent traits suggests that stochastic processes or pleiotropic mutation also have played a role in the evolution of morphology in this population of sticklebacks.

BEHAVIORAL DIFFERENTIATION OF ADJACENT MARINE AND FLUVIAL POPULATIONS OF THREESPINE STICKLEBACK IN CALIFORNIA: A LABORATORY STUDY

Behaviour ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 137 (7-8) ◽  
pp. 1011-1027 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lance Morgan ◽  
Harman Peeke
Keyword(s):  
Fresh Water ◽  
Laboratory Tests ◽  
Gasterosteus Aculeatus ◽  
Habitat Type ◽  
Behavioral Responses ◽  
Threespine Stickleback ◽  
Coastal Watersheds ◽  
Threespine Sticklebacks ◽  
Behavioral Differentiation ◽  
Interpopulation Variation

AbstractThreespine sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus) from marine, estuarine and upstream fresh water were collected from two coastal watersheds in northern California. Laboratory tests of response to behavioral stimuli associated with aggression, courtship and feeding show interpopulation variation. Behavioral responses of populations from the same habitat type were similar, and individuals from up-stream habitats were generally more responsive to stimuli than individuals from the estuarine environments, which in turn were more responsive than marine fish. Different predators and predation pressures are discussed as one possible factor in the evolution of these behavioral variations.

scholarly journals Wood Pastures: A Transitional Habitat between Forests and Pastures for Dung Beetle Assemblages

Forests ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 25
Author(s):  
László Somay ◽  
Viktor Szigeti ◽  
Gergely Boros ◽  
Réka Ádám ◽  
András Báldi
Keyword(s):  
Functional Group ◽  
Animal Health ◽  
Habitat Type ◽  
Dung Beetle ◽  
Dung Beetles ◽  
Livestock Grazing ◽  
Pitfall Traps ◽  
Assemblage Composition ◽  
Beetle Assemblages

Wood pastures are home to a variety of species, including the dung beetle. Dung beetles are an important functional group in decomposition. Specifically, in terms of livestock manure, they not only contribute to nutrient cycling but are key players in supporting human and animal health. Dung beetles, however, are declining in population, and urgent recommendations are needed to reverse this trend. Recommendations need to be based on solid evidence and specific habitats. Herein, we aimed to investigate the role of an intermediate habitat type between forests and pastures. Wood pastures are key areas for dung beetle conservation. For this reason, we compared dung beetle assemblages among forests, wood pastures, and grasslands. We complemented this with studies on the effects of dung type and season at three Hungarian locations. Pitfall traps baited with cattle, sheep, or horse dung were used in forests, wood pastures, and pasture habitats in spring, summer, and autumn. Dung beetle assemblages of wood pastures showed transient characteristics between forests and pastures regarding their abundance, species richness, Shannon diversity, assemblage composition, and indicator species. We identified a strong effect of season and a weak of dung type. Assemblage composition proved to be the most sensitive measure of differences among habitats. The conservation of dung beetles, and the decomposition services they provide, need continuous livestock grazing to provide fresh dung, as well as the maintenance of wood pastures where dung beetle assemblages typical of forests and pastures can both survive.

scholarly journals Suppression of personality variation in boldness during foraging in three-spined sticklebacks

2021 ◽  
Vol 75 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hannah E. A. MacGregor ◽  
Aislinn Cottage ◽  
Christos C. Ioannou
Keyword(s):  
Negative Feedback ◽  
Risk Taking ◽  
Positive Feedback ◽  
Gasterosteus Aculeatus ◽  
Control Treatment ◽  
Refuge Use ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Behavioural Type ◽  
State Behaviour

Abstract Consistent inter-individual variation in behaviour within a population, widely referred to as personality variation, can be affected by environmental context. Feedbacks between an individual’s behaviour and state can strengthen (positive feedback) or weaken (negative feedback) individual differences when experiences such as predator encounters or winning contests are dependent on behavioural type. We examined the influence of foraging on individual-level consistency in refuge use (a measure of risk-taking, i.e. boldness) in three-spined sticklebacks, Gasterosteus aculeatus, and particularly whether changes in refuge use depended on boldness measured under control conditions. In the control treatment trials with no food, individuals were repeatable in refuge use across repeated trials, and this behavioural consistency did not differ between the start and end of these trials. In contrast, when food was available, individuals showed a higher degree of consistency in refuge use at the start of the trials versus controls but this consistency significantly reduced by the end of the trials. The effect of the opportunity to forage was dependent on behavioural type, with bolder fish varying more in their refuge use between the start and the end of the feeding trials than shyer fish, and boldness positively predicted the likelihood of feeding at the start but not at the end of the trials. This suggests a state-behaviour feedback, but there was no overall trend in how bolder individuals changed their behaviour. Our study shows that personality variation can be suppressed in foraging contexts and a potential but unpredictable role of feedbacks between state and behaviour. Significance statement In this experimental study, we examined how foraging influences consistency in risk-taking in individual three-spined sticklebacks. We show that bolder individuals become less consistent in their risk-taking behaviour than shyer individuals during foraging. Some bolder individuals reinforce their risk-taking behaviour, suggesting a positive feedback between state and behaviour, while others converge on the behaviour of shyer individuals, suggesting a negative feedback. In support of a role of satiation in driving negative feedback effects, we found that bolder individuals were more likely to feed at the start but not at the end of the trials. Overall, our findings suggest that foraging can influence personality variation in risk-taking behaviour; however, the role of feedbacks may be unpredictable.

scholarly journals Diversity and sexual dimorphism in the head lateral line system in North Sea populations of threespine sticklebacks, Gasterosteus aculeatus (Teleostei: Gasterosteidae)

Zoomorphology ◽  
2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Harald Ahnelt ◽  
David Ramler ◽  
Maria Ø. Madsen ◽  
Lasse F. Jensen ◽  
Sonja Windhager
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Dimorphism ◽  
North Sea ◽  
Lateral Line ◽  
Gasterosteus Aculeatus ◽  
Sensory System ◽  
Threespine Stickleback ◽  
Lateral Line System ◽  
Line System ◽  
Marine Population ◽  
Threespine Sticklebacks

AbstractThe mechanosensory lateral line of fishes is a flow sensing system and supports a number of behaviors, e.g. prey detection, schooling or position holding in water currents. Differences in the neuromast pattern of this sensory system reflect adaptation to divergent ecological constraints. The threespine stickleback, Gasterosteus aculeatus, is known for its ecological plasticity resulting in three major ecotypes, a marine type, a migrating anadromous type and a resident freshwater type. We provide the first comparative study of the pattern of the head lateral line system of North Sea populations representing these three ecotypes including a brackish spawning population. We found no distinct difference in the pattern of the head lateral line system between the three ecotypes but significant differences in neuromast numbers. The anadromous and the brackish populations had distinctly less neuromasts than their freshwater and marine conspecifics. This difference in neuromast number between marine and anadromous threespine stickleback points to differences in swimming behavior. We also found sexual dimorphism in neuromast number with males having more neuromasts than females in the anadromous, brackish and the freshwater populations. But no such dimorphism occurred in the marine population. Our results suggest that the head lateral line of the three ecotypes is under divergent hydrodynamic constraints. Additionally, sexual dimorphism points to divergent niche partitioning of males and females in the anadromous and freshwater but not in the marine populations. Our findings imply careful sampling as an important prerequisite to discern especially between anadromous and marine threespine sticklebacks.

Responses of threespine stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus, L) transcriptome to hypoxia

2011 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 370-381 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Leveelahti ◽  
P. Leskinen ◽  
E.H. Leder ◽  
W. Waser ◽  
M. Nikinmaa
Keyword(s):  
Gasterosteus Aculeatus ◽  
Threespine Stickleback
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