Life‐history variation within a three‐spined stickleback population in the Camargue

Abstract

Among individuals of female three-spined sticklebacks Gasterosteus aculeatus from a population in the Camargue, southern France, studied in 12 successive years, adult L T ranged from 31-64 mm, clutch size ranged from 33-660 eggs, and mean egg diameter per clutch ranged from 1·15-1·67 mm. Because the population was strictly annual, inter-annual variation corresponded to variation among generations having experienced different environmental conditions. Body mass varied significantly among years, suggesting an effect of varying environmental conditions. Gonad mass and clutch size increased with body mass, but mean egg diameter was not correlated to body mass. Body mass-adjusted gonad mass, interpreted as reproductive effort per clutch, did not vary significantly among years, suggesting that this trait was not influenced by environmental conditions. Body mass-adjusted clutch size and egg size varied significantly among years. Inter-annual variation in body length at breeding, clutch size and egg size was of the same order of magnitude as inter-population variation reported by other authors for this species. During the breeding season, reproductive effort and clutch size tended to increase. Egg size tended to decrease during the breeding season but this seasonal pattern varied among years. Observed life-history variation is discussed both in terms of its evolutionary significance and methodological implications in the study of life-history variation among populations.

Glacial refuges for three‐spined stickleback in theIberianPeninsula: mitochondrialDNAphylogeography

“…Population genetics studies based on microsatellites have indicated high levels of genetic divergence and suggested ancient evolutionary histories for the Mediterranean Iberian three-spined stickleback (Araguas et al, 2012). In the Iberian Peninsula, three-spined sticklebacks are exclusively fresh water and belong to the low-plate leiurus morph, with a reduced number of lateral plates, as described in fish from the lower Rhône (France) (Crivelli & Britton, 1987;Poizat, Rosecchi & Crivelli, 2002).…”

High genetic diversity of the endangered Iberian three‐spined stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) at the Mediterranean edge of its range

“…In Europe, studies covering a wide distribution range have been carried out Cano, Maäkinen & Leinonen, 2008b;Cano, Mäkinen & Merilä, 2008a;, but these included few samples from the Mediterranean region. In fact, only one location from the coast of southern France, the Rhô ne River delta, has been studied in the western Mediterranean (Crivelli & Britton, 1987;Poizat, Rosecchi & Crivelli, 2002;Mäkinen et al, 2006;. Apart from one stickleback Fig.…”

Intergenomic epistasis causes asynchronous hatch times in whitefish hybrids, but only when parental ecotypes differ

“…Local adaptation among salmonids frequently involves egg size (Quinn et al, 1995;Einum & Fleming, 1999, 2000aHendry & Day, 2003), spawn timing (Beechie et al, 2006) or emergence timing (Einum & Fleming, 2000b;Perry et al, 2005). Differences in egg size also seem to be closely linked to life-history variation in energy expenditures, such as anadromy and migration (Kinnison et al, 2001(Kinnison et al, , 2003Hendry et al, 2004), spawning time or season (Bagenal, 1971;Chambers & Waiwood, 1996;Svensson & Sinervo, 2000;Poizat et al, 2002), or brood protection (Tilney & Hecht, 1993;Kolm & Ahnesjö , 2005). Even when the adaptive nature of egg size is unknown, it frequently differs among closely related species or populations (Marteinsdó ttir & Able, 1992;Skú lasson et al, 1996;Morita & Takashima, 1998;Poizat et al, 2002).…”

“…Differences in egg size also seem to be closely linked to life-history variation in energy expenditures, such as anadromy and migration (Kinnison et al, 2001(Kinnison et al, , 2003Hendry et al, 2004), spawning time or season (Bagenal, 1971;Chambers & Waiwood, 1996;Svensson & Sinervo, 2000;Poizat et al, 2002), or brood protection (Tilney & Hecht, 1993;Kolm & Ahnesjö , 2005). Even when the adaptive nature of egg size is unknown, it frequently differs among closely related species or populations (Marteinsdó ttir & Able, 1992;Skú lasson et al, 1996;Morita & Takashima, 1998;Poizat et al, 2002). Egg size can also evolve rapidly (Hendry et al, 1998;Heath et al, 2003), indicating potentially strong selection for local adaptation in early life history.…”