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Pulsed-resource dynamics increase the asymmetry of antagonistic coevolution between a predatory protist and a prey bacterium.
- Source :
-
Journal of evolutionary biology [J Evol Biol] 2011 Dec; Vol. 24 (12), pp. 2563-73. Date of Electronic Publication: 2011 Sep 08. - Publication Year :
- 2011
-
Abstract
- Temporal resource fluctuations could affect the strength of antagonistic coevolution through population dynamics and costs of adaptation. We studied this by coevolving the prey bacterium Serratia marcescens with the predatory protozoa Tetrahymena thermophila in constant and pulsed-resource environments for approximately 1300 prey generations. Consistent with arms race theory, the prey evolved to be more defended, whereas the predator evolved to be more efficient in consuming the bacteria. Coevolutionary adaptations were costly in terms of reduced prey growth in resource-limited conditions and less efficient predator growth on nonliving resource medium. However, no differences in mean coevolutionary changes or adaptive costs were observed between environments, even though resource pulses increased fluctuations and mean densities of coevolving predator populations. Interestingly, a surface-associated prey defence mechanism (bacterial biofilm), to which predators were probably unable to counter-adapt, evolved to be stronger in pulsed-resource environment. These results suggest that temporal resource fluctuations can increase the asymmetry of antagonistic coevolution by imposing stronger selection on one of the interacting species.<br /> (© 2011 The Authors. Journal of Evolutionary Biology © 2011 European Society For Evolutionary Biology.)
- Subjects :
- Adaptation, Physiological
Biofilms
Culture Media
Environment
Microbiological Techniques methods
Serratia marcescens physiology
Species Specificity
Tetrahymena thermophila growth & development
Tetrahymena thermophila physiology
Time Factors
Biological Evolution
Serratia marcescens growth & development
Tetrahymena thermophila pathogenicity
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 1420-9101
- Volume :
- 24
- Issue :
- 12
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- Journal of evolutionary biology
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 21902750
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1420-9101.2011.02379.x