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Delayed Selfing and Resource Reallocations in Relation to Mate Availability in the Freshwater Snail Physa acuta
- Source :
- The American Naturalist. 162:474-488
- Publication Year :
- 2003
- Publisher :
- University of Chicago Press, 2003.
-
Abstract
- We study the influence of mate availability on the mating behavior of the self-fertile, preferentially outcrossing freshwater snail Physa acuta. Previous optimization theory indicated that mating system interacts with life-history traits to influence the age at first reproduction, providing three testable predictions. First, isolated individuals should reproduce later than individuals with available mates in the expectancy of finding a partner and avoiding the cost of inbreeding. Second, resource reallocation to future fecundity is needed for such reproductive delays to evolve. Third, the reproductive delay can be optimized with respect to life-history traits (e.g., survival, growth) and the mating system (inbreeding depression). Our results largely validate these predictions. First, reproduction is significantly delayed in isolated individuals ("selfers") as compared with individuals frequently exposed to mates ("outcrossers"). Second, delayed reproduction is associated with reallocation to future growth, survival, and fecundity, although fecundity is also affected by the mating system (selfing vs. outcrossing). Third, the reproductive delay found (approximately 2 wk) is consistent with quantitative predictions from optimization models. The delay is largely heritable, which might be partly explained by among-family differences in the amount of inbreeding depression (mating system) but not growth or survival.
- Subjects :
- Time Factors
biology
Ecology
Reproduction
Population Dynamics
Snails
Selfing
Fresh Water
Outcrossing
Physa
biology.organism_classification
Fecundity
Mating system
Biological Evolution
Models, Biological
Sexual Behavior, Animal
Inbreeding depression
Animals
Inbreeding
France
Mating
Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 15375323 and 00030147
- Volume :
- 162
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- The American Naturalist
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....7b2eb8adf46ad17cd8be9dbce6d8d58e