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Female fecundity traits in wild populations of African annual fish: the role of the aridity gradient
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Female fecundity traits in wild populations of African annual fish: the role of the aridity gradient
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Journal Article
Female fecundity traits in wild populations of African annual fish: the role of the aridity gradient
2016
Overview
The evolution of life history is shaped by life expectancy. Life‐history traits coevolve, and optimal states for particular traits are constrained by trade‐offs with other life‐history traits. Life histories contrast among species, but may also diverge intraspecifically, at the level of populations. We studied the evolution of female reproductive allocation strategy, using natural populations of two sympatric species of African annual fishes, Nothobranchius furzeri and Nothobranchius orthonotus. These species inhabit pools in the Mozambican savanna that are formed in the rainy season and persist for only 2–10 months. Using 207 female N. furzeri from 11 populations and 243 female N. orthonotus from 14 populations, we tested the effects of genetic background (intraspecific lineage) and life expectancy (position on the aridity gradient determining maximum duration of their temporary habitat) on female fecundity traits. First, we found that variation in female body mass was small within populations, but varied considerably among populations. Second, we found that fecundity was largely defined by female body mass and that females spawned most of their eggs in the morning. Third, we found that the trade‐off between egg size and egg number varied among lineages of N. furzeri and this outcome has been confirmed by data from two separate years. Overall, we demonstrate that local conditions were important determinants for Nothobranchius growth and fecundity and that eggs size in arid region was less limited by female fecundity than in humid region. This article studied the evolution of female reproductive allocation in 25 wild populations of African annual fishes, Nothobranchius furzeri and Nothobranchius orthonotus, with respect to life expectancy gradient associated with aridity and pool desiccation and to population genetic background. Data did not directly support hypothesis of a higher reproductive allocation in populations with shorter life expectancy; local conditions and growth plasticity overridden potential genetic effects that can be detected under natural conditions. Eggs size in arid region, however, was less limited by female fecundity (number of eggs) than in humid region, and this relationship has been confirmed by data from two separate years.
