title: Parent-offspring conflict and the genetic trade-offs shaping parental investment.
abstract: The genetic conflict between parents and their offspring is a cornerstone of kin selection theory and the gene-centred view of evolution, but whether it actually occurs in natural systems remains an open question. Conflict operates only if parenting is driven by genetic trade-offs between offspring performance and the parent's ability to raise additional offspring, and its expression critically depends on the shape of these trade-offs. Here we investigate the occurrence and nature of genetic conflict in an insect with maternal care, the earwig Forficula auricularia. Specifically, we test for a direct response to experimental selection on female future reproduction and correlated responses in current offspring survival, developmental rate and growth. The results demonstrate genetic trade-offs that differ in shape before and after hatching. Our study not only provides direct evidence for parent-offspring conflict but also highlights that conflict is not inevitable and critically depends on the genetic trade-offs shaping parental investment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Sciences, Zoology and Evolution, University of Basel, Vesalgasse 1, 4051 Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Mathias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kölliker
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Sciences, Zoology and Evolution, University of Basel, Vesalgasse 1, 4051 Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Boos
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Sciences, Zoology and Evolution, University of Basel, Vesalgasse 1, 4051 Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Janine W Y
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Sciences, Zoology and Evolution, University of Basel, Vesalgasse 1, 4051 Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Lilian
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Röllin
authors.affiliation: Center of Excellence in Biological Interactions, Department of Biosciences, University of Helsinki, Viikinkaari 1, 00014 Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Dimitri
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Stucki
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Sciences, Zoology and Evolution, University of Basel, Vesalgasse 1, 4051 Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Shirley
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Raveh
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Sciences, Zoology and Evolution, University of Basel, Vesalgasse 1, 4051 Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Evolutionary Biology, Institute of Zoology, Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz, 55128 Mainz, Germany.
authors.forename: Joël
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Meunier
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D005260:Female; D007313:Insecta; D008297:Male; D008425:Maternal Behavior; D012098:Reproduction; D012641:Selection, Genetic