Detection vs. selection: integration of genetic, epigenetic and environmental cues in fluctuating environments.
There are many inputs during development that influence an organism's fit to current or upcoming environments. These include genetic effects, transgenerational epigenetic influences, environmental cues and developmental noise, which are rarely investigated in the same formal framework. We study an analytically tractable evolutionary model, in which cues are integrated to determine mature phenotypes in fluctuating environments. Environmental cues received during development and by the mother as an adult act as detection-based (individually observed) cues. The mother's phenotype and a quantitative genetic effect act as selection-based cues (they correlate with environmental states after selection). We specify when such cues are complementary and tend to be used together, and when using the most informative cue will predominate. Thus, we extend recent analyses of the evolutionary implications of subsets of these effects by providing a general diagnosis of the conditions under which detection and selection-based influences on development are likely to evolve and coexist.
School of Mathematics, University of Bristol, University Walk, Bristol, BS8 1TW, UK. john.mcnamara@bristol.ac.uk.
John M
JM
McNamara
Centre for Ecology & Conservation, Biosciences, College of Life & Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Tremough, Penryn, TR10 9EZ, UK.
Sasha R X
SR
Dall
Department of Biology, Humbolt University, Invalidenstr. 43, 10115, Berlin, Germany.
Peter
P
Hammerstein
Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, SE-106 91, Stockholm, Sweden.
Olof
O
Leimar
D000818:Animals; D017753:Ecosystem; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D014644:Genetic Variation; D008954:Models, Biological; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000235:genetics; D012641:Selection, Genetic
Adaptive development; bet hedging; habitat tracking; maternal effects; plasticity; reaction norm; transgenerational effects