Timing of reproduction modifies transgenerational effects of chronic exposure to stressors in an annual vertebrate

Magierecka, A., Aristeidou, A., Papaevripidou, M., Gibson, J. K., Sloman, K. A. and Metcalfe, N. B. (2022) Timing of reproduction modifies transgenerational effects of chronic exposure to stressors in an annual vertebrate. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London Series B: Biological Sciences, 289(1984), 20221462. (doi: 10.1098/rspb.2022.1462)

Abstract

Stressful environmental conditions can shape both an individual's phenotype and that of its offspring. However, little is known about transgenerational effects of chronic (as opposed to acute) stressors, nor whether these vary across the breeding lifespan of the parent. We exposed adult female (F0 generation) three-spined sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus) to chronic environmental stressors and compared their reproductive allocation with that of non-exposed controls across early, middle and late clutches produced within the single breeding season of this annual population. There was a seasonal trend (but no treatment difference) in F0 reproductive allocation, with increases in egg mass and fry size in late clutches. We then tested for transgenerational effects in the non-exposed F1 and F2 generations. Exposure of F0 females to stressors resulted in phenotypic change in their offspring and grandoffspring that were produced late in their breeding lifespan: F1 offspring produced from the late-season clutches of stressor-exposed F0 females had higher early life survival, and subsequently produced heavier eggs and F2 fry that were larger at hatching. Changed maternal allocation due to a combination of seasonal factors and environmental stressors can thus have a transgenerational effect by influencing the reproductive allocation of daughters, especially those born late in life.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Metcalfe, Professor Neil and Gibson, Mr John and Magierecka, Ms Agnieszka
• Authors: Magierecka, A., Aristeidou, A., Papaevripidou, M., Gibson, J. K., Sloman, K. A., and Metcalfe, N. B.
• College/School: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Biodiversity, One Health & Veterinary Medicine
• Journal Name: Proceedings of the Royal Society of London Series B: Biological Sciences
• Publisher: The Royal Society
• ISSN: 0962-8452
• ISSN (Online): 1471-2954
• Published Online: 12 October 2022
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2022 The Authors.
• First Published: First published in Proceedings of the Royal Society of London Series B: Biological Sciences 289(1984): 20221462
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced under a Creative Commons license

Project Code	Award No	Project Name	Principal Investigator	Funder's Name	Funder Ref	Lead Dept
305090		MITOWILD	Neil Metcalfe	European Commission (EC)	834653	Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine