Genetic background and thermal regime influence adaptation to novel environment in the seed beetle, Callosobruchus maculatus.

Ivimey-Cook, E. R. , Piani, C., Hung, W.-T. and Berg, E. C. (2024) Genetic background and thermal regime influence adaptation to novel environment in the seed beetle, Callosobruchus maculatus. Journal of Evolutionary Biology, 37(1), pp. 1-13. (doi: 10.1093/jeb/voad009) (PMID:38285665) (Early Online Publication)

Abstract

Climate change is associated with the increase in both the mean and variability of thermal conditions. Therefore, the use of more realistic fluctuating thermal regimes is the most appropriate laboratory method for predicting population responses to thermal heterogeneity. However, the long- and short-term implications of evolving under such conditions are not well understood. Here, we examined differences in key life-history traits among populations of seed beetles (Callosobruchus maculatus) that evolved under either constant control conditions or in an environment with fluctuating daily temperatures. Specifically, individuals from two distinct genetic backgrounds were kept for 19 generations at one of two temperatures, a constant temperature (T = 29 °C) or a fluctuating daily cycle (Tmean = 33 °C, Tmax = 40 °C, and Tmin = 26 °C), and were assayed either in their evolved environment or in the other environment. We found that beetles that evolved in fluctuating environments but were then switched to constant 29 °C conditions had far greater lifetime reproductive success compared with beetles that were kept in their evolved environments. This increase in reproductive success suggests that beetles raised in fluctuating environments may have evolved greater thermal breadth than control condition beetles. In addition, the degree of sexual dimorphism in body size and development varied as a function of genetic background, evolved thermal environment, and current temperature conditions. These results not only highlight the value of incorporating diel fluctuations into climate research but also suggest that populations that experience variability in temperature may be better able to respond to both short- and long-term changes in environmental conditions.

• Item Type: Articles
• Additional Information: Funding: This study was supported by The American University of Paris.
• Keywords: thermal adaptation, climate change, Acclimatization, Temperature, thermal breadth, Life History Traits, Animals, Callosobruchus maculatus , fluctuating temperatures, Coleoptera - genetics, Seeds
• Status: Early Online Publication
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Ivimey-Cook, Dr Edward

Creator Roles

Ivimey-Cook, E.: Data curation, Formal analysis, Writing – original draft, Writing – review and editing

• Authors: Ivimey-Cook, E. R., Piani, C., Hung, W.-T., and Berg, E. C.
• College/School: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Biodiversity, One Health & Veterinary Medicine
• Journal Name: Journal of Evolutionary Biology
• Publisher: Wiley
• ISSN: 1010-061X
• ISSN (Online): 1420-9101
• Copyright Holders: Copyright: © The Author(s) 2023
• First Published: First published in Journal of Evolutionary Biology 37(1): 1-13
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced under a Creative Commons licence
• Data DOI: 10.5061/dryad.f1vhhmgz7