Developmental thresholds and the evolution of reaction norms for age and size at life-history transitions

The American Naturalist
Troy Day, Locke Rowe

Abstract

It is quite common in studies of life-history plasticity to find a negative relationship between the age at which various life-history transitions occur and the growth conditions under which individuals develop. In particular, high growth typically results in earlier transitions, often at a larger size. Here, we use a relatively general optimization model for age and size at life-history transitions to argue that current life-history theory cannot adequately explain these results. Specifically, most such theory requires key assumptions that are unlikely to be generally met. This suggests that some important component of the biology of many organisms must be missing from many of the models in life-history theory. We suggest that this missing component might be the phenomenon of developmental thresholds. There are at least two different types of developmental thresholds possible, and we incorporate these into our general optimality model to demonstrate how they can cause a negative relationship between growth conditions and age at a transition. If developmental thresholds are common throughout taxa, then this might explain the empirical results. Our model formulation and analysis also formalizes the popular Wilbur-Collins hypothe...Continue Reading

References

Jan 28, 1998·Annual Review of Entomology·S Nylin, K Gotthard
Sep 1, 1957·The Quarterly Review of Biology·L VON BERTALANFFY
Feb 23, 1990·Science·T A Crowl, A P Covich

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Sep 28, 2005·Journal of Comparative Physiology. B, Biochemical, Systemic, and Environmental Physiology·John D HatleSteven A Juliano
Jan 25, 2013·Oecologia·Urtzi Enriquez-UrzelaiGustavo A Llorente
Jun 18, 2010·Bulletin of Mathematical Biology·Asbjorn Christensen, Ken Haste Andersen
Apr 13, 2006·Proceedings. Biological Sciences·Barbara Taborsky
Feb 7, 2008·Proceedings. Biological Sciences·Martin I LindFrank Johansson
Nov 19, 2010·Proceedings. Biological Sciences·S R DennisA P Beckerman
Mar 29, 2005·Evolution; International Journal of Organic Evolution·Russell Bonduriansky, Locke Rowe
Dec 18, 2009·Biological Reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society·Steven L Chown, Kevin J Gaston
Apr 17, 2010·Biological Reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society·Caitlin M Dmitriew
Apr 7, 2010·BMC Ecology·Sarah K McMenamin, Elizabeth A Hadly
Nov 10, 2013·PloS One·Mollie E BrooksBenjamin M Bolker
Mar 28, 2009·Ecological Applications : a Publication of the Ecological Society of America·Fiona D Johnston, John R Post
Oct 17, 2009·Ecological Applications : a Publication of the Ecological Society of America·Erin S DunlopUlf Dieckmann
Sep 4, 2013·Hormones and Behavior·Patrick O OnyangoSusan C Alberts
Jul 25, 2007·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Peter D GluckmanMark A Hanson
May 14, 2014·Experimental & Applied Acarology·Deborah M Leigh, Isabel M Smallegange
Dec 14, 2012·The American Naturalist·Daniel P BeneshGeoff A Parker
Oct 2, 2004·The American Naturalist·Jens RolffRobby Stoks
Jul 1, 2008·The American Naturalist·Tiit TederToomas Esperk
Feb 25, 2005·The American Naturalist·Takahiro Irie, Yoh Iwasa
May 15, 2013·The American Naturalist·E Keith BowersCharles F Thompson
May 4, 2006·The American Naturalist·Richard John Walters, Mark Hassall
Sep 3, 2014·Evolution; International Journal of Organic Evolution·Tiit TederToomas Tammaru
Oct 25, 2013·Evolution; International Journal of Organic Evolution·Sami M KiveläKarl Gotthard
Dec 23, 2014·Biological Reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society·Gert Stulp, Louise Barrett
Dec 15, 2015·Physiological and Biochemical Zoology : PBZ·Meghan M BennettKendra J Greenlee
Apr 6, 2011·Journal of Human Evolution·Gregory E Blomquist, Jean E Turnquist

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Trending Feeds

COVID-19

Coronaviruses encompass a large family of viruses that cause the common cold as well as more serious diseases, such as the ongoing outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19; formally known as 2019-nCoV). Coronaviruses can spread from animals to humans; symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties; in more severe cases, infection can lead to death. This feed covers recent research on COVID-19.

Blastomycosis

Blastomycosis fungal infections spread through inhaling Blastomyces dermatitidis spores. Discover the latest research on blastomycosis fungal infections here.

Nuclear Pore Complex in ALS/FTD

Alterations in nucleocytoplasmic transport, controlled by the nuclear pore complex, may be involved in the pathomechanism underlying multiple neurodegenerative diseases including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia. Here is the latest research on the nuclear pore complex in ALS and FTD.

Applications of Molecular Barcoding

The concept of molecular barcoding is that each original DNA or RNA molecule is attached to a unique sequence barcode. Sequence reads having different barcodes represent different original molecules, while sequence reads having the same barcode are results of PCR duplication from one original molecule. Discover the latest research on molecular barcoding here.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a disease characterized by unexplained disabling fatigue; the pathology of which is incompletely understood. Discover the latest research on chronic fatigue syndrome here.

Evolution of Pluripotency

Pluripotency refers to the ability of a cell to develop into three primary germ cell layers of the embryo. This feed focuses on the mechanisms that underlie the evolution of pluripotency. Here is the latest research.

Position Effect Variegation

Position Effect Variagation occurs when a gene is inactivated due to its positioning near heterochromatic regions within a chromosome. Discover the latest research on Position Effect Variagation here.

STING Receptor Agonists

Stimulator of IFN genes (STING) are a group of transmembrane proteins that are involved in the induction of type I interferon that is important in the innate immune response. The stimulation of STING has been an active area of research in the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases. Here is the latest research on STING receptor agonists.

Microbicide

Microbicides are products that can be applied to vaginal or rectal mucosal surfaces with the goal of preventing, or at least significantly reducing, the transmission of sexually transmitted infections. Here is the latest research on microbicides.