Indirect genetic effects on social network structure An extended-extended phenotype


SOCIETY FOR INTEGRATIVE AND COMPARATIVE BIOLOGY
2021 VIRTUAL ANNUAL MEETING (VAM)
January 3 – Febuary 28, 2021

Meeting Abstract


99-1  Sat Jan 2  Indirect genetic effects on social network structure: An extended-extended phenotype Wice, EW*; Saltz, JB; Rice University, Department of BioSciences, Houston, TX; Rice University, Department of BioSciences, Houston, TX eric.wesley.wice@gmail.com https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=enDandsAAAAJ&hl=en

The position an individual holds in a social network is dependent on both the direct and indirect social interactions an individual engages in. When an individual’s genotype impacts its own network position, as well as the network positions of group conspecifics, both direct and indirect genetic effects can influence network position. Because social network position is dependent on the actions and interactions of conspecifics, it is likely that the genotypic composition of individuals within a social group impacts individuals’ network positions. However, we know very little about whether social network positions have a genetic basis, and even less about how the genotypic makeup of a social group impacts network positions and structure. With ample evidence indicating network positions influence various fitness metrics, studying how direct and indirect genetic factors shape network positions is crucial for understanding how the social environment individuals experience responds to selection and evolves. Using replicate genotypes of Drosophila melanogaster flies, inbred from a natural population, we created replicate social groups that varied in their genotypic makeup. Social groups were videoed, and networks were generated using motion-tracking software. We found that an individual’s genotype is a strong predictor of its network position, with broad-sense heritability estimates ranging from 2.4 – 16.6%. Preliminary results indicate an individual’s network position is also dictated by the genotypic makeup of its social group, and the effect of an individual’s genotype on its own network position may depend on the genotypes of its social group partners as well.

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