Meeting Abstract

16.6  Saturday, Jan. 4 11:45  Local Adaptation of Trait Integration: Predicting the Evolutionary Trajectories of Complex Phenotypes GARCIA, M.J.*; EARLEY, R.L.; Univ. of Alabama; Univ. of Alabama mjgarcia@crimson.ua.edu

An individual’s phenotype results from the interactions of many highly “integrated” traits. A fundamental goal in evolutionary studies is to understand the mechanisms that generate/maintain such connections, and how patterns of integration affect the trajectory of phenotypic evolution. Quantitative genetic theory predicts that links among traits influence the overall phenotypic response to selection – selection acting on one trait may affect the evolution of a second trait if the traits covary genetically. Our study examines the potential for selection to act on multiple traits and their connections in an emerging vertebrate model, the mangrove rivulus fish (Kryptolebias marmoratus). We generated 32 isogenic strains from field caught animals collected from nine populations. Individuals from each strain were raised under common garden conditions. From birth, growth and egg production are monitored regularly. At 11 months of age, baseline hormones were collected and behavioral assays (aggression, risk-taking, exploration) performed. Using a variety of multivariate approaches rooted in quantitative genetics, we explore the mechanisms and evolutionary consequences of trait integration.