TRADE-OFFS BETWEEN LIFE-HISTORY TRAITS AT RANGE-EDGE AND CENTRAL LOCATIONS

• The allocation of resources to different life-history traits should represent the best compromise in fitness investment for organisms in their local environment. When resources are limiting, the investment in a specific trait must carry a cost that is expressed in trade-offs with other traits. In this study, the relative investment in the fitness-related traits, growth, reproduction and defence were compared at central and range-edge locations, using the seaweed Ascophyllum nodosum as a model system. Individual growth rates were similar at both sites, whereas edge populations showed a higher relative investment in reproduction (demonstrated by a higher reproductive allocation and extended reproductive periods) when compared to central populations that invested more in defence. These results show the capability of A. nodosum to differentially allocate resources for different traits under different habitat conditions, suggesting that reproduction and defence have different fitness values under the specific living conditions experienced at edge and central locations. However, ongoing climate change may threaten edge populations by increasing the selective pressure on specific traits, forcing these populations to lower the investment in other traits that are also potentially important for population fitness.

Ämnesord

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Biologi (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Biological Sciences (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

defence

growth

life-history traits

range-edge populations

reproduction

trade-offs

SEAWEED ASCOPHYLLUM-NODOSUM

REPRODUCTIVE EFFORT

MARGINAL POPULATIONS

STOCHASTIC ENVIRONMENTS

SEXUAL REPRODUCTION

FUCUS-VESICULOSUS

NATURAL-SELECTION

SPATIAL VARIATION

PATELLA-VULGATA

SOUTHERN LIMIT

Plant Sciences

Marine & Freshwater Biology

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

art (ämneskategori)