Is the tradeoff between reproduction and locomotion plastic in response to oxidative stress and food limitation?

Poster Number

15B

Lead Author Major

Pre-Dentistry

Lead Author Status

Senior

Second Author Major

Pre-Dentistry

Second Author Status

Junior

Format

Poster Presentation

Faculty Mentor Name

Zachary Stahlschmidt

Faculty Mentor Department

Biological Sciences

Abstract/Artist Statement

Tradeoffs between fitness-related traits (e.g., reproduction, growth, and self-maintenance) often occur wherein an animal invests into one trait at the expense of investment into another trait. Such two-trait tradeoffs may be fixed, or they may be plastic in response to the environment (e.g., a tradeoff only occurs when food becomes less available) or due to investment into a third trait. We investigated these dynamics in the sand field cricket (Gryllus firmus), which exhibits a wing polymorphism that mediates a flight-fecundity tradeoff (i.e., they allocate resources to both flight musculature and egg production). During early adulthood, flight-capable long-winged morphs invest in flight musculature in contrast to flightless short-winged morphs that invest more heavily into reproduction. We specifically tested whether food limitation and investment into antioxidant defenses (via administration of oxidative stress) exhibited independent, additive, and/or interactive effects on this flight-fecundity tradeoff. Results from our 2 x 2 factorial design in female G. firmus (n = 250) demonstrate that oxidative stress and food limitation shifted the flight-fecundity tradeoff in different directions: oxidative stress reduced investment into flight musculature (particularly in long-winged females) while food limitation reduced reproductive investment. Next, we will examine the effects of food availability and oxidative stress on immune function (specifically, the activity of the immune enzyme phenoloxidase). Together, our results will inform how resource (i.e., food) limitation influences how animals balance multiple fitness-related traits.

Location

DeRosa University Center, Ballroom

Start Date

28-4-2018 10:00 AM

End Date

28-4-2018 12:00 PM

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Apr 28th, 10:00 AM Apr 28th, 12:00 PM

Is the tradeoff between reproduction and locomotion plastic in response to oxidative stress and food limitation?

DeRosa University Center, Ballroom

Tradeoffs between fitness-related traits (e.g., reproduction, growth, and self-maintenance) often occur wherein an animal invests into one trait at the expense of investment into another trait. Such two-trait tradeoffs may be fixed, or they may be plastic in response to the environment (e.g., a tradeoff only occurs when food becomes less available) or due to investment into a third trait. We investigated these dynamics in the sand field cricket (Gryllus firmus), which exhibits a wing polymorphism that mediates a flight-fecundity tradeoff (i.e., they allocate resources to both flight musculature and egg production). During early adulthood, flight-capable long-winged morphs invest in flight musculature in contrast to flightless short-winged morphs that invest more heavily into reproduction. We specifically tested whether food limitation and investment into antioxidant defenses (via administration of oxidative stress) exhibited independent, additive, and/or interactive effects on this flight-fecundity tradeoff. Results from our 2 x 2 factorial design in female G. firmus (n = 250) demonstrate that oxidative stress and food limitation shifted the flight-fecundity tradeoff in different directions: oxidative stress reduced investment into flight musculature (particularly in long-winged females) while food limitation reduced reproductive investment. Next, we will examine the effects of food availability and oxidative stress on immune function (specifically, the activity of the immune enzyme phenoloxidase). Together, our results will inform how resource (i.e., food) limitation influences how animals balance multiple fitness-related traits.