Patterns of variation in tail ornament size in birds

In recent years several different kinds of sexual selection models have been developed, and tail ornaments in birds have frequently been used as an example of a sexually selected character where the models might apply. However, very little is known about intra- and interpopulation variation in ornament size. We have studied the elongated tail ornaments in four species of whydahs Vidua , the forktailed flycatcher Tyrannus savana and the Asian paradise flycatcher Terpsiphone paradisi. Ornaments were relatively longer in males with the longest tarsi ('heterogony' with positive allometry). Also, tail lengths were remarkably variable within each geographical area, the coefficient of variation (average = 11%) being three times as high as for body size characters. Models, with female preference of ornaments bearing no relation to male viability, usually generate lines of neutral equilibria. Thus, they predict extraordinary variation in ornaments between populations. However, elongated tail ornaments did not show higher geographical variation than the body size characters, suggesting that there is no line of equilibria for these ornaments.     

Patterns of body size changes in fossil and living Equini (Perissodactyla)

The importance of body mass prediction from several cranial, dental and appendicular variables in living Equini are studied. Relationships between the body mass changes and the ecogeographic picture of Equini evolution are also analysed. The metapodial and phalanx variables, particularly antero-posterior diameters, are better correlated with body mass than cranial variables in living Equini. Large sized species are correlated with cold climates, open habitats and/or soft soils; small ones are correlated with warm climates, more closed habitats and/or hard soils. Pleistocene horses from Europe and Africa follow an evolutionary trend opposite to their North American counterparts, from larger sized species to smaller ones. In South America the pattern of body size is different to those of the other continents. Species of Hippidion reaching large body mass, whereas some species of Equus, E. andium , follow a diminishing trend.     

Ontogenetic and evolutionary effects of predation and competition on nine-spined stickleback (Pungitius pungitius) body size

1.?Individual- and population-level variation in body size and growth often correlates with many fitness traits. Predation and food availability are expected to affect body size and growth as important agents of both natural selection and phenotypic plasticity. How differences in predation and food availability affect body size/growth during ontogeny in populations adapted to different predation and competition regimes is rarely studied. 2.?Nine-spined stickleback (Pungitius pungitius) populations originating from habitats with varying levels of predation and competition are known to be locally adapted to their respective habitats in terms of body size and growth. Here, we studied how different levels of perceived predation risk and competition during ontogeny affect the reaction norms of body size and growth in (i) marine and pond populations adapted to different levels of predation and competition and (ii) different sexes. We reared nine-spined stickleback in a factorial experiment under two levels of perceived predation risk (present/absent) and competition (high/low food supply). 3.?We found divergence in the reaction norms at two levels: (i) predation-adapted marine stickleback had stronger reactions to predatory cues than intraspecific competition-adapted pond stickleback, the latter being more sensitive to available food than the marine fish and (ii) females reacting more strongly to the treatments than males. 4.?The repeated, habitat-dependent nature of the differences suggests that natural selection is the agent behind the observed patterns. Our results suggest that genetic adaptation to certain environmental factors also involves an increase in the range of expressible phenotypic plasticity. We found support for this phenomenon at two levels: (i) across populations driven by habitat type and (ii) within populations driven by sex.     

Patterns in the distribution, abundance and body size of carabid beetles (Coleoptera: Caraboidea) in relation to dispersal ability

The effects of dispersal ability, measured as two wing size categories (brachypterous vs. macropterous), on the distribution, abundance and body size, and on the relationships between these variables were examined in eighty-four species of carabid beetles over twenty-two sites in the northern Iberian peninsula. Geographic ranges of species (restricted to the northern Iberian peninsula vs. widespread—European or wider range) were also taken into account in the analyses because macropterous species significantly tended to exhibit wider geographic ranges than did brachypterous species. Regional distributions were wider in brachypterous-restricted and brachypterous-widespread species than in macropterous-widespread species. The three groups did not differ in abundance. Differences in regional distributions between groups may be explained by referring to a trade-off between dispersal ability and establishment ability indicated in the literature. Macropterous species would occupy relatively few sites due to a high frequency of unsuccessful colonizations. The relationships between regional distribution and abundance were positive for all the three groups, brachypterous-restricted, brachypterous-widespread and macropterous-widespread species. The regression line for the last group showed a lower elevation than those for brachypterous-restricted and brachypterous-widespread species. This fact was probably due to differences in regional distributions between groups. No relationship between abundance and body size was significant. Regressions of regional distribution on body size were positive in brachypterous-restricted and brachypterous-widespread carabids, but the relationship was not significant in macropterous-widespread carabids. These results were interpreted in terms of differences in body size–dependency of travelling velocities between flying and running carabids.     

Fish predation on Eudiaptomus gracilis in relation to clutch size,body size,and sex: a field experiment

An enclosure experiment was performed to test for direct predationeffects on fecundity and adult body size of the copepod Eudiaptomus gracilis in the field. By introducing a high densityof fish (15 underyearling roach, Rutilus rutilus, per 350litre enclosure) and documenting the short-term effects on traitsin a rapidly decreasing prey population, responses to changes inthe phytoplankton community were minimized. After 68 hours ofpredation, clutch size and frequency of females carrying eggs weresignificantly lower in fish enclosures. Female density was moreaffected than male density. Predation selected against large bodysize in both sexes but less so in females, leading to an increasedsexual size dimorphism. The results agree with predictions based onprey selectivity in fish. Predation risk should increase withclutch size and body size since these traits increase theconspicuousness of prey. The size of the highly visible egg-clutchmay be more important than body size. Female body size wasuncorrelated to clutch size, which may explain the weaker sizeeffect among females and the changed sexual sizedimorphism.     

Metabolism, body size and life span: a case study in evolutionarily divergent populations of the garter snake (Thamnophis elegans)

We present a case study of metabolism, life history and aging in the western terrestrial garter snake (Thamnophis elegans). Early research in the field supported the rate-of-living hypothesis as an explanation of aging, which was based on an apparent negative relationship between mass-specific metabolic rate and lifespan in endotherms. This hypothesis in its original form has not withstood additional tests and comparisons between the two main lineages of endotherms-birds and mammals, but there is still much to be discovered of the causative links among rate of oxygen consumption, physiology and life history, particularly in ectothermic reptiles. We present data that show adult short-lived snakes, from naturally occurring ecotypes of garter snakes, have higher mass-specific resting metabolic rates at any given body mass (metabolic intensity) across a series of normal activity temperatures (15-32°C). The short-lived ecotype in this geographic region reaches a larger body size, and has life-history traits that place it at the fast end of a pace-of-life continuum (fast growth, early maturation, high reproductive output) relative to individuals of the small-bodied long-lived ecotype. The difference between ecotypes in metabolic intensity, even after acclimation to identical conditions, may reflect evolutionary divergence and genetic differences between ecotypes. The difference in metabolic intensity is not, however, present at birth, so an alternative is that developmental environment may permanently influence metabolic rate and life history. Such developmental canalization could lead to altered gene expression via environmental influences on the epigenome and result in altered metabolic trajectories in the snakes' natural habitats.     

Parental body size affects meal size in the chinstrap penguin (Pygoscelis antarctica)

Meal size of chinstrap penguins (Pygoscelis antarctica) was estimated through weighing adult breeders before and after food transfer during the crèche phase. Mean meal size delivered by each parent was 630.2 ± 178.3 g and was independent of breeding date, number of chicks and sex. Only body size as estimated by flipper length had a significant effect on meal size, suggesting an advantage of large body size which allows maximization of food carried per visit. Received: 22 September 1997 / Accepted: 16 December 1997     

Food webs: Ordering species according to body size yields high degree of intervality

Food webs, the networks describing “who eats whom” in an ecosystem, are nearly interval, i.e. there is a way to order the species so that almost all the resources of each consumer are adjacent in the ordering. This feature has important consequences, as it means that the structure of food webs can be described using a single (or few) species' traits. Moreover, exploiting the quasi-intervality found in empirical webs can help build better models for food web structure. Here we investigate which species trait is a good proxy for ordering the species to produce quasi-interval orderings. We find that body size produces a significant degree of intervality in almost all food webs analyzed, although it does not match the maximum intervality for the networks. There is also a great variability between webs. Other orderings based on trophic levels produce a lower level of intervality. Finally, we extend the concept of intervality from predator-centered (in which resources are in intervals) to prey-centered (in which consumers are in intervals). In this case as well we find that body size yields a significant, but not maximal, level of intervality. These results show that body size is an important, although not perfect, trait that shapes species interactions in food webs. This has important implications for the formulation of simple models used to construct realistic representations of food webs.     

Clutch size and body size at first reproduction in Daphnia pulicaria at different levels of food and predation

Field data from seven alpine lakes in Serra da Estrela. Portugal.show that reproduction in Daphnia may be as efficiently controlledby fish predation and copepod predation on eggs in brood cavitiesas it is by food limitation. Body length and clutch size estimatesin Daphnia pulicaria revealed high inter- and intra-populationvariability in maturation size (body size at first reproduction).and in number of eggs per clutch. Daphnia at first maturationin lakes stocked with rainbow trout were half the size of thosefound in fishless lakes (body length of 0.86–0.95 and1.55–1.81 mm. respectively). The mean number of eggs perclutch was reduced to a similar degree by food limitation, predationby fish and copepod predation on eggs in brood cavities, butthe underlying mechanisms of this reduction were different.Food limitation caused smaller clutch sizes in all individuals,so variation remained the same. Fish predation caused the selectiveremoval of individuals with maximum clutches, so variation decreased.Copepod predation caused removal of eggs from brood cavitiesof randomly infested females, so that variation increased, particularlyat a high food level when non-infested females carried largeclutches of eggs.     

The relationship of tooth size to body size in a population of rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta)

Tooth areas correlate significantly with long bone measurements in a skeletal population of rhesus monkeys from Cayo Santiago. Correlations are relatively large for the troop as a whole, as well as for males and females separately. Femur and humerus length measurements show the highest correlations with tooth size.     

Relationship of body size and body mass to blood pressure: sex-specific and developmental influences.

The relationship of body mass and body fat distribution to blood pressure has been recognized for many years. This relationship has formed the basis for much additional research, including the impact of growth and developmental factors on blood pressure levels. Blood pressure in children is related to somatic growth and is tied to increases in height, skeletal maturation, and sexual maturation. Sexual and ethnic differences in blood pressure levels are already apparent during childhood and may also be related to the process of growth and sexual maturity. Body size exerts a profound influence on a variety of physiological functions, including blood pressure and the onset of sexual maturity. In general, studies have reported a strong linear relationship between height and blood pressure and between body mass and blood pressure such that tracking correlations from childhood to adulthood for both blood pressure and body mass index are significant for most sex and ethnic groups. Studies evaluating the effects of hormone replacement therapy on post-menopausal women have thus far generated results suggesting that the age-related rise of blood pressure is not due directly to hormonal changes associated with menopause. The interrelated effects of growth, maturation, body weight, and body fat are influenced by both genetic and environmental factors. Environmental influences may modify relationships established much earlier, perhaps as early as prenatally, during infancy, or during early childhood. Directions for future research and implications resulting from the complex relationship between body weight and blood pressure are discussed.     

Testicle size of orang-utans in relation to body size

Few data are available for assessing the relative testicle size of orang-utans, Pongo pygmaeus, so measures were obtained for 31 individuals of varying age. It was shown that the volume of the testicles, calculated from in situ measures of testicle length and breadth, closely approximates testicle weight when multiplied by the specific gravity of solid tissue. Growth curves for body weight and data published for wild specimens were evaluated to obtain the weight most characteristic of male Pongo, and the ratio of testicle weight to body weight was calculated. The mean ratio for individuals with fully adult stature is 0.034, similar to but smaller than that of humans at about 0.050, and larger than the ratios reported for 5 gorillas at 0.013. The testicles mature faster than the body, however, so the mean ratio for young adult orang-utans is about 0.056 and resembles the ratio for humans more closely than the full adults. The differences between the ratios for a monogamous gibbon species, orang-utans, and humans is accounted for when testicle size relative to the weight of the female is considered. This is consistent with a sperm dilution effect produced by variation in the size of the female reproductive tract. The small relative testicle size of the gorilla is anomalous and requires verification as does the application of female size to scale the testicles. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

No differential consequences of reproduction according to sex in Juniperus communis var. depressa (Cupressaceae)

In dioecious plant species, males and females are thought to have dissimilar allocation patterns. Females are believed to invest more in reproduction and less in growth and maintenance than males. This differential investment between sexes could result in distinct growth patterns and contrasting survival rates, thereby affecting the sex ratio of a population and the age and size distribution of males and females, possibly leading to habitat segregation according to sex. These effects might become more apparent under particularly limiting conditions, such as in nutrient-deficient soils or in climatically stressed environments. To verify these predictions, growth patterns, microsite characteristics, and age and size distribution of male and female individuals were compared, and population sex ratio was determined in three populations of the dioecious shrub Juniperus communis var. depressa (Cupressaceae, Pinophyta) along a short latitudinal gradient on the eastern coast of Hudson Bay (Northern Québec, Canada). We found that the northernmost population had a male-biased sex ratio, but that the southernmost one had a higher proportion of females. Our results failed to reveal any significant differences in radial growth patterns, mean sensitivity, annual elongation of the main axis, and size and age frequency distribution between males and females in any population. Furthermore, there was no evidence of microhabitat segregation according to sex as indicated by the lack of differences in the physicochemical characteristics of the substrate under males and females. Clearly, the expected ecological consequences of a presumed greater investment of females in reproduction were not apparent even under the very stressful conditions prevailing on subarctic dunes. Many factors could reduce differences in the cost of reproduction between males and females, such as the number and quality of reproductive structures produced annually by individuals of each sex, the possible photosynthetic activity of the immature female cones, and the complexity of the source/sink relationship within individuals. Alternatively, there may be no differences between sexes in their reproductive investment.     

Developmental implications of differential effects of calcium in tail and body skin of Anuran tadpoles

The effects of external Ca(++) on metamorphosis of Rana catesbeiana tadpoles were assessed. Treatment of tadpoles with Ca(++) (0.05 mM) during early prometamorphic stages induced precocious metamorphic events such as tail regression, shortening of the intestine, forelimb emergence, and keratinization of body epidermis within 23 days of treatment compared to control tadpoles still in mid-prometamorphic stages. These effects of Ca(++) are probably mediated by the thyroid gland, as indicated by histological features of the gland at the light and electron microscopic levels. Calcium levels of tail and body skin were measured at various stages of development by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. In control and experimental groups, body skin had significantly higher Ca(++) concentrations than tail skin. There were no statistically significant effects of developmental stage on Ca(++) levels of tail or body skin. Experimental Ca(++) treatment significantly increased Ca(++) concentration in tail but not body skin. Ultrastructure studies and gel electrophoresis indicated that calcium induced keratinization of body skin, but not tail epidermis. Ca(++)-treated tail epidermis showed various autolysing figures in apoptotic cells. In summary, calcium treatment accelerated metamorphosis and induced the following region-dependent cellular events: keratinization of body skin-a characteristic of adult epidermis-and programmed cell death in the tail. Whatever signal elicited by calcium in this experimentally induced accelerated metamorphosis is probably mediated via the thyroid gland.