Genotype-by-environment interaction for salinity tolerance in the freshwater-invading copepod Eurytemora affinis

This study examined the extent of phenotypic plasticity for salinity tolerance and genetic variation in plasticity in the invasive copepod Eurytemora affinis. Euryemora affinis is a species complex inhabiting brackish to hypersaline environments but has invaded freshwater lakes and reservoirs within the past century. Reaction norm experiments were performed on a relatively euryhaline population collected from a brackish lake with fluctuating salinity. Life history traits (hatching rate, survival, and development time) were measured for 20 full-sib clutches that were split and reared at four salinities (fresh, 5, 10, and 27 practical salinity units PSU]). On average, higher salinities (10 and 27 PSU) were more favorable for larval growth, yielding greater survival and faster development rate. Clutches differed significantly in their response to salinity, with a significant genotype-by-environment interaction for development time. In addition, genetic (clutch) effects were evident in response to low salinity, given that survival in fresh (lake) water was significantly positively correlated with survival at 5 PSU for individual clutches. Clutches raised in fresh water could not survive beyond metamorphosis, suggesting that acclimation to fresh water could not occur in a single generation. Results suggest the importance of natural selection during freshwater invasion events, given the inability of plasticity to generate a freshwater phenotype, and the presence of genetic variation for plasticity upon which natural selection could act.