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More is not always better: a hidden cost of the flight‐fecundity trade‐off in the hawk moth, Manduca sexta (1100.2)
Author(s) -
Wone Bernard,
Ojha Jaika,
Contreras Heidy,
Davidowitz Goggy
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.28.1_supplement.1100.2
Subject(s) - fecundity , nectar , manduca sexta , sphingidae , biology , trade off , postprandial , zoology , ecology , botany , larva , demography , population , microbiology and biotechnology , pollen , sociology , insulin
Flight and reproduction are two energetically demanding life‐history traits, but empirical data for the existence of a trade‐off between them is equivocal. Trade‐offs are partly determined by the amount of resources available: trade‐offs are more pronounced when resources are scarce and can be undetectable when resources are abundant. Using Manduca sexta hawk moths (Sphingidae) we tested the effects of nectar concentration (0%, 6%, 12%, 24%) and flight duration (0.5 h and 2.0 h) on flight performance, fecundity and the trade‐off between these two traits. Flight performance was highest on 24% nectar with significant within‐subjects interaction effects for distance and duration with diet, flight, and days flown. Nectar concentration was positively correlated with flight metabolic rate when standardized for speed and postprandial metabolic rate increased with nectar concentration. As a consequence, moths that were fed 6% nectar produced significantly more eggs compared to unfed moths or moths fed higher concentration nectar. Muscle mass was negatively correlated with egg number suggesting a trade‐off between flight structure (but not flight performance) and fecundity. The number of eggs or muscle mass had no effect on flight performance. Most importantly, our results suggest that the high‐energy content of resources can be a hidden cost underlying the flight‐fecundity trade‐off. Grant Funding Source : Supported by NSF grant IOS‐1053318