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Repeated intraspecific divergence in life span and aging of African annual fishes along an aridity gradient
Author(s) -
Blažek Radim,
Polačik Matej,
Kačer Petr,
Cellerino Alessandro,
Řežucha Radomil,
Methling Caroline,
Tomášek Oldřich,
Syslová Kamila,
Terzibasi Tozzini Eva,
Albrecht Tomáš,
Vrtílek Milan,
Reichard Martin
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
evolution
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.84
H-Index - 199
eISSN - 1558-5646
pISSN - 0014-3820
DOI - 10.1111/evo.13127
Subject(s) - biology , intraspecific competition , life expectancy , longevity , life span , natural selection , divergence (linguistics) , ecology , life history theory , evolutionary biology , life history , demography , population , genetics , philosophy , sociology , linguistics
Life span and aging are substantially modified by natural selection. Across species, higher extrinsic (environmentally related) mortality (and hence shorter life expectancy) selects for the evolution of more rapid aging. However, among populations within species, high extrinsic mortality can lead to extended life span and slower aging as a consequence of condition‐dependent survival. Using within‐species contrasts of eight natural populations of Nothobranchius fishes in common garden experiments, we demonstrate that populations originating from dry regions (with short life expectancy) had shorter intrinsic life spans and a greater increase in mortality with age, more pronounced cellular and physiological deterioration (oxidative damage, tumor load), and a faster decline in fertility than populations from wetter regions. This parallel intraspecific divergence in life span and aging was not associated with divergence in early life history (rapid growth, maturation) or pace‐of‐life syndrome (high metabolic rates, active behavior). Variability across four study species suggests that a combination of different aging and life‐history traits conformed with or contradicted the predictions for each species. These findings demonstrate that variation in life span and functional decline among natural populations are linked, genetically underpinned, and can evolve relatively rapidly.