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Survival selection on escape performance and its underlying phenotypic traits: a case of many‐to‐one mapping
Author(s) -
STROBBE F.,
MCPEEK M.A.,
DE BLOCK M.,
DE MEESTER L.,
STOKS R.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
journal of evolutionary biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.289
H-Index - 128
eISSN - 1420-9101
pISSN - 1010-061X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1420-9101.2009.01733.x
Subject(s) - biology , phenotype , selection (genetic algorithm) , context (archaeology) , evolutionary biology , ecology , genetics , gene , paleontology , artificial intelligence , computer science
Selection often operates not directly on phenotypic traits but on performance which is important as several traits may contribute to a single performance measure (many‐to‐one mapping). Although largely ignored in the context of selection, this asks for studies that link all relevant phenotypes with performance and fitness. In an enclosure experiment, we studied links between phenotypic traits, swimming performance and survival in two Enallagma damselflies. Predatory dragonflies imposed survival selection for increased swimming propensity and speed only in E. annexum ; probably E. aspersum was buffered by the former species’ presence. Accordingly, more circular caudal lamellae, structures involved in generating thrust while swimming, were selected for only in E. annexum . Other phenotypic traits that contributed to swimming speed were apparently not under selection, probably because of many‐to‐one mapping (functional redundancy). Our results indicate that not only the phenotypic distributions of syntopic prey organisms but also many‐to‐one mapping should be considered when documenting phenotype–performance–fitness relationships.