A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal
Genetic variability predicts common frog (Rana temporaria) size at metamorphosis in the wild
Authors: Lesbarreres D, Schmeller DS, Primmer CR, Merila J
Publisher: NATURE PUBLISHING GROUP
Publication year: 2007
Journal: Heredity
Journal name in source: HEREDITY
Journal acronym: HEREDITY
Volume: 99
Issue: 1
First page : 41
Last page: 46
Number of pages: 6
ISSN: 0018-067X
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.hdy.6800961
Abstract
We investigated associations between genetic variability and two fitness-related traits - size and age at metamorphosis in two subartic populations of the common frog, Rana temporaria. We found that metamorphic size was positively correlated with individual heterozygosity (as estimated using eight microsatellite loci) and that maternal heterozygosity also explained a significant amount of variation in this trait. In contrast, age at metamorphosis was only explained by environmental factors. Since size at metamorphosis is positively correlated with fitness in amphibians, these results suggest that genetic variability may be an important component of individual fitness in common frogs. The environmental variation underlying timing of metamorphosis may indicate that strong selection pressure on this trait in the Nordic environment is likely to override genetic effects.
We investigated associations between genetic variability and two fitness-related traits - size and age at metamorphosis in two subartic populations of the common frog, Rana temporaria. We found that metamorphic size was positively correlated with individual heterozygosity (as estimated using eight microsatellite loci) and that maternal heterozygosity also explained a significant amount of variation in this trait. In contrast, age at metamorphosis was only explained by environmental factors. Since size at metamorphosis is positively correlated with fitness in amphibians, these results suggest that genetic variability may be an important component of individual fitness in common frogs. The environmental variation underlying timing of metamorphosis may indicate that strong selection pressure on this trait in the Nordic environment is likely to override genetic effects.
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