Wilson
Fakultäten » Mathematisch-naturwissenschaftliche Fakultät » Evolutionsbiologie und Umweltwissenschaften, Institut für » Evolutionary Biology » Prof. Dr. Tony Wilson (ausgetreten) » Wilson
Completed research project
| Title / Titel | Reproductive variation in populations of European pipefish (Syngnathus typhle) | ||||
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| Abstract (PDF, 14 KB) | |||||
| Summary / Zusammenfassung | Physiological processes are strongly influenced by the environment. Reproductive behaviour can be particularly sensitive to subtle shifts in local climatic conditions, and recent increases in oceanic temperatures may lead to shifts in the reproductive dynamics of marine species. Syngnathid fishes (Seahorses and Pipefish) are a group of marine species with particularly pronounced adaptations for male parental care. Males of all of the species in this group brood embryos in specially adapted pouches on their bodies. Laboratory studies of Syngnathus typhle indicate that the duration of embryo incubation may be considerably extended when water temperatures decline by only several degrees centigrade. In wild populations, this response is expected to effectively truncate the breeding season and reduce potential reproductive output of pipefish males under cold water conditions. S. typhle naturally inhabits both warm and cold water environments in nearshore areas of northern and southern Europe. Inferences on reproductive variation in lab populations will be investigated in wild populations inhabiting a diversity of environmentss. Average body size and fecundity will be measured in each of these populations and the frequency of multiple mating will be measured using multilocus genotyping. Studying natural variation in reproductive dynamics offers potentially powerful insights into the expected impacts of long term climate warming on reproductive biology. |
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| Publications / Publikationen | Winkler JD, Stolting KN, Wilson AB (2012) Sex-specific responses to fecundity selection in the broad-nosed pipefish. Evolutionary Ecology, 26, 701-714.Wilson AB (2009) Opening Pandora’s Box: Comparative studies of genetic mating systems reveal reproductive complexity. Molecular Ecology, 18, 1307-1309.Wilson AB (2009) Fecundity selection predicts Bergmann’s rule in syngnathid fishes. Molecular Ecology, 18, 1263-1272.Rispoli VF and Wilson AB (2008) Sexual size dimorphism predicts the frequency of multiple mating n the sex-role reversed pipefish Syngnathus typhle. Journal of Evolutionary Biology , 21, 30-38. | ||||
| Keywords / Suchbegriffe | Climate Change, European Biodiversity, Pipefish, Reproductive dynamics, Syngnathus typhle | ||||
| Project leadership and contacts / Projektleitung und Kontakte |
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| Other links to external web pages | http://www.uzh.ch/zoolmus/zmneu/englisch/museum/home_e.html | ||||
| Funding source(s) / Unterstützt durch |
Universität Zürich (position pursuing an academic career) |
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| Duration of Project / Projektdauer | Jan 2006 to Dec 2010 |