Behavioural Phenotypes: Associated Life History Traits and Environmental Effects on Development

Mathew Edenbrow

University of Exeter

Supervisor: Dr Darren Croft

For many years there has been growing evidence that individual animals express specific behavioural phenotypes or 'personalities' that are consistent across time, contexts and situations i.e. some individuals are bold while others are shy. These behavioural phenotypes have been implicated as major driving forces shaping population dynamics and ability to buffer environmental disturbance. Recently theoretical predictions have suggested that life history strategy may influence behavioural phenotype development with life history and 'personality' co-varying as a result of both fitness and growth-mortality trade-offs. Furthermore, current knowledge is severely lacking with regard to environmental effects upon personality development. Understanding how abiotic factors shape behavioural phenotypes and how personality traits and life history traits interact is therefore essential to identify the behavioural processes shaping populations.

This project will investigate environmental effects upon life history and personality traits and their interaction during ontogeny. The following hypotheses will be addressed

1. Life history strategy variation will correlate with behavioural phenotype expression in a current vs. future fitness trade-off.
2. The rearing environment will directly influence life history strategy and behavioural phenotype expression.
3. The parental rearing environment will determine the behavioural phenotype of the offspring indicating environmentally induced trans-generational effects.

To explore these hypotheses the Mangrove killifish (Kryptolebias marmoratus), a naturally occurring clonal vertebrate, will be used as a model organism. This species presents a powerful tool because it allows direct comparison of within clone responses to multiple environmental treatments providing an elegant control for genetic variation. Furthermore by comparing between clone lines, that are genetically different, population patterns in behavioural phenotype-life history interaction can be explored at the behavioural syndrome level.

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