Universität zu Köln

Mueck, Isabel and Heubel, Katja U. (2018). Ecological variation along the salinity gradient in the Baltic Sea Area and its consequences for reproduction in the common goby. Curr. Zool., 64 (2). S. 259 - 271. OXFORD: OXFORD UNIV PRESS. ISSN 2396-9814

Full text not available from this repository.

Abstract

Although it has become clear that sexual selection may shape mating systems and drive speciation, the potential constraints of environmental factors on processes and outcomes of sexual selection are largely unexplored. Here, we investigate the geographic variation of such environmental factors, more precisely the quality and quantity of nest resources (bivalve shells) along a salinity gradient in the Baltic Sea Area (Baltic Sea, Sounds and Belts, and Kattegat). We further test whether we find any salinity-associated morphological differences in body size between populations of common gobies Pomatoschistus microps, a small marine fish with a resource-based mating system. In a geographically expansive field study, we sampled 5 populations of P. microps occurring along the salinity gradient (decreasing from West to East) in the Baltic Sea Area over 3 consecutive years. Nest resource quantity and quality decreased from West to East, and a correlation between mussel size and male body size was detected. Population density, sex ratios, mating- and reproductive success as well as brood characteristics also differed between populations but with a less clear relation to salinity. With this field study we shed light on geographic variation of distinct environmental parameters possibly acting on population differentiation. We provide insights on relevant ecological variation, and draw attention to its importance in the framework of context-dependent plasticity of sexual selection.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Creators:	Creators Email ORCID ORCID Put Code Mueck, Isabel UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Heubel, Katja U. UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED
URN:	urn:nbn:de:hbz:38-189877
DOI:	10.1093/cz/zoy006
Journal or Publication Title:	Curr. Zool.
Volume:	64
Number:	2
Page Range:	S. 259 - 271
Date:	2018
Publisher:	OXFORD UNIV PRESS
Place of Publication:	OXFORD
ISSN:	2396-9814
Language:	English
Faculty:	Unspecified
Divisions:	Unspecified
Subjects:	no entry
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Keywords Language ASSORTATIVE NEST CHOICE; SEXUAL SELECTION; BODY-SIZE; GEOGRAPHIC-VARIATION; FILIAL CANNIBALISM; SAND GOBY; TEMPORAL DYNAMICS; MACOMA-BALTHICA; BERGMANNS RULE; MYA-ARENARIA Multiple languages Zoology Multiple languages
Refereed:	Yes
URI:	http://kups.ub.uni-koeln.de/id/eprint/18987