Data from: Behavioural vs. physiological adaptation: which contributes more to the evolution of complex traits in a warming climate?
Data files
Feb 26, 2025 version files 108.52 KB
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Behavioural_Evolution_Model_Simulation_Data_2024_01_16.csv.csv
104.09 KB
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README.md
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Abstract
Through behavioural adaptation, organisms can alter their environment, and consequently, their exposure to selective pressures. In contrast, physiological traits adapt by accommodating environmental influences. Here, we examine how the coevolution of behavioural and physiological traits is shaped by their different relationships to the environment by modelling the adaptation of species with temperature-dependent sex determination to climate change. In these species, pivotal temperature and maternal nesting behaviour can evolve in response to rising temperatures that destabilise sex ratios. We used individual-based simulation modelling to ascertain the relative response to selection of these traits and determine how temperature-dependent embryonic survival and behavioural plasticity influence their coevolution. We found that pivotal temperature evolved to ameliorate sex-ratio bias more readily than nesting behaviour, though behaviour played an important role in adaptation to extreme environments. Selection favoured increased behavioural evolution when embryonic survival depended on nest temperature, while plasticity reduced the adaptive potential of behaviour. We demonstrate that the capacity of behavioural traits to respond to multiple selective pressures has a substantial impact on the coevolution of behavioural and physiological traits. Our findings highlight the complex interactions that occur when species adapt to new environments and the potential for plasticity to shape the course of evolution.
https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.7pvmcvf38
Description of the data and file structure
This dataset contains the output of an individual-based simulation model comparing the evolution of behavioural and physiological responses to sex ratio selection in species with temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD).
This data is analysed in the manuscript "Behavioural vs. physical adaptation: which contributes more to the evolution of complex traits in a warming climate?" published in the Journal of Evolutionary Biology.
Files and variables
File: Behavioural_Evolution_Model_Simulation_Data_2024_01_16.csv.csv
Description: Final values of fluctuating parameters for each iteration of a simulation model examining the evolution of nesting behaviour and pivotal temperature in species with TSD.
Variables
- a: The random number seed used to ensure psuedorandom number generation in the simulation.
- t: The number of generations that the population survived before extinction or completion of the simulation. The maximum number of generations is 10000.
- N: The final number of individuals in the population.
- Tglob: The mean temperature of the simulation scenario. Possible values are 28°C, 30°C, and 32°C.
- Evol_Scenario: Evolution scenario, the traits that were allowed to evolve in the population. 1 = Evolution of the pivotal temperature (Tpiv) only, 2 = Evolution of nesting behaviour (Nb) only, 3 = Coevolution of Tpiv and Nb.
- Sigma: A survival probability constant that determines the degree of influence that developmental temperature has on offspring survival. When σ = 1e10, survival is not dependent on temperature, when σ = 3 survival is dependent on temperature
- relNb: A measure of plasticity in nesting behaviour. When the annual temperature differs from the originally adapted climate (28°)individuals in the population adjust their genetic nest preference by relNb, a proportion of difference between the annual temperature and original climate. Possible values are 0 (0% of annual - original climate), 0.3 (30% of annual - original climate) and 0.6 (60% of annual - original climate).
- Tpiv: The mean pivotal temperature (temp that produces a 1:1 sex ratio), of the population on initiation of the simulation. Expressed in °C.
- TpivSD: The standard deviation of starting variation in Tpiv. Expressed in °C.
- Nb: The mean nest temperature preference of the population on initiation of the simulation. Expressed as the difference from the annual temperature in °C.
- NbSD: The standard deviation of starting variation in Nb. Expressed in °C.
- Hvar_Tpiv: The standard deviation of Tpiv expressed as a phenotype, given an individual’s genetic Tpiv value. Describes the variation in heritability of the trait in a given similation. Higher values of Hvar_Tpiv lead to lower trait heritability.
- Hvar_Nb: The standard deviation of Nb expressed as a phenotype, given an individual’s genetic Nb value. Describes the variation in heritability of the trait in a given similation. Higher values of Hvar_Nb lead to lower trait heritability.
- ASR: The adult sex ratio of the population on completion of the simulation. 1 = 100% males, 0 = 100% females.
- PSR: The primary sex ratio (sex ratio of embryos generated each interation) population on completion of the simulation. 1 = 100% males, 0 = 100% females.
- Initial100Psons: The proportion of embryos generated in the first 100 generatons that were male.
- Final_Tpiv: The mean Tpiv of the last 1000 generations of the simulation. Expressed in °C.
- First_Hi_Tpiv: The first generation that the population pivotal temperature mean exceeded Final_Tpiv.
- N_Hi_Tpiv: The number of generations that exceeded Final_Tpiv.
- Final_Nb: The mean Nb of the last 1000 generations of the simulation. Expressed in °C.
- First_Lo_Nb: The first generation that the population Nb mean fell below Final_Nb.
- N_Lo_Nb: The number of generations that fell below Final_Nb.
- Tpiv_Mean: The mean of all Tpiv alleles present in the population in the last generation of the simulation. Expressed in °C.
- Nb_Mean: The mean of all Nb alleles present in the population in the last generation of the simulation. Expressed in °C.
This dataset contains the output of an individual-based simulation model comparing the evolution of behavioural and physiological responses to sex ratio selection in species with temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD).