Evol Ecol Res 8: 455-470 (2006)     Full PDF if your library subscribes.

Geographic covariation between metabolic rate and life-history traits

Marco A. Lardies1,2* and Francisco Bozinovic1

1Center for Advanced Studies in Ecology & Biodiversity and Departamento de Ecología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 6513677 and  2Departamento de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad Santo Tomas, Ejército 146, Santiago, Chile

Author to whom all correspondence should be addressed.
e-mail: mlardies@santotomas.cl

ABSTRACT

Question: Is there a clinal covariation between life-history traits and metabolic rate?

Hypothesis: Reproductive output will negatively covary with metabolic rate along an intraspecific latitudinal gradient.

Methods: In a common garden design we studied metabolic rate in five populations of the common terrestrial isopod, Porcellio laevis, over a range of 15° of latitude in Chile. We also measured life-history variables in the same populations.

Conclusions: Female body mass, female size at first reproduction, egg and juvenile size, and reproductive output were negatively correlated with mean annual air temperature and positively correlated with latitude. In contrast, metabolic rate and egg number were positively correlated with temperature and negatively correlated with latitude. Individuals inhabiting cooler climates (i.e. southern populations) tended to have lower metabolic rates. We found a significant, negative phenotypic correlation between metabolism and reproductive output for all studied populations, in a gradual and consistent direction along the latitudinal gradient.

Keywords: latitudinal variation, metabolism, physiology–life history covariation, reproductive output, trade-offs.

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        © 2006 Marco A. Lardies. All EER articles are copyrighted by their authors. All authors endorse, permit and license Evolutionary Ecology Ltd. to grant its subscribing institutions/libraries the copying privileges specified below without additional consideration or payment to them or to Evolutionary Ecology, Ltd. These endorsements, in writing, are on file in the office of Evolutionary Ecology, Ltd. Consult authors for permission to use any portion of their work in derivative works, compilations or to distribute their work in any commercial manner.

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