Sex and size matter: ontogenetic patterns of nutrient content of aquatic insects

Back, Jeffrey A.; King, Ryan S.

doi:10.1899/12-181.1

Cited by 48 publications

(46 citation statements)

References 60 publications

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“…Alternatively, females in late juvenility may be acquiring resources at an increased rate because of the demands of somatic growth along with ovary and egg development. While adult females bear the demands of oogenesis, a P intensive process (Back and King, 2013), the selection for somatic growth in adulthood is much lower in adults than in juveniles because adults reach a size refuge from their main predator -dragonfly naiads (Wellborn, 1994;. Given the sex differences in P content within amphipods (Goos et al, 2014), it is somewhat surprising that no sexual dimorphism in acquisition exists in adulthood.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The sexes can differ markedly in elemental composition, with these differences changing across different life stages (Back and King, 2013;Goos et al, 2014;Gorokhova and Hansson, 2000;Markow et al, 1999). Thus, the supply of necessary elements in the environment could invoke sex-and/or age-specific element use strategies, particularly in species exhibiting high degrees of sexual dimorphism.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Sex-specific nutrient use and preferential allocation of resources to a sexually selected trait in Hyalella amphipods

Goos

Cothran

Jeyasingh

2016

Journal of Experimental Biology

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Although sexually dimorphic traits are often well studied, we know little about sex-specific resource use strategies that should underlie such dimorphism. We measured sex-specific responses in acquisition and assimilation of two fundamental resources, carbon (C) and phosphorus (P) in juvenile and mature Hyalella amphipods given low and high supplies of inorganic phosphate, analogous to oligotrophic and eutrophic conditions, respectively. Additionally, we quantified allocation of resources to sexual traits in males. Dual radiotracer ( 14 C and 33 P) assays revealed substantial age-and sexspecific differences in acquisition and assimilation. Furthermore, a phenotypic manipulation experiment revealed that amphipods fed low-P food allocated more C to all traits than those fed high-P food. Importantly, we found that amphipods preferentially allocated more C to the development of a sexually selected trait (the posterior gnathopod), compared with a serially homologous trait (the fifth pereopod) not under sexual selection. Substantial differences in how the sexes use fundamental resources, and the impact of altered nutrient supply on such differences, illuminate sexual dimorphism at the lowest level of biological organization. Such information will be important in understanding how sex-and age-specific life history demands influence nutrient processing in a biosphere characterized by rapidly changing alterations to biogeochemical cycles.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sex-specific nutrient use and preferential allocation of resources to a sexually selected trait in Hyalella amphipods

Goos

Cothran

Jeyasingh

2016

Journal of Experimental Biology

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“…Investments in RNA decrease significantly with body size (small organisms generally have higher growth rates), suggesting an increase in body N:P with increasing body size for invertebrates (Sterner and Elser, 2002;Back and King, 2013). However, more P is sequestered into supportive tissue like bones, suggesting that for vertebrates body N:P decreases with body size (Sterner and Elser, 2002) since skeleton mass scales allometrically (more than proportionally) with body mass Prange et al, 1979).…”

Section: Applying Rule 1 To Terrestrial Herbivoresmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Stoichiometry of Nutrient Release by Terrestrial Herbivores and Its Ecosystem Consequences

et al. 2017

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It is widely recognized that the release of nutrients by herbivores via their waste products strongly impacts nutrient availability for autotrophs. The ratios of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) recycled through herbivore release (i.e., waste N:P) are mainly determined by the stoichiometric composition of the herbivore's food (food N:P) and its body nutrient content (body N:P). Waste N:P can in turn impact autotroph nutrient limitation and productivity. Herbivore-driven nutrient recycling based on stoichiometric principles is dominated by theoretical and experimental research in freshwater systems, in particular interactions between algae and invertebrate herbivores. In terrestrial ecosystems, the impact of herbivores on nutrient cycling and availability is often limited to studying carbon (C):N and C:P ratios, while the role of terrestrial herbivores in mediating N:P ratios is also likely to influence herbivore-driven nutrient recycling. In this review, we use rules and predictions on the stoichiometry of nutrient release originating from algal-based aquatic systems to identify the factors that determine the stoichiometry of nutrient release by herbivores. We then explore how these rules can be used to understand the stoichiometry of nutrient release by terrestrial herbivores, ranging from invertebrates to mammals, and its impact on plant nutrient limitation and productivity. Future studies should focus on measuring both N and P when investigating herbivore-driven nutrient recycling in terrestrial ecosystems, while also taking the form of waste product (urine or feces) and other pathways by which herbivores change nutrients into account, to be able to quantify the impact of waste stoichiometry on plant communities.

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“…The model used initial body C ∶ P = 184 (Evans-White et al 2005) and mean gross growth efficiency for C (GGE C ) = 0.034 at 10°C (McDiffett 1970). Varying body C ∶ P values of 215 and 245 were chosen to illustrate TER C ∶ P sensitivity to increased body C ∶ P as a consequence of larval development (Back and King 2013). particulates onto precombusted and preweighed 25-mmdiameter, 1-μm-pore glass-fiber filters (GF/Fs; Pall Inc., Port Washington, New York). Filters were oven dried, desiccated, and weighed to the nearest 0.1 mg. We used similarly filtered particulates from 32 insect-absent chambers to measure background contributions from leaves and subtracted background contributions for each treatment.…”

Section: Laboratory Growth Experimentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Studies suggest that: 1) maximal A P for cladocerans, model organisms upon which A P = 0.8 estimates appear to be based (DeMott et al 1998, Frost et al 2006, may fall below 0.6 on natural diets (DeMott and Tessier 2002), 2) A P varies among cladoceran taxa (Ferrão-Filho et al 2007), and 3) zooplankton excrete measurable quantities of P even above the estimated TER C ∶ P (DeMott et al 1998, He andWang 2008). In addition, not all consumers are strictly homeostatic (Persson et al 2010), and growth C ∶ P diverges from body C ∶ P among developing organisms (Back and King 2013). These trends violate fundamental TER bioenergetics model assumptions and could drive inaccuracy in bioenergetics TER C ∶ P (Fig.…”

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confidence: 99%

A stream insect detritivore violates common assumptions of threshold elemental ratio bioenergetics models

et al. 2015

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Ecologists increasingly use threshold elemental ratios (TERs) to explain and predict organism responses to altered resource C ∶ P or C ∶ N. TER calculations are grounded in diet-dependent growth, but growth data are limited for most taxa. Thus, TERs are derived instead from bioenergetics models that rely on simplifying assumptions, such as fixed organism C ∶ P and no P excretion at peak growth. We examined stoichiometric regulation of the stream insect detritivore Pycnopsyche lepida to assess bioenergetics model assumptions and compared bioenergetics TER C ∶ P estimates to those based on growth. We fed P. lepida maple and oak leaf diets along a dietary C ∶ P gradient (molar C ∶ P range = 950-4180) and measured consumption, growth, stoichiometric homeostasis (H), and elemental assimilation and growth efficiencies over a 5-wk period in the laboratory. Pycnopsyche lepida responses to varying resource C ∶ P depended on litter identity and were strongest among oak diets, on which growth peaked at diet C ∶ P = 1620. Pycnopsyche lepida fed oak litter exhibited flexible body C ∶ P during growth and in response to altered diet C ∶ P (non-strict homeostasis; H = 4.74), low P use efficiencies, and P excretion at peak growth. These trends violated common bioenergetics model assumptions and caused deviation of estimated TER C ∶ P from C ∶ P = 1620. Bioenergetics TER C ∶ P further varied among P. lepida of differing growth status on varying diet C ∶ P (overall TER C ∶ P range = 1030-9540). Our study identifies novel effects of nutrient enrichment and litter identity on detritivore stoichiometric regulation and supports growth-based approaches for future TER calculations.

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Sex and size matter: ontogenetic patterns of nutrient content of aquatic insects

Cited by 48 publications

References 60 publications

Sex-specific nutrient use and preferential allocation of resources to a sexually selected trait in Hyalella amphipods

Sex-specific nutrient use and preferential allocation of resources to a sexually selected trait in Hyalella amphipods

The Stoichiometry of Nutrient Release by Terrestrial Herbivores and Its Ecosystem Consequences

A stream insect detritivore violates common assumptions of threshold elemental ratio bioenergetics models

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