Sex-Specific Effect of the Dietary Protein to Carbohydrate Ratio on Personality in the Dubia Cockroach

Abstract

Animal personality, defined by behavioral variations among individuals consistent over contexts or time, is shaped by genetic and environmental factors. Among these factors, nutrition can play an important role. The Geometric Framework of Nutrition has promoted a better understanding of the role of the macronutrient proportion in animal development, survival, reproduction, and behavior, and can help to disentangle its modulatory effect on animal personality. In this study, we investigated the effects of protein to carbohydrate (P:C) ratio in the personality of the cockroach Blaptica dubia. Newly emerged adults were fed over a period of eight weeks on five different diets varying in their P:C ratio and their diet consumption, mass variation, survival, exploratory behavior, and mobility were assessed. We found that females, unlike males, were able to regulate their nutrient intake and preferred carbohydrate-rich diets. Females also gained more body mass and lived longer compared to males. In addition, their behavior and mobility were not affected by the diet. In males, however, high-protein diets induced a bolder personality. We suggest that the sex-specific effects observed on both survival and behavior are related to the nutrient intake regulation capacity and might improve the species’ fitness in adverse nutritional conditions.

Direct and indirect phenotypic effects on sociability indicate potential to evolve

“…Once all arenas were in position and cameras focused, I started the recording and left the room. The lights automatically switched off after 40 min, and so, the trial began 40 min after I left the room, in darkness, which is when B. dubia is active (Bouchebti et al, 2022 ). I returned 2 h after leaving to end the trial, meaning the trials lasted 80 min.…”

Direct and indirect phenotypic effects on sociability indicate potential to evolve

“…Once all arenas were in position and cameras focused, I started the recording and left the room. The lights automatically switched off after 40 minutes, and so the trial began 40 minutes after I left the room, in darkness, which is when B. dubia is active (Bouchebti et al ., 2022). I returned two hours after leaving to end the trial, meaning the trials lasted 80 minutes.…”

Macronutrient balance has opposing effects on cognition and survival in honey bees

“…Many studies using this approach have shown how the intake of nutritionally unbalanced diets influences a variety of physiological, behavioural and life‐history traits. For instance, an unbalanced protein to carbohydrate (P:C) ratio can affect the lifespan (Le Couteur et al, 2016; Lee et al, 2008), reproduction (Jensen et al, 2015; Solon‐Biet et al, 2015), immunity (Ponton et al, 2011) or even personality traits of individuals (Bouchebti, Cortés‐Fossati, et al, 2022; Han & Dingemanse, 2017).…”