Geographical differences in information use and plasticity of male mating decisions in a sexually cannibalistic spider

行为可塑性允许对新情况做出快速反应，例如由全球变化引起的情况。然而，塑性响应要求在使用从环境中提取的信息时充分考虑个体状态的决策。当环境的不确定性如此之大，以至于固定的解决方案不适合时，就需要这样的决策过程。众所周知，决策和信息使用可以减少环境不确定性的环境有：捕食者躲避、觅食和交配。相对较少的研究调查了在交配背景下的灵活决策过程，同时也考虑了可塑性的地理差异和决策过程背后的信号或线索。我们建议使用自然模型系统来解决这些问题，该系统在实验上是可访问的，并且具有覆盖几种环境条件的分布。圆网蜘蛛Argiope bruennichi最近扩大了它的活动范围，并成功地占领了新的栖息地。物种的系统地理学、种群遗传学、交配系统和行为都是众所周知的。不同物种的物候差异导致了不同的时空选择机制，这与雄性最优交配策略的可处理性差异有关。bruennichi的雄性适应非常低的交配率，并遵循单配偶或多配偶的交配策略，它们可塑性和适应性地调整以适应普遍条件。该项目将整合多个层面的研究，并将提供以下方面的新见解：(1)交配策略、交配质量阈值和潜在表型变异的地理差异；(2)个人信息在交配和生活史决策中的差异使用；(3)基因型与环境相互作用对生活史性状表达的潜在相关性，这些性状负责交配策略的选择制度和适应性回报。

Behavioral plasticity allows rapid responses to novel conditions as for example caused by global change. However, plastic responses require decisions that adequately consider the individual state when using information extracted from the environment. Such decision-making processes are required when environmental uncertainty is so large that hard-wired solutions are unsuitable. Well known contexts in which decision making and information use reduce environmental uncertainty are, predator avoidance, foraging and mating. Relatively few studies have investigated flexible decision-making processes in a mating context while also considering geographic differences in plasticity and the signals or cues underlying the decision process. We propose to address these questions using a natural model system, which is experimentally accessibly and has a distribution that covers several environmental conditions. The orb-web spider Argiope bruennichi has recently expanded its range and successfully colonized new habitats. Phylogeography, population genetics, the mating system and behavior of the species are well known. Differences in phenology across the species range result in different spatial and temporal selection regimes relevant to tractable differences in optimal mating strategies of males. Males of A. bruennichi are adapted to very low mating rates and follow mono- or bigynous mating strategies that they plastically and adaptively adjust to prevailing conditions. The proposed project will integrate several levels of research and shall provide novel insights into (1) geographical differences in mating strategies, mate quality thresholds and the underlying phenotypic variation; (2) the differential use of personal information underlying mating and life-history decisions and (3) the potential relevance of genotype by environment interactions for the expression of life-history traits responsible for selection regimes and fitness returns of mating strategies.