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的条件做出快速反应，例如由全球变化引起的。然而，塑料响应需要在使用从环境中提取的信息时充分考虑个人状态的决定。当环境不确定性如此之大，以至于硬连线的解决方案不合适时，就需要这样的决策过程。众所周知，决策和信息使用减少环境不确定性的环境是，躲避捕食者、觅食和交配。相对较少的研究研究了在交配环境中灵活的决策过程，同时也考虑了可塑性和决策过程背后的信号或线索的地理差异。我们建议使用一个自然模型系统来解决这些问题，该模型系统在实验上是可访问的，并且其分布涵盖了几种环境条件。球网蜘蛛Argiope Bruennichi最近扩大了它的活动范围，并成功地在新的栖息地定居。物种的系统地理、种群遗传学、交配系统和行为都是众所周知的。物种范围内物候的差异导致了不同的空间和时间选择制度，这与雄性最佳交配策略的可处理差异有关。雄性斑潜蝇适应非常低的交配率，并遵循单雌或双雌的交配策略，它们通过可塑性和适应性来适应流行的条件。拟议的项目将整合多个层次的研究，并将对(1)交配策略、交配质量阈值和潜在表型变异的地理差异；(2)交配和生活史决策背后的个人信息的不同使用；(3)基因与环境相互作用对负责选择机制和交配策略的适合性回报的生活史特征表达的潜在相关性提供新的见解。

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.