Hydric conditions during incubation influence phenotypes of neonatal reptiles in the field
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The Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology seeks to teach the studies of ecology (organisms and their environment), evolutionary theory (the origin and interrelationships of organisms), and organismal biology (the structure, function, and biodiversity of organisms). In doing this, it offers several majors which are codirected with other departments, including biology, genetics, and environmental sciences.
History
The Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology was founded in 2003 as a merger of the Department of Botany, the Department of Microbiology, and the Department of Zoology and Genetics.
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2003–present
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- College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (parent college)
- College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (parent college)
- Department of Botany (predecessor, 2003)
- Department of Microbiology (predecessor, 2003)
- Department of Zoology and Genetics (predecessor, 2003)
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Abstract
- Phenotypic variation is strongly impacted by environmental conditions experienced during development. Substantial laboratory research has shown that reptiles with flexible-shelled eggs are particularly sensitive to hydric conditions, yet research on nests in the wild is sparse.
- In this 2-year field experiment, we explore the influence of hydric conditions during incubation on phenotypic traits of hatchling painted turtles (Chrysemys picta). Using a split-clutch design, we created two artificial nests adjacent to each maternally selected nest site. Half the eggs incubated in a nest that received regular supplemental watering, while the control nest was exposed to natural precipitation only.
- Our results suggest that the influence of the hydric environment on developing reptilian embryos is context dependent. Supplemental water applied to nests in a drier than normal season elicited the expected biotic responses, based on laboratory experiments. However, when the soil surrounding C. picta eggs was already highly moist, the additional water from supplemental application effectively stunted embryonic development.
- Our experiment confirms that hydric conditions of the soil during incubation in the wild can substantially influence phenotypic variation of reptiles with flexible-shelled eggs. Additionally, our experiment highlights the importance of complex interactions in the field that are often unexplored in laboratory experiments, reiterating the importance of validating laboratory work with field experiments.
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This article is from Functional Ecology 29 (2015): 710, doi: 10.1111/1365-2435.12382.