Bony traits and genetics drive intraspecific variation in vertebrate elemental composition

Interspecific variation in elemental composition is well known and often leads to predictable differences in ecosystem interactions, but little is known about the extent, causes and importance of intraspecific variation in elemental composition. If intraspecific variation is substantial and has a genetic basis, it may underlie an important mechanism of evolutionary interplay with ecology as individuals compensate for evolutionary changes in elemental demand.
To investigate the extent and causes of intraspecific elemental variation in vertebrates, we sampled evolutionary model species Gasterosteus aculeatus (Threespine Stickleback) from 12 locations in British Columbia, Canada. Fish were phenotyped, genotyped for Eda alleles underlying lateral plate variation and assayed for elemental content (C, N, P).
We found stickleback vary widely in elemental composition (2.2 – 6.5%P; 3.0 – 9.4:1 N:P). Phenotypic models explained the majority of this variation using bony armour traits (pelvis len...

生物元素组成的种间变异已被广泛认知，且通常会导致生态系统互作中可预测的差异，但目前学界对元素组成的种内变异的程度、成因与重要性仍知之甚少。若种内变异程度显著且具有遗传基础，则其可能成为进化与生态互作的重要机制——即个体通过该机制应对元素需求的进化改变。
为探究脊椎动物元素组成的种内变异程度与成因，我们从加拿大不列颠哥伦比亚省的12个采样点获取了进化研究模式物种三刺鱼（Gasterosteus aculeatus, Threespine Stickleback）的样本。研究人员对采集的鱼类进行了表型分型、针对调控侧板变异的Eda等位基因进行基因分型，并检测了其元素组成（碳C、氮N、磷P）。
本研究发现三刺鱼的元素组成存在显著差异（磷含量范围为2.2%~6.5%；氮磷比范围为3.0:1~9.4:1）。表型模型可通过骨甲性状（骨盆长度……）解释该变异中的大部分。