Data from: Testing the role of phenotypic plasticity for local adaptation: growth and development in time-constrained Rana temporaria populations

Phenotypic plasticity can be important for local adaptation, since it
enables individuals to survive in a novel environment until genetic
changes have been accumulated by genetic accommodation. By analyzing the
relationship between development rate and growth rate, it can be
determined if plasticity in life history traits is caused by changed
physiology or behaviour. We extended this to examine if plasticity had
been aiding local adaptation, by investigating if the plastic response had
been fixed in locally adapted populations. Tadpoles from island
populations of Rana temporaria, locally adapted to different pool drying
regimes, were monitored in a common garden. Individual differences in
development rate were caused by different foraging efficiency. However,
developmental plasticity was physiologically mediated by trading off
growth against development rate. Surprisingly, plasticity has not aided
local adaptation to time-stressed environments, since local adaptation was
not caused by genetic assimilation but on selection on the standing
genetic variation in development time.