Article
Inbreeding vs outbreeding depression in a marine species with low dispersal potential
Registro en:
Marine Ecology. 2021;42:e12635.
1439-0485
Autor
Montecinos Zúñiga, Camila Monserrat
Álvarez, Carolina
Riera Elena, Rodrigo
Brante Ramírez, Antonio Javier
Resumen
Artículo Inbreeding depression strongly affects the biological fitness of organisms throughout
their life cycle. These negative effects are more pronounced in species with low dispersal
potentials, where mating among relatives is more likely. However, in some species,
an outbreeding depression could be expressed when local adaptive and genetic
beneficial interactions are disrupted when mating occurs between individuals from
different localities. The amphipod Orchestoidea tuberculata inhabits the upper level of
sandy beaches. This species has direct development and adults are poor swimmers,
resulting in low dispersal potential. We herein evaluated potential inbreeding and
outbreeding depression responses in O. tuberculata estimated in fecundity, egg size,
and mate choice. Artificial families were used with individuals from different sites
within a single beach and from distinct beaches. Results showed that the highest
fecundity (66.7%) and the largest egg size (50.1 mm3) were recorded in females that
mated with males from the same site, rather than males from other sites and beaches.
We also observed potential recognition mechanisms that clearly favored inbreeding
(81.8% of males chose females from the same site). These results suggest a potential
outbreeding depression in O. tuberculata. Additional studies are needed to elucidate
underlying adaptive mechanisms favoring inbreeding in this species.