The lag-time constraint for behavioural plasticity
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The lag-time constraint for behavioural plasticity. / Gomes, Ana Cristina R.; Cardoso, Gonçalo C.
I: Proceedings. Biological sciences, Bind 287, Nr. 1926, 2020.0525, 2020.Publikation: Bidrag til tidsskrift › Tidsskriftartikel › Forskning › fagfællebedømt
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TY - JOUR
T1 - The lag-time constraint for behavioural plasticity
AU - Gomes, Ana Cristina R.
AU - Cardoso, Gonçalo C.
PY - 2020
Y1 - 2020
N2 - Environmental instability (i.e. environments changing often) can select fixed phenotypes because of the lag time of plastically adapting to environmental changes, known as the lag-time constraint. Because behaviour can change rapidly (e.g. switching between foraging strategies), the lag-time constraint is not considered important for behavioural plasticity. Instead, it is often argued that responsive behaviour (i.e. behaviour that changes according to the environment) evolves to cope with unstable environments. But proficiently performing certain behaviours may require time for learning, for practising or, in social animals, for the group to adjust to one's behaviour. Conversely, not using certain behaviours for a period of time can reduce their level of performance. Here, using individual-based evolutionary simulations, we show that environmental instability selects for fixed behaviour when the ratio between the rates of increase and reduction in behavioural performance is below a certain threshold; only above this threshold does responsive behaviour evolve in unstable environments. Thus, the lag-time constraint can apply to behaviours that attain high performance either slowly or rapidly, depending on the relative rate with which their performance decreases when not used. We discuss these results in the context of the evolution of reduced behavioural plasticity, as seen in fixed personality differences.
AB - Environmental instability (i.e. environments changing often) can select fixed phenotypes because of the lag time of plastically adapting to environmental changes, known as the lag-time constraint. Because behaviour can change rapidly (e.g. switching between foraging strategies), the lag-time constraint is not considered important for behavioural plasticity. Instead, it is often argued that responsive behaviour (i.e. behaviour that changes according to the environment) evolves to cope with unstable environments. But proficiently performing certain behaviours may require time for learning, for practising or, in social animals, for the group to adjust to one's behaviour. Conversely, not using certain behaviours for a period of time can reduce their level of performance. Here, using individual-based evolutionary simulations, we show that environmental instability selects for fixed behaviour when the ratio between the rates of increase and reduction in behavioural performance is below a certain threshold; only above this threshold does responsive behaviour evolve in unstable environments. Thus, the lag-time constraint can apply to behaviours that attain high performance either slowly or rapidly, depending on the relative rate with which their performance decreases when not used. We discuss these results in the context of the evolution of reduced behavioural plasticity, as seen in fixed personality differences.
KW - behavioural performance
KW - lag-time constraint
KW - personality
KW - plasticity
KW - unstable environments
U2 - 10.1098/rspb.2020.0525
DO - 10.1098/rspb.2020.0525
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 32345155
AN - SCOPUS:85084169792
VL - 287
JO - Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences
JF - Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences
SN - 0962-8452
IS - 1926
M1 - 2020.0525
ER -
ID: 242362122