Marine protected areas rescue a sexually selected trait in European lobster
Abstract Marine protected areas (MPAs) are increasingly implemented worldwide to maintain and restore depleted populations. However, despite our knowledge on the myriad of positive responses to protection, there are few empirical studies on the ability to conserve species’ mating patterns and second...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2020-10-01
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| Series: | Evolutionary Applications |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1111/eva.12992 |
| _version_ | 1818457160810496000 |
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| author | Tonje Knutsen Sørdalen Kim Tallaksen Halvorsen Leif Asbjørn Vøllestad Even Moland Esben Moland Olsen |
| author_facet | Tonje Knutsen Sørdalen Kim Tallaksen Halvorsen Leif Asbjørn Vøllestad Even Moland Esben Moland Olsen |
| author_sort | Tonje Knutsen Sørdalen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Marine protected areas (MPAs) are increasingly implemented worldwide to maintain and restore depleted populations. However, despite our knowledge on the myriad of positive responses to protection, there are few empirical studies on the ability to conserve species’ mating patterns and secondary sexual traits. In male European lobsters (Homarus gammarus), the size of claws relative to body size correlates positively with male mating success and is presumably under sexual selection. At the same time, an intensive trap fishery exerts selection against large claws in males. MPAs could therefore be expected to resolve these conflicting selective pressures and preserve males with large claws. We explored this hypothesis by contrasting claw size of males and females in three pairs of MPAs and nearby fished areas in southern Norway. By finding that male lobsters have up to 8% larger claws inside MPAs compared to similarly sized males in fished areas, our study provides evidence that MPAs rescue a secondary sexual trait. Recovery from harvest selection acting on claws is the most likely explanation; however, the higher abundance of lobster inside MPAs does not rule out a plastic response on claw size due to increased competition. Regardless of the underlying cause, our study demonstrates (a) the value of protected areas as a management tool for mitigating fisheries‐induced evolution and (b) that MPAs help maintaining the scope for sexual selection in populations with vulnerable life histories and complex mating system. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-14T22:38:09Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-945ef3077fc345e099db1371b45efd62 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1752-4571 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-14T22:38:09Z |
| publishDate | 2020-10-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Evolutionary Applications |
| spelling | doaj.art-945ef3077fc345e099db1371b45efd622022-12-21T22:45:03ZengWileyEvolutionary Applications1752-45712020-10-011392222223310.1111/eva.12992Marine protected areas rescue a sexually selected trait in European lobsterTonje Knutsen Sørdalen0Kim Tallaksen Halvorsen1Leif Asbjørn Vøllestad2Even Moland3Esben Moland Olsen4Department of Natural Sciences Centre for Coastal Research University of Agder Kristiansand NorwayInstitute of Marine Research Flødevigen NorwayDepartment of Biosciences Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis (CEES) University of Oslo Oslo NorwayDepartment of Natural Sciences Centre for Coastal Research University of Agder Kristiansand NorwayDepartment of Natural Sciences Centre for Coastal Research University of Agder Kristiansand NorwayAbstract Marine protected areas (MPAs) are increasingly implemented worldwide to maintain and restore depleted populations. However, despite our knowledge on the myriad of positive responses to protection, there are few empirical studies on the ability to conserve species’ mating patterns and secondary sexual traits. In male European lobsters (Homarus gammarus), the size of claws relative to body size correlates positively with male mating success and is presumably under sexual selection. At the same time, an intensive trap fishery exerts selection against large claws in males. MPAs could therefore be expected to resolve these conflicting selective pressures and preserve males with large claws. We explored this hypothesis by contrasting claw size of males and females in three pairs of MPAs and nearby fished areas in southern Norway. By finding that male lobsters have up to 8% larger claws inside MPAs compared to similarly sized males in fished areas, our study provides evidence that MPAs rescue a secondary sexual trait. Recovery from harvest selection acting on claws is the most likely explanation; however, the higher abundance of lobster inside MPAs does not rule out a plastic response on claw size due to increased competition. Regardless of the underlying cause, our study demonstrates (a) the value of protected areas as a management tool for mitigating fisheries‐induced evolution and (b) that MPAs help maintaining the scope for sexual selection in populations with vulnerable life histories and complex mating system.https://doi.org/10.1111/eva.12992clawsfisheries‐induced evolutionHomarus gammarusmarine reservessecondary sexual traitselective harvesting |
| spellingShingle | Tonje Knutsen Sørdalen Kim Tallaksen Halvorsen Leif Asbjørn Vøllestad Even Moland Esben Moland Olsen Marine protected areas rescue a sexually selected trait in European lobster Evolutionary Applications claws fisheries‐induced evolution Homarus gammarus marine reserves secondary sexual trait selective harvesting |
| title | Marine protected areas rescue a sexually selected trait in European lobster |
| title_full | Marine protected areas rescue a sexually selected trait in European lobster |
| title_fullStr | Marine protected areas rescue a sexually selected trait in European lobster |
| title_full_unstemmed | Marine protected areas rescue a sexually selected trait in European lobster |
| title_short | Marine protected areas rescue a sexually selected trait in European lobster |
| title_sort | marine protected areas rescue a sexually selected trait in european lobster |
| topic | claws fisheries‐induced evolution Homarus gammarus marine reserves secondary sexual trait selective harvesting |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1111/eva.12992 |
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