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The Physiology Of Life-History Trade-Offs: Experimental Analysis Of A Hormonally Induced Life-History Trade-Off In Gryllus Assimilis, Anthony J. Zera, Jason Potts, Kari Kobus

Anthony Zera Publications

Adult Gryllus assimilis given an analog of juvenile hormone exhibited reduced flight muscles and enlarged ovaries similar to those found in naturally occurring flightless individuals of species that are polymorphic for dispersal capability. Control and hormone-treated (flightless) G. assimilis did not differ in the amount of food consumed or assimilated on any of three diets that differed in nutrient quantity. Thus, enhanced ovarian growth of flightless individuals resulted from increased allocation of internal nutrients to reproduction (i.e., a trade-off) rather than from increased acquisition of nutrients. Compared with flight-capable controls, flightless G. assimilis also had reduced whole-organism respiration, reduced respiration …