Interpopulation Comparison of Sex-Biased Mortality and Sexual Size Dimorphism in Sea-Run Masu Salmon, Oncorhynchus masou.

Evolutionary ecologists often expect that natural and sexual selection result in systematic co-occurrence patterns of sex-biased mortality and sexual size dimorphism (SSD) within animal species. However, whether such patterns actually occur in wild animals is poorly examined. The following expectation, the larger sex suffers higher mortality, was primarily tested here for apparently native sea-run masu salmon (Oncorhynchus masou) in three populations in Hokkaido, Japan. Field surveys on sex ratios, body sizes, and ages of smolts and returning adults revealed that two of the three populations exhibited an expected pattern, a female-biased marine mortality and SSD, but one population demonstrated an unexpected co-occurrence of male-biased marine mortality and female-biased SSD. These female-biased SSDs were attributed to faster marine growth of females because of no sex difference in smolt body size. It has been previously suggested that breeding selection favoring large size generally act more strongly in females than in males in Japanese anadromous masu, as there is a weak sexual selection on adult males but universally intensive natural selection on adult females. Thus, this hypothesis explains female-biased SSDs well in all study populations. Interpopulation variation in sex-biased mortality found here might result from differences in marine predation and/or fishing pressures, given that selection driving female-biased SSD makes females forage more aggressively than males during the marine phase. Taken together, these results raise the possibility that evolutionary forces have shaped adaptive sex-specific foraging strategies under relationships between growth and mortality, resulting in co-occurrence patterns of sex-biased mortality and SSD within animal species.

Temperature-dependent variation in alternative migratory tactics and its implications for fitness and population dynamics in a salmonid fish.

Temperature-driven life-history modifications by adaptation occur in ectotherms, and therefore, life-history modifications by adaptation need to be taken into consideration when predicting population responses to the climate change. Partial migration is a common form of life-history diversity in which a population contains both migratory and resident behaviours. Salmonid fish exhibit a wide range of life-history diversity and, in particular, partial migration. We evaluated the effect of temperature-driven life-history modifications on population dynamics in partially migratory masu salmon (Oncorhynchus masou) by field observations and theoretical models. Field observations revealed that spatial patterns of alternative migratory tactics were associated with temperature gradients. The occurrence of resident males increased, whereas the proportion of migrant males and the proportion of delayed migrants including both sexes decreased with increasing temperature and, thereby, with improved early growth conditions. The expected fitness for each migratory tactic was computed in a life-history model with early growth conditions as a function. Individual fitness was maximized by adopting resident tactics under favourable early growth conditions, early migrant tactics under intermediate early growth conditions and delayed migrant tactics under unfavourable early growth conditions. The results suggest that individuals exhibited a status-dependent conditional strategy, that is, the adoption of alternative migratory tactics is influenced by the status of individuals to make the best of a situation. A simulation model suggests that increased residency by males to increased temperature leads to a substantial decrease in the number of migrants. Moreover, the decrease in the number of delayed (older) migrants with increasing temperature magnified fluctuations in abundance. Our findings indicate the importance of temperature-driven life-history modifications for predicting dynamics of natural populations under climate warming.

Latitudinal variation in sexual size dimorphism of sea-run masu salmon, Oncorhynchus masou.

Sexual size dimorphism (SSD), a difference in body size between the sexes, occurs in many animal species. Although the larger sex is often considered invariable within species, patterns of selection may result in interpopulation variation or even reversal of SSD. We evaluated correlations between latitude and female body size, male body size, and relative body size (male body size/female body size) in 22 populations (ranging from 37 degrees N to 49 degrees N) of sea-run masu salmon (Oncorhynchus masou) that spawn in rivers along the Sea of Japan coast. Male size and the relative body size increased with latitude, but female size did not correlate with latitude. In addition, increase in male size with latitude was sufficient to result in a reversal of SSD, the switch-point being around 45 degrees N. We suggest that the positive correlation between latitude and male size is due to increasing operational sex ratios or sexual selection on sea-run male body size that result from sex-biased patterns of anadromy. In conclusion, our study provides the first example of predictable geographic variation in SSD shaped by apparent patterns of sexual selection.