TY - JOUR
T1 - Assessing factors involved in determining fluctuating asymmetry in four insular populations of the balearic lizard podarcis lilfordi
AU - Garrido, Mario
AU - Pérez-Mellado, Valentín
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2014 Deutsche Gesellschaf für Herpetologie und Terrarienkunde e.V. (DGHT), Mannheim, Germany.
PY - 2014/1/1
Y1 - 2014/1/1
N2 - In animals, developmental stability is frequently assessed by the level of fluctuating asymmetry. Several environmental and genetic stress factors can increase the developmental instability in a population. Anyhow, the use of fluctuat-ing asymmetry as a measurement of developmental instability and its relationship to other measurements of genetic and environmental stress, remain controversial. We studied this subject in the Balearic lizard, Podarcis lilfordi, and examined four populations inhabiting different coastal islets of Minorca (Balearic Islands, Spain). These populations show clear ecological and genetic differences that allowed us to study factors potentially determining the level of fluctuating asymmetry. We examined the following predictions: (1) fluctuating asymmetry will increase on smaller islands; (2) fluctuating asymmetry will increase on islands with a higher lizard density; (3) fluctuating asymmetry will increase on islands with more heavily parasitized lizards; and (4) populations with higher inbreeding levels would be more susceptible to environmental stress. Our results would partially support the fourth prediction of a higher fluctuating asymmetry in populations with lower genetic variability and, consequently, a higher inbreeding level. Probably, other environmental factors modulate this relationship.
AB - In animals, developmental stability is frequently assessed by the level of fluctuating asymmetry. Several environmental and genetic stress factors can increase the developmental instability in a population. Anyhow, the use of fluctuat-ing asymmetry as a measurement of developmental instability and its relationship to other measurements of genetic and environmental stress, remain controversial. We studied this subject in the Balearic lizard, Podarcis lilfordi, and examined four populations inhabiting different coastal islets of Minorca (Balearic Islands, Spain). These populations show clear ecological and genetic differences that allowed us to study factors potentially determining the level of fluctuating asymmetry. We examined the following predictions: (1) fluctuating asymmetry will increase on smaller islands; (2) fluctuating asymmetry will increase on islands with a higher lizard density; (3) fluctuating asymmetry will increase on islands with more heavily parasitized lizards; and (4) populations with higher inbreeding levels would be more susceptible to environmental stress. Our results would partially support the fourth prediction of a higher fluctuating asymmetry in populations with lower genetic variability and, consequently, a higher inbreeding level. Probably, other environmental factors modulate this relationship.
KW - Developmental stability
KW - Environmental stress
KW - Genetic variability
KW - Island
KW - Parasites
KW - Podarcis lilfordi
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84908176940&partnerID=8YFLogxK
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84908176940
VL - 50
SP - 147
EP - 154
JO - Salamandra
JF - Salamandra
SN - 0036-3375
IS - 3
ER -