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. 2023 Jul 11;16(8):1458-1471.
doi: 10.1111/eva.13579. eCollection 2023 Aug.

Sex-specific heritabilities for length at maturity among Pacific salmonids and their consequences for evolution in response to artificial selection

Madilyn M Gamble  1 , Ryan G Calsbeek  2
Affiliations

Sex-specific heritabilities for length at maturity among Pacific salmonids and their consequences for evolution in response to artificial selection

Madilyn M Gamble et al. Evol Appl. .

Abstract

Artificial selection, whether intentional or coincidental, is a common result of conservation policies and natural resource management. To reduce unintended consequences of artificial selection, conservation practitioners must understand both artificial selection gradients on traits of interest and how those traits are correlated with others that may affect population growth and resilience. We investigate how artificial selection on male body size in Pacific salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.) may influence the evolution of female body size and female fitness. While salmon hatchery managers often assume that selection for large males will also produce large females, this may not be the case-in fact, because the fastest-growing males mature earliest and at the smallest size, and because female age at maturity varies little, small males may produce larger females if the genetic architecture of growth rate is the same in both sexes. We explored this possibility by estimating sex-specific heritability values of and natural and artificial selection gradients on length at maturity in four populations representing three species of Pacific salmon. We then used the multivariate breeder's equation to project how artificial selection against small males may affect the evolution of female length and fecundity. Our results indicate that the heritability of length at maturity is greater within than between the sexes and that sire-daughter heritability values are especially small. Salmon hatchery policies should consider these sex-specific quantitative genetic parameters to avoid potential unintended consequences of artificial selection.

Keywords: Pacific salmon; artificial selection; heritability; intralocus sexual conflict.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Sex‐specific heritabilities across populations and years.
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
Evolution of length at maturity in a single generation in response to natural selection and artificial selection against jacks, as projected by the breeder's equation.
FIGURE 3
FIGURE 3
Changes in fecundity due to changes in female length at maturity as projected by the breeder's equation.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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