Exposure to a common environment erodes inherited between‐population trophic morphology differences in Arctic charr
Abstract:Arctic charr Salvelinus alpinus juveniles reared from eggs collected from four Scottish populations showed inherited variation in their expression of trophic morphology, measured as a suite of eight characteristics of the head and mouth, before their first exogenous feeding. This demonstrated a genetic component to trophic morphology expression. During a period of 5 months following first feeding, typified by rapid growth, the differential between groups exposed to a common rearing and feeding environment was reduced significantly. It was concluded that this was the result of common environmental exposure acting on phenotypic plasticity in trophic morphology.
Document Type: Research Article
Affiliations: Fish Biology Group, University Field Station, Institute of Biomedical and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Loch Lomond, Rowardennan, Glasgow G63 0AW, Scotland
Publication date: January 1, 2004