Inbreeding as driving force in evolution

• Applicant: Dr. Timo Thünken
• Subject Area: Sensory and Behavioural Biology ; Evolution, Anthropology
• Term: since 2017
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 325381896

The overall goal of this research project is to examine whether inbreeding drives social evolution, the evolution of reproductive traits including mate choice and ornamentation as well as diversification. The Pelvicachromis system is predestined to examine the evolutionary consequences of inbreeding because this group shows a high phenotypic diversity within and between species and the biparental cichlid fish Pelvicachromis taeniatus is one of the best studied examples for active inbreeding. In the first phase of the present project we comprehensively examined the impact of genetic relatedness on reproductive and social behaviour. In the subsequent phase, we showed that multigenerational inbreeding changes mate choice and kin mating preference (inbreeding avoidance of inbred fish) but increases the expression of colour ornaments. We also find first evidence that inbreeding improves juvenile social behaviour. The aim of the next phase is to comprehensively examine the impact of inbreeding (i.e. inbredness) on within-family social interactions ranging from reproductive behaviour of males and females before spawning, parental cooperation during brood care over parent-offspring interactions to interactions among juveniles. Further, we will examine how inbredness affects inter- and intra-sexual selection of males and females in relation to ornament expression. We will integrate the results from behavioral, food manipulation and breeding experiments as well as colour analyses and relate it to genome-wide heterozygosity data.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants