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The influence of incubation temperature on offspring traits varies across northern and southern populations of the American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis)
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  • Christopher Smaga,
  • Samantha Bock,
  • Josiah Johnson,
  • Thomas Rainwater,
  • Randeep Singh,
  • Vincent Deem,
  • Andrew Letter,
  • Arnold Brunell,
  • Benjamin Parrott
Christopher Smaga
University of Georgia

Corresponding Author:christopher.smaga@uga.edu

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Samantha Bock
University of Georgia
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Josiah Johnson
University of Georgia
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Thomas Rainwater
Clemson University
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Randeep Singh
Clemson University
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Vincent Deem
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
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Andrew Letter
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
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Arnold Brunell
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
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Benjamin Parrott
University of Georgia
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Abstract

Maternal provisioning and the developmental environment are fundamental determinants of offspring traits, particularly in oviparous species. However, the extent to which embryonic responses to these factors differ across populations to drive phenotypic variation is not well understood. Here, we examine the contributions of maternal provisioning and incubation temperature to variation in hatchling morphological and metabolic traits across four populations of the American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis), encompassing a large portion of the species’ latitudinal range. Our results show that whereas the influence of egg mass is generally consistent across populations, responses to incubation temperature show extensive population-level variation in several fitness-related traits, including mass, head length, head width and residual yolk mass. Additionally, the influence of incubation temperature on developmental rate is greater at northern populations, while the allocation of maternal resources towards fat body mass is greater at southern populations. Overall, our results suggest that responses to incubation temperature, relative to maternal provisioning, are a larger source of interpopulation phenotypic variation and may contribute to the local adaptation of populations.
17 Aug 2023Submitted to Ecology and Evolution
21 Aug 2023Submission Checks Completed
21 Aug 2023Assigned to Editor
21 Sep 2023Reviewer(s) Assigned
20 Oct 2023Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
24 Oct 2023Editorial Decision: Revise Minor