Parent–offspring conflict and the genetic trade-offs shaping parental investment

• Published in: Nature communications Vol. 6; no. 1; p. 6850
• Main Authors: Kölliker, Mathias, Boos, Stefan, Wong, Janine W.Y., Röllin, Lilian, Stucki, Dimitri, Raveh, Shirley, Wu, Min, Meunier, Joël
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 16.04.2015; Nature Publishing Group; Nature Pub. Group
• Subjects: 631/158/856; 631/181/2474; Animal biology; Animals; Behavior, Animal; Evolution, Molecular; Female; Humanities and Social Sciences; Insecta; Invertebrate Zoology; Life Sciences; Male; Maternal Behavior; multidisciplinary; Reproduction; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Selection, Genetic
• ISSN: 2041-1723; 2041-1723
• DOI: 10.1038/ncomms7850

The genetic conflict between parents and their offspring is a cornerstone of kin selection theory and the gene-centred view of evolution, but whether it actually occurs in natural systems remains an open question. Conflict operates only if parenting is driven by genetic trade-offs between offspring performance and the parent’s ability to raise additional offspring, and its expression critically depends on the shape of these trade-offs. Here we investigate the occurrence and nature of genetic conflict in an insect with maternal care, the earwig Forficula auricularia . Specifically, we test for a direct response to experimental selection on female future reproduction and correlated responses in current offspring survival, developmental rate and growth. The results demonstrate genetic trade-offs that differ in shape before and after hatching. Our study not only provides direct evidence for parent–offspring conflict but also highlights that conflict is not inevitable and critically depends on the genetic trade-offs shaping parental investment. Sexual reproduction introduces genetic conflict between family members, but direct empirical evidence is lacking. Here, the authors show, in an insect with maternal care, that genetic trade-offs that differ in shape across offspring stages affect the scope for parent–offspring conflict.