Food and light availability induce plastic responses in fire salamander larvae from contrasting environments.

ABSTRACT: Phenotypic plasticity has been proposed as a mechanism facilitating the colonisation and adaptation to novel environments, such as caves. However, phenotypic plasticity in subterranean environments remains largely unexplored. Here, we test for plasticity in growth and development of fire salamander larvae (Salamandra salamandra) from subterranean and surface habitats, in response to contrasting food availability and light conditions. We hypothesized that: (i) low food availability and absence of light decrease larval growth and delay metamorphosis, (ii) light conditions mediate the effects of food availability on growth and time to metamorphosis, and (iii) larval response to contrasting light and food conditions is shaped by the habitat of origin. Our study showed that reduced food

SUBMITTER: Bancila RI 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10559897 | biostudies-literature | 2023

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature