Environmental enrichment, sexual dimorphism, and brain size in sticklebacks.

ABSTRACT: Evidence for phenotypic plasticity in brain size and the size of different brain parts is widespread, but experimental investigations into this effect remain scarce and are usually conducted using individuals from a single population. As the costs and benefits of plasticity may differ among populations, the extent of brain plasticity may also differ from one population to another. In a common garden experiment conducted with three-spined sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus) originating from four different populations, we investigated whether environmental enrichment (aquaria provided with structural complexity) caused an increase in the brain size or size of different brain parts compared to controls (bare aquaria). We found no evidence for a positive effect of environmental enrich

SUBMITTER: Toli EA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5355184 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature