Investigating trade-offs between immunity and reproduction in female burying beetles
Abstract
Resources play a fundamental role in immune response and reproductive effort and life strategy in insects. The biparental burying beetle Nicrophorus orbicollis regulates brood size according to resource availability, but costs of mounting an immune response during a reproductive bout are not known. Carcass size manipulation and nylon implantation was done which elucidated a trade-off between reproduction and immunity, and the resulting life strategy changes were analyzed. By testing phenoloxidase and lysozyme-like activity we showed that there was an increase in the immune system in breeding females, with differing levels of phenoloxidase and lytic activity depending on the amount of resources available during reproduction. Immune-compromised individuals showed increased phenoloxidase activity, higher rates of encapsulation, and decreased lysozyme-like activity when stressed with manipulated resources. A trade-off was elucidated between immune parameters measured, supporting terminal investment behavior and allocation of resources to the current reproductive bout.
Degree
M.S.
Advisors
Creighton, Purdue University.
Subject Area
Biology|Ecology|Entomology
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