Seasonality and brain size are negatively associated in frogs: evidence for the expensive brain framework

Abstract The challenges of seasonal environments are thought to contribute to brain evolution, but in which way is debated. According to the Cognitive Buffer Hypothesis (CBH) brain size should increase with seasonality, as the cognitive benefits of a larger brain should help overcoming periods of fo...

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Autores principales:	Yi Luo, Mao Jun Zhong, Yan Huang, Feng Li, Wen Bo Liao, Alexander Kotrschal
Formato:	article
Lenguaje:	EN
Publicado:	Nature Portfolio 2017
Materias:	Medicine R Science Q
Acceso en línea:	https://doaj.org/article/421d46ee32954be3803bad741f9476d1
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spelling	oai:doaj.org-article:421d46ee32954be3803bad741f9476d12021-12-02T15:05:23ZSeasonality and brain size are negatively associated in frogs: evidence for the expensive brain framework10.1038/s41598-017-16921-12045-2322https://doaj.org/article/421d46ee32954be3803bad741f9476d12017-11-01T00:00:00Zhttps://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-16921-1https://doaj.org/toc/2045-2322Abstract The challenges of seasonal environments are thought to contribute to brain evolution, but in which way is debated. According to the Cognitive Buffer Hypothesis (CBH) brain size should increase with seasonality, as the cognitive benefits of a larger brain should help overcoming periods of food scarcity via, for instance, increased behavioral flexibility. However, in line with the Expensive Brain Framework (EBF) brain size should decrease with seasonality because a smaller brain confers energetic benefits in periods of food scarcity. Empirical evidence is inconclusive and mostly limited to homoeothermic animals. Here we used phylogenetic comparative analyses to test the impact of seasonality on brain evolution across 30 species of anurans (frogs) experiencing a wide range of temperature and precipitation. Our results support the EBF because relative brain size and the size of the optic tectum were negatively correlated with variability in temperature. In contrast, we found no association between the variability in precipitation and the length of the dry season with either brain size or the sizes of other major brain regions. We suggest that seasonality-induced food scarcity resulting from higher variability in temperature constrains brain size evolution in anurans. Less seasonal environments may therefore facilitate the evolution of larger brains in poikilothermic animals.Yi LuoMao Jun ZhongYan HuangFeng LiWen Bo LiaoAlexander KotrschalNature PortfolioarticleMedicineRScienceQENScientific Reports, Vol 7, Iss 1, Pp 1-9 (2017)
institution	DOAJ
collection	DOAJ
language	EN
topic	Medicine R Science Q
spellingShingle	Medicine R Science Q Yi Luo Mao Jun Zhong Yan Huang Feng Li Wen Bo Liao Alexander Kotrschal Seasonality and brain size are negatively associated in frogs: evidence for the expensive brain framework
description	Abstract The challenges of seasonal environments are thought to contribute to brain evolution, but in which way is debated. According to the Cognitive Buffer Hypothesis (CBH) brain size should increase with seasonality, as the cognitive benefits of a larger brain should help overcoming periods of food scarcity via, for instance, increased behavioral flexibility. However, in line with the Expensive Brain Framework (EBF) brain size should decrease with seasonality because a smaller brain confers energetic benefits in periods of food scarcity. Empirical evidence is inconclusive and mostly limited to homoeothermic animals. Here we used phylogenetic comparative analyses to test the impact of seasonality on brain evolution across 30 species of anurans (frogs) experiencing a wide range of temperature and precipitation. Our results support the EBF because relative brain size and the size of the optic tectum were negatively correlated with variability in temperature. In contrast, we found no association between the variability in precipitation and the length of the dry season with either brain size or the sizes of other major brain regions. We suggest that seasonality-induced food scarcity resulting from higher variability in temperature constrains brain size evolution in anurans. Less seasonal environments may therefore facilitate the evolution of larger brains in poikilothermic animals.
format	article
author	Yi Luo Mao Jun Zhong Yan Huang Feng Li Wen Bo Liao Alexander Kotrschal
author_facet	Yi Luo Mao Jun Zhong Yan Huang Feng Li Wen Bo Liao Alexander Kotrschal
author_sort	Yi Luo
title	Seasonality and brain size are negatively associated in frogs: evidence for the expensive brain framework
title_short	Seasonality and brain size are negatively associated in frogs: evidence for the expensive brain framework
title_full	Seasonality and brain size are negatively associated in frogs: evidence for the expensive brain framework
title_fullStr	Seasonality and brain size are negatively associated in frogs: evidence for the expensive brain framework
title_full_unstemmed	Seasonality and brain size are negatively associated in frogs: evidence for the expensive brain framework
title_sort	seasonality and brain size are negatively associated in frogs: evidence for the expensive brain framework
publisher	Nature Portfolio
publishDate	2017
url	https://doaj.org/article/421d46ee32954be3803bad741f9476d1
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Seasonality and brain size are negatively associated in frogs: evidence for the expensive brain framework

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