The contribution of genetic and environmental effects to Bergmanns rule and Allens rule in house mice

Abstract

Distinguishing between genetic, environmental, and genotype-by-environment effects is central to understanding geographic variation in phenotypic clines. Two of the best-documented phenotypic clines are Bergmanns rule and Allens rule, which describe larger body sizes and shortened extremities in colder climates, respectively. Although numerous studies have found inter- and intraspecific evidence for both ecogeographic patterns, we still have a poor understanding of the extent to which these patterns are driven by genetics, environment, or both. Here, we measured the genetic and environmental contributions to Bergmanns rule and Allens rule across introduced populations of house mice (Mus musculus domesticus) in the Americas. First, we documented clines for body mass, tail length, and ear length in natural populations, and found that these conform to both Bergmanns rule and Allens rule. We then raised descendants of wild-caught mice in the lab and showed that these differences persisted in a common environment and are heritable, indicating that they have a genetic basis. Finally, using a full-sib design, we reared mice under warm and cold conditions. We found very little plasticity associated with body size, suggesting that Bergmanns rule has been shaped by strong directional selection in house mice. However, extremities showed considerable plasticity, as both tails and ears grew shorter in cold environments. These results indicate that adaptive phenotypic plasticity as well as genetic changes underlie major patterns of clinal variation in house mice and likely facilitated their rapid expansion into new environments across the Americas.