Publications by authors named "Heather I Engler"
Shared and unique responses in the microbiome of allopatric lizards reared in a standardized environment.
J Exp Zool A Ecol Integr Physiol
January 2023
The gut microbiome can influence host fitness and, consequently, the ecology and evolution of natural populations. Microbiome composition can be driven by environmental exposure but also by the host's genetic background and phenotype. To contrast environmental and genetic effects on the microbiome we leverage preserved specimens of eastern fence lizards from allopatric lineages east and west of the Mississippi River but reared in standardized conditions.
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- The study investigates how sex differences in coloration in eastern fence lizards are influenced by hormonal and physiological factors, revealing that males have more vibrant color badges due to testosterone while females exhibit a less costly version of this trait.
- It finds that color saturation in males is linked to better body condition and immune function, whereas female coloration does not show the same relationship, suggesting different resource allocation strategies between the sexes.
- The research suggests that the regulation of these color traits by nonsex hormones might contribute to ongoing sexual conflict over resource investment in ornamentation, as females experience reproductive costs associated with their color features.