What question did this study set out to answer?

To assess the environmental determinants, heritability, and temporal selection dynamics governing breeding phenology in a wild viviparous reptile.

August 16, 2026Journal of Animal EcologyOpen Access

High thermal plasticity, low heritability and constant directional selection on breeding phenology in a viviparous ectotherm

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Authors

TBThéo BodineauCentre National de la Recherche Scientifique ARAlexis RutschmannCentre National de la Recherche Scientifique JGJean‐François Le GalliardCentre National de la Recherche Scientifique

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Implication

Long-term monitoring reveals high thermal plasticity and low heritability for parturition dates in wild common lizards, suggesting limited evolutionary adaptability to climate warming.

Key Points

To assess the environmental determinants, heritability, and temporal selection dynamics governing breeding phenology in a wild viviparous reptile.
Analyzed 31 years of longitudinal field monitoring data from a wild population of viviparous common lizards (Zootoca vivipara).
Evaluated the effects of post-winter daily maximum temperatures and maternal body size on parturition timing, repeatability, heritability, and directional selection gradients.
Warmer post-winter maximum temperatures significantly advanced parturition dates and dampened size-dependent phenological differences among females.
Parturition timing showed moderate individual repeatability but weak heritability, indicating variation is driven primarily by non-genetic factors like body condition and territory quality.
Directional selection consistently favored earlier parturition dates across the 31-year period without temporal fluctuation.

Cite This Study

Bodineau et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a817a01f2fb91fc834ad819 https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2656.70335

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Implication

Long-term monitoring reveals high thermal plasticity and low heritability for parturition dates in wild common lizards, suggesting limited evolutionary adaptability to climate warming.

High thermal plasticity, low heritability and constant directional selection on breeding phenology in a viviparous ectotherm

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Key Points

Cite This Study

High thermal plasticity, low heritability and constant directional selection on breeding phenology in a viviparous ectotherm

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Key Points

Cite This Study

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