Temperature-dependent trade-offs in maternal investments: An experimental test with two closely related soil microarthropods

Organisms face trade-offs in their reproductive investment due to energetic constraints. Yet, little is known about how such investments may change at different temperatures, and particularly so soil invertebrate organisms. Here, we studied two Collembola species (Folsomia candida Proisotoma minuta) using a long term (several generations) temperature incubation experiment (separately 15 20 °C) investigate egg size numbers the trade-off between are affected regimes. Both grow these but variation strategies known. Our results show that sizes of F. were larger colder whereas no patterns found P. minuta. By contrast, effect temperatures on (per clutch) any species. Moreover, observed negative correlation (indication potential trade-off) candida, which disappeared warmer same No highlight effects maternal both trait- species-specific, when within optimal thermal niches.