Transgenerational Plasticity and Maternal Effects in Daphnia magna Across Multiple Stressors and (Mis)Matching Environmental Conditions

Anthropogenic activities are increasing the number and intensity of environmental stressors, with major consequences for how organisms adapt and evolve. Because stressor–response relationships are not consistent through time, past environmental conditions can shape future ecological responses through parental effects. These non-genetic influences can either enhance or impair offspring performance, yet most research on transgenerational plasticity has focused on single stressors. In contrast, substantial knowledge gaps remain in multiple-stressor contexts, particularly when offspring experience environments that match or mismatch those of their parents. To address this, we conducted a factorial experiment using three genotypes of Daphnia magna, exposing mothers to elevated temperature, elevated salinity, or both combined. Offspring were then reared under all possible stressor combinations, creating matched and mismatched environmental conditions across generations. We quantified key fitness traits, including survival, reproductive output, and time to first reproduction and show strong stresor-specific adaptive transgenerational effects. This work underscores the importance of incorporating temporal dynamics into multiple-stressor research, as organisms increasingly face variable and unpredictable environments where stressor legacies may shape ecological and evolutionary responses across generations.

Presentation Preference: Standard Oral (12 Minutes)

Primary Presenter: Charlotte Carrier-Belleau, Laval University, University College Dublin (carrierc@tcd.ie)

Authors:

Charlotte Carrier-Belleau, Trinity College Dublin  (carrierc@tcd.ie)

James Orr, University of Queensland  (JAORR@tcd.ie)

Fanny Vermandele, Takuvik International Research Laboratory, CNRS/Université Laval/ Sorbonne Université  (Fanny.Vermandele@uqar.ca)

Aisha Kyryk, Trinity College Dublin  (KYRYKA@tcd.ie)

Pepijn Luijckx, Trinity College Dublin  (LUIJCKXP@tcd.ie)

Jeremy Piggott, Trinity College Dublin  (Jeremy.Piggott@tcd.ie)