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Combrink LL, Rosenthal WC, Boyle LJ, Rick JA, Mandeville EG, Krist AC, Walters AW, Wagner CE. Parallel shifts in trout feeding morphology suggest rapid adaptation to alpine lake environments. Evolution 2023; 77:1522-1538. [PMID: 37082829 PMCID: PMC10309971 DOI: 10.1093/evolut/qpad059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2022] [Revised: 03/13/2023] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 04/22/2023]
Abstract
Eco-evolutionary interactions following ecosystem change provide critical insight into the ability of organisms to adapt to shifting resource landscapes. Here we explore evidence for the rapid parallel evolution of trout feeding morphology following eco-evolutionary interactions with zooplankton in alpine lakes stocked at different points in time in the Wind River Range (Wyoming, USA). In this system, trout predation has altered the zooplankton species community and driven a decrease in average zooplankton size. In some lakes that were stocked decades ago, we find shifts in gill raker traits consistent with the hypothesis that trout have rapidly adapted to exploit available smaller-bodied zooplankton more effectively. We explore this morphological response in multiple lake populations across two species of trout (cutthroat trout, Oncorhynchus clarkii, and golden trout Oncorhynchus aguabonita) and examine the impact of resource availability on morphological variation in gill raker number among lakes. Furthermore, we present genetic data to provide evidence that historically stocked cutthroat trout populations likely derive from multiple population sources, and incorporate variation from genomic relatedness in our exploration of environmental predictors of feeding morphology. These findings describe rapid adaptation and eco-evolutionary interactions in trout and document an evolutionary response to novel, contemporary ecosystem change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucia L Combrink
- Department of Botany, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, United States
| | - William C Rosenthal
- Department of Botany, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, United States
- Program in Ecology and Evolution, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, United States
| | - Lindsey J Boyle
- Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, United States
| | - Jessica A Rick
- Department of Botany, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, United States
- Program in Ecology and Evolution, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, United States
| | - Elizabeth G Mandeville
- Department of Botany, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, United States
- Program in Ecology and Evolution, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, United States
| | - Amy C Krist
- Program in Ecology and Evolution, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, United States
- Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, United States
| | - Annika W Walters
- U.S. Geological Survey, Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Zoology and Physiology and Program in Ecology and Evolution, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, United States
| | - Catherine E Wagner
- Department of Botany, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, United States
- Program in Ecology and Evolution, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, United States
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St John CA, Buser TJ, Kee VE, Kirilchik S, Bogdanov B, Neely D, Sandel M, Aguilar A. Diversification along a benthic to pelagic gradient contributes to fish diversity in the world's largest lake (Lake Baikal, Russia). Mol Ecol 2021; 31:238-251. [PMID: 34614231 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2020] [Revised: 09/03/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Insights into the generation of diversity in both plants and animals have relied heavily on studying speciation in adaptive radiations. Russia's Lake Baikal has facilitated a putative adaptive radiation of cottid fishes (sculpins), some of which are highly specialized to inhabit novel niches created by the lake's unique geology and ecology. Here, we test evolutionary relationships and novel morphological adaptation in a piece of this radiation: the Baikal cottid genus, Cottocomephorus, a morphologically derived benthopelagic genus of three described species. We used a combination of mitochondrial DNA and restriction site associated DNA sequencing from all Cottocomephorus species. Analysis of mitochondrial cytochrome b haplotypes was only able to two resolve two lineages: C. grewingkii and C. comephoroides/inermis. Phylogenetic inference, principal component analysis, and faststructure of genome-wide SNPs uncovered three lineages within Cottocomephorus: C. comephoroides, C. inermis and C. grewingkii. We found recent divergence and admixture between C. comephoroides and C. inermis and deep divergence between these two species and C. grewingkii. Contrasting other fish radiations, we found no evidence of ancient hybridization among Cottocomephorus species. Digital morphology revealed highly derived pelagic phenotypes that reflect divergence by specialization to the benthopelagic niche in Cottocomephorus. Among Cottocomephorus species, we found evidence of ongoing adaptation to the pelagic zone. This pattern highlights the importance of speciation along a benthic-pelagic gradient seen in Cottocomephorus and across other adaptive fish radiations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carl A St John
- Department of Biological Science, California State University Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Thaddaeus J Buser
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA
| | - Victoria E Kee
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA
| | - Sergei Kirilchik
- Limnological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, Irkutsk, Russia
| | - Bakhtiar Bogdanov
- Limnological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, Irkutsk, Russia
| | - David Neely
- Tennessee Aquarium Conservation Institute, Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA
| | - Michael Sandel
- Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Western Alabama, Livingston, Alabama, USA
| | - Andres Aguilar
- Department of Biological Science, California State University Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
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Klobucar SL, Budy P. Trophic structure of apex fish communities in closed versus leaky lakes of arctic Alaska. Oecologia 2020; 194:491-504. [PMID: 33057839 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-020-04776-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2019] [Accepted: 10/03/2020] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Despite low species diversity and primary production, trophic structure (e.g., top predator species, predator size) is surprisingly variable among Arctic lakes. We investigated trophic structure in lakes of arctic Alaska containing arctic char Salvelinus alpinus using stomach contents and stable isotope ratios in two geographically-close but hydrologically-distinct lake clusters to investigate how these fish may interact and compete for limited food resources. Aside from different lake connectivity patterns ('leaky' versus 'closed'), differing fish communities (up to five versus only two species) between lake clusters allowed us to test trophic hypotheses including: (1) arctic char are more piscivorous, and thereby grow larger and obtain higher trophic positions, in the presence of other fish species; and, (2) between arctic char size classes, resource polymorphism is more prominent, and thereby trophic niches are narrower and overlap less, in the absence of other predators. Regardless of lake cluster, we observed little direct evidence of arctic char consuming other fishes, but char were larger (mean TL = 468 vs 264 mm) and trophic position was higher (mean TP = 4.0 vs 3.8 for large char) in lakes with other fishes. Further, char demonstrated less intraspecific overlap when other predators were present whereas niche overlap was up to 100% in closed, char only lakes. As hydrologic characteristics (e.g., lake connectivity, water temperatures) will change across the Arctic owing to climate change, our results provide insight regarding potential concomitant changes to fish interactions and increase our understanding of lake trophic structure to guide management and conservation goals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen L Klobucar
- Department of Watershed Sciences, The Ecology Center, Utah State University, 5210 Old Main Hill, Logan, UT, 84322-5210, USA. .,Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska Fairbanks, PO Box 757000, Fairbanks, AK, 99775-7000, USA.
| | - Phaedra Budy
- Department of Watershed Sciences, The Ecology Center, Utah State University, 5210 Old Main Hill, Logan, UT, 84322-5210, USA.,U.S. Geological Survey, Utah Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, 5290 Old Main Hill, Logan, UT, 84322-5290, USA
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