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Ferreira MS, Thurman TJ, Jones MR, Farelo L, Kumar AV, Mortimer SME, Demboski JR, Mills LS, Alves PC, Melo-Ferreira J, Good JM. The evolution of white-tailed jackrabbit camouflage in response to past and future seasonal climates. Science 2023; 379:1238-1242. [PMID: 36952420 DOI: 10.1126/science.ade3984] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/25/2023]
Abstract
The genetic basis of adaptive traits has rarely been used to predict future vulnerability of populations to climate change. We show that light versus dark seasonal pelage in white-tailed jackrabbits (Lepus townsendii) tracks snow cover and is primarily determined by genetic variation at endothelin receptor type B (EDNRB), corin serine peptidase (CORIN), and agouti signaling protein (ASIP). Winter color variation was associated with deeply divergent alleles at these genes, reflecting selection on both ancestral and introgressed variation. Forecasted reductions in snow cover are likely to induce widespread camouflage mismatch. However, simulated populations with variation for darker winter pelage are predicted to adapt rapidly, providing a trait-based genetic framework to facilitate evolutionary rescue. These discoveries demonstrate how the genetic basis of climate change adaptation can inform conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mafalda S Ferreira
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Universidade do Porto, Vairão, Portugal
- Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, MT, USA
- BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Vairão, Portugal
| | - Timothy J Thurman
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, MT, USA
| | - Matthew R Jones
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, MT, USA
| | - Liliana Farelo
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Universidade do Porto, Vairão, Portugal
- BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Vairão, Portugal
| | - Alexander V Kumar
- Wildlife Biology Program, College of Forestry and Conservation, University of Montana, Missoula, MT, USA
- US Fish and Wildlife Service, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | | | - John R Demboski
- Zoology Department, Denver Museum of Nature & Science, Denver, CO, USA
| | - L Scott Mills
- Wildlife Biology Program, College of Forestry and Conservation, University of Montana, Missoula, MT, USA
- Office of Research and Creative Scholarship, University of Montana, Missoula, MT, USA
| | - Paulo C Alves
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Universidade do Porto, Vairão, Portugal
- Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Vairão, Portugal
- Wildlife Biology Program, College of Forestry and Conservation, University of Montana, Missoula, MT, USA
| | - José Melo-Ferreira
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Universidade do Porto, Vairão, Portugal
- Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Vairão, Portugal
| | - Jeffrey M Good
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, MT, USA
- Wildlife Biology Program, College of Forestry and Conservation, University of Montana, Missoula, MT, USA
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