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Ålund M, Cenzer M, Bierne N, Boughman JW, Cerca J, Comerford MS, Culicchi A, Langerhans B, McFarlane SE, Möst MH, North H, Qvarnström A, Ravinet M, Svanbäck R, Taylor SA. Anthropogenic Change and the Process of Speciation. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol 2023; 15:a041455. [PMID: 37788888 PMCID: PMC10691492 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a041455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/05/2023]
Abstract
Anthropogenic impacts on the environment alter speciation processes by affecting both geographical contexts and selection patterns on a worldwide scale. Here we review evidence of these effects. We find that human activities often generate spatial isolation between populations and thereby promote genetic divergence but also frequently cause sudden secondary contact and hybridization between diverging lineages. Human-caused environmental changes produce new ecological niches, altering selection in diverse ways that can drive diversification; but changes also often remove niches and cause extirpations. Human impacts that alter selection regimes are widespread and strong in magnitude, ranging from local changes in biotic and abiotic conditions to direct harvesting to global climate change. Altered selection, and evolutionary responses to it, impacts early-stage divergence of lineages, but does not necessarily lead toward speciation and persistence of separate species. Altogether, humans both promote and hinder speciation, although new species would form very slowly relative to anthropogenic hybridization, which can be nearly instantaneous. Speculating about the future of speciation, we highlight two key conclusions: (1) Humans will have a large influence on extinction and "despeciation" dynamics in the short term and on early-stage lineage divergence, and thus potentially speciation in the longer term, and (2) long-term monitoring combined with easily dated anthropogenic changes will improve our understanding of the processes of speciation. We can use this knowledge to preserve and restore ecosystems in ways that promote (re-)diversification, increasing future opportunities of speciation and enhancing biodiversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Murielle Ålund
- Department of Ecology and Genetics, Animal Ecology, Uppsala University, Uppsala 75236, Sweden
| | - Meredith Cenzer
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA
| | - Nicolas Bierne
- ISEM, Université de Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, Montpellier 34095, France
| | - Janette W Boughman
- Department of Integrative Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, USA
| | - José Cerca
- CEES - Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis, Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, Oslo 0316, Norway
| | | | - Alessandro Culicchi
- Department of Ecology and Genetics, Animal Ecology, Uppsala University, Uppsala 75236, Sweden
| | - Brian Langerhans
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695, USA
| | - S Eryn McFarlane
- Department of Botany, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming 82071, USA
- Department of Biology, York University, Toronto, Ontario M3J 1P3, Canada
| | - Markus H Möst
- Research Department for Limnology, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck 6020, Austria
| | - Henry North
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, United Kingdom
| | - Anna Qvarnström
- Department of Ecology and Genetics, Animal Ecology, Uppsala University, Uppsala 75236, Sweden
| | - Mark Ravinet
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, United Kingdom
| | - Richard Svanbäck
- Department of Ecology and Genetics, Animal Ecology, Uppsala University, Uppsala 75236, Sweden
| | - Scott A Taylor
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado 80309, USA
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2
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Riesch R, Araújo MS, Bumgarner S, Filla C, Pennafort L, Goins TR, Lucion D, Makowicz AM, Martin RA, Pirroni S, Langerhans RB. Resource competition explains rare cannibalism in the wild in livebearing fishes. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e8872. [PMID: 35600676 PMCID: PMC9109233 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8872] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2021] [Revised: 03/10/2022] [Accepted: 04/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Rüdiger Riesch
- Department of Biological Sciences Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Behaviour Royal Holloway University of London Egham UK
| | - Márcio S. Araújo
- Instituto de Biociências Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) Rio Claro Brazil
| | - Stuart Bumgarner
- Department of Biological Sciences North Carolina State University Raleigh North Carolina USA
| | - Caitlynn Filla
- Department of Biological Sciences North Carolina State University Raleigh North Carolina USA
- Department of Anthropology University of Florida Gainesville Florida USA
| | - Laura Pennafort
- Department of Biological Sciences Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Behaviour Royal Holloway University of London Egham UK
| | - Taylor R. Goins
- Department of Biological Sciences North Carolina State University Raleigh North Carolina USA
| | - Darlene Lucion
- Department of Biological Sciences Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Behaviour Royal Holloway University of London Egham UK
| | - Amber M. Makowicz
- Department of Biological Sciences Florida State University Tallahassee Florida USA
| | - Ryan A. Martin
- Department of Biology Case Western Reserve University Cleveland Ohio USA
| | - Sara Pirroni
- Department of Biological Sciences Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Behaviour Royal Holloway University of London Egham UK
| | - R. Brian Langerhans
- Department of Biological Sciences North Carolina State University Raleigh North Carolina USA
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3
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Dobler R, Charette M, Kaplan K, Turnell BR, Reinhardt K. Divergent natural selection alters male sperm competition success in Drosophila melanogaster. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e8567. [PMID: 35222953 PMCID: PMC8848461 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2021] [Revised: 12/18/2021] [Accepted: 12/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Sexually selected traits may also be subject to non-sexual selection. If optimal trait values depend on environmental conditions, then "narrow sense" (i.e., non-sexual) natural selection can lead to local adaptation, with fitness in a certain environment being highest among individuals selected under that environment. Such adaptation can, in turn, drive ecological speciation via sexual selection. To date, most research on the effect of narrow-sense natural selection on sexually selected traits has focused on precopulatory measures like mating success. However, postcopulatory traits, such as sperm function, can also be under non-sexual selection, and have the potential to contribute to population divergence between different environments. Here, we investigate the effects of narrow-sense natural selection on male postcopulatory success in Drosophila melanogaster. We chose two extreme environments, low oxygen (10%, hypoxic) or high CO2 (5%, hypercapnic) to detect small effects. We measured the sperm defensive (P1) and offensive (P2) capabilities of selected and control males in the corresponding selection environment and under control conditions. Overall, selection under hypoxia decreased both P1 and P2, while selection under hypercapnia had no effect. Surprisingly, P1 for both selected and control males was higher under both ambient hypoxia and ambient hypercapnia, compared to control conditions, while P2 was lower under hypoxia. We found limited evidence for local adaptation: the positive environmental effect of hypoxia on P1 was greater in hypoxia-selected males than in controls. We discuss the implications of our findings for the evolution of postcopulatory traits in response to non-sexual and sexual selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ralph Dobler
- Animal Evolutionary EcologyInstitute of Evolution and EcologyEberhard Karls University of TubingenTübingenGermany
- Applied ZoologyInstitute of ZoologyTechnische Universität DresdenDresdenGermany
| | - Marc Charette
- Department of BiologyUniversity of OttawaOttawaOntarioCanada
| | - Katrin Kaplan
- Animal Evolutionary EcologyInstitute of Evolution and EcologyEberhard Karls University of TubingenTübingenGermany
| | - Biz R. Turnell
- Applied ZoologyInstitute of ZoologyTechnische Universität DresdenDresdenGermany
| | - Klaus Reinhardt
- Animal Evolutionary EcologyInstitute of Evolution and EcologyEberhard Karls University of TubingenTübingenGermany
- Applied ZoologyInstitute of ZoologyTechnische Universität DresdenDresdenGermany
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4
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Jenkins MR, Cummings JM, Cabe AR, Hulthén K, Peterson MN, Langerhans RB. Natural and anthropogenic sources of habitat variation influence exploration behaviour, stress response, and brain morphology in a coastal fish. J Anim Ecol 2021; 90:2446-2461. [PMID: 34143892 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13557] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2021] [Accepted: 06/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Evolutionary ecology aims to better understand how ecologically important traits respond to environmental heterogeneity. Environments vary both naturally and as a result of human activities, and investigations that simultaneously consider how natural and human-induced environmental variation affect diverse trait types grow increasingly important as human activities drive species endangerment. Here, we examined how habitat fragmentation and structural habitat complexity affect disparate trait types in Bahamas mosquitofish Gambusia hubbsi inhabiting tidal creeks. We tested a priori predictions for how these factors might influence exploratory behaviour, stress reactivity and brain anatomy. We examined approximately 350 adult Bahamas mosquitofish from seven tidal-creek populations across Andros Island, The Bahamas that varied in both human-caused fragmentation (three fragmented and four unfragmented) and natural habitat complexity (e.g. fivefold variation in rock habitat). Populations that had experienced severe human-induced fragmentation, and thus restriction of tidal exchange from the ocean, exhibited greater exploration of a novel environment, stronger physiological stress responses to a mildly stressful event and smaller telencephala (relative to body size). These changes matched adaptive predictions based mostly on (a) reduced chronic predation risk and (b) decreased demands for navigating tidally dynamic habitats. Populations from sites with greater structural habitat complexity showed a higher propensity for exploration and a relatively larger optic tectum and cerebellum. These patterns matched adaptive predictions related to increased demands for navigating complex environments. Our findings demonstrate environmental variation, including recent anthropogenic impacts (<50 years), can significantly affect complex, ecologically important traits. Yet trait-specific patterns may not be easily predicted, as we found strong support for only six of 12 predictions. Our results further highlight the utility of simultaneously quantifying multiple environmental factors-for example had we failed to account for habitat complexity, we would not have detected the effects of fragmentation on exploratory behaviours. These responses, and their ecological consequences, may be complex: rapid and adaptive phenotypic responses to anthropogenic impacts can facilitate persistence in human-altered environments, but may come at a cost of population vulnerability if ecological restoration was to occur without consideration of the altered traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew R Jenkins
- Department of Biological Sciences and W. M. Keck Center for Behavioral Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - John M Cummings
- Department of Marine, Earth, and Atmospheric Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Alex R Cabe
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Kaj Hulthén
- Department of Biological Sciences and W. M. Keck Center for Behavioral Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - M Nils Peterson
- Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology Program, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - R Brian Langerhans
- Department of Biological Sciences and W. M. Keck Center for Behavioral Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
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5
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Langerhans RB, Goins TR, Stemp KM, Riesch R, Araújo MS, Layman CA. Consuming Costly Prey: Optimal Foraging and the Role of Compensatory Growth. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2020.603387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Some prey are exceptionally difficult to digest, and yet even non-specialized animals may consume them—why? Durophagy, the consumption of hard-shelled prey, is thought to require special adaptations for crushing or digesting the hard shells to avoid the many potential costs of this prey type. But many animals lacking specializations nevertheless include hard-bodied prey in their diets. We describe several non-mutually exclusive adaptive mechanisms that could explain such a pattern, and point to optimal foraging and compensatory growth as potentially having widespread importance in explaining costly-prey consumption. We first conducted a literature survey to quantify the regularity with which non-specialized teleost fishes consume hard-shelled prey: stomach-content data from 325 teleost fish species spanning 82 families (57,233 stomach samples) demonstrated that non-specialized species comprise ~75% of the total species exhibiting durophagy, commonly consuming hard-shelled prey at low to moderate levels (~10–40% as much as specialists). We then performed a diet survey to assess the frequency of molluscivory across the native latitudinal range of a small livebearing fish, Gambusia holbrooki, lacking durophagy specializations. Molluscivory was regionally widespread, spanning their entire native latitudinal range (>14° latitude). Third, we tested for a higher frequency of molluscivory under conditions of higher intraspecific resource competition in Bahamian mosquitofish (Gambusia spp.). Examining over 5,300 individuals, we found that molluscivory was more common in populations with higher population density, suggesting that food limitation is important in eliciting molluscivory. Finally, we experimentally tested in G. holbrooki whether molluscivory reduces growth rate and whether compensatory growth follows a period of molluscivory. We found that consumption of hard-shelled gastropods results in significantly reduced growth rate, but compensatory growth following prior snail consumption can quickly mitigate growth costs. Our results suggest that the widespread phenomenon of costly-prey consumption may be partially explained by its relative benefits when few alternative prey options exist, combined with compensatory growth that alleviates temporary costs.
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6
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A closer look at invasiveness and relatedness: life histories, temperature, and establishment success of four congeners. Ecosphere 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
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Jin Z, Wang J, Kong X. Combining habitat area and fragmentation change for ecological disturbance assessment in Jiangsu Province, China. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2020; 27:20817-20830. [PMID: 32246430 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-020-08336-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2020] [Accepted: 03/05/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Understanding where and how human land use causes ecological consequences is essential for habitat conservation. However, the assessment of the ecological disturbance caused by human land use is usually shaped by the area change in ecological land. The comprehensive evaluation of ecological disturbance based on the losses and gains of ecological patches is neglected. This paper analyzed the land use change between agricultural land, construction land, and ecological land from 1995 to 2015 in Jiangsu Province of eastern China. The ecological disturbance was quantificationally evaluated by a proposed index that considered both the changes of habitat area and fragmentation caused by the losses and gains of ecological landscape patches. The findings showed that there was a slight increase in area of ecological land in Jiangsu Province; however, ecological fragmentation was becoming severe with the growth of human land use, which, in turn, resulted in increased ecological disturbance. The losses and gains in the area and fragmentation of ecological land were comprehensively reflected using the proposed ecological disturbance index. Negative ecological disturbance was more likely to be observed at the edge of the city centers, ecologically sensitive areas, and counties with low area ratios of ecological land. Ecological governance policies should be formulated and implemented based on quantity, quality, and spatial relationships between human land use and ecological disturbance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhifeng Jin
- School of Resource and Environmental Sciences, Wuhan University, 129 Luoyu Road, Wuhan, 430079, China
- Jiangsu Research Center of Land Resource, 58 Shuiximen Road, Nanjing, 210017, China
| | - Jing Wang
- School of Resource and Environmental Sciences, Wuhan University, 129 Luoyu Road, Wuhan, 430079, China.
- Key Laboratory of Geographic Information System, Ministry of Education, Wuhan University, 129 Luoyu Road, Wuhan, 430079, China.
| | - Xuesong Kong
- School of Resource and Environmental Sciences, Wuhan University, 129 Luoyu Road, Wuhan, 430079, China.
- Key Laboratory of Geographic Information System, Ministry of Education, Wuhan University, 129 Luoyu Road, Wuhan, 430079, China.
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8
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Lerch BA, Dautel KA, Brewer S, Liang A, Siewe N, Flanagan S. Space, density and extra‐pair matings have opposing impacts on male and female reproductive success. POPUL ECOL 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/1438-390x.12047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Brian A. Lerch
- National Institute of Mathematical and Biological Synthesis University of Tennessee Knoxville Tennessee
- Department of Biology University of North Carolina Chapel Hill North Carolina
| | - Kimberly A. Dautel
- National Institute of Mathematical and Biological Synthesis University of Tennessee Knoxville Tennessee
- School of Mathematical Sciences Rochester Institute of Technology Rochester New York
| | - Sharee Brewer
- National Institute of Mathematical and Biological Synthesis University of Tennessee Knoxville Tennessee
- Department of Life and Physical Sciences Fisk University Nashville Tennessee
| | - Alan Liang
- National Institute of Mathematical and Biological Synthesis University of Tennessee Knoxville Tennessee
- Department of Computer Science Cornell University Ithaca New York
| | - Nourridine Siewe
- National Institute of Mathematical and Biological Synthesis University of Tennessee Knoxville Tennessee
| | - Sarah Flanagan
- National Institute of Mathematical and Biological Synthesis University of Tennessee Knoxville Tennessee
- School of Biological Sciences University of Canterbury Christchurch New Zealand
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Phylogeographic evidence that the distribution of cryptic euryhaline species in the Gambusia punctata species group in Cuba was shaped by the archipelago geological history. Mol Phylogenet Evol 2019; 144:106712. [PMID: 31862460 DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2019.106712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2019] [Revised: 08/22/2019] [Accepted: 12/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The main drivers of diversification of freshwater fishes in Cuba are not yet well understood. For example, salt tolerance was thought as the main factor involved in the diversification of Gambusia punctata species group in this archipelago. However, evidence from a recent DNA barcoding survey suggested the presence of cryptic species and no correlation between species delimitation and level of salinity. In this study, we analyzed the cryptic diversification of G. punctata species group in Cuba, based on a comprehensive sampling of its distribution and including habitats with different salinity levels. We evaluated the patterns of molecular divergence of the samples by sequencing a set of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) regions and genotyping nine nuclear microsatellite loci. We also used cytochrome b gene (cytb) partial sequences and these microsatellite loci to analyze population structure inside putative species. Five mtDNA well-differentiated haplogroups were found, four of them also identified by the analysis of the microsatellite polymorphism which corresponds to two already recognized species, G. punctata, and G. rhizophorae, and three putative new species. The extent of hybrid zones between these groups is also described. In each group, populations inhabiting environments with contrasting salinity levels were identified, indicating a generalized trait not specific to G. rhizophorae. The geographic distribution of the groups suggested a strong association with major relict territories of the Cuban Archipelago that was periodically joined or split-up by changes in seawater levels and land uplifts. Salinity tolerance might have facilitated sporadic and long-distance oversea dispersal but did not prevent speciation in the Cuban archipelago.
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10
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Greenway R, McNemee R, Okamoto A, Plath M, Arias‐Rodriguez L, Tobler M. Correlated divergence of female and male genitalia in replicated lineages with ongoing ecological speciation. Evolution 2019; 73:1200-1212. [DOI: 10.1111/evo.13742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2018] [Revised: 03/28/2019] [Accepted: 04/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ryan Greenway
- Division of Biology Kansas State University Manhattan Kansas 66506
| | - Rachel McNemee
- Division of Biology Kansas State University Manhattan Kansas 66506
| | - Alexander Okamoto
- Division of Biology Kansas State University Manhattan Kansas 66506
- Department of Organismal Biology and Anatomy The University of Chicago Chicago Illinois 60637
| | - Martin Plath
- College of Animal Science and Technology Northwest A&F University Yangling Shaanxi PR China
| | - Lenin Arias‐Rodriguez
- División Académica de Ciencias Biológicas Universidad Juárez Autónoma de Tabasco Villahermosa Tabasco México
| | - Michael Tobler
- Division of Biology Kansas State University Manhattan Kansas 66506
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11
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Padró J, Vrdoljak J, Milla Carmona P, Soto IM. Divergent patterns of correlated evolution in primary and secondary sexual traits of cactophilic Drosophila. Evol Ecol 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s10682-018-9964-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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12
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Ouyang X, Gao J, Xie M, Liu B, Zhou L, Chen B, Jourdan J, Riesch R, Plath M. Natural and sexual selection drive multivariate phenotypic divergence along climatic gradients in an invasive fish. Sci Rep 2018; 8:11164. [PMID: 30042477 PMCID: PMC6057953 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-29254-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2017] [Accepted: 07/06/2018] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Invasive species that rapidly spread throughout novel distribution ranges are prime models to investigate climate-driven phenotypic diversification on a contemporary scale. Previous studies on adaptive diversification along latitudinal gradients in fish have mainly considered body size and reported either increased or decreased body size towards higher latitudes (i.e. Bergmann's rule). Our study is the first to investigate phenotypic divergence in multiple traits, including sexually selected traits (size and shape of the male copulatory organ, the gonopodium) of invasive Gambusia affinis in China. We studied body size, life history traits and morphological variation across populations spanning 17 degrees of latitude and 16 degrees of longitude. Even though we found phenotypic variation along climatic gradients to be strongest in naturally selected traits, some sexually selected traits also showed systematic gradual divergence. For example, males from southern populations possessed wider gonopodia with increased armament. Generally, males and females diverged in response to different components of climatic gradients (latitudinal or longitudinal variation) and in different trait suites. We discuss that not only temperature regimes, but also indirect effects of increased resource and mate competition (as a function of different extrinsic overwinter mortality rates) alter the selective landscape along climatic gradients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xu Ouyang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, P.R. China
| | - Jiancao Gao
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, P.R. China
| | - Meifeng Xie
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, P.R. China
| | - Binghua Liu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, P.R. China
| | - Linjun Zhou
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, P.R. China
| | - Bojian Chen
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, P.R. China
| | - Jonas Jourdan
- Department of River Ecology and Conservation, Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt, Gelnhausen, Germany
| | - Rüdiger Riesch
- School of Biological Sciences, Royal Holloway, University of London, Egham, Surrey, TW20 0EX, UK
| | - Martin Plath
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, P.R. China.
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Hernandez-Jimenez A, Rios-Cardenas O. Condition-dependent female preference for male genitalia length is based on male reproductive tactics. Proc Biol Sci 2018; 284:rspb.2017.2223. [PMID: 29212729 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2017.2223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2017] [Accepted: 11/09/2017] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
There is extensive morphological variation of male genitalia across animals with internal fertilization, even among closely related species. Most studies attempting to explain this extraordinary diversity have focused on processes that occur post-copula (e.g. sperm competition, cryptic female choice). Only a few studies have focused on the pre-copula process of female preference. In addition, the extent to which this variation could be associated with the use of different reproductive tactics has yet to be explored. Here, we show that female preference for male genitalia length in two livebearing fishes depends on the type of reproductive tactic of the males being evaluated as well as the body condition of the female. In a species where all males coax females to acquire matings (courters), females preferred males with short genitalia. In a species with genetically influenced alternative reproductive tactics (courter males that only court and produce courter sons, sneaker males that use the coercive tactic of sneak chase and produce sneaker sons), female preference depended on an interaction between male tactic and female condition: females in good condition preferred courter males with short genitalia, and sneaker males with long genitalia. Our results suggest that female preference for male traits favourable to their sons may be an important factor contributing to the diversification of male genitalia. Despite the contrasting selection for genitalia length that our female preference tests suggest, we found no significant differences in genitalia length between coaxing (courters) and coercive (sneakers) males. Our study represents a starting point to more clearly understand the role of alternative reproductive tactics and variation in female mate preference in the evolution of male genitalia.
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14
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Giery ST, Layman CA. Dissolved organic carbon and unimodal variation in sexual signal coloration in mosquitofish: a role for light limitation? Proc Biol Sci 2018; 284:rspb.2017.0163. [PMID: 28381625 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2017.0163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2017] [Accepted: 03/07/2017] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Natural selection plays an important role in the evolution of sexual communication systems. Here, we assess the effect of two well-known selection agents, transmission environment and predation, on interpopulation variation in sexual signals. Our model system is a series of 21 populations of Bahamian mosquitofish subjected to independent variation in optical conditions and predation risk. We show that optically diverse environments, caused by locally variable dissolved organic carbon concentrations, rather than spatial variation in predation, drove divergence in fin coloration (fin redness). We found a unimodal pattern of phenotypic variation along the optical gradient indicating a threshold-type response of visual signals to broad variation in optical conditions. We discuss evolutionary and ecological mechanisms that may drive such a pattern as well as the implications of non-monotonic clines for evolutionary differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean T Giery
- Department of Applied Ecology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
| | - Craig A Layman
- Department of Applied Ecology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
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15
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Moody EK, Lozano-Vilano ML. Predation drives morphological convergence in the Gambusia panuco species group among lotic and lentic habitats. J Evol Biol 2017; 31:491-501. [PMID: 29266513 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.13226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2017] [Revised: 12/07/2017] [Accepted: 12/13/2017] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Fish morphology is often constrained by a trade-off between optimizing steady vs. unsteady swimming performance due to opposing effects of caudal peduncle size. Lotic environments tend to select for steady swimming performance, leading to smaller caudal peduncles, whereas predators tend to select for unsteady swimming performance, leading to larger caudal peduncles. However, it is unclear which aspect of performance should be optimized across heterogeneous flow and predation environments and how this heterogeneity may affect parallel phenotypic evolution. We investigated this question among four Gambusia species in north-eastern Mexico, specifically the riverine G. panuco, the spring endemics G. alvarezi and G. hurtadoi, and a fourth species, G. marshi, found in a variety of habitats with varying predation pressure in the Cuatro Ciénegas Basin and Río Salado de Nadadores. We employed a geometric morphometric analysis to examine how body shapes of both male and female fish differ among species and habitats and with piscivore presence. We found that high-predation and low-predation species diverged morphologically, with G. marshi exhibiting a variable, intermediate body shape. Within G. marshi, body morphology converged in high-predation environments regardless of flow velocity, and fish from high-predation sites had larger relative caudal peduncle areas. However, we found that G. marshi from low-predation environments diverged in morphology between sub-basins of Cuatro Ciénegas, indicating other differences among these basins that merit further study. Our results suggest that a morphological trade-off promotes parallel evolution of body shape in fishes colonizing high-predation environments and that changing predation pressure can strongly impact morphological evolution in these species.
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Affiliation(s)
- E K Moody
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
| | - M L Lozano-Vilano
- Laboratorio de Ictiología, Universidad Autόnoma de Nuevo Leόn, San Nicolás de los Garza, N.L., Mexico
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16
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Tüzün N, Op de Beeck L, Stoks R. Sexual selection reinforces a higher flight endurance in urban damselflies. Evol Appl 2017; 10:694-703. [PMID: 28717389 PMCID: PMC5511363 DOI: 10.1111/eva.12485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2017] [Accepted: 04/06/2017] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Urbanization is among the most important and globally rapidly increasing anthropogenic processes and is known to drive rapid evolution. Habitats in urbanized areas typically consist of small, fragmented and isolated patches, which are expected to select for a better locomotor performance, along with its underlying morphological traits. This, in turn, is expected to cause differentiation in selection regimes, as populations with different frequency distributions for a given trait will span different parts of the species' fitness function. Yet, very few studies considered differentiation in phenotypic traits associated with patterns in habitat fragmentation and isolation along urbanization gradients, and none considered differentiation in sexual selection regimes. We investigated differentiation in flight performance and flight-related traits and sexual selection on these traits across replicated urban and rural populations of the scrambling damselfly Coenagrion puella. To disentangle direct and indirect paths going from phenotypic traits over performance to mating success, we applied a path analysis approach. We report for the first time direct evidence for the expected better locomotor performance in urban compared to rural populations. This matches a scenario of spatial sorting, whereby only the individuals with the best locomotor abilities colonize the isolated urban populations. The covariation patterns and causal relationships among the phenotypic traits, performance and mating success strongly depended on the urbanization level. Notably, we detected sexual selection for a higher flight endurance only in urban populations, indicating that the higher flight performance of urban males was reinforced by sexual selection. Taken together, our results provide a unique proof of the interplay between sexual selection and adaptation to human-altered environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nedim Tüzün
- Laboratory of Aquatic Ecology, Evolution and ConservationUniversity of LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
| | - Lin Op de Beeck
- Laboratory of Aquatic Ecology, Evolution and ConservationUniversity of LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
| | - Robby Stoks
- Laboratory of Aquatic Ecology, Evolution and ConservationUniversity of LeuvenLeuvenBelgium
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17
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Zastavniouk C, Weir LK, Fraser DJ. The evolutionary consequences of habitat fragmentation: Body morphology and coloration differentiation among brook trout populations of varying size. Ecol Evol 2017; 7:6850-6862. [PMID: 28904765 PMCID: PMC5587476 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.3229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2017] [Revised: 05/18/2017] [Accepted: 05/25/2017] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
A reduction in population size due to habitat fragmentation can alter the relative roles of different evolutionary mechanisms in phenotypic trait differentiation. While deterministic (selection) and stochastic (genetic drift) mechanisms are expected to affect trait evolution, genetic drift may be more important than selection in small populations. We examined relationships between mature adult traits and ecological (abiotic and biotic) variables among 14 populations of brook trout. These naturally fragmented populations have shared ancestry but currently exhibit considerable variability in habitat characteristics and population size (49 < Nc < 10,032; 3 < Nb < 567). Body size, shape, and coloration differed among populations, with a tendency for more variation among small populations in both trait means and CV when compared to large populations. Phenotypic differences were more frequently and directly linked to habitat variation or operational sex ratio than to population size, suggesting that selection may overcome genetic drift at small population size. Phenotype-environment associations were also stronger in females than males, suggesting that natural selection due to abiotic conditions may act more strongly on females than males. Our results suggest that natural and sexual-selective pressures on phenotypic traits change during the process of habitat fragmentation, and that these changes are largely contingent upon existing habitat conditions within isolated fragments. Our study provides an improved understanding of the ecological and evolutionary consequences of habitat fragmentation and lends insight into the ability of some small populations to respond to selection and environmental change.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Laura K Weir
- Department of Biology Saint Mary's University Halifax NS Canada
| | - Dylan J Fraser
- Department of Biology Concordia University Montreal QC Canada
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18
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Langerhans RB. Predictability and Parallelism of Multitrait Adaptation. J Hered 2017; 109:59-70. [DOI: 10.1093/jhered/esx043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2017] [Accepted: 05/01/2017] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
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19
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Cheptou PO, Hargreaves AL, Bonte D, Jacquemyn H. Correction to 'Adaptation to fragmentation: evolutionary dynamics driven by human influences'. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2017; 372:rstb.2016.0541. [PMID: 28193825 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2016.0541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
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20
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Diamond SE, Martin RA. The interplay between plasticity and evolution in response to human-induced environmental change. F1000Res 2016; 5:2835. [PMID: 28003883 PMCID: PMC5147521 DOI: 10.12688/f1000research.9731.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/05/2016] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Some populations will cope with human-induced environmental change, and others will undergo extirpation; understanding the mechanisms that underlie these responses is key to forecasting responses to environmental change. In cases where organisms cannot disperse to track suitable habitats, plastic and evolved responses to environmental change will determine whether populations persist or perish. However, the majority of studies consider plasticity and evolution in isolation when in fact plasticity can shape evolution and plasticity itself can evolve. In particular, whether cryptic genetic variation exposed by environmental novelty can facilitate adaptive evolution has been a source of controversy and debate in the literature and has received even less attention in the context of human-induced environmental change. However, given that many studies indicate organisms will be unable to keep pace with environmental change, we need to understand how often and the degree to which plasticity can facilitate adaptive evolutionary change under novel environmental conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah E. Diamond
- Department of Biology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Ryan A. Martin
- Department of Biology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
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21
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Jones JC, Fruciano C, Keller A, Schartl M, Meyer A. Evolution of the elaborate male intromittent organ of Xiphophorus fishes. Ecol Evol 2016; 6:7207-7220. [PMID: 27891216 PMCID: PMC5114703 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.2396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2015] [Revised: 07/26/2016] [Accepted: 08/01/2016] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Internally fertilizing animals show a remarkable diversity in male genital morphology that is associated with sexual selection, and these traits are thought to be evolving particularly rapidly. Male fish in some internally fertilizing species have "gonopodia," highly modified anal fins that are putatively important for sexual selection. However, our understanding of the evolution of genital diversity remains incomplete. Contrary to the prediction that male genital traits evolve more rapidly than other traits, here we show that gonopodial traits and other nongonopodial traits exhibit similar evolutionary rates of trait change and also follow similar evolutionary models in an iconic genus of poeciliid fish (Xiphophorus spp.). Furthermore, we find that both mating and nonmating natural selection mechanisms are unlikely to be driving the diverse Xiphophorus gonopodial morphology. Putative holdfast features of the male genital organ do not appear to be influenced by water flow, a candidate selective force in aquatic habitats. Additionally, interspecific divergence in gonopodial morphology is not significantly higher between sympatric species, than between allopatric species, suggesting that male genitals have not undergone reproductive character displacement. Slower rates of evolution in gonopodial traits compared with a subset of putatively sexually selected nongenital traits suggest that different selection mechanisms may be acting on the different trait types. Further investigations of this elaborate trait are imperative to determine whether it is ultimately an important driver of speciation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia C Jones
- Lehrstuhl für Zoologie und Evolutionsbiologie Department of Biology University of Konstanz Universitätstraße 10 78457 Konstanz Germany; Zukunftskolleg University of Konstanz Konstanz Germany; Present address: Evolution, Behaviour and Environment School of Life Sciences University of Sussex Brighton UK
| | - Carmelo Fruciano
- Lehrstuhl für Zoologie und Evolutionsbiologie Department of Biology University of Konstanz Universitätstraße 10 78457 Konstanz Germany; School of Earth, Environmental & Biological Sciences Queensland University of Technology Brisbane Qld 4000 Australia
| | - Anja Keller
- Lehrstuhl für Zoologie und Evolutionsbiologie Department of Biology University of Konstanz Universitätstraße 10 78457 Konstanz Germany
| | - Manfred Schartl
- Physiological Chemistry, Biozentrum University of Würzburg Am Hubland 97074 Würzburg Germany; Comprehensive Cancer Centre University Clinic Würzburg Josef Schneider Straße 697074 Würzburg Germany
| | - Axel Meyer
- Lehrstuhl für Zoologie und Evolutionsbiologie Department of Biology University of Konstanz Universitätstraße 10 78457 Konstanz Germany
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22
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Langerhans RB, Anderson CM, Heinen-Kay JL. Causes and Consequences of Genital Evolution. Integr Comp Biol 2016; 56:741-51. [DOI: 10.1093/icb/icw101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
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23
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Murphy SM, Battocletti AH, Tinghitella RM, Wimp GM, Ries L. Complex community and evolutionary responses to habitat fragmentation and habitat edges: what can we learn from insect science? CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2016; 14:61-65. [PMID: 27436648 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2016.01.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2015] [Revised: 01/19/2016] [Accepted: 01/20/2016] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Habitat fragmentation is the primary factor leading to species extinction worldwide and understanding how species respond to habitat edges is critical for understanding the effects of fragmentation on insect diversity in both natural and managed landscapes. Most studies on insect responses to the habitat edge focus on bottom-up changes in resources. Only a few recent studies have examined multi-trophic responses to habitat edges; the results of these studies highlight the problem that we lack a conceptual framework to understand the complex results observed when a single species' response to an edge 'cascades' throughout the food web in ways that are currently not predictable. Recent research from insect systems suggests that habitat edge responses cascade both up and down multi-trophic foodwebs and these altered species interactions may affect evolutionary processes. Future studies that investigate the effects of habitat edges on both ecological and evolutionary dynamics can help to fill these knowledge gaps and we suggest that insects, with short generation times, present an ideal opportunity to do so.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shannon M Murphy
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Denver, Denver, CO 80208, USA.
| | - Amy H Battocletti
- Biology Department, Georgetown University, Washington, D.C. 20057, USA
| | - Robin M Tinghitella
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Denver, Denver, CO 80208, USA
| | - Gina M Wimp
- Biology Department, Georgetown University, Washington, D.C. 20057, USA
| | - Leslie Ries
- Biology Department, Georgetown University, Washington, D.C. 20057, USA
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24
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Anderson CM, Langerhans RB. Origins of female genital diversity: Predation risk and lock-and-key explain rapid divergence during an adaptive radiation. Evolution 2015; 69:2452-67. [DOI: 10.1111/evo.12748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2015] [Accepted: 07/14/2015] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Christopher M. Anderson
- Department of Biological Sciences and W.M. Keck Center for Behavioral Biology; North Carolina State University; Raleigh North Carolina 27695
| | - R. Brian Langerhans
- Department of Biological Sciences and W.M. Keck Center for Behavioral Biology; North Carolina State University; Raleigh North Carolina 27695
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25
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Riesch R, Easter T, Layman CA, Langerhans RB. Rapid human-induced divergence of life-history strategies in Bahamian livebearing fishes (family Poeciliidae). J Anim Ecol 2015; 84:1732-43. [PMID: 26237432 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.12425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2015] [Accepted: 07/14/2015] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Human-induced rapid environmental change (HIREC) can have dramatic impacts on ecosystems, leading to rapid trait changes in some organisms and extinction in others. Such changes in traits signify that human actions can lead to cases of increased phenotypic diversity and consequently can strongly impact population-, community- and ecosystem-level dynamics. Here, we examine whether the ecological consequences of habitat fragmentation have led to changes in the life histories of three native species of mosquitofish (Gambusia spp.) inhabiting tidal creeks on six different Bahamian islands. We address two important questions: (i) How predictable and parallel are life-history changes in response to HIREC across islands and species, and (ii) what is the relative importance of shared (i.e. parallel) responses to fragmentation, differences between species or islands and species- or island-specific responses to fragmentation? Phenotypic differences between fragmentation regimes were as great or greater than differences between species or islands. While some adult life histories (lean weight and fat content) showed strong, shared responses to fragmentation, offspring-related life histories (embryo fat and fecundity) exhibited idiosyncratic, island-specific responses. While shared responses to fragmentation appeared largely driven by a reduction in piscivorous fish density, increased conspecific density and changes in salinity, we found some evidence that among-population variation in male reproductive investment and embryo fat content may have arisen via variation in conspecific density. Our results suggest that phenotypic responses to HIREC can be complex, with the predictability of response varying across traits. We therefore emphasize the need for more theoretical and empirical work to better understand the predictability of phenotypic responses to human-induced disturbances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rüdiger Riesch
- School of Biological Sciences, Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Behaviour, Royal Holloway, University of London, Egham, Surrey, TW20 0EX, UK
| | - Tara Easter
- Department of Biological Sciences, W. M. Keck Center for Behavioral Biology, North Carolina State University, 127 David Clark Labs, Raleigh, NC, 27695-7617, USA
- Center for Biological Diversity, PO Box 11374, Portland, OR, 97211-0374, USA
| | - Craig A Layman
- Department of Applied Ecology, North Carolina State University, 127 David Clark Labs, Raleigh, NC, 27695-7617, USA
| | - Randall Brian Langerhans
- Department of Biological Sciences, W. M. Keck Center for Behavioral Biology, North Carolina State University, 127 David Clark Labs, Raleigh, NC, 27695-7617, USA
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26
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Giery ST, Layman CA, Langerhans RB. Anthropogenic ecosystem fragmentation drives shared and unique patterns of sexual signal divergence among three species of Bahamian mosquitofish. Evol Appl 2015; 8:679-91. [PMID: 26240605 PMCID: PMC4516420 DOI: 10.1111/eva.12275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2014] [Accepted: 04/13/2015] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
When confronted with similar environmental challenges, different organisms can exhibit dissimilar phenotypic responses. Therefore, understanding patterns of phenotypic divergence for closely related species requires considering distinct evolutionary histories. Here, we investigated how a common form of human-induced environmental alteration, habitat fragmentation, may drive phenotypic divergence among three closely related species of Bahamian mosquitofish (Gambusia spp.). Focusing on one phenotypic trait (male coloration), having a priori predictions of divergence, we tested whether populations persisting in fragmented habitats differed from those inhabiting unfragmented habitats and examined the consistency of the pattern across species. Species exhibited both shared and unique patterns of phenotypic divergence between the two types of habitats, with shared patterns representing the stronger effect. For all species, populations in fragmented habitats had fewer dorsal-fin spots. In contrast, the magnitude and trajectory of divergence in dorsal-fin color, a sexually selected trait, differed among species. We identified fragmentation-mediated increased turbidity as a possible driver of these trait shifts. These results suggest that even closely related species can exhibit diverse phenotypic responses when encountering similar human-mediated selection regimes. This element of unpredictability complicates forecasting the phenotypic responses of wild organisms faced with anthropogenic change – an important component of biological conservation and ecosystem management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean T Giery
- Marine Sciences Program, Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University North Miami, FL, USA
| | - Craig A Layman
- Marine Sciences Program, Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University North Miami, FL, USA ; Department of Applied Ecology, David Clark Labs, North Carolina State University Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA
| | - R Brian Langerhans
- Department of Biological Sciences and W.M. Keck Center for Behavioral Biology, North Carolina State University Raleigh, NC, USA
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27
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Wellborn GA, Langerhans RB. Ecological opportunity and the adaptive diversification of lineages. Ecol Evol 2015; 5:176-95. [PMID: 25628875 PMCID: PMC4298445 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.1347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 95] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2014] [Revised: 10/30/2014] [Accepted: 11/07/2014] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The tenet that ecological opportunity drives adaptive diversification has been central to theories of speciation since Darwin, yet no widely accepted definition or mechanistic framework for the concept currently exists. We propose a definition for ecological opportunity that provides an explicit mechanism for its action. In our formulation, ecological opportunity refers to environmental conditions that both permit the persistence of a lineage within a community, as well as generate divergent natural selection within that lineage. Thus, ecological opportunity arises from two fundamental elements: (1) niche availability, the ability of a population with a phenotype previously absent from a community to persist within that community and (2) niche discordance, the diversifying selection generated by the adaptive mismatch between a population's niche-related traits and the newly encountered ecological conditions. Evolutionary response to ecological opportunity is primarily governed by (1) spatiotemporal structure of ecological opportunity, which influences dynamics of selection and development of reproductive isolation and (2) diversification potential, the biological properties of a lineage that determine its capacity to diversify. Diversification under ecological opportunity proceeds as an increase in niche breadth, development of intraspecific ecotypes, speciation, and additional cycles of diversification that may themselves be triggered by speciation. Extensive ecological opportunity may exist in depauperate communities, but it is unclear whether ecological opportunity abates in species-rich communities. Because ecological opportunity should generally increase during times of rapid and multifarious environmental change, human activities may currently be generating elevated ecological opportunity - but so far little work has directly addressed this topic. Our framework highlights the need for greater synthesis of community ecology and evolutionary biology, unifying the four major components of the concept of ecological opportunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gary A Wellborn
- Department of Biology, University of OklahomaNorman, Oklahoma, 73019
| | - R Brian Langerhans
- Department of Biological Sciences and W.M. Keck Center for Behavioral Biology, North Carolina State UniversityCampus Box 7617, Raleigh, North Carolina, 27695
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