Can we continue to neglect genomic variation in introgression rates when inferring the history of speciation? A case study in a Mytilus hybrid zone

Transgressive gene expression and expression plasticity under thermal stress in a stable hybrid zone

Interspecific hybridization can lead to myriad outcomes, including transgressive phenotypes in which the hybrids are more fit than either parent species. Such hybrids may display important traits in the context of climate change, able to respond to novel environmental conditions not previously experienced by the parent populations. While this has been evaluated in an agricultural context, the role of transgressive hybrids under changing conditions in the wild remains largely unexplored; this is especially true regarding transgressive gene expression. Using the blue mussel species complex (genus Mytilus) as a model system, we investigated the effects of hybridization on temperature induced gene expression plasticity by comparing expression profiles in parental species and their hybrids following a 2-week thermal challenge. Hybrid expression plasticity was most often like one parent or the other (50%). However, a large fraction of genes (26%) showed transgressive expression plasticity (i.e. the change in gene expression was either greater or lesser than that of both parent species), while only 2% were intermediately plastic in hybrids. Despite their close phylogenetic relationship, there was limited overlap in the differentially expressed genes responding to temperature, indicating interspecific differences in the responses to high temperature in which responses from hybrids are distinct from both parent species. We also identified differentially expressed long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), which we suggest may contribute to species-specific differences in thermal tolerance. Our findings provide important insight into the impact of hybridization on gene expression under warming. We propose transgressive hybrids may play an important role in population persistence under future warming conditions.

RIDGE, a tool tailored to detect gene flow barriers across species pairs

Characterizing the processes underlying reproductive isolation between diverging lineages is central to understanding speciation. Here, we present RIDGE-Reproductive Isolation Detection using Genomic polymorphisms-a tool tailored for quantifying gene flow barrier proportion and identifying the relevant genomic regions. RIDGE relies on an Approximate Bayesian Computation with a model-averaging approach to accommodate diverse scenarios of lineage divergence. It captures heterogeneity in effective migration rate along the genome while accounting for variation in linked selection and recombination. The barrier detection test relies on numerous summary statistics to compute a Bayes factor, offering a robust statistical framework that facilitates cross-species comparisons. Simulations revealed RIDGE's efficiency in capturing signals of ongoing migration. Model averaging proved particularly valuable in scenarios of high model uncertainty where no migration or migration homogeneity can be wrongly assumed, typically for recent divergence times <0.1 2Ne generations. Applying RIDGE to four published crow data sets, we first validated our tool by identifying a well-known large genomic region associated with mate choice patterns. Second, while we identified a significant overlap of outlier loci using RIDGE and traditional genomic scans, our results suggest that a substantial portion of previously identified outliers are likely false positives. Outlier detection relies on allele differentiation, relative measures of divergence and the count of shared polymorphisms and fixed differences. Our analyses also highlight the value of incorporating multiple summary statistics including our newly developed outlier ones that can be useful in challenging detection conditions.

Genomic Architecture Predicts Tree Topology, Population Structuring, and Demographic History in Amazonian Birds

Geographic barriers are frequently invoked to explain genetic structuring across the landscape. However, inferences on the spatial and temporal origins of population variation have been largely limited to evolutionary neutral models, ignoring the potential role of natural selection and intrinsic genomic processes known as genomic architecture in producing heterogeneity in differentiation across the genome. To test how variation in genomic characteristics (e.g. recombination rate) impacts our ability to reconstruct general patterns of differentiation between species that cooccur across geographic barriers, we sequenced the whole genomes of multiple bird populations that are distributed across rivers in southeastern Amazonia. We found that phylogenetic relationships within species and demographic parameters varied across the genome in predictable ways. Genetic diversity was positively associated with recombination rate and negatively associated with species tree support. Gene flow was less pervasive in genomic regions of low recombination, making these windows more likely to retain patterns of population structuring that matched the species tree. We further found that approximately a third of the genome showed evidence of selective sweeps and linked selection, skewing genome-wide estimates of effective population sizes and gene flow between populations toward lower values. In sum, we showed that the effects of intrinsic genomic characteristics and selection can be disentangled from neutral processes to elucidate spatial patterns of population differentiation.

Inferring the Demographic History and Inheritance Mode of Tetraploid Species Using ABC

Genomic patterns of diversity and divergence are impacted by certain life history traits, reproductive systems, and demographic history. The latter is characterized by fluctuations in population sizes over time, as well as by temporal patterns of introgression. For a given organism, identifying a demographic history that deviates from the standard neutral model allows a better understanding of its evolution but also helps to reduce the risk of false positives when screening for molecular targets of natural selection. Tetraploid organisms and beyond have demographic histories that are complicated by the mode of polyploidization, the mode of inheritance, and different scenarios of gene flow between sub-genomes and diploid parental species. Here we provide guidelines for experimenters wishing to address these issues through a flexible statistical framework: approximate Bayesian computation (ABC). The emphasis is on the general philosophy of the approach to encourage future users to exploit the enormous flexibility of ABC beyond the limitations imposed by generalist data analysis pipelines.

Population genetics reveals divergent lineages and ongoing hybridization in a declining migratory fish species complex

Deciphering the effects of historical and recent demographic processes responsible for the spatial patterns of genetic diversity and structure is a key objective in evolutionary and conservation biology. Using population genetic analyses, we investigated the demographic history, the contemporary genetic diversity and structure, and the occurrence of hybridization and introgression of two species of anadromous fish with contrasting life history strategies and which have undergone recent demographic declines, the allis shad (Alosa alosa) and the twaite shad (Alosa fallax). We genotyped 706 individuals from 20 rivers and 5 sites at sea in Southern Europe at thirteen microsatellite markers. Genetic structure between populations was lower for the nearly semelparous species A. alosa, which disperses greater distances compared to the iteroparous species, A. fallax. Individuals caught at sea were assigned at the river level for A. fallax and at the region level for A. alosa. Using an approximate Bayesian computation framework, we inferred that the most likely long term historical divergence scenario between both species and lineages involved historical separation followed by secondary contact accompanied by strong population size decline. Accordingly, we found evidence for contemporary hybridization and bidirectional introgression due to gene flow between both species and lineages. Moreover, our results support the existence of at least one distinct species in the Mediterrannean sea: A. agone in Golfe du Lion area, and another divergent lineage in Corsica. Overall, our results shed light on the interplay between historical and recent demographic processes and life history strategies in shaping population genetic diversity and structure of closely related species. The recent demographic decline of these species' populations and their hybridization should be carefully considered while implementing conservation programs.

Convergent morphology and divergent phenology promote the coexistence of Morpho butterfly species

The coexistence of closely-related species in sympatry is puzzling because ecological niche proximity imposes strong competition and reproductive interference. A striking example is the widespread wing pattern convergence of several blue-banded Morpho butterfly species with overlapping ranges of distribution. Here we perform a series of field experiments using flying Morpho dummies placed in a natural habitat. We show that similarity in wing colour pattern indeed leads to interspecific territoriality and courtship among sympatric species. In spite of such behavioural interference, demographic inference from genomic data shows that sympatric closely-related Morpho species are genetically isolated. Mark-recapture experiments in the two most closely-related species unravel a strong temporal segregation in patrolling activity of males. Such divergence in phenology reduces the costs of reproductive interference while simultaneously preserving the benefits of convergence in non-reproductive traits in response to common ecological pressures. Henceforth, the evolution of multiple traits may favour species diversification in sympatry by partitioning niche in different dimensions.

The complex history of genome duplication and hybridization in North American gray treefrogs

Polyploid speciation has played an important role in evolutionary history across the tree of life, yet there remain large gaps in our understanding of how polyploid species form and persist. Although systematic studies have been conducted in numerous polyploid complexes, recent advances in sequencing technology have demonstrated that conclusions from data-limited studies may be spurious and misleading. The North American gray treefrog complex, consisting of the diploid Hyla chrysoscelis and the tetraploid H. versicolor, has long been used as a model system in a variety of biological fields, yet all taxonomic studies to date were conducted with only a few loci from nuclear and mitochondrial genomes. Here, we utilized anchored hybrid enrichment and high-throughput sequencing to capture hundreds of loci along with whole mitochondrial genomes to investigate the evolutionary history of this complex. We used several phylogenetic and population genetic methods, including coalescent simulations and testing of polyploid speciation models with approximate Bayesian computation, to determine that H. versicolor was most likely formed via autopolyploidization from a now extinct lineage of H. chrysoscelis. We also uncovered evidence of significant hybridization between diploids and tetraploids where they co-occur, and show that historical hybridization between these groups led to the re-formation of distinct polyploid lineages following the initial whole-genome duplication event. Our study indicates that a wide variety of methods and explicit model testing of polyploid histories can greatly facilitate efforts to uncover the evolutionary history of polyploid complexes.

Parallel introgression, not recurrent emergence, explains apparent elevational ecotypes of polyploid Himalayan snowtrout

The recurrence of similar evolutionary patterns within different habitats often reflects parallel selective pressures acting upon either standing or independently occurring genetic variation to produce a convergence of phenotypes. This interpretation (i.e. parallel divergences within adjacent streams) has been hypothesized for drainage-specific morphological 'ecotypes' observed in polyploid snowtrout (Cyprinidae: Schizothorax). However, parallel patterns of differential introgression during secondary contact are a viable alternative hypothesis. Here, we used ddRADseq (N = 35 319 de novo and N = 10 884 transcriptome-aligned SNPs), as derived from Nepali/Bhutanese samples (N = 48 each), to test these competing hypotheses. We first employed genome-wide allelic depths to derive appropriate ploidy models, then a Bayesian approach to yield genotypes statistically consistent under the inferred expectations. Elevational 'ecotypes' were consistent in geometric morphometric space, but with phylogenetic relationships at the drainage level, sustaining a hypothesis of independent emergence. However, partitioned analyses of phylogeny and admixture identified subsets of loci under selection that retained genealogical concordance with morphology, suggesting instead that apparent patterns of morphological/phylogenetic discordance are driven by widespread genomic homogenization. Here, admixture occurring in secondary contact effectively 'masks' previous isolation. Our results underscore two salient factors: (i) morphological adaptations are retained despite hybridization and (ii) the degree of admixture varies across tributaries, presumably concomitant with underlying environmental or anthropogenic factors.

The population genomics of repeated freshwater colonizations by Gulf pipefish

How organisms adapt to the novel challenges imposed by the colonization of a new habitat has long been a central question in evolutionary biology. When multiple populations of the same species independently adapt to similar environmental challenges, the question becomes whether the populations have arrived at their adaptations through the same genetic mechanisms. In recent years, genetic techniques have been used to tackle these questions by investigating the genome-level changes underlying local adaptation. Here, we present a genomic analysis of colonization of freshwater habitats by a primarily marine fish, the Gulf pipefish (Syngnathus scovelli). We sample pipefish from four geographically distinct freshwater locations and use double-digest restriction site associated DNA sequencing to compare them to 12 previously studied saltwater populations. The two most geographically distant and isolated freshwater populations are the most genetically distinct, although demographic analysis suggests that these populations are experiencing ongoing migration with their saltwater neighbours. Additionally, outlier regions were found genome-wide, showing parallelism across ecotype pairs. We conclude that these multiple freshwater colonizations involve similar genomic regions, despite the large geographical distances and different underlying mechanisms. These similar patterns are probably facilitated by the interacting effects of intrinsic barriers, gene flow among populations and ecological selection in the Gulf pipefish.

Biases in Demographic Modeling Affect Our Understanding of Recent Divergence

Testing among competing demographic models of divergence has become an important component of evolutionary research in model and non-model organisms. However, the effect of unaccounted demographic events on model choice and parameter estimation remains largely unexplored. Using extensive simulations, we demonstrate that under realistic divergence scenarios, failure to account for population size (N_e) changes in daughter and ancestral populations leads to strong biases in divergence time estimates as well as model choice. We illustrate these issues reconstructing the recent demographic history of North Sea and Baltic Sea turbots (Scophthalmus maximus) by testing 16 isolation with migration (IM) and 16 secondary contact (SC) scenarios, modeling changes in N_e as well as the effects of linked selection and barrier loci. Failure to account for changes in N_e resulted in selecting SC models with long periods of strict isolation and divergence times preceding the formation of the Baltic Sea. In contrast, models accounting for N_e changes suggest recent (<6 kya) divergence with constant gene flow. We further show how interpreting genomic landscapes of differentiation can help discerning among competing models. For example, in the turbot data, islands of differentiation show signatures of recent selective sweeps, rather than old divergence resisting secondary introgression. The results have broad implications for the study of population divergence by highlighting the potential effects of unmodeled changes in N_e on demographic inference. Tested models should aim at representing realistic divergence scenarios for the target taxa, and extreme caution should always be exercised when interpreting results of demographic modeling.

Population genomics and history of speciation reveal fishery management gaps in two related redfish species (Sebastes mentella and Sebastes fasciatus)

Understanding the processes shaping population structure and reproductive isolation of marine organisms can improve their management and conservation. Using genomic markers combined with estimation of individual ancestries, assignment tests, spatial ecology, and demographic modeling, we (i) characterized the contemporary population structure, (ii) assessed the influence of space, fishing depth, and sampling years on contemporary distribution, and (iii) reconstructed the speciation history of two cryptic redfish species, Sebastes mentella and S. fasciatus. We genotyped 860 individuals in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean using 24,603 filtered single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Our results confirmed the clear genetic distinctiveness of the two species and identified three ecotypes within S. mentella and five populations in S. fasciatus. Multivariate analyses highlighted the influence of spatial distribution and depth on the overall genomic variation, while demographic modeling revealed that secondary contact models best explained inter- and intragenomic divergence. These species, ecotypes, and populations can be considered as a rare and wide continuum of genomic divergence in the marine environment. This acquired knowledge pertaining to the evolutionary processes driving population divergence and reproductive isolation will help optimizing the assessment of demographic units and possibly to refine fishery management units.

DILS: Demographic inferences with linked selection by using ABC

We present DILS, a deployable statistical analysis platform for conducting demographic inferences with linked selection from population genomic data using an Approximate Bayesian Computation framework. DILS takes as input single-population or two-population data sets (multilocus fasta sequences) and performs three types of analyses in a hierarchical manner, identifying: (a) the best demographic model to study the importance of gene flow and population size change on the genetic patterns of polymorphism and divergence, (b) the best genomic model to determine whether the effective size Ne and migration rate N, m are heterogeneously distributed along the genome (implying linked selection) and (c) loci in genomic regions most associated with barriers to gene flow. Also available via a Web interface, an objective of DILS is to facilitate collaborative research in speciation genomics. Here, we show the performance and limitations of DILS by using simulations and finally apply the method to published data on a divergence continuum composed by 28 pairs of Mytilus mussel populations/species.

How do species barriers decay? Concordance and local introgression in mosaic hybrid zones of mussels

The Mytilus complex of marine mussel species forms a mosaic of hybrid zones, found across temperate regions of the globe. This allows us to study 'replicated' instances of secondary contact between closely related species. Previous work on this complex has shown that local introgression is both widespread and highly heterogeneous, and has identified SNPs that are outliers of differentiation between lineages. Here, we developed an ancestry-informative panel of such SNPs. We then compared their frequencies in newly sampled populations, including samples from within the hybrid zones, and parental populations at different distances from the contact. Results show that close to the hybrid zones, some outlier loci are near to fixation for the heterospecific allele, suggesting enhanced local introgression, or the local sweep of a shared ancestral allele. Conversely, genomic cline analyses, treating local parental populations as the reference, reveal a globally high concordance among loci, albeit with a few signals of asymmetric introgression. Enhanced local introgression at specific loci is consistent with the early transfer of adaptive variants after contact, possibly including asymmetric bi-stable variants (Dobzhansky-Muller incompatibilities), or haplotypes loaded with fewer deleterious mutations. Having escaped one barrier, however, these variants can be trapped or delayed at the next barrier, confining the introgression locally. These results shed light on the decay of species barriers during phases of contact.

Anthropogenic hybridization at sea: three evolutionary questions relevant to invasive species management

Species introductions promote secondary contacts between taxa with long histories of allopatric divergence. Anthropogenic contact zones thus offer valuable contrasts to speciation studies in natural systems where past spatial isolations may have been brief or intermittent. Investigations of anthropogenic hybridization are rare for marine animals, which have high fecundity and high dispersal ability, characteristics that contrast to most terrestrial animals. Genomic studies indicate that gene flow can still occur after millions of years of divergence, as illustrated by invasive mussels and tunicates. In this context, we highlight three issues: (i) the effects of high propagule pressure and demographic asymmetries on introgression directionality, (ii) the role of hybridization in preventing introduced species spread, and (iii) the importance of postzygotic barriers in maintaining reproductive isolation. Anthropogenic contact zones offer evolutionary biologists unprecedented large scale hybridization experiments. In addition to breaking the highly effective reproductive isolating barrier of spatial segregation, they allow researchers to explore unusual demographic contexts with strong asymmetries. The outcomes are diverse, from introgression swamping to strong barriers to gene flow, and lead to local containment or widespread invasion. These outcomes should not be neglected in management policies of marine invasive species. This article is part of the theme issue 'Towards the completion of speciation: the evolution of reproductive isolation beyond the first barriers'.

Evolution of putative barrier loci at an intermediate stage of speciation with gene flow in campions (Silene)

Understanding the origin of new species is a central goal in evolutionary biology. Diverging lineages often evolve highly heterogeneous patterns of genetic differentiation; however, the underlying mechanisms are not well understood. We investigated evolutionary processes governing genetic differentiation between the hybridizing campions Silene dioica (L.) Clairv. and S. latifolia Poiret. Demographic modelling indicated that the two species diverged with gene flow. The best‐supported scenario with heterogeneity in both migration rate and effective population size suggested that a small proportion of the loci evolved without gene flow. Differentiation (F_ST) and sequence divergence (d_XY) were correlated and both tended to peak in the middle of most linkage groups, consistent with reduced gene flow at highly differentiated loci. Highly differentiated loci further exhibited signatures of selection. In between‐species population pairs, isolation by distance was stronger for genomic regions with low between‐species differentiation than for highly differentiated regions that may contain barrier loci. Moreover, differentiation landscapes within and between species were only weakly correlated, suggesting that linked selection due to shared recombination and gene density landscapes is not the dominant determinant of genetic differentiation in these lineages. Instead, our results suggest that divergent selection shaped the genomic landscape of differentiation between the two Silene species, consistent with predictions for speciation in the face of gene flow.

Trans-Atlantic Distribution and Introgression as Inferred from Single Nucleotide Polymorphism: Mussels Mytilus and Environmental Factors

Large-scale climate changes influence the geographic distribution of biodiversity. Many taxa have been reported to extend or reduce their geographic range, move poleward or displace other species. However, for closely related species that can hybridize in the natural environment, displacement is not the only effect of changes of environmental variables. Another option is subtler, hidden expansion, which can be found using genetic methods only. The marine blue mussels Mytilus are known to change their geographic distribution despite being sessile animals. In addition to natural dissemination at larval phase—enhanced by intentional or accidental introductions and rafting—they can spread through hybridization and introgression with local congeners, which can create mixed populations sustaining in environmental conditions that are marginal for pure taxa. The Mytilus species have a wide distribution in coastal regions of the Northern and Southern Hemisphere. In this study, we investigated the inter-regional genetic differentiation of the Mytilus species complex at 53 locations in the North Atlantic and adjacent Arctic waters and linked this genetic variability to key local environmental drivers. Of seventy-nine candidate single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), all samples were successfully genotyped with a subset of 54 SNPs. There was a clear interregional separation of Mytilus species. However, all three Mytilus species hybridized in the contact area and created hybrid zones with mixed populations. Boosted regression trees (BRT) models showed that inter-regional variability was important in many allele models but did not prevail over variability in local environmental factors. Local environmental variables described over 40% of variability in about 30% of the allele frequencies of Mytilus spp. For the 30% of alleles, variability in their frequencies was only weakly coupled with local environmental conditions. For most studied alleles the linkages between environmental drivers and the genetic variability of Mytilus spp. were random in respect to “coding” and “non-coding” regions. An analysis of the subset of data involving functional genes only showed that two SNPs at Hsp70 and ATPase genes correlated with environmental variables. Total predictive ability of the highest performing models (r² between 0.550 and 0.801) were for alleles that discriminated most effectively M. trossulus from M. edulis and M. galloprovincialis, whereas the best performing allele model (BM101A) did the best at discriminating M. galloprovincialis from M. edulis and M. trossulus. Among the local environmental variables, salinity, water temperature, ice cover and chlorophyll a concentration were by far the greatest predictors, but their predictive performance varied among different allele models. In most cases changes in the allele frequencies along these environmental gradients were abrupt and occurred at a very narrow range of environmental variables. In general, regions of change in allele frequencies for M. trossulus occurred at 8–11 psu, 0–10 °C, 60%–70% of ice cover and 0–2 mg m⁻³ of chlorophyll a, M. edulis at 8–11 and 30–35 psu, 10–14 °C and 60%–70% of ice cover and for M. galloprovincialis at 30–35 psu, 14–20 °C.

Replicated anthropogenic hybridisations reveal parallel patterns of admixture in marine mussels

Human-mediated transport creates secondary contacts between genetically differentiated lineages, bringing new opportunities for gene exchange. When similar introductions occur in different places, they provide informally replicated experiments for studying hybridisation. We here examined 4,279 Mytilus mussels, sampled in Europe and genotyped with 77 ancestry-informative markers. We identified a type of introduced mussels, called "dock mussels," associated with port habitats and displaying a particular genetic signal of admixture between M. edulis and the Mediterranean lineage of M. galloprovincialis. These mussels exhibit similarities in their ancestry compositions, regardless of the local native genetic backgrounds and the distance separating colonised ports. We observed fine-scale genetic shifts at the port entrance, at scales below natural dispersal distance. Such sharp clines do not fit with migration-selection tension zone models, and instead suggest habitat choice and early-stage adaptation to the port environment, possibly coupled with connectivity barriers. Variations in the spread and admixture patterns of dock mussels seem to be influenced by the local native genetic backgrounds encountered. We next examined departures from the average admixture rate at different loci, and compared human-mediated admixture events, to naturally admixed populations and experimental crosses. When the same M. galloprovincialis background was involved, positive correlations in the departures of loci across locations were found; but when different backgrounds were involved, no or negative correlations were observed. While some observed positive correlations might be best explained by a shared history and saltatory colonisation, others are likely produced by parallel selective events. Altogether, genome-wide effect of admixture seems repeatable and more dependent on genetic background than environmental context. Our results pave the way towards further genomic analyses of admixture, and monitoring of the spread of dock mussels both at large and at fine spacial scales.

Twin introductions by independent invader mussel lineages are both associated with recent admixture with a native congener in Australia

Introduced species can impose profound impacts on the evolution of receiving communities with which they interact. If native and introduced taxa remain reproductively semi-isolated, human-mediated secondary contact may promote genetic exchange across newly created hybrid zones, potentially impacting native genetic diversity and invasive species spread. Here, we investigate the contributions of recent divergence histories and ongoing (post-introduction) gene flow between the invasive marine mussel, Mytilus galloprovincialis, and a morphologically indistinguishable and taxonomically contentious native Australian taxon, Mytilus planulatus. Using transcriptome-wide markers, we demonstrate that two contemporary M. galloprovincialis introductions into south-eastern Australia originate from genetically divergent lineages from its native range in the Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Europe, where both introductions have led to repeated instances of admixture between introduced and endemic populations. Through increased genome-wide resolution of species relationships, combined with demographic modelling, we validate that mussels sampled in Tasmania are representative of the endemic Australian taxon (M. planulatus), but share strong genetic affinities to M. galloprovincialis. Demographic inferences indicate late-Pleistocene divergence times and historical gene flow between the Tasmanian endemic lineage and northern M. galloprovincialis, suggesting that native and introduced taxa have experienced a period of historical isolation of at least 100,000 years. Our results demonstrate that many genomic loci and sufficient sampling of closely related lineages in both sympatric (e.g. Australian populations) and allopatric (e.g. northern hemisphere Mytilus taxa) ranges are necessary to accurately (a) interpret patterns of intraspecific differentiation and to (b) distinguish contemporary invasive introgression from signatures left by recent divergence histories in high dispersal marine species. More broadly, our study fills a significant gap in systematic knowledge of native Australian biodiversity and sheds light on the intrinsic challenges for invasive species research when native and introduced species boundaries are not well defined.

Hybridization patterns between two marine snails, Littorina fabalis and L. obtusata

Characterizing the patterns of hybridization between closely related species is crucial to understand the role of gene flow in speciation. In particular, systems comprising multiple contacts between sister species offer an outstanding opportunity to investigate how reproductive isolation varies with environmental conditions, demography and geographic contexts of divergence. The flat periwinkles, Littorina obtusata and L. fabalis (Gastropoda), are two intertidal sister species with marked ecological differences compatible with late stages of speciation. Although hybridization between the two was previously suggested, its extent across the Atlantic shores of Europe remained largely unknown. Here, we combined genetic (microsatellites and mtDNA) and morphological data (shell and male genital morphology) from multiple populations of flat periwinkles in north-western Iberia to assess the extent of current and past hybridization between L. obtusata and L. fabalis under two contrasting geographic settings of divergence (sympatry and allopatry). Hybridization signatures based on both mtDNA and microsatellites were stronger in sympatric sites, although evidence for recent extensive admixture was found in a single location. Misidentification of individuals into species based on shell morphology was higher in sympatric than in allopatric sites. However, despite hybridization, species distinctiveness based on this phenotypic trait together with male genital morphology remained relatively high. The observed variation in the extent of hybridization among locations provides a rare opportunity for future studies on the consequences of different levels of gene flow for reinforcement, thus informing about the mechanisms underlying the completion of speciation.

Recent Secondary Contacts, Linked Selection, and Variable Recombination Rates Shape Genomic Diversity in the Model Species Anolis carolinensis

Gaining a better understanding on how selection and neutral processes affect genomic diversity is essential to gain better insights into the mechanisms driving adaptation and speciation. However, the evolutionary processes affecting variation at a genomic scale have not been investigated in most vertebrate lineages. Here, we present the first population genomics survey using whole genome resequencing in the green anole (Anolis carolinensis). Anoles have been intensively studied to understand mechanisms underlying adaptation and speciation. The green anole in particular is an important model to study genome evolution. We quantified how demography, recombination, and selection have led to the current genetic diversity of the green anole by using whole-genome resequencing of five genetic clusters covering the entire species range. The differentiation of green anole's populations is consistent with a northward expansion from South Florida followed by genetic isolation and subsequent gene flow among adjacent genetic clusters. Dispersal out-of-Florida was accompanied by a drastic population bottleneck followed by a rapid population expansion. This event was accompanied by male-biased dispersal and/or selective sweeps on the X chromosome. We show that the interaction between linked selection and recombination is the main contributor to the genomic landscape of differentiation in the anole genome.

Recombination rate variation shapes barriers to introgression across butterfly genomes

Hybridisation and introgression can dramatically alter the relationships among groups of species, leading to phylogenetic discordance across the genome and between populations. Introgression can also erode species differences over time, but selection against introgression at certain loci acts to maintain postmating species barriers. Theory predicts that species barriers made up of many loci throughout the genome should lead to a broad correlation between introgression and recombination rate, which determines the extent to which selection on deleterious foreign alleles will affect neutral alleles at physically linked loci. Here, we describe the variation in genealogical relationships across the genome among three species of Heliconius butterflies: H. melpomene (mel), H. cydno (cyd), and H. timareta (tim), using whole genomes of 92 individuals, and ask whether this variation can be explained by heterogeneous barriers to introgression. We find that species relationships vary predictably at the chromosomal scale. By quantifying recombination rate and admixture proportions, we then show that rates of introgression are predicted by variation in recombination rate. This implies that species barriers are highly polygenic, with selection acting against introgressed alleles across most of the genome. In addition, long chromosomes, which have lower recombination rates, produce stronger barriers on average than short chromosomes. Finally, we find a consistent difference between two species pairs on either side of the Andes, which suggests differences in the architecture of the species barriers. Our findings illustrate how the combined effects of hybridisation, recombination, and natural selection, acting at multitudes of loci over long periods, can dramatically sculpt the phylogenetic relationships among species.

The divergence history of European blue mussel species reconstructed from Approximate Bayesian Computation: the effects of sequencing techniques and sampling strategies

Genome-scale diversity data are increasingly available in a variety of biological systems, and can be used to reconstruct the past evolutionary history of species divergence. However, extracting the full demographic information from these data is not trivial, and requires inferential methods that account for the diversity of coalescent histories throughout the genome. Here, we evaluate the potential and limitations of one such approach. We reexamine a well-known system of mussel sister species, using the joint site frequency spectrum (jSFS) of synonymous mutations computed either from exome capture or RNA-seq, in an Approximate Bayesian Computation (ABC) framework. We first assess the best sampling strategy (number of: individuals, loci, and bins in the jSFS), and show that model selection is robust to variation in the number of individuals and loci. In contrast, different binning choices when summarizing the jSFS, strongly affect the results: including classes of low and high frequency shared polymorphisms can more effectively reveal recent migration events. We then take advantage of the flexibility of ABC to compare more realistic models of speciation, including variation in migration rates through time (i.e., periodic connectivity) and across genes (i.e., genome-wide heterogeneity in migration rates). We show that these models were consistently selected as the most probable, suggesting that mussels have experienced a complex history of gene flow during divergence and that the species boundary is semi-permeable. Our work provides a comprehensive evaluation of ABC demographic inference in mussels based on the coding jSFS, and supplies guidelines for employing different sequencing techniques and sampling strategies. We emphasize, perhaps surprisingly, that inferences are less limited by the volume of data, than by the way in which they are analyzed.

Hybrids and horizontal transfer: introgression allows adaptive allele discovery

Evolution has devised countless remarkable solutions to diverse challenges. Understanding the mechanistic basis of these solutions provides insights into how biological systems can be subtly tweaked without maladaptive consequences. The knowledge gained from illuminating these mechanisms is equally important to our understanding of fundamental evolutionary mechanisms as it is to our hopes of developing truly rational plant breeding and synthetic biology. In particular, modern population genomic approaches are proving very powerful in the detection of candidate alleles for mediating consequential adaptations that can be tested functionally. Especially striking are signals gained from contexts involving genetic transfers between populations, closely related species, or indeed between kingdoms. Here we discuss two major classes of these scenarios, adaptive introgression and horizontal gene flow, illustrating discoveries made across kingdoms.

Lineages of Silene nutans developed rapid, strong, asymmetric postzygotic reproductive isolation in allopatry

Reproductive isolation can rise either as a consequence of genomic divergence in allopatry or as a byproduct of divergent selection in parapatry. To determine whether reproductive isolation in gynodioecious Silene nutans results from allopatric divergence or from ecological adaptation following secondary contact, we investigated the pattern of postzygotic reproductive isolation and hybridization in natural populations using two phylogeographic lineages, western (W1) and eastern (E1). Experimental crosses between the lineages identified strong, asymmetric postzygotic isolation between the W1 and the E1 lineages, independent of geographic overlap. The proportion of ovules fertilized, seeds aborted, and seeds germinated revealed relatively little effect on the fitness of hybrids. In contrast, hybrid mortality was high and asymmetric: while half of the hybrid seedlings with western lineage mothers died, nearly all hybrid seedlings with E1 mothers died. This asymmetric mortality mirrored the proportion of chlorotic seedlings, and is congruent with cytonuclear incompatibility. We found no evidence of hybridization between the lineages in regions of co-occurrence using nuclear and plastid markers. Together, our results are consistent with the hypothesis that strong postzygotic reproductive isolation involving cytonuclear incompatibilities arose in allopatry. We argue that the dynamics of cytonuclear gynodioecy could facilitate the evolution of reproductive isolation.

Extensive recent secondary contacts between four European white oak species

Historical trajectories of tree species during the late Quaternary have been well reconstructed through genetic and palaeobotanical studies. However, many congeneric tree species are interfertile, and the timing and contribution of introgression to species divergence during their evolutionary history remains largely unknown. We quantified past and current gene flow events between four morphologically divergent oak species (Quercus petraea, Q. robur, Q. pyrenaica, Q. pubescens), by two independent inference methods: diffusion approximation to the joint frequency spectrum (∂a∂i) and approximate Bayesian computation (ABC). For each pair of species, alternative scenarios of speciation allowing gene flow over different timescales were evaluated. Analyses of 3524 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) randomly distributed in the genome, showed that these species evolved in complete isolation for most of their history, but recently came into secondary contact, probably facilitated by the most recent period of postglacial warming. We demonstrated that: there was sufficient genetic differentiation before secondary contact for the accumulation of barriers to gene flow; and current European white oak genomes are a mosaic of genes that have crossed species boundaries and genes impermeable to gene flow.

Metapopulation patterns of additive and nonadditive genetic variance in the sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax)

Describing and explaining the geographic within‐species variation in phenotypes (“phenogeography”) in the sea over a species distribution range is central to our understanding of a variety of eco‐evolutionary topics. However, phenogeographic studies that have a large potential to investigate adaptive variation are overcome by phylogeographic studies, still mainly focusing on neutral markers. How genotypic and phenotypic data could covary over large geographic scales remains poorly understood in marine species. We crossed 75 noninbred sires (five origins) and 26 dams (two origins; each side of a hybrid zone) in a factorial diallel cross in order to investigate geographic variation for early survival and sex ratio in the metapopulation of the European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax), a highly prized marine fish species. Full‐sib families (N = 1,950) were produced and reared in a common environment. Parentage assignment of 7,200 individuals was performed with seven microsatellite markers. Generalized linear models showed significant additive effects for both traits and pleiotropy between traits. A significant nonadditive genetic effect was detected. Different expression of traits and distinct relative performances were found for reciprocal crosses involving populations located on each side of the main hybrid zone located at the Almeria‐Oran front, illustrating asymmetric reproductive isolation. The poor fitness performance observed for the Western Mediterranean population of sea bass is discussed as it represents the main source of seed hatchery production, but also because it potentially illustrates nonadaptive introgression and maladaptation.

Shedding Light on the Grey Zone of Speciation along a Continuum of Genomic Divergence

Speciation results from the progressive accumulation of mutations that decrease the probability of mating between parental populations or reduce the fitness of hybrids—the so-called species barriers. The speciation genomic literature, however, is mainly a collection of case studies, each with its own approach and specificities, such that a global view of the gradual process of evolution from one to two species is currently lacking. Of primary importance is the prevalence of gene flow between diverging entities, which is central in most species concepts and has been widely discussed in recent years. Here, we explore the continuum of speciation thanks to a comparative analysis of genomic data from 61 pairs of populations/species of animals with variable levels of divergence. Gene flow between diverging gene pools is assessed under an approximate Bayesian computation (ABC) framework. We show that the intermediate "grey zone" of speciation, in which taxonomy is often controversial, spans from 0.5% to 2% of net synonymous divergence, irrespective of species life history traits or ecology. Thanks to appropriate modeling of among-locus variation in genetic drift and introgression rate, we clarify the status of the majority of ambiguous cases and uncover a number of cryptic species. Our analysis also reveals the high incidence in animals of semi-isolated species (when some but not all loci are affected by barriers to gene flow) and highlights the intrinsic difficulty, both statistical and conceptual, of delineating species in the grey zone of speciation.

Isolated populations accumulate genetic differences across their genomes as they diverge, whereas gene flow between populations counteracts divergence and tends to restore genetic homogeneity. Speciation proceeds by the accumulation at specific loci of mutations that reduce the fitness of hybrids, therefore preventing gene flow—the so-called species barriers. Importantly, species barriers are expected to act locally within the genome, leading to the prediction of a mosaic pattern of genetic differentiation between populations at intermediate levels of divergence—the genic view of speciation. At the same time, linked selection also contributes to speed up differentiation in low-recombining and gene-dense regions. We used a modelling approach that accounts for both sources of genomic heterogeneity and explored a wide continuum of genomic divergence made by 61 pairs of species/populations in animals. Our analysis provides a unifying picture of the relationship between molecular divergence and ability to exchange genes. We show that the "grey zone" of speciation—the intermediate state in which species definition is controversial—spans from 0.5% to 2% of molecular divergence, with these thresholds being independent of species life history traits and ecology. Semi-isolated species, between which alleles can be exchanged at some but not all loci, are numerous, with the earliest species barriers being detected at divergences as low as 0.075%. These results have important implications regarding taxonomy, conservation biology, and the management of biodiversity.

Marine invasions enter the genomic era: three lessons from the past, and the way forward

The expanding scale and increasing rate of marine biological invasions have been documented since the early 20th century. Besides their global ecological and economic impacts, non-indigenous species (NIS) also have attracted much attention as opportunities to explore important eco-evolutionary processes such as rapid adaptation, long-distance dispersal and range expansion, and secondary contacts between divergent evolutionary lineages. In this context, genetic tools have been extensively used in the past 20 years. Three important issues appear to have emerged from such studies. First, the study of NIS has revealed unexpected cryptic diversity in what had previously been assumed homogeneous entities. Second, there has been surprisingly little evidence of strong founder events accompanying marine introductions, a pattern possibly driven by large propagule loads. Third, the evolutionary processes leading to successful invasion have been difficult to ascertain due to faint genetic signals. Here we explore the potential of novel tools associated with high-throughput sequencing (HTS) to address these still pressing issues. Dramatic increase in the number of loci accessible via HTS has the potential to radically increase the power of analyses aimed at species delineation, exploring the population genomic consequences of range expansions, and examining evolutionary processes such as admixture, introgression, and adaptation. Nevertheless, the value of this new wealth of genomic data will ultimately depend on the ability to couple it with expanded "traditional" efforts, including exhaustive sampling of marine populations over large geographic scales, integrated taxonomic analyses, and population level exploration of quantitative trait differentiation through common-garden and other laboratory experiments.

Genetic diversity and connectivity within Mytilus spp. in the subarctic and Arctic

Climate changes in the Arctic are predicted to alter distributions of marine species. However, such changes are difficult to quantify because information on present species distribution and the genetic variation within species is lacking or poorly examined. Blue mussels, Mytilus spp., are ecosystem engineers in the coastal zone globally. To improve knowledge of distribution and genetic structure of the Mytilus edulis complex in the Arctic, we analyzed 81 SNPs in 534 Mytilus spp. individuals sampled at 13 sites to provide baseline data for distribution and genetic variation of Mytilus mussels in the European Arctic. Mytilus edulis was the most abundant species found with a clear genetic split between populations in Greenland and the Eastern Atlantic. Surprisingly, analyses revealed the presence of Mytilus trossulus in high Arctic NW Greenland (77°N) and Mytilus galloprovincialis or their hybrids in SW Greenland, Svalbard, and the Pechora Sea. Furthermore, a high degree of hybridization and introgression between species was observed. Our study highlights the importance of distinguishing between congener species, which can display local adaptation and suggests that information on dispersal routes and barriers is essential for accurate predictions of regional susceptibility to range expansions or invasions of boreal species in the Arctic.

Distinguishing contemporary hybridization from past introgression with postgenomic ancestry-informative SNPs in strongly differentiated Ciona species

Biological introductions bring into contact species that can still hybridize. The evolutionary outcomes of such secondary contacts may be diverse (e.g. adaptive introgression from or into the introduced species) but are not yet well examined in the wild. The recent secondary contact between the non-native sea squirt Ciona robusta (formerly known as C. intestinalis type A) and its native congener C. intestinalis (formerly known as C. intestinalis type B), in the Western English Channel, provides an excellent case study to examine. To examine contemporary hybridization between the two species, we developed a panel of 310 ancestry-informative SNPs from a population transcriptomic study. Hybridization rates were examined on 449 individuals sampled in eight sites from the sympatric range and five sites from allopatric ranges. The results clearly showed an almost complete absence of contemporary hybridization between the two species in syntopic localities, with only one-first-generation hybrid and no other genotype compatible with recent backcrosses. Despite the almost lack of contemporary hybridization, shared polymorphisms were observed in sympatric and allopatric populations of both species. Furthermore, one allopatric population from SE Pacific exhibited a higher rate of shared polymorphisms compared to all other C. robusta populations. Altogether, these results indicate that the observed level of shared polymorphism is more probably the outcome of ancient gene flow spread afterwards at a worldwide scale. They also emphasize efficient reproductive barriers preventing hybridization between introduced and native species, which suggests hybridization should not impede too much the expansion and the establishment of the non-native species in its introduction range.

Inferring the demographic history underlying parallel genomic divergence among pairs of parasitic and nonparasitic lamprey ecotypes

Understanding the evolutionary mechanisms generating parallel genomic divergence patterns among replicate ecotype pairs remains an important challenge in speciation research. We investigated the genomic divergence between the anadromous parasitic river lamprey (Lampetra fluviatilis) and the freshwater-resident nonparasitic brook lamprey (Lampetra planeri) in nine population pairs displaying variable levels of geographic connectivity. We genotyped 338 individuals with RAD sequencing and inferred the demographic divergence history of each population pair using a diffusion approximation method. Divergence patterns in geographically connected population pairs were better explained by introgression after secondary contact, whereas disconnected population pairs have retained a signal of ancient migration. In all ecotype pairs, models accounting for differential introgression among loci outperformed homogeneous migration models. Generating neutral predictions from the inferred divergence scenarios to detect highly differentiated markers identified greater proportions of outliers in disconnected population pairs than in connected pairs. However, increased similarity in the most divergent genomic regions was found among connected ecotype pairs, indicating that gene flow was instrumental in generating parallelism at the molecular level. These results suggest that heterogeneous genomic differentiation and parallelism among replicate ecotype pairs have partly emerged through restricted introgression in genomic islands.

Genomic heterogeneity of historical gene flow between two species of newts inferred from transcriptome data

The role of gene flow in species formation is a major unresolved issue in speciation biology. Progress in this area requires information on the long-term patterns of gene flow between diverging species. Here, we used thousands of single-nucleotide polymorphisms derived from transcriptome resequencing and a method modeling the joint frequency spectrum of these polymorphisms to reconstruct patterns of historical gene flow between two Lissotriton newts: L. vulgaris (Lv) and L. montandoni (Lm). We tested several models of divergence including complete isolation and various scenarios of historical gene flow. The model of secondary contact received the highest support. According to this model, the species split from their common ancestor ca. 5.5 million years (MY) ago, evolved in isolation for ca. 2 MY, and have been exchanging genes for the last 3.5 MY Demographic changes have been inferred in both species, with the current effective population size of ca. 0.7 million in Lv and 0.2 million in Lm. The postdivergence gene flow resulted in two-directional introgression which affected the genomes of both species, but was more pronounced from Lv to Lm. Interestingly, we found evidence for genomic heterogeneity of interspecific gene flow. This study demonstrates the complexity of long-term gene flow between distinct but incompletely reproductively isolated taxa which divergence was initiated millions of years ago.

Parallel genetic divergence among coastal-marine ecotype pairs of European anchovy explained by differential introgression after secondary contact

Ecophenotypic differentiation among replicate ecotype pairs within a species complex is often attributed to independent outcomes of parallel divergence driven by adaptation to similar environmental contrasts. However, the extent to which parallel phenotypic and genetic divergence patterns have emerged independently is increasingly questioned by population genomic studies. Here, we document the extent of genetic differentiation within and among two geographic replicates of the coastal and marine ecotypes of the European anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus) gathered from Atlantic and Mediterranean locations. Using a genome-wide data set of RAD-derived SNPs, we show that habitat type (marine vs. coastal) is the most important component of genetic differentiation among populations of anchovy. By analysing the joint allele frequency spectrum of each coastal-marine ecotype pair, we show that genomic divergence patterns between ecotypes can be explained by a postglacial secondary contact following a long period of allopatric isolation (c. 300 kyrs). We found strong support for a model including heterogeneous migration among loci, suggesting that secondary gene flow has eroded past differentiation at different rates across the genome. Markers experiencing reduced introgression exhibited strongly correlated differentiation levels among Atlantic and Mediterranean regions. These results support that partial reproductive isolation and parallel genetic differentiation among replicate pairs of anchovy ecotypes are largely due to a common divergence history prior to secondary contact. They moreover provide comprehensive insights into the origin of a surprisingly strong fine-scale genetic structuring in a high gene flow marine fish, which should improve stock management and conservation actions.

Reconstructing the demographic history of divergence between European river and brook lampreys using approximate Bayesian computations

Inferring the history of isolation and gene flow during species divergence is a central question in evolutionary biology. The European river lamprey (Lampetra fluviatilis) and brook lamprey (L. planeri) show a low reproductive isolation but have highly distinct life histories, the former being parasitic-anadromous and the latter non-parasitic and freshwater resident. Here we used microsatellite data from six replicated population pairs to reconstruct their history of divergence using an approximate Bayesian computation framework combined with a random forest model. In most population pairs, scenarios of divergence with recent isolation were outcompeted by scenarios proposing ongoing gene flow, namely the Secondary Contact (SC) and Isolation with Migration (IM) models. The estimation of demographic parameters under the SC model indicated a time of secondary contact close to the time of speciation, explaining why SC and IM models could not be discriminated. In case of an ancient secondary contact, the historical signal of divergence is lost and neutral markers converge to the same equilibrium as under the less parameterized model allowing ongoing gene flow. Our results imply that models of secondary contacts should be systematically compared to models of divergence with gene flow; given the difficulty to discriminate among these models, we suggest that genome-wide data are needed to adequately reconstruct divergence history.

Intraspecific Variation in Mitogenomes of Five Crassostrea Species Provides Insight into Oyster Diversification and Speciation

A large number of Crassostrea oysters are found in Asia-Pacific. While analyses of interspecific variation have helped to establish historical relationships among these species, studies on intraspecific variation are necessary to understand their recent evolutionary history and current forces driving population biology. We resequenced 18 and analyzed 31 mitogenomes of five Crassostrea species from China: Crassostrea gigas, Crassostrea angulata, Crassostrea sikamea, Crassostrea ariakensis, and Crassostrea hongkongensis. Our analysis finds abundant insertions, deletions, and single-nucleotide polymorphisms in all species. Intraspecific variation varies greatly among species with polymorphic sites ranging from 54 to 293 and nucleotide diversity ranging from 0.00106 to 0.00683. In all measurements, C. hongkongensis that has the narrowest geographic distribution exhibits the least sequence diversity; C. ariakensis that has the widest distribution shows the highest diversity, and species with intermediate distribution show intermediate levels of diversity. Low sequence diversity in C. hongkongensis may reflect recent bottlenecks that are probably exacerbated by human transplantation. High diversity in C. ariakensis is likely due to divergence of northern and southern China populations that have been separated without gene flow. The significant differences in mitogenome diversity suggest that the five sister species of Crassostrea have experienced different evolutionary forces since their divergence. The recent divergence of two C. ariakensis populations and the C. gigas/angulata species complex provides evidence for continued diversification and speciation of Crassostrea species along China's coast, which are shaped by unknown mechanisms in a north-south divide.

Genomic sequencing reveals historical, demographic and selective factors associated with the diversification of the fire-associated fungus Neurospora discreta

Delineating microbial populations, discovering ecologically relevant phenotypes and identifying migrants, hybrids or admixed individuals have long proved notoriously difficult, thereby limiting our understanding of the evolutionary forces at play during the diversification of microbial species. However, recent advances in sequencing and computational methods have enabled an unbiased approach whereby incipient species and the genetic correlates of speciation can be identified by examining patterns of genomic variation within and between lineages. We present here a population genomic study of a phylogenetic species in the Neurospora discreta species complex, based on the resequencing of full genomes (~37 Mb) for 52 fungal isolates from nine sites in three continents. Population structure analyses revealed two distinct lineages in South-East Asia, and three lineages in North America/Europe with a broad longitudinal and latitudinal range and limited admixture between lineages. Genome scans for selective sweeps and comparisons of the genomic landscapes of diversity and recombination provided no support for a role of selection at linked sites on genomic heterogeneity in levels of divergence between lineages. However, demographic inference indicated that the observed genomic heterogeneity in divergence was generated by varying rates of gene flow between lineages following a period of isolation. Many putative cases of exchange of genetic material between phylogenetically divergent fungal lineages have been discovered, and our work highlights the quantitative importance of genetic exchanges between more closely related taxa to the evolution of fungal genomes. Our study also supports the role of allopatric isolation as a driver of diversification in saprobic microbes.

Low reproductive isolation and highly variable levels of gene flow reveal limited progress towards speciation between European river and brook lampreys

Ecologically based divergent selection is a factor that could drive reproductive isolation even in the presence of gene flow. Population pairs arrayed along a continuum of divergence provide a good opportunity to address this issue. Here, we used a combination of mating trials, experimental crosses and population genetic analyses to investigate the evolution of reproductive isolation between two closely related species of lampreys with distinct life histories. We used microsatellite markers to genotype over 1000 individuals of the migratory parasitic river lamprey (Lampetra fluviatilis) and freshwater-resident nonparasitic brook lamprey (Lampetra planeri) distributed in 10 sympatric and parapatric population pairs in France. Mating trials, parentage analyses and artificial fertilizations demonstrated a low level of reproductive isolation between species even though size-assortative mating may contribute to isolation. Most parapatric population pairs were strongly differentiated due to the joint effects of geographic distance and barriers to migration. In contrast, we found variable levels of gene flow between sympatric populations ranging from panmixia to moderate differentiation, which indicates a gradient of divergence with some population pairs that may correspond to alternative morphs or ecotypes of a single species and others that remain partially isolated. Ecologically based divergent selection may explain these variable levels of divergence among sympatric population pairs, but incomplete genome swamping following secondary contact could have also played a role. Overall, this study illustrates how highly differentiated phenotypes can be maintained despite high levels of gene flow that limit the progress towards speciation.

Inference of domestication history and differentiation between early- and late-flowering varieties in pearl millet

Pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum) is a staple crop in Sahelian Africa. Farmers usually grow varieties with different cycle lengths and complementary functions in Sahelian agrosystems. Both the level of genetic differentiation of these varieties and the domestication history of pearl millet have been poorly studied. We investigated the neutral genetic diversity and population genetic structure of early- and late-flowering domesticated and wild pearl millet populations using 18 microsatellite loci and 8 nucleotide sequences. Strikingly, early- and late-flowering domesticated varieties were not differentiated over their whole distribution area, despite a clear difference in their isolation-by-distance pattern. Conversely, our data brought evidence for two well-differentiated genetic pools in wild pearl millet, allowing us to test scenarios with different numbers and origins of domestication using approximate Bayesian computation (ABC). The ABC analysis showed the likely existence of asymmetric migration between wild and domesticated populations. The model choice procedure indicated that a single domestication from the eastern wild populations was the more likely scenario to explain the polymorphism patterns observed in cultivated pearl millet.

Turnover and accumulation of genetic diversity across large time-scale cycles of isolation and connection of populations

Major climatic and geological events but also population history (secondary contacts) have generated cycles of population isolation and connection of long and short periods. Recent empirical and theoretical studies suggest that fast evolutionary processes might be triggered by such events, as commonly illustrated in ecology by the adaptive radiation of cichlid fishes (isolation and reconnection of lakes and watersheds) and in epidemiology by the fast adaptation of the influenza virus (isolation and reconnection in hosts). We test whether cyclic population isolation and connection provide the raw material (standing genetic variation) for species evolution and diversification. Our analytical results demonstrate that population isolation and connection can provide, to populations, a high excess of genetic diversity compared with what is expected at equilibrium. This excess is either cyclic (high allele turnover) or cumulates with time depending on the duration of the isolation and the connection periods and the mutation rate. We show that diversification rates of animal clades are associated with specific periods of climatic cycles in the Quaternary. We finally discuss the importance of our results for macroevolutionary patterns and for the inference of population history from genomic data.

Differential introgression among loci across a hybrid zone of the intermediate horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus affinis)

Background

Hybrid zones formed by the secondary contact of divergent lineages represent natural laboratories for studying the genetic basis of speciation. Here we tested for patterns of differential introgression among three X-linked and 11 autosomal regions to identify candidate loci related to either reproductive isolation or adaptive introgression across a hybrid zone between two Chinese mainland subspecies of the intermediate horseshoe bat Rhinolophus affinis: R. a. himalayanus and R. a. macrurus.

Results

Our results support the previous suggestion that macrurus formed when a third subspecies (R. a. hainanus) recolonized the mainland from Hainan Island, and that himalayanus is the ancestral taxon. However, this overall evolutionary history was not reflected in all loci examined, with considerable locus-wise heterogeneity seen in gene tree topologies, levels of polymorphism, genetic differentiation and rates of introgression. Coalescent simulations suggested levels of lineage mixing seen at some nuclear loci might result from incomplete lineage sorting. Isolation with migration models supported evidence of gene flow across the hybrid zone at one intronic marker of the hearing gene Prestin.

Conclusions

We suggest that phylogenetic discordance with respect to the species tree seen here is likely to arise via a combination of incomplete lineage sorting and a low incidence of introgression although we cannot rule out other explanations such as selection and recombination. Two X-linked loci and one autosomal locus were identified as candidate regions related to reproductive isolation across the hybrid zone. Our work highlights the importance of including multiple genomic regions in characterizing patterns of divergence and gene flow across a hybrid zone.