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175 results for “ecological divergence”

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Ecological, genetic and geographical divergence explain differences in sunbird (Nectariniidae) colouration

Bird plumages are among the most elaborate ornaments, displaying almost all colours of the rainbow. Why and how birds are so colourful remains an open question with multiple and sometimes competing hypotheses. Different colours in different patches might have different functions and thus result from different forms of selection (e.g., natural vs. sexual selection). Here we test three hypotheses that might explain colour differences: (1) species isolation, (2) light environment, and (3) Brownian motion. We show that both natural and sexual selection affect the evolution of sunbird colouration, but that their extent and direction differs between sexes, by species interactions, and for different patches across the body. Even though overlap in the light environment explains part of colour differences in species, no colour metric (brightness and chroma) correlates to the light environment. It is likely that these results, where multiple forms of selection influence colouration in different ways, are more general across birds, highlighting the need to investigate bird colouration as a network of individual but inter-connected colour patches.

opencc-zeroMay 2024View details →

dryad36/100

Data from: Genetic divergence and one-way gene flow influence contemporary evolution and ecology of a partially migratory fish

Recent work has revealed the importance of contemporary evolution for shaping ecological outcomes. In particular, rapid evolutionary divergence between populations has been shown to impact the ecology of populations, communities, and ecosystems. While studies have focused largely on the role of adaptive divergence in generating ecologically-important variation among populations, much less is known about the role of gene flow in shaping ecological outcomes. After divergence, populations may continue to interact through gene flow, which may influence evolutionary and ecological processes. Here we investigate the role of gene flow in shaping the contemporary evolution and ecology of recently diverged populations of anadromous steelhead / resident rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Results show that resident rainbow trout introduced above waterfalls have diverged evolutionarily from downstream anadromous steelhead, which were the source of introductions. However, the movement of fish from above to below the waterfalls has facilitated gene flow, which has reshaped genetic and phenotypic variation in the anadromous source population. In particular, gene flow has led to an increased frequency of residency, which in turn has altered population density, size-structure, and sex ratio. This result establishes gene flow as a contemporary evolutionary process that can have important ecological outcomes. From a management perspective, anadromous steelhead are generally regarded as a higher conservation priority than resident rainbow trout, even when found within the same watershed. Our results show that anadromous and resident O. mykiss populations may be connected via gene flow, with important ecological consequences. Such eco-evolutionary processes should be considered when managing recently diverged populations connected by gene flow.

opencc-zeroMay 2024View details →

dryad36/100

Data from: A combination of sexual and ecological divergence contributes to rearrangement spread during initial stages of speciation

Chromosomal rearrangements between sympatric species often contain multiple loci contributing to assortative mating, local adaptation, and hybrid sterility. When and how these associations arise during the process of speciation remains a subject of debate. Here, we address the relative roles of local adaptation and assortative mating on the dynamics of rearrangement evolution by studying how a rearrangement co-varies with sexual and ecological trait divergence within a species. Previously, a chromosomal rearrangement that suppresses recombination on the Z (sex) chromosome was identified in European corn borer moths (Ostrinia nubilalis). We further characterize this recombination suppressor and explore its association with variation in sex pheromone communication and seasonal ecological adaptation in pairs of populations that are divergent in one or both of these characteristics. Direct estimates of recombination suppression in pedigree mapping families indicated that more than 39% of the Z chromosome (encompassing up to ~10 megabases and ~ 300 genes) resides within a non-recombining unit, including pheromone olfactory receptor (OR) genes and a major quantitative trait locus (QTL) that contributes to ecotype differences (Pdd). Combining direct and indirect estimates of recombination suppression, we found that the rearrangement was occasionally present between sexually isolated strains (E versus Z) and between divergent ecotypes (univoltine versus bivoltine). However, it was only consistently present when populations differed in both sexual and ecological traits. Our results suggest that independent of the forces that drove the initial establishment of the rearrangement, a combination of sexual and ecological divergence is required for rearrangement spread during speciation.

opencc-zeroDec 2016View details →

dryad36/100

The role of sexual isolation during rapid ecological divergence: evidence for a new dimension of isolation in Rhagoletis pomonella

The pace of divergence and likelihood of complete speciation may depend on how and when different types of reproductive barriers evolve. Questions remain about the evolution of reproductive barriers after initial divergence. We tested for the presence of sexual isolation (reduced mating between populations due to divergent mating preferences and traits) in Rhagoletis pomonella flies, a model system for incipient ecological speciation. We measured the strength of sexual isolation between two very recently diverged (~170 generations) sympatric populations, adapted to different host fruits (hawthorn and apple). We found that flies from both populations were more likely to mate within than between populations. Thus, sexual isolation may play an important role in reducing gene flow allowed by early-acting ecological barriers. We also tested how warmer temperatures predicted under climate change could alter sexual isolation and found that sexual isolation was markedly asymmetric under warmer temperatures – apple males and hawthorn females mated randomly while apple females and hawthorn males mated within population than between. Our findings provide a window into the early divergence process and the role of sexual isolation after initial ecological divergence, in addition to examining how environmental conditions could shape the likelihood of further divergence.

opencc-zeroApr 2023View details →

dryad36/100

Data from: Experimentally simulating the evolution-to-ecology connection: Divergent predator morphologies alter natural food webs

The idea that changing environmental conditions drive adaptive evolution is a pillar of evolutionary ecology. But, the opposite—that adaptive evolution alters ecological processes—has received far less attention yet is critical for eco-evolutionary dynamics. We assessed the ecological impact of divergent values in a key adaptive trait using 16 populations of the brown anole lizard (Anolis sagrei). Mirroring natural variation, we established islands with short- or long-limbed lizards at both low and high densities. We then monitored changes in lower trophic levels, finding that on islands with short-limbed lizards at high-density, web spiders decreased and plants grew more via an indirect positive effect, likely through an herbivore-mediated trophic cascade. Our experiment provides strong support for evolution-to-ecology connections in nature, likely closing an otherwise well-characterized eco-evolutionary feedback loop.

opencc-zeroJun 2023View details →

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