Find research datasets worth reusing
Search datasets from major research repositories and use ShareScore to quickly assess how well each record supports discovery, access, and reuse.
648
datasets available to search
ShareScore release 0.9.0
Dataset results
648 results for “Local adaptation”
Data for Rapid phenotypic differentiation and local adaptation in Japanese knotweed s.l. (Reynoutria japonica and R. × bohemica, Polygonaceae) invading novel habitats
<p><span><strong>PREMISE:</strong> Many plant invaders like the Japanese knotweeds are thought to colonize new habitats with low genetic diversity. Such species provide an opportunity to study rapid adaptation to complex environmental conditions.</span></p> <p><span><strong>METHODS:</strong> Using replicate reciprocal transplants of clones across three habitats, we described patterns of phenotypic response and assessed degree of local adaptation.</span></p> <p><span><strong>KEY RESULTS:</strong> We found plants from beach habitats had decreased height, number of leaves, leaf area, and biomass allocation to roots and shoots compared to plants from marsh and roadside habitats when grown in their home habitat. In the marsh habitat, marsh plants were generally larger than beach plants, but not different from roadside plants. There were no differences among plants from different habitats grown in the roadside habitat. Despite this evidence of differentiation in beach and marsh habitats, we found mixed evidence for local adaptation. In their "home site" plants from the marsh habitat had greater biomass than plants from the beaches but not compared to plants from roadsides. Biomass comparisons in other habitats were either maladaptive or not significant. However, plants from the roadside had greater survival in their "home site" compared to foreign plants. There were no differences in survival in the other habitats.</span></p> <p><span><strong>CONCLUSIONS:</strong> We found phenotypic differentiation associated with habitats despite the low reported genetic diversity for these populations. Our results partially support the hypothesis of local adaptation in marsh and roadside habitats. Identifying whether these patterns of differentiation result from genetic or heritable non-genetic mechanisms will require further work.</span></p>
Genetic differentiation and signatures of local adaptation revealed by RADseq for a highly-dispersive mud crab Scylla olivacea in the Sulu Sea
<p><b>Connectivity of marine populations is shaped by complex interactions of biological and physical processes across the seascape. The influence of environmental features on the genetic structure of populations has key implications to the dynamics and persistence of populations, and an understanding of spatial scales and patterns of connectivity is crucial for management and conservation. This study employed a seascape genomics approach combining larval dispersal modeling and population genomic analysis using single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) obtained from RADseq to examine environmental factors influencing patterns of genetic structure and connectivity for a highly-dispersive mud crab, <em>Scylla olivacea</em> (Herbst, 1796) in the Sulu Sea. Dispersal simulations reveal widespread but asymmetric larval dispersal influenced by persistent southward and westward surface circulation features in the Sulu Sea. Despite potential for widespread dispersal across the Sulu Sea, significant genetic differentiation was detected among eight populations based on 1,655 SNPs (<em>F</em><sub>ST </sub> = 0.0057, p < 0.001) and a subset of 1,643 putatively neutral SNP markers (<em>F</em><sub>ST</sub></b><b> = 0.0042, p < 0.001). Oceanography influences genetic structure, with redundancy analysis (RDA) indicating significant contribution of asymmetric ocean currents to neutral genetic variation (R<sup>2</sup><sub>adj</sub> = 0.133; p = 0.035). Genetic structure may also reflect demographic factors, with divergent populations characterized by low effective population sizes (<em>N</em>e < 50). Pronounced latitudinal genetic structure was recovered for loci putatively under selection (</b><b><em>F</em><sub>ST</sub></b><b> = 0.2390, p < 0.001), significantly correlated with sea surface temperature variabilities during peak spawning months for <em>S. olivacea</em> (R<sup>2</sup><sub>adj</sub> = 0.692-0.763; p < 0.050), suggesting putative signatures of selection and local adaptation to thermal clines. While oceanography and dispersal ability likely shape patterns of gene flow and genetic structure of <em>S. olivacea</em> across the Sulu Sea, the impacts of genetic drift and natural selection influenced by sea surface temperature also appear as likely drivers of population genetic structure. This study contributes to the growing body of literature documenting population genetic structure and local adaptation for highly-dispersive marine species, and provides information useful for spatial management of the fishery resource.</b></p>
Data from: Maintenance of local adaptation despite gene flow in a coastal songbird
<p class="MsoNormal">Adaptation to local environments is common in widespread species and the basis of ecological speciation. The song sparrow (<em>Melospiza melodia</em>) is a widespread, polytypic passerine that occurs in shrubland habitats throughout North America. We examined the population structure of two parapatric subspecies that inhabit different environments: the Atlantic song sparrow (<em>M. m. atlantica</em>), a coastal specialist; and the eastern song sparrow (<em>M. m. melodia</em>), a shrubland generalist. These populations lacked clear mitochondrial population structure, yet coastal birds formed a distinct nuclear genetic cluster. We found weak overall genomic differentiation between these subspecies, suggesting either recent divergence, extensive gene flow, or a combination thereof. There was a steep genetic cline at the transition to coastal habitats, consistent with isolation by environment (IBE), not isolation by distance (IBD). A phenotype under divergent selection, bill size, varied with the amount of coastal ancestry in transitional areas, but larger bill size was maintained in coastal habitats regardless of ancestry, further supporting a role for selection in the maintenance of these subspecies. Demographic modeling suggested a divergence history of limited gene flow followed by secondary contact, which has emerged as a common theme in adaptive divergence across taxa.</p>
Drosophila melanogaster hosts coevolving with Pseudomonas entomophila pathogen show sex-specific patterns of local adaptation
<p><strong><span>Background:</span></strong></p> <p><span>In spatially structured populations, local adaptation improves organisms' fitness in their native environment. Host and pathogens can rapidly adapt to their local antagonist. Since males and females can differ in their immunocompetence, the patterns of local adaptation can be different between the sexes. However, there is little information about sex differences in local adaptation in host-pathogen systems.</span></p> <p><strong><span>Results:</span></strong></p> <p><span> </span><span>In the current study, we experimentally coevolved four different replicate populations of <em>Drosophila melanogaster </em>(host) and <em>Pseudomonas entomophila</em> (pathogen) along with appropriate controls. We used the four host-pathogen coevolution populations to investigate the occurrence of local adaptation separately in males and females of the coevolving hosts. We also assessed local adaptation in pathogens. We set up a reciprocal infection experiment where we infected each of the four coevolving hosts with their local pathogen or non-local pathogens from the other three replicate populations. We found that overall, male and female hosts had better survivorship when infected with local pathogens, indicating that they were locally adapted. Interestingly, males were more susceptible to non-local pathogens compared to females. In addition, we found no fecundity cost in females infected with either local or non-local pathogens. We found no evidence of local adaptation among the pathogens.</span></p> <p><strong><span>Conclusion:</span></strong></p> <p><span>Our study showed sex-specific adaptation in the coevolving hosts where female hosts had a broader response against allopatric coevolving pathogens with no cost in fecundity. Thus, our results might suggest a novel mechanism that can maintain variation in susceptibility in spatially structured populations.</span></p>
Adaptation of pathogens to their local plant host, Silphium integrifolium, along a precipitation gradient
<p>All figures and code were generated in RStudio 2022.02.3+492 "Prairie Trillium" Release. All packages needed to run the R code are shown in the RMD’s.</p> <p> </p> <p>Code to generate figures and statistical analysis:</p> <p> </p> <ul> <li>DVTindex_help.Rmd <ul> <li>Code to generate figure 3</li> </ul> </li> <li>Figure5_PrairieVSCommonGarden <ul> <li>Code to generate figure 5</li> </ul> </li> <li>PATHOFigs_for_Manu_FEB22.Rmd <ul> <li>Code to generate figures 1, 2, 4</li> </ul> </li> <li>SUPP_Figure3_DimPathoEDIT.Rmd <ul> <li>Code to generate supplementary figure 3 (fig S3)</li> </ul> </li> <li>STATSAnalysis_PathoDim2B.Rmd <ul> <li>Code to generate all tables and statistical analysis in the manuscript</li> </ul> </li> </ul> <p> </p> <p>Description of data files:</p> <ul> <li>2019and2020Prairie_data.txt <ul> <li>This file contains data collected from the prairie sites in 2019 and 2020</li> </ul> </li> <li>Dim2b_latlon.csv <ul> <li>The latitudinal and longitudinal coordinates for the common garden sites and prairie sites as well as precipitation data</li> </ul> </li> <li>DVTINDEX_from_DVT.csv <ul> <li>A separate file that contains the data that produced fig 3. This data file is sourced from SEPT2019_2020_COMPILED_2b_DATACOLL.txt</li> </ul> </li> <li>SEPT2019_2020_COMPILED_2b_DATACOLL.txt</li> <li>SEPT2019_2020_COMPILED_2b_DATACOLL_plots.txt</li> <li>SEPT2019_2020_COMPILED_2b_DATACOLL_plots_longversion.txt <ul> <li>These 3 data files are different versions of the same raw data that was collected from the common garden sites in 2019 and 2020. The code calls for all 3 at different points to generate plots and run statistical analyses</li> </ul> </li> <li>Summary [ insert unique name here] <ul> <li>Various data frames generated from r mark downs that contain summary statistics of the data. These are used to produce the figures in PATHOFigs_for_Manu_FEB22.Rmd graphs.</li> </ul> </li> </ul>
Genomic divergence, local adaptation, and complex demographic history may inform management of a popular sportfish species complex
<p>We investigated genomic divergence, interspecific and intraspecific diversity and population structure, local directional selection, and complex demographic history in a popular freshwater species complex in the Central Interior Highlands, North America. Specifically, we assessed differentiation between the Neosho Bass (<em>Micropterus velox</em>) and Smallmouth Bass (<em>M. dolomieu</em>) where their ranges are parapatric in this ecoregion. We scanned the genome for signatures of local direction and mapped divergence at selected SNPs at the population level. Additionally, we identified stream populations with extensive admixture, and we used a model-testing framework to investigate complex demographic histories between the two species.</p> <p>Raw ddRADseq .fastq sequence files, along with intermediate processing files, finalized VCF files, a data summary report, and other data information, are given in the "smb_ddRAD_rawdata.tar file. Metadata, including sample_id, species designation, and stream population, are given in the "metadata.xlsx" file.</p>
Data and supplementary materials from: Large genetic divergence underpins cryptic local adaptation across ecological and evolutionary gradients
<p><span>Environmentally covarying local adaptation is a form of cryptic local adaptation in which the covariance of the genetic and environmental effects on a phenotype obscures the divergence between locally adapted genotypes. Here, we systematically document the magnitude and drivers of the genetic effect (V<sub>G</sub>) for two forms of environmentally covarying local adaptation: counter- and cogradient variation. Using a hierarchical Bayesian meta-analysis, we calculated the overall effect size of V<sub>G</sub> as 1.05 and 2.13 for populations exhibiting countergradient or cogradient variation, respectively. These results indicate that the genetic contribution to phenotypic variation represents a 1.05 to 2.13 standard deviation change in trait value between the most disparate populations depending on if populations are expressing counter- or cogradient variation. We also found that while there was substantial variance among abiotic and biotic covariates, the covariates with the largest mean effects were temperature (2.41) and gamete size (2.81). Our results demonstrate the pervasiveness and large genetic effects underlying environmentally covarying local adaptation in wild populations and highlights the importance of accounting for these effects in future studies.</span></p>
Data from: Genetic variation in growth and leaf traits associated with local adaptation to climate in yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis Britton)
<p>Understanding patterns of variation in functional traits of hardwood trees is crucial for conserving and managing North American temperate forests under climate change. This study examined provenance variation of yellow birch (<em>Betula alleghaniensis</em> Britton) in growth, biomass allocation, leaf morphology, and stable carbon isotope composition. Trees were grown from ten seed sources originating from across Canada and the northern USA. Height and diameter were not significantly related to climate at seed origin, suggesting that variation may be better explained by site factors, such as soil pH and soil moisture. In contrast, carbon isotope composition and leaf morphological traits were significantly correlated to climate variables including temperature, precipitation, and solar radiation. Provenances from warmer, drier localities tended to have higher stable carbon isotope ratio (δ<sup>13</sup>C), greater specific leaf area, and narrower leaf width than their counterparts from cooler, wetter climates. Thus, variation in leaf morphological traits appears to be involved in adaptation of yellow birch to variation in temperature and moisture availability across the species' range. Our results suggest that there may exist potential for selection and breeding of drought resistant yellow birch genotypes to aid in reforestation under climate change. </p>
Data from: Local adaptation of Pinus leiophylla under climate and land use change models in the Avocado Belt of Michoacán
<p>Climate change and land use change are two main drivers of global biodiversity decline, decreasing the amount of genetic diversity that populations harbor and altering the patterns of local adaptation. Methods in landscape genomics allow measuring the effect of these anthropogenic disturbances on the adaptation of populations. However, both factors have rarely been considered simultaneously. We modeled the spatial turnover in allele frequencies of 19 localities of <em>Pinus leiophylla</em> across the Avocado Belt in Michoacán state, Mexico which could change under climate change and land use change scenarios, in addition to evaluating assisted gene flow strategies and connectivity metrics across the landscape to identify priority conservation areas. We found that localities at the center-east regions would be more vulnerable to climate change, while localities in the west area will be more threatened by actions of land use change. However, assisted gene flow actions could reduce their risk of extinction for both scenarios. Connectivity patterns will also be modified by future habitat loss, with the central and eastern parts having the highest connectivity values. These results show that the areas with the highest priority for conservation are in the eastern zones, which include the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve. This work is useful as a framework that incorporates distinct layers of information to provide a robust representation of the response of populations to future anthropogenic disturbances.</p>
Data from: Male-male competition causes parasite-mediated sexual selection for local adaptation
<p>Sexual selection has been suggested to accelerate local adaptation and promote evolutionary rescue through several ecological and genetic mechanisms. Condition-dependent sexual selection has mainly been studied in laboratory settings while data from natural populations are lacking. One ecological factor that can cause condition-dependent sexual selection is parasitism. Here, we quantified ectoparasite load (<i>Arrenurus </i>water mites) in a natural population of the common bluetail damselfly (<i>Ischnura elegans</i>) over 15 years. We quantified the strength of sexual selection against parasite load in both sexes and experimentally investigated the mechanisms behind such selection. Then, we investigated how parasite resistance and tolerance changed over time to understand how they might influence population density. Parasites reduced mating success in both sexes, and sexual selection was stronger in males than in females. Experiments show that male-male competition is a strong force causing precopulatory sexual selection against parasite load. Although parasite resistance and male parasite tolerance increased over time, suggestive of increasing local adaptation against parasites, no signal of evolutionary rescue could be found. We suggest that condition-dependent sexual selection facilitates local adaptation against parasites and discuss its effects in evolutionary rescue.</p>
Functional consequences of phenotypic variation between locally adapted populations: swimming performance and ventilation in extremophile fish
<p>Natural selection drives the evolution of traits to optimize organismal performance, but optimization of one aspect of performance can often influence other aspects of performance. Here, we asked how phenotypic variation between locally adapted fish populations affects locomotion and ventilation, testing for functional trade-offs and trait-performance correlations. Specifically, we investigated two populations of livebearing fish (<em>Poecilia mexicana</em>) that inhabit distinct habitat types (hydrogen-sulfide-rich springs and adjacent nonsulfidic streams). For each individual, we quantified different metrics of burst swimming during simulated predator attacks, steady swimming, as well as gill ventilation. Coinciding with predictions, we documented significant population differences in all aspects of performance, with fish from sulfidic habitats exhibiting higher steady swimming performance and higher ventilation capacity, but slower burst swimming. There was a significant functional trade-off between steady and burst swimming, but not between different aspects of locomotion and ventilation. While our findings about population differences in locomotion performance largely parallel the results from previous studies, we provide novel insights about how morphological variation might impact ventilation and ultimately oxygen acquisition. Overall, our analyses provided insights into the functional consequences of previously documented phenotypic variation, which will help to disentangle the effects of different sources of selection that may coincide along complex environmental gradients.</p>
Skull shape of a widely-distributed, endangered marsupial reveals little evidence of local adaptation between fragmented populations
<p>The biogeographical distribution of diversity among populations of threatened mammalian species is generally investigated using population genetics. However, intraspecific phenotypic diversity is rarely assessed beyond taxonomy-focused linear measurements or qualitative descriptions. Here, we use a technique widely used in the evolutionary sciences – geometric morphometrics – to characterize shape diversity in the skull of an endangered marsupial, the northern quoll, across its 5,000 km distribution range along Northern Australia. Skull shape is a proxy for feeding, behaviour, and phenotypic differentiation, allowing us to ask if populations can be distinguished and if patterns of variation indicate adaptability to changing environmental conditions. We analysed skull shape in 101 individuals across four mainland populations and several islands. We assessed the contribution of population, size, sex, rainfall, temperature, and geography to skull shape variation using Principal Components Analysis, Procrustes ANOVA, and variation partitioning analyses. The populations harbour similar amounts of broadly overlapping skull shape variation, with relatively low geographic effects. Size predicted skull shape best, coinciding with braincase size variation and differences in zygomatic arches. Size-adjusted differences in populations explained less variation with far smaller effect sizes, relating to changes in the insertion areas of masticatory muscles, as well as the upper muzzle and incisor region. Climatic and geographic variables contributed little. Strikingly, the vast majority of shape variation - 76% - remained unexplained. Our results suggest a uniform intraspecific scope for shape variation, possibly due to allometric constraints or phenotypic plasticity beyond the relatively strong allometric effect. The lack of local adaptation indicates that cross-breeding between populations will not reduce local morphological skull (and probably general musculoskeletal) adaptation because none exists. However, the potential for heritable morphological variation (e.g. specialization to local diets) seems exceedingly limited. We conclude that 3D geometric morphometrics can provide a comprehensive, statistically rigorous phenomic contribution to genetics-based conservation studies.</p>
Local climate adaptation and gene flow in the native range of two co-occurring fruit moths with contrasting invasiveness
<p><span class="fontstyle01"><span>Invasive species pose increasing threats to global biodiversity and ecosystems. While previous studies have characterized successful invaders from ecological traits, characteristics related to evolutionary processes have rarely been investigated. Here we compared gene flow and local adaptation using demographic analyses and outlier tests in two co-occurring moth pests across their common native range of China, one of which (the peach fruit moth, </span></span><span class="fontstyle01"><span><i>Carposina</i></span></span> <span class="fontstyle01"><span><i>sasakii</i></span></span><span class="fontstyle01"><span>) has maintained its native distribution, while the other (the oriental fruit moth, </span></span><span class="fontstyle01"><span><i>Grapholita molesta</i></span></span><span class="fontstyle01"><span>)</span></span><span class="fontstyle01"><span> has expanded its range globally during the past century. We found that both species showed a pattern of genetic differentiation and an evolutionary history consistent with a common southwestern origin and northward expansion in their native range. However, for the noninvasive species, genetic differentiation was closely aligned with the environment, and there was a relatively low level of gene flow, whereas in the invasive species, genetic differentiation was associated with geography. Genome scans </span></span><span class="fontstyle01"><span>indicated stronger patterns of climate-associated loci</span></span><span class="fontstyle01"><span> in the noninvasive species. While s</span></span><span class="fontstyle01"><span>trong local adaptation and reduced gene flow across its native range may have decreased the invasiveness of </span></span><span class="fontstyle01"><span><i>C. sasakii</i></span></span><span class="fontstyle01"><span>, this requires further validation with additional comparisons of invasive and non-invasive species across their native range.</span></span></p>
Combined genotype and phenotype analyses reveal patterns of genomic adaptation to local environments in the subtropical oak Quercus acutissima
Understanding the effects of the demographic dynamics and environmental heterogeneity on the genomic variation of forest species is important not only for uncovering the evolutionary history of the species but also for predicting their ability to adapt to climate change. In this study, we combined a common garden experiment with range-wide population genomics analyses to infer the demographic history and characterize patterns of local adaptation in a subtropical oak species, Quercus acutissima. We scanned about 8% of the oak genome using a balanced representation of both genic and non-genic regions and identified a total of 55,361 SNPs in 167 trees. Genomic diversity analyses revealed an east-west split in the species distribution range. Coalescent-based model simulations inferred a late Pleistocene divergence in Q. acutissima between the east and west groups as well as subsequent pre-glaciation population expansion events. Consistent with observed genetic differentiation, morphological traits also showed east-west differentiation and the biomass allocation in seedlings was significantly associated with precipitation. Environment was found to have a significant and stronger impact on the non-neutral than the neutral SNPs, and also significantly associated with the phenotypic differentiation, suggesting that apart from the geography, environment had played a role in determining non-neutral and phenotypic variation. Our approach, which combined a common garden experiment with landscape genomics data, validated the hypothesis of local adaptation of this long-lived oak tree of subtropical China. Our study joins the small number of studies that have combined genotypic and phenotypic data to detect patterns of local adaptation.
Evidence for genetic isolation and local adaptation in the field cricket Gryllus campestris
<p>Understanding how species can thrive in a range of environments is a central challenge for evolutionary ecology. There is strong evidence for local adaptation along large-scale ecological clines in insects. However, potential adaptation among neighbouring populations differing in their environment has been studied much less. We used RAD-sequencing to quantify genetic divergence and clustering of ten populations of the field cricket <i>Gryllus campestris </i>in the Cantabrian Mountains of northern Spain, and an outgroup on the coastal plain. Our populations were chosen to represent replicate high and low altitude habitats. We identified genetic clusters that include both high and low altitude populations indicating that the two habitat types do not hold ancestrally distinct lineages. Using common-garden rearing experiments to remove environmental effects, we found evidence for differences between high and low altitude populations in physiological and life-history traits. As predicted by the local adaptation hypothesis, crickets with parents from cooler (high altitude) populations recovered from periods of extreme cooling more rapidly than those with parents from warmer (low altitude) populations. Growth rates also differed between offspring from high and low altitude populations. However, contrary to our prediction that crickets from high altitudes would grow faster, the most striking difference was that at high temperatures, growth was fastest in individuals from low altitudes. Our findings reveal that populations a few tens of kilometres apart have independently evolved adaptations to their environment. This suggests that local adaptation in a range of traits may be commonplace even in mobile invertebrates at scales of a small fraction of species' distributions.</p>
Urbanization extends flight phenology and leads to local adaptation of seasonal plasticity in Lepidoptera
<p>Urbanization is globally gaining force and challenges biodiversity but has recently also emerged as an agent of evolutionary change. Seasonal phenology and life-cycle regulation are essential processes that urbanization is likely to alter through both the urban-heat-island effect (UHI) and artificial-light-at-night (ALAN). However, how UHI and ALAN affect the evolution of seasonal adaptations has received little attention. Here, we test for urban evolution of seasonal life-history plasticity, specifically changes in the photoperiodic induction of diapause in two lepidopterans, <i>Pieris napi </i>(Pieridae) and <i>Chiasmia clathrata</i> (Geometridae). We used long-term data from standardized monitoring and citizen science observation schemes to compare yearly phenological flight curves in six cities in Finland and Sweden to those of adjacent rural populations. This analysis showed for both species that flight seasons are longer and end later in most cities, suggesting a difference in timing of diapause induction. Then, we used common-garden experiments to test whether evolution of the photoperiodic reaction norm for diapause could explain these phenological changes for a subset of these cities. These experiments demonstrated a genetic shift for both species in urban areas towards a lower daylength threshold for direct development, consistent with predictions based on the UHI but not ALAN. The correspondence of this genetic change to the results of our larger-scale observational analysis of <i>in situ</i> flight phenology indicates that it may be widespread. These findings suggest that seasonal life-cycle regulation evolves in urban ectotherms and may contribute to eco-evolutionary dynamics in cities.</p>
Data for: Local adaptation of switchgrass drives trait relations to yield and differential responses to climate and soil environments
<p>Switchgrass, a potential biofuel crop, is a genetically diverse species with phenotypic plasticity enabling it to grow in a range of environments. Two primary divergent ecotypes, uplands and lowlands, exhibit trait combinations representative of acquisitive and conservative growth allocation strategies, respectively. Whether these ecotypes respond differently to various types of environmental drivers remains unclear but is crucial to understanding how switchgrass varieties will respond to climate change. We grew two upland, two lowland, and two intermediate/hybrid cultivars of switchgrass at three sites along a latitudinal gradient in the central United States. Over a 4-year period, we measured plant functional traits and biomass yields and evaluated genotype-by-environment (G´E) interaction effects by analyzing switchgrass responses to soil and climate variables. We found substantial evidence of G´E interactions on biomass yield, primarily due to deviations in the response of the southern lowland cultivar Alamo, which produced more biomass in hotter and drier environments relative to other cultivars. While lowland cultivars had the highest potential for yield, their yields were more variable year-to-year compared to other cultivars, suggesting greater sensitivity to environmental perturbations. Models comparing soil and climate principal components as explanatory variables revealed soil properties, especially nutrients, to be most effective at predicting switchgrass biomass yield. Also, conservative plant traits such as high stem mass and tiller height became increasingly positively associated with biomass yield at lower latitudes where the climate is hotter and drier, regardless of ecotype. Lowland cultivars, however, showed a greater predisposition to exhibit these conservative traits. These results suggest switchgrass trait allocation trade-offs that prioritize aboveground biomass production are more tightly associated in hot, dry environments and that lowland cultivars may exhibit a more specialist life strategy relative to other cultivars. Altogether, this research provides essential knowledge for improving the viability of switchgrass as a biofuel crop.</p>
Convergent genomic signatures of local adaptation across a continental-scale environmental gradient
<p><span>Convergent local adaptation offers a glimpse into the role of constraint and stochasticity in adaptive evolution, in particular the extent to which similar genetic mechanisms drive adaptation to common selective forces. Here, we investigated the genomics of local adaptation in two non-sister woodpeckers that are co-distributed across an entire continent and exhibit remarkably convergent patterns of geographic variation. We sequenced the genomes of 140 individuals of Downy (<em>Dryobates</em> <em>pubescens</em>) and Hairy (<em>D</em>. <em>villosus</em>) woodpeckers and employed a suite of genomic approaches to identify loci under selection. We showed evidence that convergent genes have been targeted by selection in response to shared environmental pressures, such as temperature and precipitation. Among candidates, we found multiple genes putatively linked to key phenotypic adaptations to climate, including differences in body size (e.g., <em>IGFPB</em>) and plumage (e.g., <em>MREG</em>). These results are consistent with genetic constraints limiting the pathways of adaptation to broad climatic gradients, even after genetic backgrounds diverge.</span></p>
Data from: Components of local adaptation and divergence in pollination efficacy in a coevolving species interaction
<p>Selection leading to adaptation to interactions may generate rapid evolutionary feedbacks and drive diversification of species interactions. The challenge is to understand how the many traits of interacting species combine to shape local adaptation in ways directly or indirectly resulting in diversification. We used the well-studied interactions between <em>Lithophragma</em> plants (Saxifragaceae) and <em>Greya</em> moths (Prodoxidae) to evaluate how plants and moths together contribute to local divergence in pollination efficacy. Specifically, we studied <em>L. bolanderi</em> and its two specialized <em>Greya</em> moth pollinators in two contrasting environments in the Sierra Nevada, California. Both moths pollinate <em>L. bolanderi</em> during nectaring, and one of them – <em>G. politella</em> – also while ovipositing through the floral corolla into the ovary. Firstly, field surveys of floral visitors and the presence of <em>G. politella</em> eggs and larvae in developing capsules showed that one population is visited only by <em>G. politella</em> and few other pollinators, whereas the other is visited by both <em>Greya</em> species and other pollinators. Secondly, <em>L. bolanderi</em> in these two natural populations differed in several floral traits putatively important for pollination efficacy. Thirdly, laboratory experiments with greenhouse-grown plants and field-collected moths showed that <em>L. bolanderi</em> is more efficiently pollinated by local compared to non-local nectaring moths of both species. Pollination efficacy of ovipositing <em>G. politella</em> was also higher for local moths for the <em>L. bolanderi</em> population that relies more heavily on this species in nature. Finally, time-lapse photography in the laboratory showed that <em>G. politella</em> from different populations differ in oviposition behavior, suggesting the potential for local adaptation also among <em>Greya</em> populations. Collectively, our results are a rare example of components of local adaptation contributing to divergence in pollination efficiency in a coevolving interaction and, thus, provide insights into how geographic mosaics of coevolution may lead to coevolutionary diversification in species interactions.</p>
Soil moisture incidentally selects for microbes that facilitate locally adaptive plant response
<p>We examined the role of the plant vs the environment in selecting for beneficial microbes to plants in their home moisture environment, in either wet vs dry conditions. To this end, we first conditioned soil microbial communities, selecting for either dry- or wet-adapted soil microbial communities, either with or without plants. After 3 plant generations, we conducted a full reciprocal transplant of each soil community onto wet- and dry-treated plants, using the soil from the prior 3 generations as an inoculum. From plants inoculated with these ‘evolved’ soils, we measured plant biomass and height. We also measured soil nitrogen of the inoculum, and measured inoculum respiration across a water content gradient. <br> </p>
ScienceDex guides
Understand access before you commit
These curated guides explain access requirements, typical timelines, costs, and reuse considerations for widely used research datasets.
Allen Brain Atlas
Allen Brain Atlas is an Allen Institute collection of brain map atlases, datasets, APIs, and analysis tools covering mouse, human, and non-human primate brain resources.
Annotated Behaviour and Observability Dataset (ABODe)
ABODe is a University of Edinburgh DataShare dataset for behavior classification in group-housed mice using home-cage video, identities, bounding boxes, ground-plate positions, and annotator labels.
DANDI Archive for NWB datasets
DANDI is a BRAIN Initiative archive for publishing and sharing neurophysiology data, including electrophysiology, optophysiology, and behavioral data packaged as NWB and related standards.
International Brain Laboratory public data
The International Brain Laboratory public data releases expose standardized mouse decision-making experiments, including Neuropixels recordings, widefield calcium imaging, behavior, and session metadata accessed through the ONE API.
OpenNeuro
OpenNeuro is a free, open platform for sharing neuroimaging datasets, with public search, dataset pages, and download paths for web, S3, DataLad, and the OpenNeuro CLI.