Pubblicazione scientifica

Ecological speciation in European whitefish is driven by a large‐gaped predator

FILONE TECNOLOGICO	TEMA
economia circolare e sostenibilità

RIASSUNTO

Abstract

Lake‐dwelling fish that form species pairs/flocks characterized by body size divergence are important model systems for speciation research. Although several sources of divergent selection have been identified in these systems, their importance for driving the speciation process remains elusive. A major problem is that in retrospect, we cannot distinguish selection pressures that initiated divergence from those acting later in the process. To address this issue, we studied the initial stages of speciation in European whitefish (Coregonus lavaretus) using data from 358 populations of varying age (26–10,000 years). We find that whitefish speciation is driven by a large‐growing predator, the northern pike (Esox lucius). Pike initiates divergence by causing a largely plastic differentiation into benthic giants and pelagic dwarfs: ecotypes that will subsequently develop partial reproductive isolation and heritable differences in gill raker number. Using an eco‐evolutionary model, we demonstrate how pike's habitat specificity and large gape size are critical for imposing a between‐habitat trade‐off, causing prey to mature in a safer place or at a safer size. Thereby, we propose a novel mechanism for how predators may cause dwarf/giant speciation in lake‐dwelling fish species.

DATA

Data di pubblicazione: 13/05/2020

AUTORI

OHLUND GUNNAR
BODIN MATS
NILSSON KARIN A
OHLUND SVEN‐OLA
MOBLEY KENYON B
HUDSON ALAN G
PEEDU MIKAEL
BRANNSTROM AKE
BARTELS PIA
PRÆBEL KIM
HEIN CATHERINE L
JOHANSSON PETTER
ENGLUND GORAN

ENTE DI AFFERENZA

DEPARTMENT OF ECOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE UMEA UNIVERSITY UMEA SE‐901 87 SWEDEN
DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIAL SCIENCES LULEA UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY LULEA SE‐971 87 SWEDEN
DEPARTMENT OF WILDLIFE FISH AND ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES SLU UMEA SE‐901 83 SWEDEN
DEPARTMENT OF MATHEMATICS AND MATHEMATICAL STATISTICS UMEA UNIVERSITY UMEA SE‐901 87 SWEDEN
DEPT INTEGRATIVE BIOLOGY UNIV GUELPH GUELPH ON N1G 2W1 CANADA
MAX PLANCK INSTITUTE FOR EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY PLON D‐24302 GERMANY
ORGANISMAL & EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY RSCH PROGRAM FACULTY OF BIOLOGICAL & ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES UNIV HELSINKI HELSINKI 00014 FINLAND
SCHOOL OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES LIFE SCIENCES BLDG UNIV BRISTOL BRISTOL BS8 1TQ UK
EVOLUTION AND ECOLOGY PROGRAM INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR APPLIED SYSTEMS ANALYSIS LAXENBURG A‐2361 AUSTRIA
NORWEGIAN COLLEGE OF FISHERY SCIENCE UIT THE ARCTIC UNIVERSITY OF NORWAY TROMSO N‐9037 NORWAY
CLIMATE IMPACTS RESEARCH CENTRE CIRC ABISKO SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH STATION ABISKO SE‐981 07 SWEDEN

RIVISTA

Evolution Letters, 4(3), 243-256

indietro