Morphological and genetic divergence of intralacustrine stickleback morphs in Iceland: a case for selective differentiation?

The evolutionary processes involved in population divergence and local adaptation are poorly understood. Theory predicts that divergence of adjacent populations is possible but depends on several factors including gene flow, divergent selection, population size and the number of genes involved in di...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of Evolutionary Biology
Main Authors: Olafsdottir, GA, Snorrason, SS, Ritchie, Michael Gordon
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: 2007
Subjects:
ecological speciation
habitat isolation
local adaptation
population structure
predation
reproductive barrier
stickleback
GASTEROSTEUS-ACULEATUS L.
PARTIAL MANTEL TESTS
FIRE-BELLIED TOADS
MOSAIC HYBRID ZONE
THREESPINE STICKLEBACK
REPRODUCTIVE ISOLATION
ADAPTIVE DIVERGENCE
NATURAL-SELECTION
CLINAL VARIATION
DROSOPHILA-MELANOGASTER
Iceland
Online Access:https://risweb.st-andrews.ac.uk/portal/en/researchoutput/morphological-and-genetic-divergence-of-intralacustrine-stickleback-morphs-in-iceland-a-case-for-selective-differentiation(38ff8c47-fb8b-44ad-be4d-1a8da45f5546).html
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1420-9101.2006.01250.x
http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=33847015745&partnerID=8YFLogxK
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Summary:The evolutionary processes involved in population divergence and local adaptation are poorly understood. Theory predicts that divergence of adjacent populations is possible but depends on several factors including gene flow, divergent selection, population size and the number of genes involved in divergence and their distribution on the genome. We analyse variation in neutral markers, markers linked to putative quantitative trait loci and morphological traits in a recent (< 10 000 years) zone of primary divergence between stickleback morphs in Lake Thingvallavatn, Iceland. Environmental factors, especially predation, are clearly implicated in reducing gene flow between morphs. There is continuous morphological and genetic variation between habitats with a zone centre similar to secondary contact zones. Individual microsatellite loci are implicated as being linked to adaptive variation by direct tests as well as by differences in cline shape. Patterns of linkage disequilibria indicate that the morphs have diverged at several loci. This divergence shows parallels and differences with the well-studied limnetic-benthic stickleback morphs, both in phenotypic divergence and at the genomic level.

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