A1 Journal article (refereed)
Selection analysis on the rapid evolution of a secondary sexual trait (2015)

Gordon, S., Reznick, D., Arendt, J. D., Roughton, A., Hernandez, M. N. O., Bentzen, P., & Lopez Sepulcre, A. (2015). Selection analysis on the rapid evolution of a secondary sexual trait. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 282(1813), Article 20151244. https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2015.1244

JYU authors or editors

Publication details

All authors or editors: Gordon, Swanne; Reznick, David; Arendt, Jeff D.; Roughton, Allen; Hernandez, Michelle N. Ontiveros; Bentzen, Paul; Lopez Sepulcre, Andres

Journal or series: Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences

ISSN: 0962-8452

eISSN: 1471-2954

Publication year: 2015

Volume: 282

Issue number: 1813

Article number: 20151244

Publisher: The Royal Society Publishing

Publication country: United States

Publication language: English

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2015.1244

Research data link: https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.11r1j

Publication open access: Not open

Publication channel open access: 

Abstract

Evolutionary analyses of population translocations (experimental or accidental) have been important in demonstrating speed of evolution because they subject organisms to abrupt environmental changes that create an episode of selection. However, the strength of selection in such studies is rarely measured, limiting our understanding of the evolutionary process. This contrasts with long-term, mark–recapture studies of unmanipulated populations that measure selection directly, yet rarely reveal evolutionary change. Here, we present a study of experimental evolution of male colour in Trinidadian guppies where we tracked both evolutionary change and individual-based measures of selection. Guppies were translocated from a predator-rich to a low-predation environment within the same stream system. We used a combination of common garden experiments and monthly sampling of individuals to measure the phenotypic and genetic divergence of male coloration between ancestral and derived fish. Results show rapid evolutionary increases in orange coloration in both populations (1 year or three generations), replicating the results of previous studies. Unlike previous studies, we linked this evolution to an individual-based analysis of selection. By quantifying individual reproductive success and survival, we show, for the first time, that males with more orange and black pigment have higher reproductive success, but males with more black pigment also have higher risk of mortality. The net effect of selection is thus an advantage of orange but not black coloration, as reflected in the evolutionary response. This highlights the importance of considering all components of fitness when understanding the evolution of sexually selected traits in the wild.

Keywords: sexual selection

Free keywords: rapid evolution; fitness; mark–recapture; common garden experiments

Contributing organizations

Ministry reporting: Yes

Reporting Year: 2015

JUFO rating: 3