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Gene flow reverses an adaptive cline in a coevolving host-parasitoid interaction
Samantha E Forde1, John N Thompson, Brendan J M Bohannan
1Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department, University of California, Santa Cruz, California 95064, USA. forde@biology.ucsc.edu
The American Naturalist
|May 5, 2007
Summary
Gene flow hinders adaptation in microbial populations along environmental gradients. Introducing host and parasitoid gene flow decreased parasitoid adaptation, even at low rates.
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary biology
- Microbial ecology
- Population genetics
Background:
- Clinal patterns of adaptation are common in natural populations.
- The interplay between gene flow and environmental gradients in shaping clines is not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how gene flow and environmental gradients interact to drive adaptation clines.
- To experimentally test the effects of dispersal and productivity on host-parasitoid adaptation.
Main Methods:
- Utilized an experimental landscape with bacteriophage T7 (parasitoid) and Escherichia coli (host).
- Manipulated dispersal rates and host productivity to simulate varying environmental conditions.
- Monitored parasitoid adaptation to host populations across productivity gradients.
Main Results:
- Parasitoid adaptation increased on hosts from lower-productivity communities without gene flow.
- Experimental gene flow of both host and parasitoid led to decreased adaptation along the productivity gradient.
- Observed reduced adaptation despite relatively low rates of gene flow.
Conclusions:
- Gene flow can impede local adaptation along environmental gradients.
- The interaction between dispersal and environmental heterogeneity is crucial for understanding evolutionary trajectories.
- Experimental manipulation provides insights into the mechanisms shaping adaptation in natural populations.
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