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Related Concept Videos

What is Natural Selection?01:32

What is Natural Selection?

Natural selection is an evolutionary process in which individuals with survival-promoting traits reproduce at higher rates. These favorable traits become more common within a population or species. Naturally selected traits initially arise via random genetic mutations. In order for selection to occur, there must be variation within a population, the trait controlling the variation must be heritable, and there must be an evolutionary advantage for variation in the trait.The Theory of Natural...
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Global Climate Change

Throughout its ~4.5 billion year history, the Earth has experienced periods of warming and cooling. However, the current drastic increase in global temperatures is well outside of the Earth’s cyclic norms, and evidence for human-caused global climate change is compelling. Paleoclimatology, the study of ancient climate conditions, provides ample evidence for human-caused global climate change by comparing recent conditions with those in the past.
Genetic Drift03:33

Genetic Drift

Natural selection—probably the most well-known evolutionary mechanism—increases the prevalence of traits that enhance survival and reproduction. However, evolution does not merely propagate favorable traits, nor does it always benefit populations.Life is not fair. A deer grazing contentedly in a field can have her meal cut tragically short by a bolt of lightning. If the doomed doe is one of only three in the population, 1/3 of the population’s gene pool is lost. Random events like this can...
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Gene Flow

Gene flow is the transfer of genes among populations, resulting from either the dispersal of gametes or from the migration of individuals.
Limits to Natural Selection01:38

Limits to Natural Selection

Organisms that are well-adapted to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce. However, natural selection does not lead to perfectly adapted organisms. Several factors constrain natural selection.For one, natural selection can only act upon existing genetic variation. Hypothetically, redtusks may enhance elephant survival by deterring ivory-seeking poachers. However, if there are no gene variants—or alleles—for redtusks, natural selection cannot increase the prevalence of...
Speciation Rates01:07

Speciation Rates

Speciation can proceed at markedly different rates, and evolutionary biologists commonly describe these differences through the models of gradualism and punctuated equilibrium. Both patterns explain how new species arise, but they differ in the tempo and continuity of evolutionary change. In both cases, evolutionary change arises from heritable variation within populations, with natural selection often shaping traits that improve survival and reproduction under specific environmental conditions.

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How range shifts induced by climate change affect neutral evolution.

G J McInerny1, J R G Turner, H Y Wong

  • 1Computational Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Microsoft Research Limited, 7 JJ Thomson Avenue, Cambridge CB3 0FB, UK. gregmci@microsoft.com

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PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Range shifts dramatically alter neutral evolution. Mutation surfing at leading range edges boosts lineage survival, while trailing edges experience

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Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary biology
  • Population genetics
  • Ecological dynamics

Background:

  • Range shifts are critical ecological events.
  • Neutral evolution's role during range shifts is understudied.
  • Metapopulation dynamics influence genetic diversity.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate neutral evolution during metapopulation range shifts.
  • To model the impact of climate gradients on lineage survival.
  • To understand how range shifts affect mutation spread and diversity.

Main Methods:

  • Strategic modeling of metapopulations.
  • Utilizing heritable, neutral markers.
  • Tracking spatio-temporal lineage fate.

Main Results:

  • Iterated founder effects ('mutation surfing') enhance lineage survival at leading range limits.
  • Reduced habitat suitability at trailing limits leads to lineage extinction ('mutation wipe out').
  • Range shifting significantly alters mutation spatial spread, origins, and diversity generation.

Conclusions:

  • Range shifts are a major driver of neutral evolutionary change.
  • Spatial dynamics of range limits directly impact genetic diversity.
  • Understanding these processes is key for predicting evolutionary trajectories.