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Published on: April 2, 2013
Pathogen-induced rapid evolution in a vertebrate life-history trait
Jan Ohlberger1, Øystein Langangen, Eric Edeline
1Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis (CEES), Department of Biology, University of Oslo, PO Box 1066 Blindern, 0316 Oslo, Norway. jan.ohlberger@bio.uio.no
Proceedings. Biological Sciences
|July 30, 2010
Summary
Pathogens can drive rapid evolution in wild vertebrates. A study on perch revealed a significant shift in maturation size following a disease outbreak, demonstrating pathogens as potent evolutionary forces.
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary Biology
- Ecology
- Parasitology
- Wildlife Health
Background:
- Anthropogenic factors, such as climate warming, are increasing infectious disease prevalence globally.
- Pathogenic infections can significantly impact host survival, altering selection pressures and driving host evolution.
- Understanding pathogen-induced evolutionary changes is crucial for predicting ecological and economic consequences, yet data, especially in vertebrates, remain limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate pathogen-induced evolutionary responses in a natural vertebrate population.
- To quantify the pace of adaptive phenotypic evolution driven by a severe disease outbreak.
- To assess the role of pathogens as drivers of evolutionary change in host life-history traits.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a long-term monitoring time series of a perch population.
- Analyzed temporal trends in the maturation schedule before and after a significant pathogen outbreak.
- Estimated evolutionary rates of phenotypic change in response to disease pressure.
Main Results:
- A severe pathogen outbreak induced a significant phenotypic shift in perch maturation schedule.
- The population transitioned from an increasing to a decreasing size at maturation post-outbreak.
- Pathogen-driven evolutionary rates were high, comparable to those seen under intense human harvesting.
Conclusions:
- Pathogens are potent drivers of rapid adaptive phenotypic evolution in vertebrate populations.
- Life-history transitions, like maturation timing, are susceptible to rapid evolutionary modification by disease.
- This study highlights the critical role of infectious diseases in shaping host evolution in natural systems.
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