The spatial structure of antagonistic species affects coevolution in predictable ways.

Area of Science:

• Evolutionary Ecology
• Theoretical Ecology
• Population Genetics

Background:

• Coevolutionary processes are shaped by the spatial arrangement of interacting populations.
• The geographic mosaic theory highlights the roles of spatial structure, selection strength, and gene flow.
• Predicting coevolutionary dynamics in structured populations remains a challenge.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how spatial structure, including coevolutionary hotspots and coldspots, affects coevolutionary dynamics.
• To explore the maintenance of polymorphisms in spatially structured populations.
• To develop novel analytical tools for predicting coevolutionary trajectories.

Main Methods:

• Utilized spatial subgraphs and coevolutionary models.
• Developed a novel approach employing Laplacian matrices of spatial subgraphs.
• Analyzed the interplay between gene flow and reciprocal selection strength.

Main Results:

• Simple rules govern coevolution in small, spatially structured populations.
• The location of hotspots and the organization of coldspots are vital for polymorphism maintenance.
• Network patterns of gene flow predict spatial variation in coevolutionary outcomes.

Conclusions:

• Spatial structure significantly impacts coevolutionary trajectories and polymorphism.
• Laplacian matrices offer a powerful tool for analyzing spatial coevolution.
• Predictive models for coevolution can be derived from gene flow networks.