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Natural selection on thermal performance in a novel thermal environment
Michael L Logan1, Robert M Cox2, Ryan Calsbeek3
1Department of Biological Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH 03755; and mike.logan1983@gmail.com.
Summary
Climate change drives strong natural selection in tropical lizards, even those that behaviorally thermoregulate. This indicates potential for rapid evolutionary adaptation to warming, provided thermal traits are heritable.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Evolutionary Biology
- Climate Change Biology
Background:
- Tropical ectotherms face risks from climate change due to narrow thermal tolerance.
- Behavioral thermoregulation may shield ectotherms from selection, hindering adaptation.
- Evolutionary adaptation is a key mechanism for species to cope with environmental change.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of climate change-induced warming on natural selection in tropical ectotherms.
- To determine if behavioral thermoregulation prevents selection on thermal performance traits.
- To assess the potential for evolutionary adaptation in response to anthropogenic warming.
Main Methods:
- Experimental transplantation of Anolis sagrei lizards to a novel, warmer thermal environment.
- Comparison of selection pressures on thermal performance traits between transplanted and reference populations.
- Measurement of thermal performance traits and environmental conditions.
Main Results:
- Transplanted lizards experienced warmer and more variable temperatures.
- Strong directional selection was observed on thermal performance traits in the transplanted population.
- No significant selection on these traits was detected in the reference population.
Conclusions:
- Climate change can impose significant natural selection on tropical ectotherms, overriding behavioral thermoregulation.
- Heritable thermal performance traits suggest a capacity for rapid adaptation to warming.
- Understanding selection dynamics is crucial for predicting species' responses to climate change.
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