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THE EFFECTS OF GENE FLOW ON REINFORCEMENT
Maria R Servedio1, Mark Kirkpatrick1
1Department of Zoology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, 78712-1064.
Summary
Gene flow patterns impact reinforcement, the process of developing reproductive isolation. Symmetric migration aids reinforcement, while one-way migration hinders it unless selection is very strong.
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary biology
- Population genetics
Background:
- Reinforcement evolves when natural selection increases reproductive isolation between diverging populations.
- Gene flow can impede or facilitate reinforcement depending on migration patterns.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how different gene flow patterns (symmetric vs. one-way migration) affect the evolution of reinforcement.
- To compare reinforcement potential in two-island versus continent-island population models.
Main Methods:
- Computer simulations were used to model gene flow and selection.
- Models incorporated hybrid inviability due to epistatic interactions.
- Simulations examined the spread of a preference allele under varying migration scenarios.
Main Results:
- Reinforcement occurred broadly under symmetric migration with weak preference alleles.
- Reinforcement was largely prevented under one-way migration with weak preference alleles.
- One-way migration required very strong preference alleles and hybrid selection for reinforcement.
Conclusions:
- Symmetric gene flow facilitates reinforcement, promoting speciation.
- One-way gene flow presents a significant barrier to reinforcement, potentially hindering speciation of peripheral isolates.
- Incomplete reproductive isolation during secondary contact can be exacerbated by one-way migration patterns.
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