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"Jack-of-all-trades" is parthenogenetic
Mark Maraun1, Paul S P Bischof1, Finn L Klemp1
1JFB Institute of Zoology and Anthropology Georg August University Göttingen Göttingen Germany.
Ecology and Evolution
|July 5, 2022
Summary
Parthenogenetic oribatid mites exhibit broader geographic ranges than sexual species, challenging the frozen niche variation hypothesis. These findings support the general-purpose genotype hypothesis, suggesting parthenogenetic mites are adaptable generalists.
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary biology
- Reproductive strategies
- Animal ecology
Background:
- Sexual reproduction is evolutionarily costly, yet dominant in animals.
- Parthenogenesis, or asexual reproduction, is common in some ancient lineages like oribatid mites.
- Oribatid mites offer a model to study reproductive mode and ecological strategies due to phylogenetic conservation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To test the frozen niche variation hypothesis using oribatid mites.
- To investigate the relationship between reproductive mode (sexual vs. parthenogenetic) and ecological specialization.
- To determine if parthenogenetic oribatid mites occupy narrower ecological niches than sexual species.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of oribatid mites (Acari: Oribatida) as a model group.
- Using species' geographic range size as a proxy for ecological specialization.
- Phylogenetic correction for reproductive mode and geographic range size.
Main Results:
- Parthenogenetic oribatid mite lineages showed broader geographic ranges than sexual species.
- Geographic range size lacked significant phylogenetic signal.
- Findings contradicted the frozen niche variation hypothesis.
Conclusions:
- Parthenogenetic oribatid mites are more generalistic than sexual species, supporting the general-purpose genotype hypothesis.
- Ancient origin and adaptation to varying environments may explain the generalist nature of parthenogenetic mites.
- Parthenogenetic oribatid mites possess widely adapted general-purpose genotypes, functioning as 'Jack-of-all-trades'.
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