Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Ecological Niches02:02

Ecological Niches

23.6K
All organisms have a position within an ecosystem. The complete set of living and nonliving factors—including food resources, climate, and terrain—that define the position of a given organism are collectively referred to as the organism’s ecological niche.
23.6K
Mutation, Gene Flow, and Genetic Drift01:09

Mutation, Gene Flow, and Genetic Drift

58.4K
In a population that is not at Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, the frequency of alleles changes over time. Therefore, any deviations from the five conditions of Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium can alter the genetic variation of a given population. Conditions that change the genetic variability of a population include mutations, natural selection, non-random mating, gene flow, and genetic drift (small population size).
58.4K
Distribution and Dispersion00:54

Distribution and Dispersion

21.8K
To understand intra-specific interactions in populations, scientists measure the spatial arrangement of species individuals. This geographic arrangement is known as the species distribution or dispersion. Highly territorial species exhibit a uniform distribution pattern, in which individuals are spaced at relatively equal distances from one another. Species that are highly tied to particular resources, such as food or shelter, tend to concentrate around those resources, and thus exhibit a...
21.8K
Competition02:34

Competition

21.7K
When organisms require the same limited resources within an environment, they may have to compete for them. Competition is a net-negative interaction. Even if two competing individuals or populations do not interact directly, the overall fitness of both competitors is lowered as a result of not having full access to the limited resource.
21.7K
Limits to Natural Selection01:38

Limits to Natural Selection

31.3K
Organisms that are well-adapted to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce. However, natural selection does not lead to perfectly adapted organisms. Several factors constrain natural selection.
31.3K
What is Natural Selection?01:32

What is Natural Selection?

115.3K
Natural selection is an evolutionary process in which individuals with survival-promoting traits reproduce at higher rates. These favorable traits become more common within a population or species. Naturally selected traits initially arise via random genetic mutations. In order for selection to occur, there must be variation within a population, the trait controlling the variation must be heritable, and there must be an evolutionary advantage for variation in the trait.
115.3K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Evolution of quantitative traits: exploring the ecological, social and genetic bases of adaptive polymorphism.

Journal of theoretical biology·2026
Same author

Sex allocation of hermaphrodites in metapopulations with frequent population extinction and recolonization.

Evolution; international journal of organic evolution·2026
Same author

How does stochasticity in learning impact the accumulation of knowledge and the evolution of learning?

Evolutionary human sciences·2026
Same author

Directional and disruptive selection in populations structured by class and continuous ontogeny under incomplete plasticity.

PLoS computational biology·2026
Same author

Ecological inheritance facilitates the coexistence of environmental helpers and free riders.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2026
Same author

Plastic Germination, Temporal Niche Partitioning and Emergent Assortative Mating in Annual Plants.

Ecology letters·2026

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 5, 2025

Experimental Protocol for Manipulating Plant-induced Soil Heterogeneity
08:16

Experimental Protocol for Manipulating Plant-induced Soil Heterogeneity

Published on: March 13, 2014

18.8K

Resource Variation Within and Between Patches: Where Exploitation Competition, Local Adaptation, and Kin Selection

Max Schmid, Claus Rueffler, Laurent Lehmann

    The American Naturalist
    |January 11, 2024
    PubMed
    Summary
    This summary is machine-generated.

    Disruptive selection within and between habitats often work together to promote adaptive polymorphism. However, limited dispersal and small patch sizes can inhibit this, especially with local competition for resources.

    Keywords:
    evolutionary branchingfrequency-dependent selectionlimited gene flowlocal adaptationpolymorphism

    More Related Videos

    Following the Dynamics of Structural Variants in Experimentally Evolved Populations
    04:52

    Following the Dynamics of Structural Variants in Experimentally Evolved Populations

    Published on: February 3, 2023

    988
    Manipulation of Color Patterns in Jumping Spiders for Use in Behavioral Experiments
    09:03

    Manipulation of Color Patterns in Jumping Spiders for Use in Behavioral Experiments

    Published on: May 21, 2019

    9.6K

    Related Experiment Videos

    Last Updated: Jul 5, 2025

    Experimental Protocol for Manipulating Plant-induced Soil Heterogeneity
    08:16

    Experimental Protocol for Manipulating Plant-induced Soil Heterogeneity

    Published on: March 13, 2014

    18.8K
    Following the Dynamics of Structural Variants in Experimentally Evolved Populations
    04:52

    Following the Dynamics of Structural Variants in Experimentally Evolved Populations

    Published on: February 3, 2023

    988
    Manipulation of Color Patterns in Jumping Spiders for Use in Behavioral Experiments
    09:03

    Manipulation of Color Patterns in Jumping Spiders for Use in Behavioral Experiments

    Published on: May 21, 2019

    9.6K

    Area of Science:

    • Ecology
    • Evolutionary Biology
    • Population Genetics

    Background:

    • Adaptive polymorphism can be influenced by processes acting at different spatial scales.
    • Spatial heterogeneity can drive selection between patches, while local competition drives selection within patches.
    • Previous theories have largely examined these selection types in isolation.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To investigate how resource variation within and between habitats affects the evolution of variation in structured populations.
    • To explore the combined effects of local and spatial disruptive selection on polymorphism.
    • To clarify the interpretation of genetic differentiation measures in relation to selection.

    Main Methods:

    • Mathematical modeling of consumer populations in finite, connected patches.
    • Analysis of how resource variation influences trait and neutral genetic differentiation.
    • Incorporation of dispersal and kin competition dynamics.

    Main Results:

    • Local and spatial disruptive selection generally act synergistically, favoring polymorphism more broadly than when acting alone.
    • Kin competition under low dispersal and small patch sizes can suppress polymorphism, particularly when driven by local competition.
    • Model clarifies the relationship between genetic differentiation metrics and selection regimes.

    Conclusions:

    • The interaction between local and spatial disruptive selection is a key driver of adaptive polymorphism.
    • Kin selection under limited dispersal can significantly modulate the emergence of polymorphism.
    • Understanding these interactions is crucial for explaining biodiversity in structured populations.