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Evidence for the Stability Selection Mechanism in a Live Predator-Prey System
John P DeLong1, Kyle E Coblentz1, Kristi L Montooth1
1School of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska, USA.
Ecology Letters
|March 20, 2026
Summary
Stability selection, where species loss is driven by extinction susceptibility, can cause evolutionary change. This study shows prey genetics influence predator-prey stability, driving evolution in aggregate populations.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Evolutionary Biology
- Population Genetics
Background:
- Stability selection describes species loss due to extinction susceptibility, a non-adaptive process.
- Despite being non-adaptive, stability selection can drive evolutionary change by linking population stability to heritable traits.
Purpose of the Study:
- To demonstrate how stability selection influences prey genetics and drives evolutionary change in a predator-prey system.
- To provide empirical evidence for the stability selection mechanism in eco-evolutionary dynamics.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a live predator-prey system to investigate stability selection.
- Analyzed how prey genetics affect predator-prey pair stability and population extinction.
- Examined trait evolution in aggregate populations resulting from the loss of unstable subpopulations.
Main Results:
- Prey genetics were found to influence predator-prey stability, indicating potential for differential extinction to shape population genotypic makeup.
- The extinction of unstable predator-prey pairs in subpopulations led to observable trait evolution in the aggregate population.
- Demonstrated empirical support for the stability selection mechanism.
Conclusions:
- Community-level interactions, such as predator-prey dynamics, can drive eco-evolutionary change at the population level.
- Stability selection, though non-adaptive, plays a significant role in evolutionary processes by influencing heritable traits and population structure.
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