Abstract
BackgroundNatural selection is a potent evolutionary force that shapes phenotypic variation to match ecological conditions. However, we know little about the year-to-year consistency of selection, or how inter-annual variation in ecology shapes adaptive landscapes and ultimately adaptive radiations. Here we combine remote sensing data, field experiments, and a four-year study of natural selection to show that changes in vegetation structure associated with a severe drought altered both habitat use and natural selection in the brown anole, Anolis sagrei.ResultsIn natural populations, lizards increased their use of vegetation in wet years and this was correlated with selection on limb length but not body size. By contrast, a die-back of vegetation caused by drought was followed by reduced arboreality, selection on body size, and relaxed selection on limb length. With the return of the rains and recovery of vegetation, selection reverted back to pre-drought pattern of selection acting on limb length but not body size. To test for the impact of vegetation loss on natural selection during the drought, we experimentally removed vegetation on a separate study island in a naturally wet year. The experiment revealed similar inter-annual changes in selection on body size but not limb length.ConclusionOur results illustrate the dynamic nature of ecology driving natural selection on Anolis morphology and emphasize the importance of inter-annual environmental variation in shaping adaptive variation. In addition, results illustrate the utility of using remote sensing data to examine ecology's role in driving natural selection.
Highlights
Natural selection is a potent evolutionary force that shapes phenotypic variation to match ecological conditions
A central goal in evolutionary biology is to understand the origins of adaptive variation that are linked to ecology
A long-standing assertion is that variation in limb length and body size of Anolis lizards in the Greater Antilles arose via natural selection in response to differences in ecology [4,5]
Summary
Natural selection is a potent evolutionary force that shapes phenotypic variation to match ecological conditions. A central goal in evolutionary biology is to understand the origins of adaptive variation that are linked to ecology. The ecological forces that drive natural selection and shape adaptation are dynamic, and may change across years [1,2,3]. There is growing appreciation that an in depth understanding of adaptation in natural populations requires long-term studies of selection [1,3]. A long-standing assertion is that variation in limb length and body size of Anolis lizards in the Greater Antilles arose via natural selection in response to differences in ecology [4,5]. Previous studies [6,8] have suggested that traits such as running performance in different habitats may be important for predator avoidance and foraging efficiency, and (page number not for citation purposes)
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