Local Adaptation Processes Research Articles

Range margin populations show high climate adaptation lags in European trees.

How populations of long-living species respond to climate change depends on phenotypic plasticity and local adaptation processes. Marginal populations are expected to have lags in adaptation (i.e. differences between the climatic optimum that maximizes population fitness and the local climate) because they receive pre-adapted alleles from core populations preventing them from reaching a local optimum in their climatically marginal habitat. Yet, whether adaptation lags in marginal populations are a common feature across phylogenetically and ecologically different species and how lags can change with climate change remain unexplored. To test for range-wide patterns of phenotypic variation and adaptation lags of populations to climate, we (a) built model ensembles of tree height accounting for the climate of population origin and the climate of the site for 706 populations monitored in 97 common garden experiments covering the range of six European forest tree species; (b) estimated populations' adaptation lags as the differences between the climatic optimum that maximizes tree height and the climate of the origin of each population; (c) identified adaptation lag patterns for populations coming from the warm/dry and cold/wet margins and from the distribution core of each species range. We found that (a) phenotypic variation is driven by either temperature or precipitation; (b) adaptation lags are consistently higher in climatic margin populations (cold/warm, dry/wet) than in core populations; (c) predictions for future warmer climates suggest adaptation lags would decrease in cold margin populations, slightly increasing tree height, while adaptation lags would increase in core and warm margin populations, sharply decreasing tree height. Our results suggest that warm margin populations are the most vulnerable to climate change, but understanding how these populations can cope with future climates depend on whether other fitness-related traits could show similar adaptation lag patterns.

Elevated mutation rates are unlikely to evolve in sexual species, not even under rapid environmental change

BackgroundOrganisms are expected to respond to changing environmental conditions through local adaptation, range shift or local extinction. The process of local adaptation can occur by genetic changes or phenotypic plasticity, and becomes especially relevant when dispersal abilities or possibilities are somehow constrained. For genetic changes to occur, mutations are the ultimate source of variation and the mutation rate in terms of a mutator locus can be subject to evolutionary change. Recent findings suggest that the evolution of the mutation rate in a sexual species can advance invasion speed and promote adaptation to novel environmental conditions. Following this idea, this work uses an individual-based model approach to investigate if the mutation rate can also evolve in a sexual species experiencing different conditions of directional climate change, under different scenarios of colored stochastic environmental noise, probability of recombination and of beneficial mutations. The color of the noise mimicked investigating the evolutionary dynamics of the mutation rate in different habitats.ResultsThe results suggest that the mutation rate in a sexual species experiencing directional climate change scenarios can evolve and reach relatively high values mainly under conditions of complete linkage of the mutator locus and the adaptation locus. In contrast, when they are unlinked, the mutation rate can slightly increase only under scenarios where at least 50% of arising mutations are beneficial and the rate of environmental change is relatively fast. This result is robust under different scenarios of stochastic environmental noise, which supports the observation of no systematic variation in the mutation rate among organisms experiencing different habitats.ConclusionsGiven that 50% beneficial mutations may be an unrealistic assumption, and that recombination is ubiquitous in sexual species, the evolution of an elevated mutation rate in a sexual species experiencing directional climate change might be rather unlikely. Furthermore, when the percentage of beneficial mutations and the population size are small, sexual species (especially multicellular ones) producing few offspring may be expected to react to changing environments not by adaptive genetic change, but mainly through plasticity. Without the ability for a plastic response, such species may become – at least locally – extinct.

Ecotypic divergences of the alpine herb Potentilla matsumurae adapted to fellfield-snowbed habitats across a series of mountain sky islands.

Divergent selection due to environmental heterogeneity can lead to local adaptation. However, the ecological and evolutionary processes of local adaptation that occurs across multiple regions are often unknown. Our previous studies reported on the ecotypic divergence within a local area of variation of Potentilla matsumurae, an alpine herb adapted to the fellfield-snowbed environment. Here we investigated large-scale geographic patterns of ecotypic differentiation in this species to infer local adaptation and selective forces across multiple regions. We compiled information on the overall distributions of fellfield and snowbed habitats on the mountains in Japan across the distribution of the species. Next, we conducted common garden experiments to test the adaptive divergence of the fellfield-snowbed plants derived from multiple regions. Finally, we evaluated phylogeographic structures based on cpDNA and allozyme variations and inferred the evolutionary history of ecotype differentiation. The mosaic distribution of the fellfield-snowbed ecotypes across isolated mountaintops constitutes indirect evidence for habitat-specific natural selection. The significant difference in survivorship between the ecotypes observed in a controlled snow environment provides more substantial evidence of local selection. Phylogeographic structures support the hypothesis that ecotypic divergence events from fellfield to snowbed populations occurred independently in at least two distinct regions. Ecotypic divergence of P. matsumurae has occurred across a series of mountain sky islands. Local selection in snowy environments is a driving force that maintains the divergent ecotypes across multiple mountain regions and can contribute to the diversification of plants in heavy-snow regions.

What shapes vulnerability and risk management in semi-arid India? Moving towards an agenda of sustainable adaptation

In drylands across the global South, rural livelihoods are challenged by existing development deficits, and are now increasingly vulnerable to climate variability and change. People, governments, and a range of non-state actors are responding to these climatic and non-climatic risks through planned and autonomous response strategies. While several studies examine the drivers of vulnerability and range of response strategies undertaken, few distinguish development interventions from climate adaptation actions, making it difficult to identify particular entry points for enabling and strengthening adaptation action. In this paper, we apply Eakin et al.'s (2014) framework of generic versus specific capacity to data from three semi-arid regions in India to examine the implications of multi-scalar response strategies on local adaptive capacities and adaptation processes. We find that current arguments of good development translating into effective adaptation are not always seen: building specific capacities to deal with climatic risks is essential to leverage wins through development interventions. This can help semi-arid regions and people living in them to move towards sustainable adaptation pathways.

Transcriptome assembly and polymorphism detection in Silene ciliata (Caryophyllaceae)

AbstractSilene ciliata (Caryophyllaceae) is a key species to test evolutionary hypotheses in a global warming context. The recent advances in Next Generation Sequencing technologies can help in providing clues about climate-mediated local adaptation. In the present study, we analysed the full transcriptome of six individuals of S. ciliata from Central Spain, by aligning it with the transcriptome of S. latifolia. We aimed (a) to identify Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) in the transcriptome of the species, (b) to describe the biological function of the polymorphic genes expressed and (c) to identify loci that may be involved in local adaptation processes at optimal and marginal populations of the species. We identified a total of 147,118 SNPs distributed throughout 12,688 sequences. The number of polymorphic sequences annotated was 8023. One hundred thirty sequences containing polymorphisms strongly associated with optimal and marginal conditions were selected. Gene ontology searches were successful for 118, and many of these were related to responses to stress (n = 19) and abiotic stimulus (n = 16). Genomic data generated provide a starting point for further research on the identification of candidate genes related to local adaptation and other processes in the species.

Molecular characterization and phylogenetic analysis of a Squash leaf curl virus isolate from Baja California Sur, Mexico.

BackgroundThe begomovirus, squash leaf curl virus (SLCuV) is one of the causal agents of squash leaf curl (SLC) disease, which is among the most destructive diseases of cucurbit crops in tropical, subtropical, and semiarid regions worldwide. This disease was originally reported in the American continent with subsequent spread to the Mediterranean basin. Up to now, SLCuV has only been detected by PCR in Mexico. This study provides the first complete sequence of a Mexican SLCuV isolate from Baja California Sur (BCS). In addition, the genome of the virus was characterized, establishing its phylogenetic relationship with other SLCuV isolates.MethodsThe full genome (DNA-A and DNA-B) was amplified by rolling circle amplification, cloned and sequenced and the open reading frames (ORF) were annotated. Virus identification was performed according to the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV) criteria for begomovirus species demarcation. To infer evolutionary relationship with other SLCuV isolates, phylogenetic and recombination analyses were performed.ResultsThe SLCuV-[MX-BCS-La Paz-16] genome (DNA-A and DNA-B) had 99% identity with SLCuV reference genomes. The phylogenetic analysis showed that SLCuV-[MX-BCS-La Paz-16] is closely related to SLCuV isolates from the Middle East (Egypt, Israel, Palestine and Lebanon). No evidence of interspecific recombination was determined and iterons were 100% identical in all isolates in the SLCuV clade.ConclusionsSLCuV-[MX-BCS-La Paz-16] showed low genetic variability in its genome, which could be due to a local adaptation process (isolate environment), suggesting that SLCuV isolates from the Middle East could have derived from the southwestern United States of America (USA) and northwestern Mexico.

Contrasting patterns of divergence at the regulatory and sequence level in European Daphnia galeata natural populations.

Understanding the genetic basis of local adaptation has long been a focus of evolutionary biology. Recently, there has been increased interest in deciphering the evolutionary role of Daphnia's plasticity and the molecular mechanisms of local adaptation. Using transcriptome data, we assessed the differences in gene expression profiles and sequences in four European Daphnia galeata populations. In total, ~33% of 32,903 transcripts were differentially expressed between populations. Among 10,280 differentially expressed transcripts, 5,209 transcripts deviated from neutral expectations and their population‐specific expression pattern is likely the result of local adaptation processes. Furthermore, a SNP analysis allowed inferring population structure and distribution of genetic variation. The population divergence at the sequence level was comparatively higher than the gene expression level by several orders of magnitude consistent with strong founder effects and lack of gene flow between populations. Using sequence homology, the candidate transcripts were annotated using a comparative genomics approach. Additionally, we also performed a weighted gene co‐expression analysis to identify population‐specific regulatory patterns of transcripts in D. galeata. Thus, we identified candidate transcriptomic regions for local adaptation in this key species of aquatic ecosystems in the absence of any laboratory‐induced stressor.

Understanding the diffusion and adoption of digital finance innovation in emerging economies: M-Pesa money mobile transfer service in Kenya

ABSTRACTThe growth of digital financial innovations in emerging economies varies across countries with Kenya’s mobile money transactions leading in Africa. Empirical evidence is lacking to describe from a system perspective the major factors attributing to this. Among the major money mobile transfer innovations, M-Pesa has recorded a tremendous impact since its launch in 2007. Consequently, this paper uses M-Pesa as a case study to understand the determinants of the success of digital financial innovations in an emerging economy. The analysis is applied at the level of technological innovation system (TIS), a framework that has provided useful insights into the functions that need to be stimulated for the successful deployment of innovative technologies. The analysis exposes key systemic functions that characterize M-Pesa rapid diffusion in Kenya. The study finds that TIS framework can be applied to explain the diffusion and uptake of a new technology. However, local adaptation process attracts critical coordination aspects, significant learning and localized capabilities attributed to M-Pesa rapid expansion. These aspects are not explicitly articulated in the TIS literature. The study concludes with policy recommendations towards stimulation of key functions that may support diffusion of digital financial innovations in emerging economies.

Impact of river erosion on livelihood and coping strategies of displaced people in South-Eastern Bangladesh

Bangladesh is situated in riverine and deltaic region in South Asia where riverbank erosion is a catastrophic climate induced disaster in Bangladesh. The present study has been undertaken to investigate the impact of riverbank erosion on lives and livelihoods of the displaced people in the South-Eastern Bangladesh. Both quantitative and qualitative data have been used through in-depth interviews, focus group discussion and questionnaire survey. The study reveals that riverbank erosion is addressing displacement, hidden hunger and poverty, loss of land and identity of coastal people. Besides, displaced persons face social, economic, cultural stigma in their community. People have used different types of indigenous knowledge to reduce the sufferings of the affected people. The findings of this study are vital for policymakers to articulate and implement effective approaches and programs to reduce vulnerability and to increase the local adaptation processes in order to improve such households' livelihood all over Bangladesh.

Impact of river erosion on livelihood and coping strategies of displaced people in South-Eastern Bangladesh

Bangladesh is situated in riverine and deltaic region in South Asia where riverbank erosion is a catastrophic climate induced disaster in Bangladesh. The present study has been undertaken to investigate the impact of riverbank erosion on lives and livelihoods of the displaced people in the South-Eastern Bangladesh. Both quantitative and qualitative data have been used through in-depth interviews, focus group discussion and questionnaire survey. The study reveals that riverbank erosion is addressing displacement, hidden hunger and poverty, loss of land and identity of coastal people. Besides, displaced persons face social, economic, cultural stigma in their community. People have used different types of indigenous knowledge to reduce the sufferings of the affected people. The findings of this study are vital for policymakers to articulate and implement effective approaches and programs to reduce vulnerability and to increase the local adaptation processes in order to improve such households' livelihood all over Bangladesh.

World models as organizational models: global framing and transnational activism in the brazilian black movement

Abstract The aim of this article is to explore the appropriation that the Brazilian black movement makes of diasporic content. Throughout history the black diaspora has produced different interpretations of what it means to be black, of what racism is, and produced different ways to fight it. Among these visions is the Black Atlantic, which presents itself as a macrostructure capable of influencing the formation of several frames around the world. The frames are interpretative schemes, world views that serve as a guide for the action of social movements, forming microstructures that represent the diagnoses and prognoses developed during their activities and proposals for struggle, as well as in its organization, forms of action, and resource mobilization. The results show that all these dynamics are related to the alignment of black activism to what is called global framing, which is a process of transnational diffusion formed during local adaptation processes.

How to Translate Self-Management Support Tools Into Clinical Practice: A Report From the INSTTEPP Trial and Meta-LARC Consortium.

Patient self-management is an inevitable part of the work of being a patient, and self-management support (SMS) has become increasingly important in chronic disease management. However, the majority of SMS resources available in the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality SMS Resource Library were developed without explicit collaboration between clinicians and patients. Translation of SMS tools derived from the library into primary care practices occurred utilizing boot camp translation in four different practice-based research networks (PBRNs). The typical model of boot camp translation was adapted for the purpose of the Implementing Networks' Self-management Tools Through Engaging Patients and Practices (INSTTEPP) study to develop SMS tools for implementation in the participating practices. Clinicians, clinic staff members, and patients were involved throughout the translation process. Existing resources from the SMS library were reviewed and adapted by each boot camp translation group to create tools unique to the patients in each network. There was no preexisting resource within the library that was deemed suitable for implementation without modification. Each network adapted tools from the SMS library to create different products. Common themes emerged from each network's translation process that highlighted the importance of patient engagement in the translation process. Boot camp translation, in conjunction with PBRNs, can be implemented to adapt SMS tools for implementation in member practices. Boot camp translation with a combination of practices and patients can be implemented to facilitate a process of local adaptation that improves the local applicability of SMS tools in primary care clinics.

Government Intervention and Farmers’ Adaptation to Saline Intrusion: A Case Study in the Vietnamese Mekong Delta

The Vietnamese Mekong Delta is located in the southern part of the country where the Mekong River runs through before it empties into the East Sea. Saline intrusion is a recurrent problem causing serious risks for agriculture and coastal livelihoods of the majority of people in the Delta. Collective adaptation plays an important role in improving the capacity of rural community to deal with environmental complexities. This research aims to examine how the collective adaptation supports the farmer and institutional adaptation to the conditions of saltwater intrusion in Tra Vinh and Kien Giang provinces. Statistical analysis was used to examine the trend of saltwater intrusion and the change in livelihoods of farmers in the Delta. The result shows the remarkable increase in salinity over the past twenty years. Various forms of adaptation were demonstrated by farmers’ and governments’ efforts in implementing adaptation practices to address salinity. Farmers have changed from rice to shrimp culture either through an intensive or extensive system where it is favorable to local environmental conditions. Meanwhile, local governments have attempted to establish various mechanisms to support collective actions (e.g., cooperative policies). The study highlights the critical role of formal and informal institutions that assist local adaptation processes. Adaptation practices were most pronounced in areas profoundly exposed to salinity impacts. The study suggests that further attention should be given to the establishment of institutional structures and rural social networks and how they are instrumental to collective adaptation.

Transcriptome-Derived Microsatellites Demonstrate Strong Genetic Differentiation in Pacific White Sharks.

Recent advances in genome-scale sequencing technology have allowed the development of high resolution genetic markers for the study of nonmodel taxa. In particular, transcriptome sequencing has proven to be highly useful in generating genomic markers for use in population genetic studies, allowing for insight into species connectivity, as well as local adaptive processes as many transcriptome-derived markers are found within or associated with functional genes. Herein, we developed a set of 30 microsatellite markers from a heart transcriptome for the white shark (Carcharodon carcharias), a widely distributed and globally vulnerable marine predator. Using these markers as well as 10 published anonymous genomic microsatellite loci, we provide 1) the first nuclear genetic assessment of the cross-Pacific connectivity of white sharks, and 2) a comparison of the levels of inferred differentiation across microsatellite marker sets (i.e., transcriptome vs. anonymous) to assess their respective utility to elucidate the population genetic dynamics of white sharks. Significant (FST = 0.083, P = 0.05; G″ST = 0.200; P = 0.001) genetic differentiation was found between Southwestern Pacific (n = 19) and Northeastern Pacific (n = 20) white sharks, indicating restricted, cross Pacific gene flow in this species. Transcriptome-derived microsatellite marker sets identified much higher (up to 2×) levels of genetic differentiation than anonymous genomic markers, underscoring potential utility of transcriptome markers in identifying subtle population genetic differences within highly vagile, globally distributed marine species.Subject areas: Population structure and phylogeography; Conservation genetics and biodiversity.

Maintenance of soil ecotypes ofSolidago virgaureain close parapatry via divergent flowering time and selection against immigrants

AbstractThe often patchy distribution of serpentine geology can lead to abrupt changes in soil and microclimates. Thus, serpentine areas provide an ideal natural setting to understand how divergent selection drives the process of local adaptation in edaphically specialized plants. When the serpentine ecotype is surrounded by a related nonserpentine ecotype, a balance of natural selection and potential gene flow should maintain the different ecotypes over very short distances. We aimed to reveal the mechanisms allowing soil ecotypes of a goldenrod species to co‐occur sympatrically in Japan.We performed field surveys to characterize microenvironments and flowering phenology of each ecotype, common garden and reciprocal transplant experiments and artificial crossing, and population genetic analysis to investigate the levels of genetic differentiation between ecotypes.Growth chamber experiments show that serpentine plants showed lower specific leaf area (SLA) and greater resource allocation to their root systems than did their nonserpentine counterparts, a potential adaptation to drier and less fertile soil condition in serpentine habitats. Reciprocal transplant studies demonstrated a clear pattern of local adaptation in the plant growth rate. Importantly, serpentine populations completed flowering by midsummer versus late summer in nonserpentine plants. This pattern is consistent with the hypothesis that early flowering ensures reproductive success, before the microclimatic conditions becomes severe in open habitats. Although prezygotic isolation was a strong barrier to gene flow, genetic differentiation was very low, indicating a recent origin for the serpentine ecotypes and/or gene flow at low frequencies.Synthesis. The findings indicate that the early flowering times of serpentine ecotypes, which would have been selected for by microclimates in serpentine areas, can play roles in local adaptation, but also population isolation via a by‐product of diverged reproductive timings. This study contributes to general understanding of the initial stages of plant ecological speciation under potential gene flow in very small geographic scales.

My Village Is Dying? Integrating Methods from the Inside Out.

The purpose of this paper is to confront the notion of "decline" at the village level by illustrating a more immersive approach to sociological and demographic research within rural and remote communities. The research uses case studies of three villages in Australia, Canada, and Sweden, all of which have been labeled as "declining villages," typified by population loss, an aging population, high rates of youth outmigration, and loss of businesses and services. This paper argues that focusing solely on quantitative indicators of demographic change provides a narrow view of rural village trajectories and ignores subtle processes of local adaptation that are hidden from quantitative data sets. Our research integrates quantitative data from the "outside" with qualitative data from the "inside," including visual ethnography, to develop a more balanced perspective on how villages have been changing and what change could mean locally. These objectives are accomplished by revisiting a Dirt Research methodology applicable to a broad range of research into rural and remote villages.

How does climate change affect regeneration of Mediterranean high-mountain plants? An integration and synthesis of current knowledge.

Mediterranean mountains are extraordinarily diverse and hold a high proportion of endemic plants, but they are particularly vulnerable to climate change, and most species distribution models project drastic changes in community composition. Retrospective studies and long-term monitoring also highlight that Mediterranean high-mountain plants are suffering severe range contractions. The aim of this work is to review the current knowledge of climate change impacts on the process of plant regeneration by seed in Mediterranean high-mountain plants, by combining available information from observational and experimental studies. We also discuss some processes that may provide resilience against changing environmental conditions and suggest some research priorities for the future. With some exceptions, there is still little evidence of the direct effects of climate change on pollination and reproductive success of Mediterranean high-mountain plants, and most works are observational and/or centred only in the post-dispersal stages (germination and establishment). The great majority of studies agree that the characteristic summer drought and the extreme heatwaves, which are projected to be more intense in the future, are the most limiting factors for the regeneration process. However, there is an urgent need for studies combining elevational gradient approaches with experimental manipulations of temperature and drought to confirm the magnitude and variability of species' responses. There is also limited knowledge about the ability of Mediterranean high-mountain plants to cope with climate change through phenotypic plasticity and local adaptation processes. This could be achieved by performing common garden and reciprocal translocation experiments with species differing in life history traits.

The Role of Sexual Selection in Local Adaptation and Speciation

Sexual selection plays several intricate and complex roles in the related processes of local adaptation and speciation. In some cases sexual selection can promote these processes, but in others it can be inhibitory. We present theoretical and empirical evidence supporting these dual effects of sexual selection during local adaptation, allopatric speciation, and speciation with gene flow. Much of the empirical evidence for sexual selection promoting speciation is suggestive rather than conclusive; we present what would constitute strong evidence for sexual selection driving speciation. We conclude that although there is ample evidence that sexual selection contributes to the speciation process, it is very likely to do so only in concert with natural selection.

Asymmetric responses to simulated global warming by populations of Colobanthus quitensis along a latitudinal gradient.

The increase in temperature as consequence of the recent global warming has been reported to generate new ice-free areas in the Antarctic continent, facilitating the colonization and spread of plant populations. Consequently, Antarctic vascular plants have been observed extending their southern distribution. But as the environmental conditions toward southern localities become progressively more departed from the species’ physiological optimum, the ecophysiological responses and survival to the expected global warming could be reduced. However, if processes of local adaptation are the main cause of the observed southern expansion, those populations could appear constrained to respond positively to the expected global warming. Using individuals from the southern tip of South America, the South Shetland Islands and the Antarctic Peninsula, we assess with a long term experiment (three years) under controlled conditions if the responsiveness of Colobanthus quitensis populations to the expected global warming, is related with their different foliar traits and photoprotective mechanisms along the latitudinal gradient. In addition, we tested if the release of the stress condition by the global warming in these cold environments increases the ecophysiological performance. For this, we describe the latitudinal pattern of net photosynthetic capacity, biomass accumulation, and number of flowers under current and future temperatures respective to each site of origin after three growing seasons. Overall, was found a clinal trend was found in the foliar traits and photoprotective mechanisms in the evaluated C. quitensis populations. On the other hand, an asymmetric response to warming was observed for southern populations in all ecophysiological traits evaluated, suggesting that low temperature is limiting the performance of C. quitensis populations. Our results suggest that under a global warming scenario, plant populations that inhabiting cold zones at high latitudes could increase in their ecophysiological performance, enhancing the size of populations or their spread.

Lineage divergence, local adaptation across a biogeographic break, and artificial transport, shape the genetic structure in the ascidian Pyura chilensis

Marine benthic organisms inhabit a heterogeneous environment in which connectivity between populations occurs mainly through dispersive larval stages, while local selective pressures acting on early life history stages lead to non-random mortality, shaping adaptive genetic structure. In order to test the influence of local adaptation and neutral processes in a marine benthic species with low dispersal, in this study we used Genotyping by Sequencing technology to compare the neutral and putatively selected signals (neutral and outlier loci, respectively) in SNPs scattered throughout the genome in six local populations of the commercially exploited ascidian Pyura chilensis along the southeast Pacific coast (24°–42°S). This species is sessile as an adult, has a short-lived larval stage, and may also be dispersed by artificial transport as biofouling. We found that the main signal in neutral loci was a highly divergent lineage present at 39°S, and a subjacent signal that indicated a separation at 30°S (north/south), widely reported in the area. North/south separation was the main signal in outlier loci, and the linage divergence at 39°S was subjacent. We conclude that the geographic structure of the genetic diversity of outlier and neutral loci was established by different strengths of environmental, historical and anthropogenic factors.