Genetic basis of adaptation of manakins (Passeriformes: Pipridae) to Neotropical habitats

• Grant number: 20/07556-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Effective date (Start): November 01, 2020
• Effective date (End): July 31, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Genetics - Animal Genetics
• Acordo de Cooperação: NSF - Dimensions of Biodiversity and BIOTA
• Principal Investigator: Fábio Sarubbi Raposo do Amaral
• Grantee: Clarissa Ferreira de Carvalho
• Host Institution: Instituto de Ciências Ambientais, Químicas e Farmacêuticas (ICAQF). Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP). Campus Diadema. Diadema , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 18/03428-5 - Dimensions US-BIOTA-Sao Paulo: traits as predictors of adaptive diversification along the Brazilian Dry Diagonal, AP.BTA.TEM

Abstract

The process of adaptation to new environments is a keystone for the understanding of evolution. Given adaptation is a complex and multifaceted process, it should be investigated carefully and in depth. To this end, it is imperative to dissect the mechanisms underlying adaptation and the possible routes that could have led to speciation and diversification. Thus, the aim of this work is to investigate the ecological, phenotypic and genomic patterns underlying adaptation to a new habitat. We will test the general hypothesis that divergent selective pressures arising from the new environment contribute to trait differentiation and species divergence. Here, we propose to address this hypothesis three manakins species (Passerines: Pipridae) as the model systems: Antilophia bokermanni, Antilophia galeata and Chiroxiphia caudata. Unlike C. caudata and most manakins species, typically found in humid forests or woodlands, the two Antilophia species inhabit forested pockets in seasonally dry regions in the Brazilian Cerrado biome. As such, we plan to estimate the association between phenotypic variation and divergent habitat conditions, and identify the traits that are more 'plastic' or responsive to environmental variation. By generating a new reference genome and whole-genome re-sequencing data, we plan to characterize the genomic regions with enhanced divergence between the habitats and estimate possible phenotypic effects. In addition, we aim to determine the genomic signatures of selection between populations and species inhabiting divergent habitats. This work is part of an integrative project involving many scientific groups targeting the process of adaptation to the Brazilian Dry Diagonal. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

VILLOUTREIX, ROMAIN; DE CARVALHO, CLARISSA F.; FEDER, JEFFREY L.; GOMPERT, ZACHARIAH; NOSIL, PATRIK. Disruptive selection and the evolution of discrete color morphs in Timema stick insects. SCIENCE ADVANCES, v. 9, n. 13, p. 14-pg., 2023-03-31. (20/07556-8)