Coevolution Creates Complex Mosaics across Large Landscapes

Author(s)

Fernandes, Lucas D. ^[1] ; Lemos-Costa, Paula ^{[2, 3]} ; Guimaraes, Jr., Paulo R. ^[4] ; Thompson, John N. ^[5] ; de Aguiar, Marcus A. M. ^[6]

Affiliation

^[1] Imperial Coll London, Dept Life Sci, Silwood Pk, Ascot SL5 7PY, Berks - England

^[2] Univ Estadual Campinas, Programa Posgrad Ecol, Inst Biol, BR-13083865 Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[3] Univ Chicago, Dept Ecol & Evolut, 940 E 57Th St, Chicago, IL 60637 - USA

^[4] Univ Sao Paulo, Dept Ecol, BR-05508090 Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[5] Univ Calif Santa Cruz, Dept Ecol & Evolutionary Biol, Santa Cruz, CA 95060 - USA

^[6] Univ Estadual Campinas, Inst Fis Gleb Wataghin, BR-13083859 Sao Paulo - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: American Naturalist; v. 194, n. 2, p. 217-229, AUG 1 2019.
• Web of Science Citations: 0

Abstract

The spatial distribution of populations can influence the evolutionary outcome of species interactions. The variation in direction and strength of selection across local communities creates geographic selection mosaics that, when combined with gene flow and genomic processes such as genome duplication or hybridization, can fuel ongoing coevolution. A fundamental problem to solve is how coevolution proceeds when many populations that vary in their ecological outcomes are connected across large landscapes. Here we use a lattice model to explore this problem. Our results show that the complex interrelationships among the elements of the geographic mosaic of coevolution can lead to the formation of clusters of populations with similar phenotypes that are larger than expected by local selection. Our results indicate that neither the spatial distribution of phenotypes nor the spatial differences in magnitude and direction of selection alone dictate coevolutionary dynamics: the geographic mosaic of coevolution affects formation of phenotypic clusters, which in turn affect the spatial and temporal dynamics of coevolution. Because the formation of large phenotypic clusters depends on gene flow, we predict that current habitat fragmentation will change the outcomes of geographic mosaics, coupling spatial patterns in selection and phenotypes. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 09/54422-8 - Structure and coevolutionary dynamics in mutualistic networks
• Grantee: Paulo Roberto Guimarães Junior
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Young Investigators Grants
• FAPESP's process: 15/26989-4 - Spatial dynamics and landscape structure of Spodoptera frugiperda
• Grantee: Lucas Dias Fernandes
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• FAPESP's process: 16/06054-3 - Spatially distributed population dynamics: speciation and coevolution
• Grantee: Marcus Aloizio Martinez de Aguiar
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants