4000 Years of Phenotypic Change in an Island Bird: Heterogeneity of Selection Over Three Microevolutionary Timescales

Clegg, S., Frentiu, F., Kikkawa, J., Tavecchia, G. and Owens, I.P.F. (2008) 4000 Years of Phenotypic Change in an Island Bird: Heterogeneity of Selection Over Three Microevolutionary Timescales. Evolution, 62 9: 2393-2410.


Author Clegg, S.
Frentiu, F.
Kikkawa, J.
Tavecchia, G.
Owens, I.P.F.
Title 4000 Years of Phenotypic Change in an Island Bird: Heterogeneity of Selection Over Three Microevolutionary Timescales
Journal name Evolution  (ERA 2012 Listed)    (ERA 2010 Rank A*)   Check publisher's open access policy
Publication date 2008-09
Sub-type Article
DOI 10.1111/j.1558-5646.2008.00437.x
Volume number 62
Issue number 9
ISSN 0014-3820
Start page 2393
End page 2410
Total pages 18
Place of publication United States
Publisher Wiley- Blackwell Publishing Ltd
Collection year 2009
Language eng
Subject C1
9608 Flora, Fauna and Biodiversity
0603 Evolutionary Biology
Abstract Pronounced phenotypic shifts in island populations are typically attributed to natural selection, but reconstructing heterogeneity in long-term selective regimes remains a challenge. We examined a scenario of divergence proposed for species colonizing a new environment, involving directional selection with a rapid shift to a new optimum and subsequent stabilization. We provide some of the first empirical evidence for this model of evolution using morphological data from three timescales in an island bird, Zosterops lateralis chlorocephalus. In less than four millennia since separation from its mainland counterpart, a substantial increase in body size has occurred and was probably achieved in fewer than 500 generations after colonization. Over four recent decades, morphological traits have fluctuated in size but showed no significant directional trends, suggesting maintenance of a relatively stable phenotype. Finally, estimates of contemporary selection gradients indicated generally weak directional selection. These results provide a rare description of heterogeneity in long-term natural regimes, and caution that observations of current selection may be of limited value in inferring mechanisms of past adaptation due to a lack of constancy even over short time-frames.
Keyword Directional selection
Displaced optimum
Mark-recapture
Microevolutionary rates
Survival
Zosterops
Q-Index Code C1
Q-Index Status Confirmed Code

Document type: Journal Article
Sub-type: Article
Collections: 2009 Higher Education Research Data Collection
School of Biological Sciences Publications
 
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Created: Tue, 09 Dec 2008, 17:49:39 EST by Gail Walter on behalf of School of Biological Sciences