Detailed Record



Evolution is more repeatable in the introduction than range expansion phase of colonization


Abstract How repeatable is evolution at genomic and phenotypic scales? We studied the repeatability of evolution during 8 generations of colonization using replicated microcosm experiments with the red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum. Based on the patterns of shared allele frequency changes that occurred in populations from the same generation or experimental location, we found adaptive evolution to be more repeatable in the introduction and establishment phases of colonization than in the spread phase, when populations expand their range. Lastly, by studying changes in allele frequencies at conserved loci, we found evidence for the theoretical prediction that range expansion reduces the efficiency of selection to purge deleterious alleles. Overall, our results increase our understanding of adaptive evolution during colonization, demonstrating that evolution can be highly repeatable while also showing that stochasticity still plays an important role.
Authors Silas Tittes ORCID , Christopher Weiss‐Lehman University of WyomingORCID , Nolan C. Kane ORCID , Ruth A. Hufbauer ORCID , Nancy C. Emery ORCID , Brett A. Melbourne ORCID
Journal Info Wiley | Evolution Letters
Publication Date 12/29/2023
ISSN 2056-3744
TypeKeyword Image article
Open Access gold Gold Access
DOI https://doi.org/10.1093/evlett/qrad063
KeywordsKeyword Image Evolution (Score: 0.547385) , Adaptive Evolution (Score: 0.542555) , Experimental Evolution (Score: 0.504987)