Dataset Information

Island selection on mammalian life-histories: genetic differentiation in offspring size.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Since Darwin's pioneering work, evolutionary changes in isolated island populations of vertebrates have continued to provide the strongest evidence for the theory of natural selection. Besides macro-evolutionary changes, micro-evolutionary changes and the relative importance of natural selection vs. genetic drift are under intense investigation. Our study focuses on the genetic differentiation in morphological and life-history traits in insular populations of a small mammal the bank vole Myodes glareolus.

Results

Our results do not support the earlier findings for larger adult size or lower reproductive effort in insular populations of small mammals. However, the individuals living on islands produced larger offspring than individuals living on the mainland. Genetic differentiation in offspring size was further confirmed by the analyses of quantitative genetics in lab. In insular populations, genetic differentiation in offspring size simultaneously decreases the additive genetic variation (VA) for that trait. Furthermore, our analyses of differentiation in neutral marker loci (Fst) indicate that VA is less than expected on the basis of genetic drift alone, and thus, a lower VA in insular populations could be caused by natural selection.

Conclusion

We believe that different selection pressures (e.g. higher intraspecific competition) in an insular environment might favour larger offspring size in small mammals. Island selection for larger offspring could be the preliminary mechanism in a process which could eventually lead to a smaller litter size and lower reproductive effort frequently found in insular vertebrates.

SUBMITTER: Mappes T

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2584046 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Island selection on mammalian life-histories: genetic differentiation in offspring size.

Mappes Tapio T Grapputo Alessandro A Hakkarainen Harri H Huhta Esa E Koskela Esa E Saunanen Raimo R Suorsa Petri P

BMC evolutionary biology 20081027

<h4>Background</h4>Since Darwin's pioneering work, evolutionary changes in isolated island populations of vertebrates have continued to provide the strongest evidence for the theory of natural selection. Besides macro-evolutionary changes, micro-evolutionary changes and the relative importance of natural selection vs. genetic drift are under intense investigation. Our study focuses on the genetic differentiation in morphological and life-history traits in insular populations of a small mammal th ...[more]

PMID: 18954431

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Dataset Information

Island selection on mammalian life-histories: genetic differentiation in offspring size.

Background

Results

Conclusion

Publications

Island selection on mammalian life-histories: genetic differentiation in offspring size.

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