Titel (eng)

Fine-scale genetic structure and phenotypic divergence of a passerine bird population inhabiting a continuous Mediterranean woodland

Autor*in

Jorge Garrido-Bautista   University of Granada

Gregorio Moreno-Rueda

Mohammed Bakkali   University of Granada

Dustin J. Penn   University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna

Steve Smith   University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna

Mar Comas

Michael J. Jowers   University of Granada

Verlag

Royal Society of London

Beschreibung (eng)

Genetic differentiation between populations inhabiting ecologically different habitats might appear because of limited dispersal and gene flow, which may lead to patterns of phenotypic divergence and local adaptation. In this study, we use dispersal, genotypic (24 microsatellite loci) and phenotypic (body size and clutch size) data to analyse patterns of genetic structuring and phenotypic divergence in a blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus) population inhabiting a continuous and heterogeneous woodland along a valley. The two slopes of the valley differ in their forest formations and environmental conditions. Findings showed that most blue tits reproduced within their natal slope. Accordingly, microsatellite analyses revealed that populations of blue tits established in the two slopes show subtle genetic differentiation. The two genetic populations diverged in clutch size, exceeding the level of differentiation expected based on genetic drift, hence suggesting divergent selection (or other processes promoting divergence) on this life-history trait. Our findings reveal that restricted dispersal and spatial heterogeneity may
lead to genetic differentiation among bird populations at a surprisingly small scale. In this respect, it is worth highlighting that such differentiation occurs for an organism with high dispersal capacity and within a continuous woodland. Moreover, we show that small-scale ecological differences, together with limited gene flow, can result in selection favouring different phenotypes even within the same continuum population.

Sprache des Objekts

Englisch

Datum

2024

Rechte

Dieses Werk bzw. dieser Inhalt steht unter einer
CC BY 4.0 - Creative Commons Namensnennung 4.0 International Lizenz.

CC BY 4.0 International

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Klassifikation

Tits Parus-Major; Blue Tits; Local Adaptation; Natural-Selection; Reproductive Isolation; Q(St)-F-St Comparisons; Inbreeding Avoidance; Landscape Features; Evolution Canyon; Habitat Quality

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