Rapid niche expansion by selection on functional genomic variation after ecosystem recovery. Issue 1 (January 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Jacobs, Arne; Carruthers, Madeleine; Eckmann, Reiner; Yohannes, Elizabeth; Adams, Colin; Behrmann-Godel, Jasminca; Elmer, Kathryn
• Is Part Of: Nature ecology & evolution. Volume 3:Issue 1(2019)
• Page Start: 77
• Page End: 86
• Publication Date: 2019-01
• Subjects: Ecology -- Periodicals; Evolution (Biology) -- Periodicals; 577.05
• DOI: 10.1038/s41559-018-0742-9
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2397-334X

Abstract

Abstract It is well recognized that environmental degradation caused by human activities can result in dramatic losses of species and diversity. However, comparatively little is known about the ability of biodiversity to re-emerge following ecosystem recovery. Here, we show that a European whitefish subspecies, the gangfischCoregonus lavaretus macrophthalmus, rapidly increased its ecologically functional diversity following the restoration of Lake Constance after anthropogenic eutrophication. In fewer than ten generations, gangfisch evolved a greater range of gill raker numbers (GRNs) to utilize a broader ecological niche. A sparse genetic architecture underlies this variation in GRN. Several co-expressed gene modules and genes showing signals of positive selection were associated with GRN and body shape. These were enriched for biological pathways related to trophic niche expansion in fishes. Our findings demonstrate the potential of functional diversity to expand following habitat restoration, given a fortuitous combination of genetic architecture, genetic diversity and selection. European whitefish evolved a greater range in the number of gill rakers to utilize a broader ecological niche following the restoration of Lake Constance after anthropogenic eutrophication.