Compensating for climate change–induced cue‐environment mismatches: evidence for contemporary evolution of a photoperiodic reaction norm in Colias butterflies. (24th April 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Nielsen, Matthew E.; Kingsolver, Joel G.
• Editors: Ghalambor, Cameron
• Is Part Of: Ecology letters. Volume 23:Number 7(2020)
• Page Start: 1129
• Page End: 1136
• Publication Date: 2020-04-24
• Subjects: Climate change -- Colias eurytheme -- contemporary evolution -- evolutionary trap -- melanization -- phenotypic plasticity -- photoperiod -- reaction norm -- seasonal mismatch; Ecology -- Periodicals; 577
• DOI: 10.1111/ele.13515
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1461-023X

Abstract

Abstract: Anthropogenic climate change alters seasonal conditions without altering photoperiod and can thus create a cue‐environment mismatch for organisms that use photoperiod as a cue for seasonal plasticity. We investigated whether evolution of the photoperiodic reaction norm has compensated for this mismatch in Colias eurytheme. This butterfly's wing melanization has a thermoregulatory function and changes seasonally. In 1971, Hoffmann quantified how larval photoperiod determines adult wing melanization. We recreated his experiment 47 years later using a contemporary population. Comparing our results to his, we found decreased melanization at short photoperiods but no change in melanization at long photoperiods, which is consistent with the greater increase in spring than summer temperatures recorded for this region. Our study shows that evolution can help correct cue‐environment mismatches but not in the same way under all conditions. Studies of contemporary evolution may miss important changes if they focus on only a limited range of conditions. Abstract : The seasonal, photoperiodic plasticity of wing color in Colias eurytheme butterflies has changed over the past 47 years in a direction which corresponds to observed climate change. Their wings have brightened, but only at short photoperiods, which reflects to greater increases in spring temperatures than summer temperatures in central California, where this study was conducted.