10.5061/DRYAD.Q10D6
Monro, Keyne
Monash University
University of Queensland
Marshall, Dustin J.
Monash University
University of Queensland
Data from: Evolutionary constraints and the maintenance of individual
specialization throughout succession
Dryad
dataset
2013
2013-07-25T16:17:22Z
2013-07-25T16:17:22Z
en
https://doi.org/10.1111/evo.12220
18535 bytes
1
CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) Public Domain Dedication
Constraints on life-history traits, with their close links to fitness, are
widely invoked as limits to niche expansion at most organizational levels.
Theoretically, such constraints can maintain individual specialization by
preventing adaptation to all niches available, but empirical evidence of
them remains elusive for natural populations. This problem may be
compounded by a tendency to seek constraints involving multiple traits,
neglecting their added potential to manifest in trait expression across
environments (i.e., within reaction norms). By replicating genotypes of a
colonial marine invertebrate across successional stages in its local
community, and taking a holistic approach to the analysis of ensuing
reaction norms for fitness, we show the potential for individual
specialization to be maintained by genetic constraints associated with
these norms, which limit the potential for fitness at one successional
stage to improve without loss of fitness at others. Our study provides new
insight into the evolutionary maintenance of individual specialization in
natural populations and reinforces the importance of reaction norms for
studying this phenomenon.
Data from publicationAs described in publicationdryad.xlsx