The effect of the recombination rate between adaptive loci on the capacity of a population to expand its range
(2021) In American Naturalist 197(5). p.526-542- Abstract
Previous theoretical work on range expansions over heterogeneous environments showed that there is a critical environmental gradient where range expansion stops. For populations with freely recombining loci underlying the trait under selection (hereafter, “adaptive loci”), the critical gradient in one-dimensional habitats depends on the fitness cost of dispersal and the strength of selection relative to genetic drift. Here, we extend the previous work in two directions and ask, What is the role of the recombination rate between the adaptive loci during range expansions? And what effect does the ability of selfing as opposed to obligate outcrossing have on range expansions? To answer these questions, we use computer simulations. We... (More)
Previous theoretical work on range expansions over heterogeneous environments showed that there is a critical environmental gradient where range expansion stops. For populations with freely recombining loci underlying the trait under selection (hereafter, “adaptive loci”), the critical gradient in one-dimensional habitats depends on the fitness cost of dispersal and the strength of selection relative to genetic drift. Here, we extend the previous work in two directions and ask, What is the role of the recombination rate between the adaptive loci during range expansions? And what effect does the ability of selfing as opposed to obligate outcrossing have on range expansions? To answer these questions, we use computer simulations. We demonstrate that while reduced recombination rates between adaptive loci slow down range expansions as a result of poor purging of locally deleterious alleles at the expansion front, they may also allow a species to occupy a greater range. In addition, we find that the allowance of selfing may improve the ability of populations to expand their ranges, for example, because selfing among potentially rare high-fitness individuals facilitates the establishment and maintenance of locally well-adapted genotypes. We conclude that during range expansions there is a trade-off between positive and negative effects of recombination within and between individuals.
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- author
- Eriksson, Martin LU and Rafajlović, Marina
- publishing date
- 2021-05
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- Adaptation, Allee effects, Genetic variation, Range contraction, Range margins, Simulations
- in
- American Naturalist
- volume
- 197
- issue
- 5
- pages
- 17 pages
- publisher
- University of Chicago Press
- external identifiers
-
- pmid:33908832
- scopus:85103935828
- ISSN
- 0003-0147
- DOI
- 10.1086/713669
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- no
- additional info
- Publisher Copyright: © 2021 by The University of Chicago.
- id
- e19867f8-62cf-4155-a384-29106f6d469a
- date added to LUP
- 2023-10-03 15:56:04
- date last changed
- 2024-04-19 01:53:54
@article{e19867f8-62cf-4155-a384-29106f6d469a,
abstract = {{<p>Previous theoretical work on range expansions over heterogeneous environments showed that there is a critical environmental gradient where range expansion stops. For populations with freely recombining loci underlying the trait under selection (hereafter, “adaptive loci”), the critical gradient in one-dimensional habitats depends on the fitness cost of dispersal and the strength of selection relative to genetic drift. Here, we extend the previous work in two directions and ask, What is the role of the recombination rate between the adaptive loci during range expansions? And what effect does the ability of selfing as opposed to obligate outcrossing have on range expansions? To answer these questions, we use computer simulations. We demonstrate that while reduced recombination rates between adaptive loci slow down range expansions as a result of poor purging of locally deleterious alleles at the expansion front, they may also allow a species to occupy a greater range. In addition, we find that the allowance of selfing may improve the ability of populations to expand their ranges, for example, because selfing among potentially rare high-fitness individuals facilitates the establishment and maintenance of locally well-adapted genotypes. We conclude that during range expansions there is a trade-off between positive and negative effects of recombination within and between individuals.</p>}},
author = {{Eriksson, Martin and Rafajlović, Marina}},
issn = {{0003-0147}},
keywords = {{Adaptation; Allee effects; Genetic variation; Range contraction; Range margins; Simulations}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{5}},
pages = {{526--542}},
publisher = {{University of Chicago Press}},
series = {{American Naturalist}},
title = {{The effect of the recombination rate between adaptive loci on the capacity of a population to expand its range}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1086/713669}},
doi = {{10.1086/713669}},
volume = {{197}},
year = {{2021}},
}