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Evolutionary significance of stochastic forces and small populations Coyne JA, Barton NH and Turelli M. 1997. A critique of Sewall Wright’s shifting balance theory of evolution. Evolution 51:643-671
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Genetic differentiation Evidence for population differentiation in plants is indisputable. –Deterministic forces (Natural selection) –Stochastic processes (Genetic drift)
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Drift causes random changes in allele frequencies Simulated population; N = 10
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Determinants of drift small population size (N) restricted dispersal (m) N N N N N population neighbourhood
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Effective population size, N e -a standardized measure of population size -size of an ‘idealized’ population with the same strength of genetic drift as the target population. - the census number (N), adjusted for skewed sex ratio, perenniality, selfing, persistent seed bank, ploidy, non-random variation in fecundity etc. - most cases, N e is less than the actual count of individuals in the population (N)
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How important is chance? Darwin (1859): acknowledged that historical accidents and chance could oppose the forces of natural selection Gulick (1872): Hawaiian land snails Hagedoorn, A. L. and Hagedoom, A. C. The Relative Value of the Processes Causing Evolution. Pp. 294. Martinus Nijhoff. The Hague, 1921.
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Wright and Fisher Fisher: adaptive evolution results simply from Darwinian mass selection. Wright: adaptation cannot be explained by selection alone. Stochastic processes such as genetic drift often play an important role.
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Shifting Balance Theory Genotype/phenotype Fitness selection drift Fitness landscape selection
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Coyne, Barton and Turelli 1997 “….it seems unreasonable to consider the shifting balance process as an important explanation for the evolution of adaptation”
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Role of small populations and genetic drift in the evolution of mating systems in Eichhornia paniculata
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Eichhornia paniculata Pontederiaceae short-lived perennial/annual insect pollinated Ephemeral water bodies in Brazil, Cuba, Jamaica, parts of Central America
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3 mating types mating is disassortative and outcrossing stable state: frequency- dependent selection maintains equal morphs frequencies Tristyly
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N = 167 populations Estimate mating type frequencies
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Trimorphic = 118 Dimorphic = 42 Monomorphic = 7
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Mating type structure Trimorphic populations near 1:1:1, or low on S Most dimorphic pops missing the S morph; All monomorphic pops are M
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How is mating system measured? 1. Need 8-10 half sib offspring from each of 20- 30 mothers 2. Genotype mothers and offspring using genetic markers (allozymes, microsatellites, AFLPs) 3. Infer the genetic contribution of the paternal parent AB AA? AB Mother = AA 4. Estimate the rate of outcrossing (t) that produces the distribution of offspring observed. S = 1-t
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Population outcrossing rate varies with mating type diversity Self-fertilizing 1 mating type Cross-fertilizing 3-mating types
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Selfing variant of the M morph
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Natural selection against the S morph, perhaps related to pollinator x mating type interactions Stochastic events associated with small, short- lived populations What evolutionary forces have caused the the loss of mating types and the transition from a stable outcrossing breeding system to self-fertilization? Hypotheses
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Selection Pollinator limitation: long-tongued solitary bees; may be unpredictable in small pops; S morphs may be most vulnerable Fertility in the field but S < M,L in 3 of 6 pops F = 0.31, p > 0.50
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Effective Population Size (N e ) Individual-based simulations of tristylous populations When N e < 40, drift can overcome selection and cause the loss of mating types. N e < 10, more likely to lose two mating types.
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Mating types not lost equally S morph - most likely to be lost ssmmssMm ssMM SsMm SsMM SSMm SSMM frequency-dependent selection resists loss of morphs if 1:1:1, all morphs equally likely to disappear due to sampling error however, S allele is only carried by S morphs and thus cannot segregate from remaining L and M.
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Effective population size in 10 populations of E. paniculata Genetic method Sample allele frequencies over at least 2 years Variance in allele freq. NeNe V(p) =
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N e - Demographic method Five estimates 1.Estimate # of individuals 2.N, corrected for variation in among years 3.N, corrected for variance in flower production 4.N, corrected for mating type frequency 5.N, corrected for self-fertilization
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NeNe Mean N = 763 (range 30.5 - 5040) Mean N e = 15.8 (range 3.4 - 70.6) Mean N e / N = 0.106 N e < 40 in 120 of 167 pops N e /N Demography Temporal var = 0.47 Reprod effort = 0.42 Selfing rate = 0.98 Morph freq = 0.95
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Effect of drift on Spatial variation in morph structure Predictions Effective population size
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Dimorphic/monomorphic Trimorphic Spatial variation in mating type structure
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Temporal variation in frequency of S mating type S morph lost from pops
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Temporal variation in S as a function of N
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What accounts for the loss of the L morph? Reproductive assurance: ability to self-fertilize in the absence of pollinators favours selfing M morph F=2.8, p = 0.13
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Why doesn’t the M morph spread in trimorphic populations? pollinators not scarce in large pops siring advantage doesn’t exist when S is present
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Genotype/phenotype Fitness selection drift Fitness landscape selection outcrossing selfing
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