Ecological gradient of sexual selection: elevation and song elaboration in finches

Ecological gradients in natural and sexual selection often result in evolutionary diversification of morphological, life history, and behavioral traits. In particular, elevational changes in habitat structure and climate not only covary with intensity of sexual selection in many taxa, but may also influence evolution of mating signals. Here we examined variation in courtship song in relation to elevation of breeding across cardueline finches-a subfamily of birds that occupies the widest elevational range of extant birds and shows extensive variation in life histories and sexual selection along this range. We predicted that decrease in sexual selection intensity with elevation of breeding documented in this clade would result in a corresponding evolutionary reduction in elaboration of courtship songs. We controlled for the effects of phylogeny, morphology, and habitat structure to uncover a predicted elevational decline in courtship song elaboration; species breeding at lower elevations sang more elaborated and louder songs compared to their sister species breeding at higher elevations. In addition, lower elevation species had longer songs with more notes, whereas frequency components of song did not vary with elevation. We suggest that changes in sexual selection account for the observed patterns of song variation and discuss how elevational gradient in sexual selection may facilitate divergence in mating signals potentially reinforcing or promoting speciation.     

Morphological dispersion of introduced Hawaiian finches: evidence for competition and a Narcissus effect

Summary Morphological analyses were conducted on finch species introduced to Oahu, Hawaii. As many as 25 species of finches representing four families (Emberizidae, Fringillidae, Ploecidae, Estrildidae) have been introduced to Oahu. Of these, 15 species currently have established wild populations. When compared with pools of 25 and 23 species introduced to Oahu, the 15 surviving species are morphologically overdispersed. This result is consistent with the hypothesis that competition has influenced the outcome of these introductions. We also tested the hypothesis that surviving introduced finches in one habitat (sugarcane fields) were morphologically overdispersed. When the seven surviving finch species found in sugarcane were compared with the pools of 25 and 23 species, they too were morphologically overdispersed. However, when the seven sugarcane species were compared with a species pool consisting of only the surviving 15 species found across Oahu, they were not morphologically overdispersed. This result suggests that morphological analyses of community structure based only on comparisons of assemblages of surviving species may be biased by a Narcissus effect.     

Geographical differentiation, acoustic adaptation and species boundaries in mainland citril finches and insular Corsican finches, superspecies Carduelis [citrinella]

Aim In birds, differentiation of acoustic characters is an important mechanism of reproductive isolation that may lead to an ethological–acoustic barrier, resulting in the formation of new species. We examined acoustic variation in mainland citril and insular Corsican finch populations, with the aim of assessing the degree of acoustic differentiation between both members of the superspecies Carduelis [citrinella] and documenting possible variation between local subpopulations that are geographically isolated. Location We chose study sites throughout the geographical ranges of citril and Corsican finches. For the citril finch, we obtained samples from the Black Forest (Germany), the Cevennes (France) and the Pyrenees (Spain); for the Corsican finch, we obtained samples from the islands Capraia and Sardinia (Italy) and Corsica (France). Methods We analysed frequent contact calls and elements of the perch song. Vocalization patterns of the study populations were compared by means of discriminant and hierarchical cluster analyses. Results There were significant differences in vocalization characteristics of perch songs and contact calls, which permitted unambiguous discrimination of citril and Corsican finch populations. However, we also detected significant differences in contact calls between mainland citril finch subpopulations. There was a pattern of clinal variation in vocalization: short, steeply modulated signals in the northern part of the geographical range (Black Forest) and long, shallowly modulated signals in the southern part (Pyrenees). Main conclusions Acoustically, mainland citril and insular Corsican finches separate well in their contact calls and perch songs. However, variation in the two vocalization patterns between subpopulations of mainland citril finches indicates that acoustic characteristics can evolve very quickly, not only on islands but also on the mainland. Local habitat differences may play a crucial role in the rapid evolution of these signals under full or partial isolation of small subpopulations. To judge the importance of signal variation as a pre‐mating isolating barrier, future studies will have to determine whether members of the distinct subpopulations are able to match their signals to each other if they re‐meet, and whether intraspecific species recognition is still possible.     

三种养殖模式下日本鳗鲡养成品的形质差异

随机选取池塘专养(M1)、日本沼虾套养(M2)以及水库放养(M3)3种养殖模式下培育的肛长为(25.91±3.26) cm的日本鳗鲡作为研究材料,比较了不同养殖模式下日本鳗鲡的形质指标,并采用聚类分析、主成分分析和判别分析等方法研究了3种养殖模式日本鳗鲡养成品的差异.结果表明:在所涉21项生物学指标和23项形质评价指数中,M1与M2之间具显著差异的分别为15项和14项,M1与M3之间具显著差异的分别为19项和18项,M2与M3之间具显著差异的分别为11项和8项;M1-M2、M1-M3、M2-M3之间的欧氏距离依次为1.433、3.516和2.167,均具显著差异;经主成分分析,提取到的5个特征值均大于1的主成分,累计贡献率达82.1％,其中第1主成分和第2主成分依次为与体型相关的肥瘦因子和与摄食行为相关的运动因子,后3个主成分为与营养状况有关的消化吸收因子,仅通过第1主成分便可较清晰地将3种养殖模式试验对象分开;采用逐步判别法,以判别贡献率较大的体宽/肛长、体长/肛长、净体积系数、鳔体积系数和肝系数为自变量,所建Fisher分类函数方程组可清晰区分3种模式的养殖群体,其判别准确率和综合判别准确率均为100％.     

Morphological differentiation among local trout (Salmo trutta) populations

The trout (Salmo trutta) has been divided into three forms: sea-run trout, lake-run brown trout, and resident brown trout. They differ in their living environment, migratory behaviour, growth and appearance. As local trout populations are often isolated, and gene flow between them is minimal, differentiation between populations can be expected. The morphology of 1-year-old trout from ten populations representing all three forms was studied in a common-garden experiment. The fish were reared under similar environmental conditions, and 20 morphometric characters were measured from each individual fish. Marked morphological differentiation was found, and differences between populations were greater than differences between forms. The results suggest that the differences have a genetic basis, and they are likely to indicate adaptation to local environmental conditions in the native habitat of the trout.     

Brain evolution and development: adaptation,allometry and constraint

Phenotypic traits are products of two processes: evolution and development. But how do these processes combine to produce integrated phenotypes? Comparative studies identify consistent patterns of covariation, or allometries, between brain and body size, and between brain components, indicating the presence of significant constraints limiting independent evolution of separate parts. These constraints are poorly understood, but in principle could be either developmental or functional. The developmental constraints hypothesis suggests that individual components (brain and body size, or individual brain components) tend to evolve together because natural selection operates on relatively simple developmental mechanisms that affect the growth of all parts in a concerted manner. The functional constraints hypothesis suggests that correlated change reflects the action of selection on distributed functional systems connecting the different sub-components, predicting more complex patterns of mosaic change at the level of the functional systems and more complex genetic and developmental mechanisms. These hypotheses are not mutually exclusive but make different predictions. We review recent genetic and neurodevelopmental evidence, concluding that functional rather than developmental constraints are the main cause of the observed patterns.     

Morphological integration of fluctuating asymmetry in the mouse mandible

Morphological integration of fluctuating asymmetry (FA) was assessed for nine mandibular characters in random-bred house mice to test the hypothesis that there should be a significant integration or concordance of FAs at the population level, but not at the individual level. FA estimates for each of the nine characters were made for each of 16 subpopulations (two replicates each for mice varying in sex and age) and their correlations indicated a moderate level of integration (index of integration = 0.42). A matrix permutation test of the differences of the correlations within two (‘incisor’ and ‘muscle’) developmentally different character groups versus correlations between groups was significant, indicating the presence of morphological integration. Kendall's coefficient of concordance also indicated a significant population asymmetry parameter for FAs within the two character groups. Correlations among individual FA estimates were generally lower than those calculated from subpopulations, the index of integration being 0.21. The matrix permutation test failed to show significant morphological integration among individual FAs, but Kendall's coefficient of concordance was significant, indicating the presence of an ‘individual asymmetry parameter’ among the nine characters. Principal components analysis and canonical correlation analysis confirmed the overall higher level of integration of FAs among the subpopulations and within the two character groupings.     

Morphological differentiation within the Daphnia longispina group

Although morphological evolution is assumed to be slow within Daphnia species complexes, discontinuities in morphological space can be detected. Here, morphological data derived from females of genetically-defined clones (cf. Gießler et al., 1999) are presented, in order to estimate the genetic component of phenotypic variance under standardised laboratory conditions. Animals originated from clonal assemblages of pre-alpine lakes and ponds, and a remote lake in western Germany, covering a wide range of morphotypes known from the traditional species D. cucullata, D. galeata, D. hyalina, D. rosea, and a variety of interspecific hybrids. Phenotypic analyses were based on quantitative and qualitative morphological characters of females in the first and fifth instars. Morphological divergence between clones was analysed using discriminant analysis or multidimensional scaling and the significance of the morphological groupings was estimated using neighbour-joining trees and bootstrapping. All analyses confirmed that (a) phenotypic similarities among taxa change with instar, (b) in contrast to low genetic divergence, pronounced morphological divergence exists between animals separated on the lake/pond level favouring speciation by the habitat shift hypothesis.     

Morphological integration in the carnivoran skull

The correlated evolution of traits may be a principal factor in morphological evolution, but it is typically studied in genetic or developmental systems. Most studies examining phenotypic trait correlations, through analysis of morphological integration, consider only few taxa, with limited ability to test hypotheses of the influence of trait integration on morphological variation and diversity. The few comparative studies in less inclusive groups have yielded varying relationships of integration to the key factors of phylogeny and diet. In this paper, I present analyses of cranial morphological integration in 30 species from the mammalian order Carnivora, spanning eight extant families and a wide range of ecological and morphological diversity. Fifty-five cranial landmarks were captured through three-dimensional digitization of 15-22 specimens for each species. Using a node-based phylogenetic distance matrix, a significant correlation was found between similarity in patterns of integration and phylogenetic relatedness within Felidae (cats) and Canidae (dogs), but not within more inclusive clades, when size-related variation was removed. When size was included, significant correlations were found across all Caniformia, Musteloidea, Mustelidae, and Felidae. There was a significant correlation between phylogeny and morphological integration only within the higher-level clade Feliformia (cats, civets, mongooses, and hyaenas) when a branch-length-based phylogenetic distance matrix was analyzed, with and without size. In contrast, diet was significantly correlated with similarity in morphological integration in arctoid carnivorans (bears, raccoons, and weasels), but had no significant relationship with integration in feliforms or canids. These results support the proposition that evolutionary history is correlated with cranial integration across large clades, although in some smaller clades diet also exerts significant influence on the correlated evolution of traits.     

Evolution of bite force in Darwin's finches: a key role for head width

Studies of Darwin's finches of the Galapagos Islands have provided pivotal insights into the interplay of ecological variation, natural selection, and morphological evolution. Here we document, across nine Darwin's finch species, correlations between morphological variation and bite force capacity. We find that bite force correlates strongly with beak depth and width but only weakly or not at all with beak length, a result that is consistent with prior demonstrations of natural selection on finch beak morphology. We also find that bite force is predicted even more strongly by head width, which exceeds all beak dimensions in predictive strength. To explain this result we suggest that head width determines the maximum size, and thus maximum force generation capacity of finch jaw adductor muscles. We suggest that head width is functionally relevant and may be a previously unrecognized locus of natural selection in these birds, because of its close relationship to bite force capacity.     

大型真菌子实体发生的形态学过程及调控机制

大型真菌中很多种类具有较高的营养价值和药用价值,而食药用部位多为大型真菌的子实体,所以子实体的形成对大型真菌的开发应用就显得尤为重要。在大型真菌生活史中,子实体的发生揭示着真菌完成了从营养生长向生殖生长的转变。从理论上来说,菌丝体只需完成营养生长,即可进入生殖生长;而实际上,子实体的发生受到各种环境因素、遗传因素等的影响。因此,本文从子实体发生的形态学过程、环境影响因素、分子调控机制等方面综述了近年国内外关于大型真菌子实体发生的研究概况,为大型真菌的系统研究和重要食药用菌的栽培驯化提供理论借鉴和参考依据。     

内蒙古中东部草原不同生境克氏针茅（Stipa krylovii Roshev.）种群的形态差异分析

对内蒙古中东部草原分布的克氏针茅进行了种群内和种群间的形态差异分析。结果表明：（1）种群内不同的形态性状存在不同程度的差异;（2）种群间生殖枝中的一部分形态性状以及营养枝高度和营养枝干重均存在较大差异;（3）每穗小花数、每穗籽粒数、每穗小穗数、生殖枝高、穗干重、生殖枝干重、每穗种子重、种子重/生殖枝重比等性状的变化趋势相同,均表现为随生境条件变差而增加,即在生殖上投入增加以增大适合度;（4）主成分分析表明穗长、种子重/生殖枝重比、每穗小花数、每穗籽粒数、生殖枝高、基盘长、第二芒柱长、营养枝高、千粒重、芒针长是不同种群差异的主要指标。这些形态性状的差异可以看作克氏针茅对不同生境的适应性表现。     

濒危植物夏蜡梅花的形态变异

研究了不同地理位置的3个夏蜡梅自然种群间以及种群内花部形态变异,并对3个种群进行聚类分析。结果表明：夏蜡梅花部表型性状在种群间和种群内都存在一定程度的变异;各性状总的平均变异系数在6.293（内瓣长）~46.90（花柄长）之间,种群间总的平均变异系数在13.430（DMS）~15.720 8（DLS）,因此认为夏蜡梅花的表型性状无论是在物种水平还是在种群水平都具有较丰富的表型多样性,其中又以大雷山种群最高;单因素方差分析显示：部分指标分化显著或极显著,13个指标在种群内的变异占了总变异的82.9%,这说明夏蜡梅种群内变异是表型变异的主要来源,由此可以推测遗传上的多样性是形成夏蜡梅花部形态变异的主导因素;种群间平均变异组分占了17.1%,表明花部形态在种群间存在一定程度的表型分化;聚类分析显示距离较近的大明山种群和龙须山种群先聚在一起,表型差异与地理距离之间存在显著正相关,经分析认为微生境的异质性和种群隔离以及遗传漂变均可能导致夏蜡梅种群间的表型分化;相关性分析显示部分性状之间存在显著的相关性。     

Morphological variation of the introduced perennial Solidago canadensis L. sensu lato (Asteraceae) in Europe

Morphological and life-history variation within and between 23 European populations of the introduced and widespread perennial Solidago canadensis L. sensu lato (Asteraceae) was investigated. The populations differed significantly in all 19 characters measured. Coefficients of variation and intraclass-correlations were high for characters related to growth. Floral characters (involucral height, number of disk florets, number of ray florets), and pubescence of stems and leaves varied considerably among sampled shoots, but their frequency distributions were unimodal and the coefficients of variation low. The first three principal components explained 48% of the variation and formed no dusters among the shoots. Several character means correlated with latitude, indicating clinal variation among the populations. Comparison of variation in floral and leaf characters with data from the native range suggests that S. canadensis s.l. naturalized in Europe belongs to a taxon that is close to S. canadensis var. scabra (Muhl.) Torr. & Gray ( S. altissima L.), despite the reported diploid chromosome number of this taxon in Europe.     

Specialized Predation Drives Aberrant Morphological Integration and Diversity in the Earliest Ants

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Evolution in extreme environments: replicated phenotypic differentiation in livebearing fish inhabiting sulfidic springs

We investigated replicated ecological speciation in the livebearing fish Poecilia mexicana and P. sulphuraria (Poeciliidae), which inhabit freshwater habitats and have also colonized multiple sulfidic springs in southern Mexico. These springs exhibit extreme hypoxia and high concentrations of hydrogen sulfide, which is lethal to most metazoans. We used phylogenetic analyses to test whether springs were independently colonized, performed phenotypic assessments of body and gill morphology variation to identify convergent patterns of trait differentiation, and conducted an eco-toxicological experiment to detect differences in sulfide tolerances among ecotypes. Our results indicate that sulfidic springs were colonized by three different lineages, two within P. mexicana and one representing P. sulphuraria. Colonization occurred earlier in P. sulphuraria, whereas invasion of sulfidic springs in P. mexicana was more recent, such that each population is more closely related to neighboring populations from adjacent nonsulfidic habitats. Sulfide spring fish also show divergence from nonsulfidic phenotypes and a phenotypic convergence toward larger heads, larger gills, and increased tolerance to H(2) S. Together with previous studies that indicated significant reproductive isolation between fish from sulfidic and nonsulfidic habitats, this study provides evidence for repeated ecological speciation in the independent sulfide spring populations of P. mexicana and P. sulphuraria.     

Walk the line: 600000 years of molar evolution constrained by allometry in the fossil rodent Mimomys savini

The allometric-constraint hypothesis states that evolutionary divergence of morphological traits is restricted by integrated growth regulation. In this study, we test this hypothesis on a time-calibrated and well-documented palaeontological sequence of dental measurements on the Pleistocene arvicoline rodent species Mimomys savini from the Iberian Peninsula. Based on 507 specimens representing nine populations regularly spaced over 600 000 years, we compare static (within-population) and evolutionary (among-population) allometric slopes between the width and the length of the first lower molar. We find that the static allometric slope remains evolutionary stable and predicts the evolutionary allometry quite well. These results support the hypothesis that the macroevolutionary divergence of molar traits is constrained by static allometric relationships.     

Electrophoretic differentiation in isolated populations of Lolium rigidum Gaud.

Sixteen wild populations of Lolium rigidum Gaud. were collected from island and mainland locations in Mediterranean Europe and western Asia. Five loci, controlling isozymes at four enzyme systems, were assayed on 60 plants per population using starch gel electrophoresis. Gene diversity measures and Nei’s genetic distance were calculated, and the relationships between the populations were analysed using principal component (PCA) and cluster analyses. All populations were found to show a gene diversity index that is consistent with that expected in a cross-fertilising species. The highest gene diversity measures were recorded in some of the island populations. Both PCA and cluster analysis grouped the Balearic Island populations together and separated the Spanish and Sardinian populations from any of the others. The results are discussed with respect to a number of theories of migration between populations, and in relation to the colonization history of each island. It is suggested that the preservation of these island populations in gene banks is important as part of a core collection of the species.