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Local divergence of thermal reaction norms among amphibian populations is affected by pond temperature variation
Author(s) -
RichterBoix Alex,
Katzenberger Marco,
Duarte Helder,
Quintela María,
Tejedo Miguel,
Laurila Anssi
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
evolution
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.84
H-Index - 199
eISSN - 1558-5646
pISSN - 0014-3820
DOI - 10.1111/evo.12711
Subject(s) - biology , local adaptation , generalist and specialist species , divergence (linguistics) , trait , adaptation (eye) , ecology , phenotypic plasticity , critical thermal maximum , variation (astronomy) , gene flow , evolutionary biology , genetic variation , gene , population , genetics , acclimatization , demography , habitat , astrophysics , linguistics , philosophy , physics , neuroscience , sociology , computer science , programming language
Although temperature variation is known to cause large‐scale adaptive divergence, its potential role as a selective factor over microgeographic scales is less well‐understood. Here, we investigated how variation in breeding pond temperature affects divergence in multiple physiological (thermal performance curve and critical thermal maximum [CT max ]) and life‐history (thermal developmental reaction norms) traits in a network of Rana arvalis populations. The results supported adaptive responses to face two main constraints limiting the evolution of thermal adaptation. First, we found support for the faster–slower model, indicating an adaptive response to compensate for the thermodynamic constraint of low temperatures in colder environments. Second, we found evidence for the generalist–specialist trade‐off with populations from colder and less thermally variable environments exhibiting a specialist phenotype performing at higher rates but over a narrower range of temperatures. By contrast, the local optimal temperature for locomotor performance and CT max did not match either mean or maximum pond temperatures. These results highlight the complexity of the adaptive multiple‐trait thermal responses in natural populations, and the role of local thermal variation as a selective force driving diversity in life‐history and physiological traits in the presence of gene flow.