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Modelling the evolution of common cuckoo host‐races: speciation or genetic swamping?
Author(s) -
Krüger O.,
Kolss M.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
journal of evolutionary biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.289
H-Index - 128
eISSN - 1420-9101
pISSN - 1010-061X
DOI - 10.1111/jeb.12238
Subject(s) - cuckoo , biology , host (biology) , adaptation (eye) , evolutionary biology , cuckoo search , sympatric speciation , genetic algorithm , assortative mating , host adaptation , race (biology) , mating , mating preferences , zoology , genetic fitness , ecology , genetics , biological evolution , mate choice , gene , neuroscience , botany , particle swarm optimization , machine learning , genome , computer science
Co‐evolutionary arms races have provided clear evidence for evolutionary change, especially in host–parasite systems. The evolution of host‐specific races in the common cuckoo ( C uculus canorus ), however, is also an example where sexual conflict influences the outcome. Cuckoo females benefit from better adaptation to overcome host defences, whereas cuckoo males face a trade‐off between the benefits of better adaptation to a host and the benefits of multiple mating with females from other host‐races. The outcome of this trade‐off might be genetic differentiation or prevention of it by genetic swamping. We use a simulation model to test which outcome is more likely with three sympatric cuckoo host‐races. We assume a cost for cuckoo chicks that express a host adaptation allele not suited to their foster host species and that cuckoo males that switch to another host‐race experience either a fitness benefit or cost. Over most of the parameter space, cuckoo male host‐race fidelity increases significantly with time, and gene flow between host‐races ceases within a few thousand to a hundred thousand generations. Our results hence support the idea that common cuckoo host‐races might be in the incipient stages of speciation.