Skip to main content
Article
Phenotypic Plasticity and Contemporary Evolution in Introduced Populations: Evidence from Translocated Populations of White Sands Pupfish (Cyrpinodon tularosa)
Ecological Research
  • Michael Lloyd Collyer, North Dakota State University
  • Craig A. Stockwell, North Dakota State University
  • Dean C. Adams, Iowa State University
  • M. Hildegard Reiser, 49th Civil Engineer Squadron’s Environmental Flight
Document Type
Article
Publication Version
Published Version
Publication Date
11-1-2007
DOI
10.1007/s11284-007-0385-9
Abstract

Contemporary evolution has been shown in a few studies to be an important component of colonization ability, but seldom have researchers considered whether phenotypic plasticity facilitates directional evolution from the invasion event. In the current study, we evaluated body shape divergence of the New Mexico State-threatened White Sands pupfish (Cyprinodon tularosa) that were introduced to brackish, lacustrine habitats at two different time in the recent past (approximately 30 years and 1 year previously) from the same source population (saline river environment). Pupfish body shape is correlated with environmental salinity: fish from saline habitats are characterized by slender body shapes, whereas fish from fresher, yet brackish springs are deep-bodied. In this study, lacustrine populations consisted of an approximately 30-year old population and several 1-year old populations, all introduced from the same source. The body shape divergence of the 30-year old population was significant and greater than any of the divergences of the 1-year old populations (which were for the most part not significant). Nonetheless, all body shape changes exhibited body deepening in less saline environments. We conclude that phenotypic plasticity potentially facilitates directional evolution of body deepening for introduced pupfish populations.

Comments

This article is from Ecological Research 22 (2007): 902, doi:10.1007/s11284-007-0385-9.

Rights
Works produced by employees of the U.S. Government as part of their official duties are not copyrighted within the U.S. The content of this document is not copyrighted.
Language
en
File Format
application/pdf
Citation Information
Michael Lloyd Collyer, Craig A. Stockwell, Dean C. Adams and M. Hildegard Reiser. "Phenotypic Plasticity and Contemporary Evolution in Introduced Populations: Evidence from Translocated Populations of White Sands Pupfish (Cyrpinodon tularosa)" Ecological Research Vol. 22 Iss. 6 (2007) p. 902 - 910
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/dean-adams/16/