Coexistence of diploid and triploid hybrid water frogs: population differences persist in the apparent absence of differential survival.

ABSTRACT:

Unlabelled

The role of differential selection in determining the geographic distribution of genotypes in hybrid systems has long been discussed, but not settled. The present study aims to asses the importance of selection in structuring all-hybrid Pelophylax esculentus populations. These populations, in which the parental species (P. lessonae with genotype LL and P. ridibundus with genotype RR) are absent, have pond-specific proportions of diploid (LR) and triploid (LLR and LRR) genotypes.

Results

With data from 12 Swedish ponds, we first show that in spite of significant changes in genotype proportions over time, the most extreme ponds retained their differences over a six year study period. The uneven distribution of genotypes among ponds could be a consequence of differen

SUBMITTER: Christiansen DG 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2902419 | biostudies-literature | 2010 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature