Anthropogenic habitat alteration induces rapid morphological divergence in a native stream fish.

ABSTRACT: Anthropogenic habitat alteration creates novel environments that can alter selection pressures. Construction of reservoirs worldwide has disturbed riverine ecosystems by altering biotic and abiotic environments of impounded streams. Changes to fish communities in impoundments are well documented, but effects of those changes on native species persisting in reservoirs, which are presumably subjected to novel selective pressures, are largely unexplored. I assessed body shape variation of a native stream fish in reservoir habitats and streams from seven reservoir basins in the Central Plains of the USA. Body shape significantly and consistently diverged in reservoirs compared with stream habitats within reservoir basins; individuals from reservoir populations were deeper-bodied and had smalle

SUBMITTER: Franssen NR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3352545 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature