Phenotypic covariance at species' borders.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Understanding the evolution of species limits is important in ecology, evolution, and conservation biology. Despite its likely importance in the evolution of these limits, little is known about phenotypic covariance in geographically marginal populations, and the degree to which it constrains, or facilitates, responses to selection. We investigated phenotypic covariance in morphological traits at species' borders by comparing phenotypic covariance matrices (P), including the degree of shared structure, the distribution of strengths of pair-wise correlations between traits, the degree of morphological integration of traits, and the ranks of matricies, between central and marginal populations of three species-pairs of coral reef fishes.

Results

Greater structural di

SUBMITTER: Caley MJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3681583 | biostudies-literature | 2013 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature