Adaptation to a novel family environment involves both apparent and cryptic phenotypic changes.

ABSTRACT: Cryptic evolution occurs when evolutionary change is masked by concurrent environmental change. In most cases, evolutionary changes in the phenotype are masked by changing abiotic factors. However, evolutionary change in one trait might also be masked by evolutionary change in another trait, a phenomenon referred to as evolutionary environmental deterioration. Nevertheless, detecting this second type of cryptic evolution is challenging and there are few compelling examples. Here, we describe a likely case of evolutionary environmental deterioration occurring in experimental burying beetle (Nicrophorus vespilloides) populations that are adapting to a novel social environment that lacks post-hatching parental care. We found that populations rapidly adapted to the removal of post-hatch

SUBMITTER: Schrader M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5597835 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature