Multivariate phenotypic divergence along an urbanization gradient.

ABSTRACT: Evidence suggests that natural populations can evolve to better tolerate the novel environmental conditions associated with urban areas. Studies of adaptive divergence in urban areas often examine one or a few traits at a time from populations residing only at the most extreme urban and nonurban habitats. Thus, whether urbanization drives divergence in many traits simultaneously in a manner that varies with the degree of urbanization remains unclear. To address this gap, we generated seed families of white clover (Trifolium repens) collected from 27 populations along an urbanization gradient in Toronto, Canada, grew them in a common garden, and measured 14 phenotypic traits. Families from urban sites had evolved later phenology and germination, larger flowers, thinner stolons, reduc

SUBMITTER: Santangelo JS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7532719 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature