Evolutionary mismatch along salinity gradients in a Neotropical water strider.

ABSTRACT: The evolution of local adaptation is crucial for the in situ persistence of populations in changing environments. However, selection along broad environmental gradients could render local adaptation difficult, and might even result in maladaptation. We address this issue by quantifying fitness trade-offs (via common garden experiments) along a salinity gradient in two populations of the Neotropical water strider Telmatometra withei-a species found in both fresh (FW) and brackish (BW) water environments across Panama. We found evidence for local adaptation in the FW population in its home FW environment. However, the BW population showed only partial adaptation to the BW environment, with a high magnitude of maladaptation along naturally occurring salinity gradients. Indeed, its over

SUBMITTER: Castillo AM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8131768 | biostudies-literature | 2021 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature