Sympatric divergence and clinal variation in multiple coloration traits of Ficedula flycatchers (original) (raw)
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Molecular Ecology, 2009
The pied flycatcher is one of the most phenotypically variable bird species in Europe. The geographic variation in phenotypes has often been attributed to spatial variation in selection regimes that is associated with the presence or absence of the congeneric collared flycatcher. Spatial variation in phenotypes could however also be generated by spatially restricted gene flow and genetic drift. We examined the genetic population structure of pied flycatchers across the breeding range and applied the phenotypic QST (PST)–FST approach to detect indirect signals of divergent selection on dorsal plumage colouration in pied flycatcher males. Allelic frequencies at neutral markers were found to significantly differ among populations breeding in central and southern Europe whereas northerly breeding pied flycatchers were found to be one apparently panmictic group of individuals. Pairwise differences between phenotypic (PST) and neutral genetic distances (FST) were positively correlated after removing the most differentiated Spanish and Swiss populations from the analysis, suggesting that genetic drift may have contributed to the observed phenotypic differentiation in some parts of the pied flycatcher breeding range. Differentiation in dorsal plumage colouration however greatly exceeded that observed at neutral genetic markers, which indicates that the observed pattern of phenotypic differentiation is unlikely to be solely maintained by restricted gene flow and genetic drift.
2011
Local environmental and ecological conditions are commonly expected to result in local adaptations, but we have a relatively poor understanding of patters of selection on phenotype across continent-wide spatial scales. In the pied flycatcher (Ficedula hypoleuca), male plumage colouration is highly variable both among and within populations. In addition to variation in melanin-based and structural colouration (UV), males have ornamental patches in forehead, wing and tail that vary greatly in size. For most of these traits, patterns of selection remain unknown throughout the breeding range. We collected standardised data on selection on male plumage colouration from 20 populations across the species’ breeding range. We calculated standardised linear breeding date and fecundity selection estimates associated with male colouration traits. The selection estimates were further used to evaluate if there are consistent patterns in the selection on pied flycatcher male plumage colouration am...
Character displacement within the breeding area questions reinforcement in Ficedula flycatchers
At present, studies of reinforcement should be focused on demonstrating how often this process occurs in nature and how important it is for speciation. Here we study the character displacement within the breeding area in the Pied Flycatcher to check the validity of the reinforcement in Ficedula flycatchers. We used point-referenced spatial data and a random forest to find the most important explanatory factors of the character displacement, and to reconstruct the phenotypic structure of the populations. The environmental temperature, and not the distance to sympatry, were proven to better describe the geographic pattern of the mean breeding plumage colour of the Pied Flycatcher populations. We conclude that ecologically distinct adaptations drive the morphological differentiation of the Old World flycatchers, and not reinforcement.