Ecological speciation along an elevational gradient in a tropical passerine bird?

Local adaptation of populations along elevational gradients is well known, but conclusive evidence that such divergence has resulted in the origin of distinct species in parapatry remains lacking. We integrated morphological, vocal, genetic and behavioural data to test predictions pertaining to the...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of evolutionary biology 2013-02, Vol.26 (2), p.357-374
Main Authors: Caro, L. M., Caycedo‐Rosales, P. C., Bowie, R. C. K., Slabbekoorn, H., Cadena, C. D.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
adaptation
allopatric speciation
Animal behavior
Animals
assortative mating
Aves
Biological Evolution
Birds
Ecology
Evolutionary biology
gene flow
Genetic Speciation
Genetic Variation
natural selection
parapatric speciation
Passeriformes - anatomy & histology
Passeriformes - classification
Passeriformes - genetics
Passeriformes - physiology
Phylogeny
Reproductive Isolation
secondary contact
Species Specificity
Terrestrial ecosystems
Troglodytidae
Tropical Climate
Vocalization, Animal - physiology
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Local adaptation of populations along elevational gradients is well known, but conclusive evidence that such divergence has resulted in the origin of distinct species in parapatry remains lacking. We integrated morphological, vocal, genetic and behavioural data to test predictions pertaining to the hypothesis of parapatric ecological speciation associated with elevation in populations of a tropical montane songbird, the Grey‐breasted Wood‐wren (Henicorhina leucophrys: Troglodytidae), from the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Colombia. We confirmed that two distinct populations exist along the elevational gradient. Phylogenetic analyses tentatively indicate that the two populations are not sister taxa, suggesting they did not differentiate from a single ancestor along the gradient, but rather resulted from separate colonization events. The populations showed marked divergence in morphometrics, vocalizations and genetic variation in mitochondrial and nuclear loci, and little to no evidence of hybridization. Individuals of both populations responded more strongly to their own local songs than to songs from another elevation. Although the two forms do not appear to have differentiated locally in parapatry, morphological and vocal divergence along the elevational gradient is consistent with adaptation, suggesting a possible link between adaptive evolution in morphology and songs and the origin of reproductive isolation via a behavioural barrier to gene flow. The adaptive value of phenotypic differences between populations requires additional study.
ISSN:1010-061X
1420-9101
DOI:10.1111/jeb.12055