Rural selection drives the evolution of an urban–rural cline in coat color in gray squirrels
Abstract Phenotypic differences between urban and rural populations are well‐documented, but the evolutionary processes driving trait variation along urbanization gradients are often unclear. We combined spatial data on abundance, trait variation, and measurements of fitness to understand cline stru...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2023-10-01
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| Series: | Ecology and Evolution |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.10544 |
| _version_ | 1797648382075863040 |
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| author | Bradley J. Cosentino John P. Vanek James P. Gibbs |
| author_facet | Bradley J. Cosentino John P. Vanek James P. Gibbs |
| author_sort | Bradley J. Cosentino |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Phenotypic differences between urban and rural populations are well‐documented, but the evolutionary processes driving trait variation along urbanization gradients are often unclear. We combined spatial data on abundance, trait variation, and measurements of fitness to understand cline structure and test for natural selection on heritable coat color morphs (melanic, gray) of eastern gray squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis) along an urbanization gradient. Population surveys using remote cameras and visual counts at 76 sites along the urbanization gradient revealed a significant cline in melanism, decreasing from 48% in the city center to <5% in rural woodlands. Among 76 squirrels translocated to test for phenotypic selection, survival was lower for the melanic than gray morph in rural woodlands, whereas there was no difference in survival between color morphs in the city. These results suggest the urban–rural cline in melanism is explained by natural selection favoring the gray morph in rural woodlands combined with relaxed selection in the city. Our study illustrates how trait variation between urban and rural populations can emerge from selection primarily in rural populations rather than adaptation to novel features of the urban environment. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T15:30:19Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a298a73012744cccaa13478705dcd418 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-7758 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T15:30:19Z |
| publishDate | 2023-10-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Ecology and Evolution |
| spelling | doaj.art-a298a73012744cccaa13478705dcd4182023-10-27T04:40:51ZengWileyEcology and Evolution2045-77582023-10-011310n/an/a10.1002/ece3.10544Rural selection drives the evolution of an urban–rural cline in coat color in gray squirrelsBradley J. Cosentino0John P. Vanek1James P. Gibbs2Department of Biology Hobart and William Smith Colleges Geneva New York USADepartment of Biology Hobart and William Smith Colleges Geneva New York USADepartment of Environmental Biology State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry Syracuse New York USAAbstract Phenotypic differences between urban and rural populations are well‐documented, but the evolutionary processes driving trait variation along urbanization gradients are often unclear. We combined spatial data on abundance, trait variation, and measurements of fitness to understand cline structure and test for natural selection on heritable coat color morphs (melanic, gray) of eastern gray squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis) along an urbanization gradient. Population surveys using remote cameras and visual counts at 76 sites along the urbanization gradient revealed a significant cline in melanism, decreasing from 48% in the city center to <5% in rural woodlands. Among 76 squirrels translocated to test for phenotypic selection, survival was lower for the melanic than gray morph in rural woodlands, whereas there was no difference in survival between color morphs in the city. These results suggest the urban–rural cline in melanism is explained by natural selection favoring the gray morph in rural woodlands combined with relaxed selection in the city. Our study illustrates how trait variation between urban and rural populations can emerge from selection primarily in rural populations rather than adaptation to novel features of the urban environment.https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.10544animal colorgenetic driftlandscape changenatural selectionrelaxed selectionurbanization |
| spellingShingle | Bradley J. Cosentino John P. Vanek James P. Gibbs Rural selection drives the evolution of an urban–rural cline in coat color in gray squirrels Ecology and Evolution animal color genetic drift landscape change natural selection relaxed selection urbanization |
| title | Rural selection drives the evolution of an urban–rural cline in coat color in gray squirrels |
| title_full | Rural selection drives the evolution of an urban–rural cline in coat color in gray squirrels |
| title_fullStr | Rural selection drives the evolution of an urban–rural cline in coat color in gray squirrels |
| title_full_unstemmed | Rural selection drives the evolution of an urban–rural cline in coat color in gray squirrels |
| title_short | Rural selection drives the evolution of an urban–rural cline in coat color in gray squirrels |
| title_sort | rural selection drives the evolution of an urban rural cline in coat color in gray squirrels |
| topic | animal color genetic drift landscape change natural selection relaxed selection urbanization |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.10544 |
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