Abstract
The relationship between microevolution and macroevolution is a central topic in evolutionary biology. An aspect of this relationship that remains very poorly studied in modern evolutionary biology is the relationship between within-species geographic variation and among-species patterns of trait variation. Here, we tested the relationship between climate and morphology among and within species in the salamander genus Plethodon. We focus on a discrete colour polymorphism (presence and absence of a red dorsal stripe) that appears to be related to climatic distributions in a common, wide-ranging species (Plethodon cinereus). We find that this trait has been variable among (and possibly within) species for >40 million years. Furthermore, we find a strong relationship among species between climatic variation and within-species morph frequencies. These between-species patterns are similar (but not identical) to those in the broadly distributed Plethodon cinereus. Surprisingly, there are no significant climate-morphology relationships within most other polymorphic species, despite the strong between-species patterns. Overall, our study provides an initial exploration of how within-species geographic variation and large-scale macroevolutionary patterns of trait variation may be related.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1502-1515 |
| Number of pages | 14 |
| Journal | Journal of Evolutionary Biology |
| Volume | 28 |
| Issue number | 8 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Aug 1 2015 |
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Keywords
- Amphibians
- Climate
- Evolution
- Geographic variation
- Macroevolution
- Polymorphism
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
Cite this
Is geographic variation within species related to macroevolutionary patterns between species? / Fisher-Reid, M. C.; Wiens, John J.
In: Journal of Evolutionary Biology, Vol. 28, No. 8, 01.08.2015, p. 1502-1515.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Is geographic variation within species related to macroevolutionary patterns between species?
AU - Fisher-Reid, M. C.
AU - Wiens, John J
PY - 2015/8/1
Y1 - 2015/8/1
N2 - The relationship between microevolution and macroevolution is a central topic in evolutionary biology. An aspect of this relationship that remains very poorly studied in modern evolutionary biology is the relationship between within-species geographic variation and among-species patterns of trait variation. Here, we tested the relationship between climate and morphology among and within species in the salamander genus Plethodon. We focus on a discrete colour polymorphism (presence and absence of a red dorsal stripe) that appears to be related to climatic distributions in a common, wide-ranging species (Plethodon cinereus). We find that this trait has been variable among (and possibly within) species for >40 million years. Furthermore, we find a strong relationship among species between climatic variation and within-species morph frequencies. These between-species patterns are similar (but not identical) to those in the broadly distributed Plethodon cinereus. Surprisingly, there are no significant climate-morphology relationships within most other polymorphic species, despite the strong between-species patterns. Overall, our study provides an initial exploration of how within-species geographic variation and large-scale macroevolutionary patterns of trait variation may be related.
AB - The relationship between microevolution and macroevolution is a central topic in evolutionary biology. An aspect of this relationship that remains very poorly studied in modern evolutionary biology is the relationship between within-species geographic variation and among-species patterns of trait variation. Here, we tested the relationship between climate and morphology among and within species in the salamander genus Plethodon. We focus on a discrete colour polymorphism (presence and absence of a red dorsal stripe) that appears to be related to climatic distributions in a common, wide-ranging species (Plethodon cinereus). We find that this trait has been variable among (and possibly within) species for >40 million years. Furthermore, we find a strong relationship among species between climatic variation and within-species morph frequencies. These between-species patterns are similar (but not identical) to those in the broadly distributed Plethodon cinereus. Surprisingly, there are no significant climate-morphology relationships within most other polymorphic species, despite the strong between-species patterns. Overall, our study provides an initial exploration of how within-species geographic variation and large-scale macroevolutionary patterns of trait variation may be related.
KW - Amphibians
KW - Climate
KW - Evolution
KW - Geographic variation
KW - Macroevolution
KW - Polymorphism
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84938999934&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84938999934&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1111/jeb.12670
DO - 10.1111/jeb.12670
M3 - Article
C2 - 26079479
AN - SCOPUS:84938999934
VL - 28
SP - 1502
EP - 1515
JO - Journal of Evolutionary Biology
JF - Journal of Evolutionary Biology
SN - 1010-061X
IS - 8
ER -