Feedbacks link ecosystem ecology and evolution across spatial and temporal scales: Empirical evidence and future directions

Abstract

Unifying ecosystem ecology and evolutionary biology promises a more complete understanding of the processes that link different levels of biological organization across space and time. Feedbacks across levels of organization link theory associated with eco‐evolutionary dynamics, niche construction and the geographic mosaic theory of co‐evolution. We describe a conceptual model, which builds upon previous work that shows how feedback among different levels of biological organization can link ecosystem and evolutionary processes over space and time. We provide empirical examples across terrestrial and aquatic systems that indicate broad generality of the conceptual framework and discuss its macroevolutionary consequences. Our conceptual model is based on three premises: genetically based species interactions can vary spatially and temporally from positive to neutral (i.e. no net feedback) to negative and drive evolutionary change; this evolutionary change can drive divergence in niche construction and ecosystem function; and lastly, such ecosystem‐level effects can reinforce spatiotemporal variation in evolutionary dynamics. Just as evolution can alter ecosystem function locally and across the landscape differently, variation in ecosystem processes can drive evolution locally and across the landscape differently. By highlighting our current knowledge of eco‐evolutionary feedbacks in ecosystems, as well as information gaps, we provide a foundation for understanding the interplay between biodiversity and ecosystem function through an eco‐evolutionary lens. A http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1365-2435.13267/suppinfo is available for this article.

The diversity of eco‐evolutionary dynamics: Comparing the feedbacks between ecology and evolution across scales

“…Depending on the strength of the abiotic pressure, shifts in trade‐offs between defence and competition traits governing evolutionary responses can slow down, speed up or completely disrupt eco‐evolutionary feedback loops. This diversity of outcomes predicted for the evo‐to‐eco pathway confirms that effects of the abiotic environment can differ over time and space (De Meester et al, ; Therry et al, ; Ware et al, ). It also shows that impacts of environmental variation on eco‐evolutionary dynamics can be predictable, as long as a system is well enough studied in its evolutionary and population dynamics.…”

Plant-Soil Feedbacks of Plantago lanceolata in the Field Depend on Plant Origin and Herbivory

“…We did not consider plants and their soils in isolation, but included their interaction with other biotic and abiotic factors. Our study therefore contributes to the growing literature considering eco-evolutionary feedbacks to explain how complex interactions between multiple parties influence ecological and evolutionary dynamics (Van Nuland et al, 2016;Ware et al, 2019a).…”

“…For a better understanding of the interplay between ecosystem dynamics and evolution, we not only need to understand how species interact, but also how populations evolve in response to environmental drivers (Van Nuland et al, 2016;Ware et al, 2019a). The concept of ecoevolutionary feedbacks looks at the interaction and adaptation between plants and their biotic and abiotic environment (Bailey et al, 2009).…”

Temporal instability of lake charr phenotypes: synchronicity of growth rates and morphology linked to environmental variables?

“…Thus, the degree of habitat coupling found in each freshwater ecosystem might translate to its degree of vulnerability to climate change. Field studies, such as ours, that focus on temporal phenotypic instability within an aquatic ecosystem promise to clarify our understanding of how the interplay among phenotypes, trophic dynamics, and environmental context influences both ecosystem and evolutionary processes (Ware et al 2019). Table 1.…”

“…Contemporary climate change, which includes rapid increases in global temperatures, represents one of the most serious and current challenges to ecosystems, not only by threatening ecosystems directly (Norberg et al 2012), but also by contributing to cumulative and additive effects with other perturbations (e.g., industrial development, pollution, overhavest, non-native species; CAFF 2013; Poesch et al 2016). Ecosystems are mosaics of different habitats, climate change combined with abiotic and biotic variation across these habitats may lead to major eco-evolutionary responses (Grimm et al 2013;Ware et al 2019). Rapid biological responses to variation associated with climate change have already been detected at all levels, from individuals to species, communities, and ecosystems (Heino et al 2009).…”