On the evolution of dispersal via heterogeneity in spatial connectivity

Abstract

Dispersal has long been recognized as a mechanism that shapes many observed ecological and evolutionary processes. Thus, understanding the factors that promote its evolution remains a major goal in evolutionary ecology. Landscape connectivity may mediate the trade-off between the forces in favour of dispersal propensity (e.g. kin-competition, local extinction probability) and those against it (e.g. energetic or survival costs of dispersal). It remains, however, an open question how differing degrees of landscape connectivity may select for different dispersal strategies. We implemented an individual-based model to study the evolution of dispersal on landscapes that differed in the variance of connectivity across patches ranging from networks with all patches equally connected to highly heterogeneous networks. The parthenogenetic individuals dispersed based on a flexible logistic function of local abundance. Our results suggest, all else being equal, that landscapes differing in their connectivity patterns will select for different dispersal strategies and that these strategies confer a long-term fitness advantage to individuals at the regional scale. The strength of the selection will, however, vary across network types, being stronger on heterogeneous landscapes compared with the ones where all patches have equal connectivity. Our findings highlight how landscape connectivity can determine the evolution of dispersal strategies, which in turn affects how we think about important ecological dynamics such as metapopulation persistence and range expansion.

Classical metapopulation dynamics and eco‐evolutionary feedbacks in dendritic networks

“…This procedure avoids assuming boundary conditions for mutations and the associated biases. Selection on dispersal is an emergent phenomenon in our individual-based model, as fitness gains and losses are related to the landscape structure (Henriques-Silva et al 2015), kin competition (Hamilton and May 1977, Poethke et al 2007, Kubisch et al 2013 or dispersal costs (Bonte et al 2012), to name but three relevant selective agents.…”

“…Similarly, Nuismer et al (2003) and Gibert et al (2013), to name but two, show that the explicit spatial arrangement of coevolving populations (co-evolutionary hot-and coldspots) impacts coevolutionary dynamics and the maintenance of polymorphisms in antagonistic systems (for a detailed treatment of the geographic mosaic of coevolution see Thompson 2005). Recently, Muneepeerakul et al (2011) and Henriques-Silva et al (2015) have reported that network topology may even impact the evolution of dispersal kernels respectively density-dependent dispersal strategies in metapopulations. Recently, Muneepeerakul et al (2011) and Henriques-Silva et al (2015) have reported that network topology may even impact the evolution of dispersal kernels respectively density-dependent dispersal strategies in metapopulations.…”

“…In analogy, Morrissey and de Kerckhove (2009) and Paz-Vinas and Blanchet (2015) have shown that network topology heavily impacts genetic diversity. Recently, Muneepeerakul et al (2011) and Henriques-Silva et al (2015) have reported that network topology may even impact the evolution of dispersal kernels respectively density-dependent dispersal strategies in metapopulations.…”

Latitudinal‐diversity gradients can be shaped by biotic processes: new insights from an eco‐evolutionary model

“…For simplicity, and to save computational time, we simulated asexually-reproducing organisms with a haploid unilocus system where phenotypic values were represented by the value of their unique allele (Kubisch et al 2014). Following previous models (Hovestadt et al 2010, Kubisch et al 2014, Henriques-Silva et al 2015, alleles from both traits (d and e opt ) inherited by the offspring had a small probability of mutation (m = 1 × 10 -3 ), in which a normallydistributed random number N (0, 0.04) was added to the allele's value.…”

Movers and shakers: Bumble bee foraging behavior shapes the dispersal of microbes among and within flowers

“…Dispersal is a fundamental biological process that profoundly shapes the ecology and evolution of communities, and microbial communities are no exception (reviewed in Büchi and Vuilleumier , Henriques‐Silva et al. , Albright and Martiny ). Microbial dispersal is also key in models of disease dynamics and biocontrol, such as for wild and agricultural plant species (Alexandrova et al.…”