Predators modify the evolutionary response of prey to temperature change

Abstract

As climate regimes shift in many ecosystems worldwide, evolution may be a critical process allowing persistence in rapidly changing environments. Organisms regularly interact with other species, yet whether climate-mediated evolution can occur in the context of species interactions is not well understood. We tested whether a species interaction could modify evolutionary responses to temperature. We demonstrate that predation pressure by Dipteran larvae (Chaoborus americanus) modified the evolutionary response of a freshwater crustacean (Daphnia pulex) to its thermal environment over approximately seven generations in laboratory conditions. Daphnia kept at 218C evolved higher population growth rates than those kept at 188C, but only in those populations that were also reared with predators. Furthermore, predator-mediated selection resulted in the evolution of elevated Daphnia thermal plasticity. This laboratory natural selection experiment demonstrates that biotic interactions can modify evolutionary adaptation to temperature. Understanding the interplay between multiple selective forces can improve predictions of ecological and evolutionary responses of organisms to rapid environmental change.

Eco‐evolution on the edge during climate change

“…Climate change is creating new hybrid zones around the globe, which could increase or decrease adaptation to novel conditions via introgression (Box 1; Hoffmann and Sgro 2011, Hamilton and Miller 2016, Scheffers et al 2016. For example, existing and novel predator-prey interactions can accelerate prey adaptation to changing environments under three scenarios: 1) predators preferentially prey on genotypes that become increasingly maladapted as environments change (Jones 2008, Osmond et al 2017, 2) predation selects for traits that are adaptive under climate change, such as smaller body size (Tseng and O'Connor 2015) and 3) predation increases mortality, which decreases generation times, and therefore increases evolutionary rates (i.e. Also, novel and existing species interactions can increase selection towards future conditions (Jones 2008, Osmond and de Mazancourt 2013, Tseng and O'Connor 2015, Osmond et al 2017.…”

“…Also, novel and existing species interactions can increase selection towards future conditions (Jones 2008, Osmond and de Mazancourt 2013, Tseng and O'Connor 2015, Osmond et al 2017. For example, existing and novel predator-prey interactions can accelerate prey adaptation to changing environments under three scenarios: 1) predators preferentially prey on genotypes that become increasingly maladapted as environments change (Jones 2008, Osmond et al 2017, 2) predation selects for traits that are adaptive under climate change, such as smaller body size (Tseng and O'Connor 2015) and 3) predation increases mortality, which decreases generation times, and therefore increases evolutionary rates (i.e. the evolutionary hydra effect; Osmond et al 2017).…”

Simulated climate change increases larval mortality, alters phenology, and affects flight morphology of a dragonfly

“…Increased temperatures during development have been shown to increase mortality (McCauley et al. , Tseng and O'Connor ), cause faster developmental rates which can result in reductions in adult body size (Daufresne et al. , Gardner et al.…”

“…We hypothesized that warming would negatively affect larval survival, as the increasing stress imposed by conditions outside the thermal optima can increase larval mortality (McCauley et al. , Tseng and O'Connor ) and these effects may be greater when the environment varies in temperature (Paaijmans et al. ).…”

Ecological pleiotropy and indirect effects alter the potential for evolutionary rescue

“…However, some invasive predators, including some that have been intentionally introduced with multiple individuals, have evolved postintroduction, potentially exacerbating their effects on native prey (Phillips, Brown, Webb, & Shine, 2006). Furthermore, the opportunity for evolutionary rescue may depend on the trophic level, species interactions, or temperature, generating considerable uncertainty about whether evolutionary rescue could occur in any given scenario (Kovach-Orr & Fussmann, 2013;Osmond & de Mazancourt, 2013;Tseng & O'Connor, 2015).…”