Spatial connectedness imposes local‐ and metapopulation‐level selection on life history through feedbacks on demography

Masier, Stefano; Bonte, Dries

doi:10.1111/ele.13421

Cited by 18 publications

(46 citation statements)

References 97 publications

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“…It is however obvious that we need quantitative and qualitative insights on how eco-evolutionary dynamics affect both regional and local population dynamics when connectedness is altered. We demonstrated earlier that changes in connectedness impose genetic and epigenetic changes in dispersal timing, dispersal costs and fecundity [27] in experimental metapopulations of two-spotted spider mites Tetranychus urticae. We here show by means of an individual based model that metapopulation dynamics are better predicted by the evolutionary divergence in dispersal across different landscape contexts as earlier reported [27] rather than by dispersal costs from connectedness loss per se.…”

Section: Main Text Introductionmentioning

confidence: 81%

“…Metapopulation dynamics are consequently expected to be influenced by the joint action of localand metapopulation-level selection [27], and will lead to a self-organisation of the distribution of phenotypes in the spatial network. The position and local connectedness of each patch within the spatial network will determine both the number and phenotype of the immigrants, shaping local demography [8], [28]- [30].…”

Section: Main Text Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Individual heterogeneity and its importance for metapopulation dynamics

Masier

Dahirel

Mortier

et al. 2020

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Habitat fragmentation reduces the area of habitat patches and their connectedness in the landscape. It is well established that the level of connectedness impacts connectivity and metapopulation dynamics, and is therefore a central tenet in conservation biology. Connectedness equally generates sorting of phenotypes within the spatial network and therefore impacts local and regional eco-evolutionary dynamics. Paradoxically, recommendations for species conservation rely on principles derived from theory that neglects any individual phenotypic heterogenety and spatial organization.By creating experimental metapopulations using the model species Tetranychus urticae (two-spotted spider mite) with three levels of landscape connectedness and by regularly removing phenotypic structure in a subset of these populations, we tested the degree to which regional and local population dynamics are determined both by network connectedness and the phenotypic spatial organization.Our results show that some aspects of metapopulation dynamics can be attributed to the evolution of dispersal. More importantly, we find self-organization of phenotypic spatial structure to equalize the effects of reduced connectedness on metapopulation dynamics. These changes were all in the direction of improved metapopulation persistence. Contrary to expectations, the most connected local patches showed an overall reduced local population size, possibly originating from a faster depletion of resources from immigrants or transiting individuals.This experiment shows how metapopulation dynamics can significantly deviate from theoretical expectations if individual heterogeneity is considered, and more importantly that disruption of this phenotypic self-structuring may drive metapopulation dynamics towards higher risks of extinction.Significance StatementChanges in connectedness impact metapopulation dynamics but also the spatial organization of individual phenotypic heterogeneity. The extent to which metapopulation dynamics depend on this phenotypic structuring is unknown, despite the fact metapopulation theory is at the heart of conservation biology. By using experimental metapopulations and a randomization treatment, we demonstrate that the emerging spatial organization of individuals (both genetically and phenotypically) is a major driver of metapopulation dynamics. This spatial organization may be important as it may equalize all variation in metapopulation dynamics across a gradient of connectivity. This potentially rescuing effect stemming from the self-organization of phenotypes in metapopulations is of uttermost importance for conservation and translocation actions.

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Section: Main Text Introductionmentioning

confidence: 81%

Section: Main Text Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Individual heterogeneity and its importance for metapopulation dynamics

Masier

Dahirel

Mortier

et al. 2020

Preprint

Self Cite

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“…We observe a slight trend of populations from less connected mesocosms to spread faster. This is seemingly at odds with the evolved delayed dispersal at the end of the experimental evolution period (Masier & Bonte, 2019), but we will discuss possible mismatches between dispersal and population spread further below. However, the variation captured by the differences in interpatch distances in the ancestral landscape pales in comparison to the variation captured the variation left unexplained in the analysis.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Mesocosms differed in the interpatch distance. The replicated mesocosms are described in more detail in Masier et al (2019). In short, each evolutionary arena consisted of a 3x3 grid of bean leaf patches (5cmx5cm) that were connected by parafilm® bridges of 0.5cm wide to all adjacent patches ( fig.…”

Section: Evolutionary Historymentioning

confidence: 99%

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Evolutionary history determines population spread rate in a stochastic, rather than in a deterministic way

Mortier

Bonte

Masier

2020

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Fragmentation of natural landscapes results in habitat and connectedness loss, making it one of the most impactful avenues of anthropogenic environmental degradation. Populations living in a fragmented landscape can adapt to this context, as witnessed in changing dispersal strategies, levels of local adaptation and changing life-history traits. This evolution, however, can have ecological consequences beyond a fragmented range. Since invasive dynamics are driven by the same traits affected by fragmentation, the question arises whether fragmented populations evolve to be successful invaders.In this study we assess population spread during three generations of two-spotted spider mite (Tetranychus urticae) population in a replicated experiment. Experimental populations evolved independently in replicated experimental metapopulations differing only in the level of habitat connectedness as determined by the inter-patch distance.We find that habitat connectedness did not meaningfully explain variation in population spread rate. Rather, variation within experimental populations that shared the same level of connectedness during evolution was larger than the one across these levels. Therefore, we conclude that experimental populations evolved different population spread capacities as a result of their specific evolutionary background independent but of the connectedness of the landscape. While population spread capacities may be strongly affected by aspects of a population’s evolutionary history, predicting it from identifiable aspects of the evolutionary history may be hard to achieve.

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Implications of habitat‐driven survival and dispersal on recruitment in a spatially structured piping plover population

et al. 2022

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Natal survival and dispersal have important consequences for populations through the movement of genes and individuals. Metapopulation theory predicts either balanced natal dispersal among regions or source-sink dynamics, which can dramatically change population structure. For species reliant on dynamic, early-successional habitats, availability and location of habitat will shift from year to year, requiring primiparous individuals to locate an appropriate breeding habitat. We estimated hatch-year survival to adulthood and natal dispersal rates between two breeding groups of Northern Great Plains piping plovers (Charadrius melodus) from four cohorts (n = 2669 total individuals; 2014-2017). Hatch-year survival to adulthood was slightly higher for individuals hatched on the Missouri River than on the US Alkali Wetlands but declined over time. Individuals hatched on the US Alkali Wetlands were more likely to disperse to breed on the Missouri River (0.33 [0.20, 0.48]) than vice versa (0.17 [0.11, 0.24]). When more habitat was available at the natal site than in the prior year, natal dispersal rates increased. However, despite higher recruitment rates as a result of higher natal fidelity, the Missouri River showed lower total recruitment with a declining trend in the number of recruits, largely due to differences in abundance between breeding groups. Overall, unbalanced, high natal dispersal rates within the Northern Great Plains indicate high connectivity among distinct regions with different water regimes on the Missouri River and on the US Alkali Wetlands driven by fluctuating availability of habitat. Our results suggest that plovers in the Northern Great Plains take advantage of dynamic habitats where they are available in a broad geographic area, which is consistent with a spatially structured panmictic population rather than a true metapopulation, but further research on adult breeding dispersal is needed to clarify population structure.

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Spatial connectedness imposes local‐ and metapopulation‐level selection on life history through feedbacks on demography

Cited by 18 publications

References 97 publications

Individual heterogeneity and its importance for metapopulation dynamics

Individual heterogeneity and its importance for metapopulation dynamics

Evolutionary history determines population spread rate in a stochastic, rather than in a deterministic way

Implications of habitat‐driven survival and dispersal on recruitment in a spatially structured piping plover population

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