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Publication Details
AFRICAN RESEARCH NEXUS
SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON AFRICAN RESEARCH
agricultural and biological sciences
Long-distance dispersal maximizes evolutionary potential during rapid geographic range expansion
Molecular Ecology, Volume 22, No. 23, Year 2013
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Description
Conventional wisdom predicts that sequential founder events will cause genetic diversity to erode in species with expanding geographic ranges, limiting evolutionary potential at the range margin. Here, we show that invasive European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) in South Africa preserve genetic diversity during range expansion, possibly as a result of frequent long-distance dispersal events. We further show that unfavourable environmental conditions trigger enhanced dispersal, as indicated by signatures of selection detected across the expanding range. This brings genetic variation to the expansion front, counterbalancing the cumulative effects of sequential founding events and optimizing standing genetic diversity and thus evolutionary potential at range margins during spread. Therefore, dispersal strategies should be highlighted as key determinants of the ecological and evolutionary performances of species in novel environments and in response to global environmental change. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Authors & Co-Authors
Berthouly-Salazar, Cécile
South Africa, Stellenbosch
Stellenbosch University
France, Montpellier
Ird Centre de Montpellier
Hui, Cang
South Africa, Stellenbosch
Stellenbosch University
Blackburn, Tim M.
United Kingdom, London
Zoological Society of London Institute of Zoology
Saudi Arabia, Riyadh
King Saud University
Gaboriaud, Coline
South Africa, Stellenbosch
Stellenbosch University
Van Rensburg, Berndt Janse
South Africa, Pretoria
University of Pretoria
Australia, Brisbane
The University of Queensland
Jansen van Vuuren, Bettine
South Africa, Johannesburg
University of Johannesburg
Le Roux, Johannes Jacobus
South Africa, Stellenbosch
Stellenbosch University
Statistics
Citations: 79
Authors: 7
Affiliations: 7
Identifiers
Doi:
10.1111/mec.12538
ISSN:
09621083
e-ISSN:
1365294X
Research Areas
Genetics And Genomics
Study Locations
South Africa