Body size is a highly variable trait among geographically separated populations. Size-assortative reproductive isolation has been linked to recent adaptive radiations of threespine stickleback （Gasterosteus aculeatus...Body size is a highly variable trait among geographically separated populations. Size-assortative reproductive isolation has been linked to recent adaptive radiations of threespine stickleback （Gasterosteus aculeatus） into freshwater, but the genetic basis of the commonly found size differ- ence between anadromous and derived lacustrine sticklebacks has not been tested. We studied the genetic basis of size differences between recently diverging stickleback lineages in southwest Alaska using a common environment experiment. We crossed stickleback within one anadromous （Naknek River） and one lake （Pringle Lake） population and between the anadromous and two lake populations （Pringle and JoJo Lakes）, and raised them in a salinity of 4-6 ppt. The F1 anadromous and freshwater forms differed significantly in size, whereas hybrids were intermediate or exhibited dominance toward the anadromous form. Additionally, the size of freshwater Fls differed from their wild counterparts, with within-population Fls from Pringle Lake growing larger than their wild counterparts, while there was no size difference between lab-raised and wild anadromous fish. Sexual dimorphism was always present in anadromous fish, but not in freshwater, and not always in the hybrid crosses. These results, along with parallel changes among anadromous and fresh- water forms in other regions, suggest that this heritable trait is both plastic and may be under di- vergent and/or sexual selection.展开更多
文摘Body size is a highly variable trait among geographically separated populations. Size-assortative reproductive isolation has been linked to recent adaptive radiations of threespine stickleback （Gasterosteus aculeatus） into freshwater, but the genetic basis of the commonly found size differ- ence between anadromous and derived lacustrine sticklebacks has not been tested. We studied the genetic basis of size differences between recently diverging stickleback lineages in southwest Alaska using a common environment experiment. We crossed stickleback within one anadromous （Naknek River） and one lake （Pringle Lake） population and between the anadromous and two lake populations （Pringle and JoJo Lakes）, and raised them in a salinity of 4-6 ppt. The F1 anadromous and freshwater forms differed significantly in size, whereas hybrids were intermediate or exhibited dominance toward the anadromous form. Additionally, the size of freshwater Fls differed from their wild counterparts, with within-population Fls from Pringle Lake growing larger than their wild counterparts, while there was no size difference between lab-raised and wild anadromous fish. Sexual dimorphism was always present in anadromous fish, but not in freshwater, and not always in the hybrid crosses. These results, along with parallel changes among anadromous and fresh- water forms in other regions, suggest that this heritable trait is both plastic and may be under di- vergent and/or sexual selection.
