Morphologically divergent ecotypes arise in fish populations on postglacial time scales, and resource polymorphisms are often invoked to explain their origin. However, genetic recombination can constrain the ability o...Morphologically divergent ecotypes arise in fish populations on postglacial time scales, and resource polymorphisms are often invoked to explain their origin. However, genetic recombination can constrain the ability of divergent selection to pro- duce reproductive isolation in sympatry. Recombination breaks up favorable combinations of traits （＂adaptive suites＂） if indivi- dual traits are affected by different loci. Recombination also breaks up any association between traits under divergent selection and traits contributing to reproductive isolation. Thus, ecological speciation in the absence of preexisting barriers to gene flow is more likely when pleiotropy minimizes the number of loci involved. Here, we revisit research conducted by Carl Hubbs in the early 1900s on the effects of developmental rate on morphological traits in fishes. Hubbs＇ work provides a mechanism to explain how sympatric divergence by trophic polymorphism can occur despite the challenges of recombination. We consider the implica- tions of Hubbs＇ observations for ecological speciation with gene flow in fishes, as well as rapid evolution in captive fish popula- tions [Current Zoology 58 （1）： 21-34, 2012].展开更多
文摘Morphologically divergent ecotypes arise in fish populations on postglacial time scales, and resource polymorphisms are often invoked to explain their origin. However, genetic recombination can constrain the ability of divergent selection to pro- duce reproductive isolation in sympatry. Recombination breaks up favorable combinations of traits （＂adaptive suites＂） if indivi- dual traits are affected by different loci. Recombination also breaks up any association between traits under divergent selection and traits contributing to reproductive isolation. Thus, ecological speciation in the absence of preexisting barriers to gene flow is more likely when pleiotropy minimizes the number of loci involved. Here, we revisit research conducted by Carl Hubbs in the early 1900s on the effects of developmental rate on morphological traits in fishes. Hubbs＇ work provides a mechanism to explain how sympatric divergence by trophic polymorphism can occur despite the challenges of recombination. We consider the implica- tions of Hubbs＇ observations for ecological speciation with gene flow in fishes, as well as rapid evolution in captive fish popula- tions [Current Zoology 58 （1）： 21-34, 2012].
