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The coincidence of ecological opportunity with hybridization explains rapid adaptive radiation in Lake Mweru cichlid fishes.

  • Meier JI Division of Aquatic Ecology & Evolution, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Baltzerstr. 6, CH-3012, Bern, Switzerland.
  • Stelkens RB Division of Aquatic Ecology & Evolution, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Baltzerstr. 6, CH-3012, Bern, Switzerland.
  • Joyce DA Evolutionary and Ecological Genomics Group, Department of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Hull, Hull, HU6 7RX, UK.
  • Mwaiko S Division of Aquatic Ecology & Evolution, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Baltzerstr. 6, CH-3012, Bern, Switzerland.
  • Phiri N Department of Biological Sciences, University of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia.
  • Schliewen UK SNSB-Bavarian State Collection of Zoology, Münchhausenstrasse 21, 81247, Munich, Germany.
  • Selz OM Division of Aquatic Ecology & Evolution, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Baltzerstr. 6, CH-3012, Bern, Switzerland.
  • Wagner CE Division of Aquatic Ecology & Evolution, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Baltzerstr. 6, CH-3012, Bern, Switzerland.
  • Katongo C Department of Biological Sciences, University of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia.
  • Seehausen O Division of Aquatic Ecology & Evolution, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Baltzerstr. 6, CH-3012, Bern, Switzerland. ole.seehausen@eawag.ch.
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  • 2019-12-05
Published in:
  • Nature communications. - 2019
Animals
Biological Evolution
Cichlids
Ecological and Environmental Phenomena
Geography
Hybridization, Genetic
Lakes
English The process of adaptive radiation was classically hypothesized to require isolation of a lineage from its source (no gene flow) and from related species (no competition). Alternatively, hybridization between species may generate genetic variation that facilitates adaptive radiation. Here we study haplochromine cichlid assemblages in two African Great Lakes to test these hypotheses. Greater biotic isolation (fewer lineages) predicts fewer constraints by competition and hence more ecological opportunity in Lake Bangweulu, whereas opportunity for hybridization predicts increased genetic potential in Lake Mweru. In Lake Bangweulu, we find no evidence for hybridization but also no adaptive radiation. We show that the Bangweulu lineages also colonized Lake Mweru, where they hybridized with Congolese lineages and then underwent multiple adaptive radiations that are strikingly complementary in ecology and morphology. Our data suggest that the presence of several related lineages does not necessarily prevent adaptive radiation, although it constrains the trajectories of morphological diversification. It might instead facilitate adaptive radiation when hybridization generates genetic variation, without which radiation may start much later, progress more slowly or never occur.
Language
  • English
Open access status
gold
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Persistent URL
https://folia.unifr.ch/global/documents/152263
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