Ecological Adaptation and Speciation: The Evolutionary Significance of Habitat Avoidance as a Postzygotic Reproductive Barrier to Gene Flow

Jeffrey L Feder; Scott P Egan; Andrew A Forbes

doi:10.1155/2012/456374

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Ecological Adaptation and Speciation: The Evolutionary Significance of Habitat Avoidance as a Postzygotic Reproductive Barrier to Gene Flow

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Ecological Adaptation and Speciation: The Evolutionary Significance of Habitat Avoidance as a Postzygotic Reproductive Barrier to Gene Flow

Jeffrey L Feder, Scott P Egan and Andrew A Forbes

International journal of ecology, Vol.2012, pp.1-15

2012

DOI: 10.1155/2012/456374

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Abstract

Habitat choice is an important component of most models of ecologically based speciation, especially when population divergence occurs in the face of gene flow. We examine how organisms choose habitats and ask whether avoidance behavior plays an important role in habitat choice, focusing on host-specific phytophagous insects as model systems. We contend that when a component of habitat choice involves avoidance, there can be repercussions that can have consequences for enhancing the potential for specialization and postzygotic reproductive isolation and, hence, for ecological speciation. We discuss theoretical and empirical reasons for why avoidance behavior has not been fully recognized as a key element in habitat choice and ecological speciation. We present current evidence for habitat avoidance, emphasizing phytophagous insects, and new results for parasitoid wasps consistent with the avoidance hypothesis. We conclude by discussing avenues for further study, including other potential roles for avoidance behavior in speciation related to sexual selection and reinforcement.

Details

Title: Subtitle: Ecological Adaptation and Speciation: The Evolutionary Significance of Habitat Avoidance as a Postzygotic Reproductive Barrier to Gene Flow
Creators: Jeffrey L Feder - Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
Scott P Egan - Department of Biological Sciences, Advanced Diagnostics and Therapeutics, Environmental Change Initiative, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
Andrew A Forbes - Department of Biology, University of Iowa, 434A Biology Building, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: International journal of ecology, Vol.2012, pp.1-15
DOI: 10.1155/2012/456374
ISSN: 1687-9708
eISSN: 1687-9716
Grant note: DOI: 10.13039/100000001, name: National Science Foundation
Language: English
Date published: 2012
Academic Unit: Biology; University College Courses
Record Identifier: 9984217426902771

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