Ecological differentiation between coexisting sexual and asexual strains of Daphnia pulex

The Journal of Animal Ecology
Mikko P Lehto, C R Haag

Abstract

1. The widespread occurrence of sexual reproduction indicates that the benefits of sex can overcome its costs relative to asexual reproduction. Many closely related sexual and asexual taxa have different geographic distributions suggesting that their relative fitness may depend on the environment. However, support for such ecological differentiation is mainly based on correlative evidence, with experimental support being scarce, especially from the wild. 2. We studied ecological differentiation between asexual (obligate parthenogenetic) and sexual (cyclical parthenogenetic) Daphnia pulex in Southern Finland, where the two forms ('reproduction types') coexist regionally in a metapopulation. We found differences in several environmental factors between ponds inhabited by sexual and asexual populations (pH, calcium, oxygen, conductivity and absorbance). 3. A reciprocal competition experiment carried out directly in the natural ponds confirmed that sexuals and asexuals were ecologically differentiated; their relative fitness was found to depend on pH and calcium titres of the ponds. 4. Our study provides clear experimental evidence for the coexistence of closely related sexual and asexual taxa being mediated by ecological different...Continue Reading

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Jun 20, 2014·Proceedings. Biological Sciences·David J Innes, Michael Ginn
Apr 24, 2012·The Quarterly Review of Biology·Stephanie MeirmansLawrence R Kirkendall
Apr 13, 2018·Evolution; International Journal of Organic Evolution·Maurine NeimanStephanie Meirmans
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Nov 30, 2018·Proceedings. Biological Sciences·Chloé LaroseTanja Schwander
Feb 2, 2021·Molecular Ecology·Tiffany A Chin, Melania E Cristescu

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