Growth–defense trade‐offs promote habitat isolation between recently‐diverged species
Abstract Trade‐offs are crucial for species divergence and reproductive isolation. Trade‐offs between investment in growth versus defense against herbivores are implicated in tropical forest diversity. Empirically exploring the role of growth–defense trade‐offs in closely related species' repro...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2024-07-01
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| Series: | Ecology and Evolution |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.11609 |
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| _version_ | 1839618453669937152 |
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| author | Julia G. Harenčár Diego Salazar‐Amoretti Carlos García‐Robledo Kathleen M. Kay |
| author_facet | Julia G. Harenčár Diego Salazar‐Amoretti Carlos García‐Robledo Kathleen M. Kay |
| author_sort | Julia G. Harenčár |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Trade‐offs are crucial for species divergence and reproductive isolation. Trade‐offs between investment in growth versus defense against herbivores are implicated in tropical forest diversity. Empirically exploring the role of growth–defense trade‐offs in closely related species' reproductive isolation can clarify the eco‐evolutionary dynamics through which growth–defense trade‐offs contribute to diversity. Costus villosissimus and C. allenii are recently diverged, interfertile, and partially sympatric neotropical understory plant species primarily isolated by divergent habitat adaptation. This divergent adaptation involves differences in growth rate, which may constrain investment in defense. Here, we investigate growth–defense trade‐offs and how they relate to the divergent habitat adaptation that isolates these species. We characterize leaf toughness and chemistry, evaluate the feeding preferences of primary beetle herbivores in controlled trials and field‐based experiments, and investigate natural herbivory patterns. We find clear trade‐offs between growth and defense: slower‐growing C. allenii has tougher leaves and higher defensive chemical concentrations than faster‐growing C. villosissimus. Costus villosissimus has rapid growth‐based drought avoidance, enabling growth in drier habitats with few specialist herbivores. Therefore, growth–defense trade‐offs mediate synergistic biotic and abiotic selection, causing the divergent habitat adaptation that prevents most interspecific mating between C. villosissimus and C. allenii. Our findings advance understanding of ecological speciation by highlighting the interplay of biotic and abiotic selection that dictates the outcome of trade‐offs. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-9663ab970cfd4d78bbb37f73b4b2aea2 |
| institution | Matheson Library |
| issn | 2045-7758 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-07-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Ecology and Evolution |
| spelling | doaj-art-9663ab970cfd4d78bbb37f73b4b2aea22025-07-24T00:21:18ZengWileyEcology and Evolution2045-77582024-07-01147n/an/a10.1002/ece3.11609Growth–defense trade‐offs promote habitat isolation between recently‐diverged speciesJulia G. Harenčár0Diego Salazar‐Amoretti1Carlos García‐Robledo2Kathleen M. Kay3Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department University of California Santa Cruz California USADepartment of Biological Sciences Binghamton University Binghamton New York USADepartment of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of Connecticut Storrs Connecticut USAEcology and Evolutionary Biology Department University of California Santa Cruz California USAAbstract Trade‐offs are crucial for species divergence and reproductive isolation. Trade‐offs between investment in growth versus defense against herbivores are implicated in tropical forest diversity. Empirically exploring the role of growth–defense trade‐offs in closely related species' reproductive isolation can clarify the eco‐evolutionary dynamics through which growth–defense trade‐offs contribute to diversity. Costus villosissimus and C. allenii are recently diverged, interfertile, and partially sympatric neotropical understory plant species primarily isolated by divergent habitat adaptation. This divergent adaptation involves differences in growth rate, which may constrain investment in defense. Here, we investigate growth–defense trade‐offs and how they relate to the divergent habitat adaptation that isolates these species. We characterize leaf toughness and chemistry, evaluate the feeding preferences of primary beetle herbivores in controlled trials and field‐based experiments, and investigate natural herbivory patterns. We find clear trade‐offs between growth and defense: slower‐growing C. allenii has tougher leaves and higher defensive chemical concentrations than faster‐growing C. villosissimus. Costus villosissimus has rapid growth‐based drought avoidance, enabling growth in drier habitats with few specialist herbivores. Therefore, growth–defense trade‐offs mediate synergistic biotic and abiotic selection, causing the divergent habitat adaptation that prevents most interspecific mating between C. villosissimus and C. allenii. Our findings advance understanding of ecological speciation by highlighting the interplay of biotic and abiotic selection that dictates the outcome of trade‐offs.https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.11609Costushabitat adaptationherbivore escapeherbivoryreproductive isolationspecies maintenance |
| spellingShingle | Julia G. Harenčár Diego Salazar‐Amoretti Carlos García‐Robledo Kathleen M. Kay Growth–defense trade‐offs promote habitat isolation between recently‐diverged species Ecology and Evolution Costus habitat adaptation herbivore escape herbivory reproductive isolation species maintenance |
| title | Growth–defense trade‐offs promote habitat isolation between recently‐diverged species |
| title_full | Growth–defense trade‐offs promote habitat isolation between recently‐diverged species |
| title_fullStr | Growth–defense trade‐offs promote habitat isolation between recently‐diverged species |
| title_full_unstemmed | Growth–defense trade‐offs promote habitat isolation between recently‐diverged species |
| title_short | Growth–defense trade‐offs promote habitat isolation between recently‐diverged species |
| title_sort | growth defense trade offs promote habitat isolation between recently diverged species |
| topic | Costus habitat adaptation herbivore escape herbivory reproductive isolation species maintenance |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.11609 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT juliagharencar growthdefensetradeoffspromotehabitatisolationbetweenrecentlydivergedspecies AT diegosalazaramoretti growthdefensetradeoffspromotehabitatisolationbetweenrecentlydivergedspecies AT carlosgarciarobledo growthdefensetradeoffspromotehabitatisolationbetweenrecentlydivergedspecies AT kathleenmkay growthdefensetradeoffspromotehabitatisolationbetweenrecentlydivergedspecies |