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Trade-offs and the evolution of life-histories during range expansion
Article first published online: 16 AUG 2010
DOI: 10.1111/j.1461-0248.2010.01505.x
© 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd/CNRS
Additional Information
How to Cite
Burton, O. J., Phillips, B. L. and Travis, J. M. J. (2010), Trade-offs and the evolution of life-histories during range expansion. Ecology Letters, 13: 1210–1220. doi: 10.1111/j.1461-0248.2010.01505.x
Publication History
- Issue published online: 16 SEP 2010
- Article first published online: 16 AUG 2010
- Editor, Tim Benton Manuscript received 1 February 2010 First decision made 23 February 2010 Manuscript accepted 16 May 2010
- Abstract
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Keywords:
- Competition colonization trade-off;
- environmental change;
- individual-based model;
- migration;
- phenotype evolution;
- range margin;
- rapid evolution;
- stochastic simulation model
Ecology Letters (2010)
Abstract
During range-advance, individuals on the expanding edge of the population face a unique selective environment. In this study, we use a three-trait trade-off model to explore the evolution of dispersal, reproduction and competitive ability during range expansion. We show that range expansion greatly affects the evolution of life-history traits due to differing selection pressures at the front of the range compared with those found in stationary and core populations. During range expansion, dispersal and reproduction are selected for on the expanding population front, whereas traits associated with fitness at equilibrium density (competitive ability) show dramatic declines. Additionally, we demonstrate that the presence of a competing species can considerably reduce the extent to which dispersal is selected upwards at an expanding front. These findings have important implications for understanding both the rate of spread of invasive species and the range-shifting dynamics of native species in response to climate change.