Local environmental selection and lineage admixture act as significant mechanisms in the adaptation of the widespread East Asian pond skaterGerris latiabdoministo heterogeneous landscapes

Journal of Biogeography, vol. 47, pp. 1154–1165

Abstract

Abstract Aim Local environmental selection and lineage admixture have long been accepted as important adaptive mechanisms in adjusting widespread taxa to new environments. We studied a pond skater,Gerris latiabdominis, to explore the relative roles played by these two mechanisms in its process of adaptation to heterogeneous landscapes. Location East Asia. Taxon Gerris latiabdominis Miyamoto, 1958. Methods Mitochondrial (COI, COII) and nuclear (ddRAD‐seq) markers were sequenced from 202 individuals. Phylogenetic and phylogeographical analyses were conducted to reveal the population genetic structure. The demographical history was simulated by approximate Bayesian computation (ABC). The single‐nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that may have been subjected to natural divergent selection among the populations were assessed, and the recent migration rates were estimated. Finally, shifts in suitable habitat from the last interglacial (LIG) to the present were predicted through ecological niche modelling (ENM). Results We found population structures inferred from both mitochondrial and nuclear genomes to be almost coincident and to correspond to temporal or spatial heterogeneity. The early Pliocene splitting event between the northern (NO) and southeastern (SE) groups is consistent with the ‘arid belt hypothesis’, followed by local environmental selection. Approximate Bayesian computation and gene flow estimation strongly suggested that the southwestern (SW) groups originated from a lineage admixture event between the SE and western (WE) groups and subsequently underwent ongoing gene flow from the SE group during the Pleistocene. The mito‐nuclear discordance pattern in the SW group was probably due to the ancient mitochondrial differentiation. Main conclusion Our results suggest that both local environmental selection and lineage admixture acted as significant mechanisms ofG. latiabdominisadaptation to heterogeneous landscapes in East Asia. Furthermore, this study showed that conclusions based exclusively on mitochondrial data might mislead taxonomic, phylogenetic and phylogeographical studies.

Authors 13

1. Zhen Ye

   Nankai University

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute of Entomology College of Life Sciences Nankai University Tianjin China

   Institute of Entomology, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin, China

2. Juanjuan Yuan

   Nankai University

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute of Entomology College of Life Sciences Nankai University Tianjin China

   Institute of Entomology, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin, China

3. Ya-Hui Zhen

   Nankai University

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute of Entomology College of Life Sciences Nankai University Tianjin China

   Institute of Entomology, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin, China

4. Jakob Damgaard

   Natural History Museum of Denmark

   Affiliation as printed

   Natural History Museum of Denmark Zoological Museum Copenhagen Denmark

   Natural History Museum of Denmark, Zoological Museum, Copenhagen, Denmark

5. Kazutaka Yamada

   Tokushima Prefectural Museum

   Affiliation as printed

   Tokushima Prefectural Museum Tokushima Japan

   Tokushima Prefectural Museum, Tokushima, Japan

6. Xiuxiu Zhu

   Nankai University

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute of Entomology College of Life Sciences Nankai University Tianjin China

   Institute of Entomology, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin, China

7. Kun Jiang

   Nankai University

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute of Entomology College of Life Sciences Nankai University Tianjin China

   Institute of Entomology, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin, China

8. Xin Yang

   Nankai University

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute of Entomology College of Life Sciences Nankai University Tianjin China

   Institute of Entomology, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin, China

9. Shujing Wang

   Nankai University

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute of Entomology College of Life Sciences Nankai University Tianjin China

   Institute of Entomology, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin, China

10. Jingyu Liang

    Nankai University

    Affiliation as printed

    Institute of Entomology College of Life Sciences Nankai University Tianjin China

    Institute of Entomology, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin, China

11. Siying Fu

    Nankai University

    Affiliation as printed

    Institute of Entomology College of Life Sciences Nankai University Tianjin China

    Institute of Entomology, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin, China

12. Pingping Chen Aachen Naturalis Netherlands Biodiversity Centre Leiden The Netherlands Naturalis Netherlands Biodiversity Centre

    Naturalis Biodiversity Center

    Affiliation as printed

    Naturalis Netherlands Biodiversity Centre Leiden The Netherlands

    Naturalis, Netherlands Biodiversity Centre, Leiden, The Netherlands

13. Wenjun Bu corresponding

    Nankai University

    Affiliation as printed

    Institute of Entomology College of Life Sciences Nankai University Tianjin China

    Institute of Entomology, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin, China