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Dryad

Data from: Cast adrift on an island: introduced populations experience an altered balance between selection and drift

Cite this dataset

O'Neill, Eric M.; Beard, Karen H.; Pfrender, Michael E. (2012). Data from: Cast adrift on an island: introduced populations experience an altered balance between selection and drift [Dataset]. Dryad. https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.j079s

Abstract

A long-standing question in evolutionary biology is what becomes of adaptive traits when a species expands its range into novel environments. Here we report the results of a study on an adaptive colour pattern polymorphism (stripes) of the coqui frog following its introduction to Hawaii from Puerto Rico. We compared population differentiation (φ'ST and FST) for the stripes locus —which underlies this colour pattern polymorphism— with neutral microsatellite loci to test for a signature of selection among native and introduced populations. Among native populations, φ'ST and FST for stripes were lower than expected under the neutral model, suggesting uniform balancing selection. Alternatively, among introduced populations, φ'ST and FST for stripes did not differ from the neutral model. These results suggest that the evolutionary dynamics of this previously adaptive trait have become dominated by random genetic drift following the range expansion.

Usage notes

Location

Puerto Rico
Hawaii