Pathogen-induced rapid evolution in a vertebrate life-history trait.
Anthropogenic factors, including climate warming, are increasing the incidence and prevalence of infectious diseases worldwide. Infectious diseases caused by pathogenic parasites can have severe impacts on host survival, thereby altering the selection regime and inducing evolutionary responses in their hosts. Knowledge about such evolutionary consequences in natural populations is critical to mitigate potential ecological and economic effects. However, studies on pathogen-induced trait changes are scarce and the pace of evolutionary change is largely unknown, particularly in vertebrates. Here, we use a time series from long-term monitoring of perch to estimate temporal trends in the maturation schedule before and after a severe pathogen outbreak. We show that the disease induced a phenotypic change from a previously increasing to a decreasing size at maturation, the most important life-history transition in animals. Evolutionary rates imposed by the pathogen were high and comparable to those reported for populations exposed to intense human harvesting. Pathogens thus represent highly potent drivers of adaptive phenotypic evolution in vertebrates.
Ohlberger
Jan
J
Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis (CEES), Department of Biology, University of Oslo, PO Box 1066 Blindern, 0316 Oslo, Norway. jan.ohlberger@bio.uio.no
Langangen
Øystein
Ø
Edeline
Eric
E
Olsen
Esben Moland
EM
Winfield
Ian J
IJ
Fletcher
Janice M
JM
James
J Ben
JB
Stenseth
Nils Christian
NC
Vøllestad
Leif Asbjørn
LA
D000818:Animals; D005075:Biological Evolution; D049628:Body Size; D004739:England / Q000453:epidemiology; D005393:Fish Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D016015:Logistic Models; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D009181:Mycoses / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D010471:Perches; D010641:Phenotype; D012741:Sexual Maturation / Q000502:physiology*; D013997:Time Factors