title: The evolutionary legacy of size-selective harvesting extends from genes to populations.
abstract: Size-selective harvesting is assumed to alter life histories of exploited fish populations, thereby negatively affecting population productivity, recovery, and yield. However, demonstrating that fisheries-induced phenotypic changes in the wild are at least partly genetically determined has proved notoriously difficult. Moreover, the population-level consequences of fisheries-induced evolution are still being controversially discussed. Using an experimental approach, we found that five generations of size-selective harvesting altered the life histories and behavior, but not the metabolic rate, of wild-origin zebrafish (Danio rerio). Fish adapted to high positively size selective fishing pressure invested more in reproduction, reached a smaller adult body size, and were less explorative and bold. Phenotypic changes seemed subtle but were accompanied by genetic changes in functional loci. Thus, our results provided unambiguous evidence for rapid, harvest-induced phenotypic and evolutionary change when harvesting is intensive and size selective. According to a life-history model, the observed life-history changes elevated population growth rate in harvested conditions, but slowed population recovery under a simulated moratorium. Hence, the evolutionary legacy of size-selective harvesting includes populations that are productive under exploited conditions, but selectively disadvantaged to cope with natural selection pressures that often favor large body size.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and Ecology of Fishes, Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries Berlin, Germany ; Division of Genetics and Physiology, Department of Biology, University of Turku Turku, Finland.
authors.forename: Silva
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Uusi-Heikkilä
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Conservation, University of Massachusetts Amherst, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Andrew R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Whiteley
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kuparinen
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Applied Biological Sciences, Gifu University Gifu, Japan.
authors.forename: Shuichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Matsumura
authors.affiliation: Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, University of Minnesota St Paul, MN, USA.
authors.forename: Paul A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Venturelli
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and Ecology of Fishes, Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wolter
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Western Bank Sheffield, UK.
authors.forename: Jon
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Slate
authors.affiliation: Division of Genetics and Physiology, Department of Biology, University of Turku Turku, Finland.
authors.forename: Craig R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Primmer
authors.affiliation: Department of Ecophysiology and Aquaculture, Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Meinelt
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary & Life Sciences, University of Glasgow Glasgow, UK.
authors.forename: Shaun S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Killen
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and Ecology of Fishes, Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bierbach
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and Ecology of Fishes, Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Polverino
authors.affiliation: Department of Evolutionary Genetics, Leibniz-Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Arne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ludwig
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and Ecology of Fishes, Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries Berlin, Germany ; Chair of Integrative Fisheries Management, Faculty of Life Sciences, Albrecht-Daniel-Thaer Institute of Agricultural and Horticultural Sciences, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Arlinghaus
keywords: conservation; fisheries-induced evolution; life-history evolution; personality; population dynamics