Climate-induced range shifts and possible hybridisation consequences in insects

PLoS One. 2013 Nov 15;8(11):e80531. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0080531. eCollection 2013.

Abstract

Many ectotherms have altered their geographic ranges in response to rising global temperatures. Current range shifts will likely increase the sympatry and hybridisation between recently diverged species. Here we predict future sympatric distributions and risk of hybridisation in seven Mediterranean ischnurid damselfly species (I. elegans, I. fountaineae, I. genei, I. graellsii, I. pumilio, I. saharensis and I. senegalensis). We used a maximum entropy modelling technique to predict future potential distribution under four different Global Circulation Models and a realistic emissions scenario of climate change. We carried out a comprehensive data compilation of reproductive isolation (habitat, temporal, sexual, mechanical and gametic) between the seven studied species. Combining the potential distribution and data of reproductive isolation at different instances (habitat, temporal, sexual, mechanical and gametic), we infer the risk of hybridisation in these insects. Our findings showed that all but I. graellsii will decrease in distributional extent and all species except I. senegalensis are predicted to have northern range shifts. Models of potential distribution predicted an increase of the likely overlapping ranges for 12 species combinations, out of a total of 42 combinations, 10 of which currently overlap. Moreover, the lack of complete reproductive isolation and the patterns of hybridisation detected between closely related ischnurids, could lead to local extinctions of native species if the hybrids or the introgressed colonising species become more successful.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Biodiversity
  • Climate*
  • Ecosystem
  • Female
  • Geography
  • Hybridization, Genetic*
  • Insecta / physiology*
  • Male
  • Models, Theoretical
  • Population Dynamics
  • Reproductive Isolation

Grants and funding

RAS-G was supported by a postdoctoral grant Dirección General Asuntos del Personal Académico-Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM). JM received financial support from the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness of Spain (grant CGL2012-38624-C02-02). This research was partially supported by a Programa de Apoyo a Proyectos de Investigación e Innovación Tecnológica-UNAM grant (IN 222312). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.