Using Networks to Connect Individual-Level Reproductive Behavior to Population Patterns

Rebecca J Safran; Iris I Levin; Bailey K Fosdick; Molly T McDermott; Georgy А Semenov; Amanda K Hund; Elizabeth S C Scordato; Sheela P Turbek

doi:10.1016/j.tree.2019.03.009

Using Networks to Connect Individual-Level Reproductive Behavior to Population Patterns

Trends Ecol Evol. 2019 Jun;34(6):497-501. doi: 10.1016/j.tree.2019.03.009. Epub 2019 May 9.

Authors

Rebecca J Safran¹, Iris I Levin², Bailey K Fosdick³, Molly T McDermott⁴, Georgy А Semenov⁴, Amanda K Hund⁵, Elizabeth S C Scordato⁶, Sheela P Turbek⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309, USA; Co-first authors. Electronic address: rebecca.safran@colorado.edu.
² Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309, USA; Department of Biology, Agnes Scott College, Decatur, GA 30030, USA; Co-first authors.
³ Department of Statistics, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA; Co-first authors. Electronic address: https://twitter.com/baileyfosdick.
⁴ Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309, USA.
⁵ Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309, USA; Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA. Electronic address: https://twitter.com/AmandaHund.
⁶ Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309, USA; Department of Biological Sciences, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, CA 91768, USA.

PMID: 31079944
DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2019.03.009

Abstract

We propose an application of network analysis to determine which traits and behaviors predict fertilizations within and between populations. This approach quantifies how reproductive behavior between individuals shapes patterns of selection and gene flow, filling an important gap in our understanding of the connection between evolutionary processes and emergent patterns.

Keywords: fertilization; gene flow; hybrid zone; network; reproductive isolation; speciation.

MeSH terms

Biological Evolution
Gene Flow
Genetic Speciation*
Phenotype
Reproductive Behavior*
Reproductive Isolation