The roles of phenotypic plasticity and adaptation in morphology and performance of an invasive species in a novel environment

Abstract

1. Species introductions provide insights into how populations respond to new environments and selection pressures through rapid adaptation and adaptive phenotypic plasticity. However, maladaptive responses are increasingly recognised to also be common in nature. The spotted‐wing drosophila, Drosophila suzukii, has rapidly invaded divergent environments providing the opportunity to examine adaptive and maladaptive phenotypic and evolutionary responses to its introduced range. 2. We studied how population density in the field and wing size of individuals varied over an elevational gradient on Hawaii. We then conducted a reciprocal common garden experiment to evaluate how temperature influenced wing size and other correlates of fitness. We did this by reciprocally rearing D. suzukii collected from low and high elevations in temperatures representative of low and high elevation. 3. We observed a wing size increase with elevation. Additionally, flies were more abundant at higher elevation. In the reciprocal common garden experiment, flies emerged faster in the warm, low‐elevation temperature and developed larger wings in the cool, high‐elevation temperature. Emergence of flies from high‐ and low‐elevation sites showed a pattern suggesting maladaptation to the temperature representing their home environment. 4. We suggest that opposing selection pressures, the high vagility of flies, and extreme plasticity in body size constrain adaptation to temperature along an elevational gradient. Although successful invasive species such as D. suzukii often exhibit local adaptation, this research demonstrates that invasive species can be successful even without such adaptation.

Developmental temperature predicts body size, flight, and pollen load in a widespread butterfly

“…Despite the knowledge that warming‐mediated shifts in body size are likely to have significant consequences for many ecological processes, there are few studies that directly link the changes in body size caused by warming to ecological function in natural settings. The existing studies that fall under this broad research umbrella can typically be grouped into those that: (a) use laboratory experiments to examine the effect of temperature on body size, fecundity, and sometimes flight (Costanzo et al, 2018; Jardeleza et al, 2022; Ohba et al, 2020; Schneider et al, 2020; Soule et al, 2020; Terada et al, 2019; Wonglersak et al, 2021; Xi et al, 2016), versus (b) those that examine correlations between insect body size and ecological functions such as pollination, dispersal, and nutrient cycling (Földesi et al, 2021; Stanbrook et al, 2021; Yang et al, 2016). Here, our goal is to join these two lines of research.…”

Selection despite low genetic diversity and high gene flow in a rapid island invasion of the bumblebee, Bombus terrestris

“…Previous studies have found associations between morphological traits and the environment in invasive insects (e.g. Hernández et al., 2010; Huey, 2000; Jardeleza et al., 2022) or morphology and genotype in invasive and pest insects (Koch et al., 2020; Yadav et al., 2018, 2019). We found few outlier loci associated with the morphological variables measured, and most were associated with wing loading (RDA2: 49 and LFMM:7; Table 3).…”

“…As invasive insects spread and persist, they are exposed to novel environments and selection pressures that may vary widely during range expansion into new areas (Gibert et al., 2016; Novak, 2007). Consequently, they may rapidly adapt to their new environmental conditions, for example, via plastic or genetic phenotypic changes (Gibert et al., 2016; Novak, 2007) in life‐history (Common et al., 2020; Wilson et al., 2009), morphological (Huey, 2000; Jardeleza et al., 2022; Koch et al., 2020; Lester, 2005; McGlynn, 1999; Mondor et al., 2007), behavioural (Common et al., 2023; Emiljanowicz et al., 2017; Holway & Suarez, 1999) or physiological (Yu et al., 2012) traits. Such trait adjustments may lead to changes in diet breadth, reproductive investment, dispersal rate and climatic tolerance, which have been linked with insect invasion success (e.g.…”

Blue appendages and temperature acclimation increase survival during acute heat stress in the upside-down jellyfish,Cassiopea xamachana

“…Ectotherms are particularly vulnerable to environmental variation, as even small temperature changes (1 -2 ℃; Pinsky et al, 2019) can affect physiology and behavior (Lagerspetz & Vainio, 2006;Lang et al, 2023). In response to environmental change, ectotherms can adjust physiological traits (e.g., respiration rate, metabolism, and reproduction; Guderley, 1990;Seebacher et al, 2015) through phenotypic plasticity (Ghalambor et al, 2007;Hartl & Conner, 2004;Jardeleza et al, 2022). This plasticity may enable some marine ectotherms to survive short-term heatwave events, which can help maintain genetic diversity for future selection to act upon (Botero et al, 2015;Gunderson & Stillman, 2015;Huey et al, 2012;Palumbi et al, 2014;Somero, 2010).…”