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Eutrophication causes speciation reversal in whitefish adaptive radiations

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  • P. Vonlanthen

    (Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Baltzerstrasse 6, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
    Centre of Ecology, Evolution and Biogeochemistry, EAWAG Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Seestrasse 79, CH-6047 Kastanienbaum, Switzerland)

  • D. Bittner

    (Centre of Ecology, Evolution and Biogeochemistry, EAWAG Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Seestrasse 79, CH-6047 Kastanienbaum, Switzerland
    Computational and Molecular Population Genetics (CMPG) Laboratory, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Baltzerstrasse 6, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland)

  • A. G. Hudson

    (Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Baltzerstrasse 6, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
    Centre of Ecology, Evolution and Biogeochemistry, EAWAG Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Seestrasse 79, CH-6047 Kastanienbaum, Switzerland)

  • K. A. Young

    (Centre of Ecology, Evolution and Biogeochemistry, EAWAG Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Seestrasse 79, CH-6047 Kastanienbaum, Switzerland
    Environment Agency, Cambria House, Newport Road, Cardiff CF24 0TP, UK)

  • R. Müller

    (Centre of Ecology, Evolution and Biogeochemistry, EAWAG Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Seestrasse 79, CH-6047 Kastanienbaum, Switzerland)

  • B. Lundsgaard-Hansen

    (Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Baltzerstrasse 6, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
    Centre of Ecology, Evolution and Biogeochemistry, EAWAG Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Seestrasse 79, CH-6047 Kastanienbaum, Switzerland)

  • D. Roy

    (Centre of Ecology, Evolution and Biogeochemistry, EAWAG Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Seestrasse 79, CH-6047 Kastanienbaum, Switzerland
    Dalhousie University, 1355 Oxford Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia B3H 4R2, Canada)

  • S. Di Piazza

    (Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Baltzerstrasse 6, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
    Centre of Ecology, Evolution and Biogeochemistry, EAWAG Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Seestrasse 79, CH-6047 Kastanienbaum, Switzerland)

  • C. R. Largiader

    (Institute of Clinical Chemistry, Inselspital University Hospital and University of Bern, Inselspital, CH-3010 Bern, Switzerland)

  • O. Seehausen

    (Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Baltzerstrasse 6, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
    Centre of Ecology, Evolution and Biogeochemistry, EAWAG Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Seestrasse 79, CH-6047 Kastanienbaum, Switzerland)

Abstract

Species diversity can be lost through two different but potentially interacting extinction processes: demographic decline and speciation reversal through introgressive hybridization. To investigate the relative contribution of these processes, we analysed historical and contemporary data of replicate whitefish radiations from 17 pre-alpine European lakes and reconstructed changes in genetic species differentiation through time using historical samples. Here we provide evidence that species diversity evolved in response to ecological opportunity, and that eutrophication, by diminishing this opportunity, has driven extinctions through speciation reversal and demographic decline. Across the radiations, the magnitude of eutrophication explains the pattern of species loss and levels of genetic and functional distinctiveness among remaining species. We argue that extinction by speciation reversal may be more widespread than currently appreciated. Preventing such extinctions will require that conservation efforts not only target existing species but identify and protect the ecological and evolutionary processes that generate and maintain species.

Suggested Citation

  • P. Vonlanthen & D. Bittner & A. G. Hudson & K. A. Young & R. Müller & B. Lundsgaard-Hansen & D. Roy & S. Di Piazza & C. R. Largiader & O. Seehausen, 2012. "Eutrophication causes speciation reversal in whitefish adaptive radiations," Nature, Nature, vol. 482(7385), pages 357-362, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:482:y:2012:i:7385:d:10.1038_nature10824
    DOI: 10.1038/nature10824
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    Cited by:

    1. Janet G. Hering, 2017. "Managing the ‘Monitoring Imperative’ in the Context of SDG Target 6.3 on Water Quality and Wastewater," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(9), pages 1-8, September.
    2. KathiJo Jankowski & Daniel E Schindler & M Claire Horner-Devine, 2014. "Resource Availability and Spatial Heterogeneity Control Bacterial Community Response to Nutrient Enrichment in Lakes," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 9(1), pages 1-10, January.
    3. Chengxiang Zhang & Li Wen & Yuyu Wang & Cunqi Liu & Yan Zhou & Guangchun Lei, 2020. "Can Constructed Wetlands be Wildlife Refuges? A Review of Their Potential Biodiversity Conservation Value," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(4), pages 1-18, February.
    4. Jinhui Zhou & Laura Scherer & Peter M. van Bodegom & Arthur Beusen & José M. Mogollón, 2022. "Regionalized nitrogen fate in freshwater systems on a global scale," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 26(3), pages 907-922, June.

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