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Classes of predictions about the evolution of dispersal. (a) The density of dispersal trait values within a metapopulation following an ESS, with residual variance corresponding to the result of mutation and local genetic drift (i.e. stochastic effects). (b) The density of dispersal trait values in a polymorphic population (here, with two modes). (c) Prediction of a positive association syndrome between dispersal and trait x. (d ) Prediction of a genetic covariance between dispersal and trait x within a given population or metapopulation. (e) Spatial structure of average dispersal value along a one-dimensional space—here, dispersal is higher on the right, possibly because of an invasion wave into a new environment. ( f ) Structuring of dispersal trait values among two types of patches—here, dispersal is selected for in patches of type 1 and disfavoured in patches of type 2.
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Dispersal, the tendency for organisms to reproduce away from their parents, influences many evolutionary and ecological processes, from speciation and extinction events, to the coexistence of genotypes within species or biological invasions. Understanding how dispersal evolves is crucial to predict how global changes might affect species persistenc...
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... type of prediction that has garnered much attention from evolutionary ecologists is whether selection on dispersal is stabilizing or disruptive ( figure 2a,b). In game theory or adaptive dynamics parlance, the former is characterized by an evolutionarily stable strategy (ESS) for dispersal [101,102]; by contrast, disruptive selection is associated with evolutionary branching [103] or with an increase in the stand- ing variance of the trait studied. ...
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The forces promoting and constraining speciation are often studied in theoretical models because the process is hard to observe, replicate, and manipulate in real organisms. Most models analyzed to date include pre-defined functions influencing fitness, leaving open the question of how speciation might proceed without these built-in determinants. T...
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... For example, an unstable climate may lead to selection for increased dispersal [90], while a stable climate might select for increased competition [91]. With alternative models that allow for dispersal and competitive traits to evolve, we show that dispersal is under much weaker selection than competition (electronic supplementary material, figures S28-S31), especially during stable climates and consistent with theoretical expectations [40,52,92,93]. This suggests that-given a landscape-it may be 'easier' for species to 'evolve' (e.g. ...
Theory links dispersal and diversity, predicting the highest diversity at intermediate dispersal levels. However, the modulation of this relationship by macro-eco-evolutionary mechanisms and competition within a landscape is still elusive. We examine the interplay between dispersal, competition and landscape structure in shaping biodiversity over 5 million years in a dynamic archipelago landscape. We model allopatric speciation, temperature niche, dispersal, competition, trait evolution and trade-offs between competitive and dispersal traits. Depending on dispersal abilities and their interaction with landscape structure, our archipelago exhibits two ‘connectivity regimes’, that foster speciation events among the same group of islands. Peaks of diversity (i.e. alpha, gamma and phylogenetic), occurred at intermediate dispersal; while competition shifted diversity peaks towards higher dispersal values for each connectivity regime. This shift demonstrates how competition can boost allopatric speciation events through the evolution of thermal specialists, ultimately limiting geographical ranges. Even in a simple landscape, multiple intermediate dispersal diversity relationships emerged, all shaped similarly and according to dispersal and competition strength. Our findings remain valid as dispersal- and competitive-related traits evolve and trade-off; potentially leaving identifiable biodiversity signatures, particularly when trade-offs are imposed. Overall, we scrutinize the convoluted relationships between dispersal, species interactions and landscape structure on macro-eco-evolutionary processes, with lasting imprints on biodiversity.
This article is part of the theme issue ‘Diversity-dependence of dispersal: interspecific interactions determine spatial dynamics’.
... Despite its importance in eco-evolutionary community models, dispersal is usually treated as a static trait that cannot evolve. Yet, dispersal is a trait like any other that can undergo adaptive evolution depending on the relative fitness costs and benefits of dispersing [37][38][39][40]. Higher dispersal evolves when dispersal costs are low or under high local intraspecific (also kin) competition, habitat fragmentation, frequent habitat destruction or the availability of new, low-competition patches [41][42][43][44][45]. Dispersal polymorphisms can evolve in response to disruptive selection originating from spatial and temporal environmental heterogeneity, population fluctuations under different population regulations, patch size variation and random patch extinctions [46][47][48]. ...
Biologists have long sought to predict the distribution of species across landscapes to understand biodiversity patterns and dynamics. These efforts usually integrate ecological niche and dispersal dynamics, but evolution can also mediate these ecological dynamics. Species that disperse well and arrive early might adapt to local conditions, which creates an evolution-mediated priority effect that alters biodiversity patterns. Yet, dispersal is also a trait that can evolve and affect evolution-mediated priority effects. We developed an individual-based model where populations of competing species can adapt not only to local environments but also to different dispersal probabilities. We found that lower regional species diversity selects for populations with higher dispersal probabilities and stronger evolution-mediated priority effects. When all species evolved dispersal, they monopolized fewer patches and did so at the same rates. When only one of the species evolved dispersal, it evolved lower dispersal than highly dispersive species and monopolized habitats once freed from maladaptive gene flow. Overall, we demonstrate that dispersal evolution can shape evolution-mediated priority effects when provided with a greater ecological opportunity in species-poor communities. Dispersal- and evolution-mediated priority effects probably play greater roles in species-poor regions like the upper latitudes, isolated islands and in changing environments.
This article is part of the theme issue 'Diversity-dependence of dispersal: interspecific interactions determine spatial dynamics'.
... Dispersal is a central life-history trait [1], defined as the process by which an organism reproduces away from where it is born [2][3][4][5][6]. By definition, dispersal is therefore different from seasonal migration or foraging [7], which do not lead to gene flow. ...
... As an important driver of ecological dynamics, from population to ecosystems, dispersal is under a wide range of selective pressures which we discuss below [6]. Yet, most of our understanding comes from single-species studies (but see e.g., [15,16]; for a review focused on range dynamics see [17]), or theoretical work that considers selection acting within one species [18][19][20][21][22]. Dispersal evolution models that do include inter-specific interactions (e.g., predation, facilitation, parasitism) traditionally consider these interactions only implicitly or in a very simplified manner, such as seed predation accounting for the extra mortality of dispersed and dormant seeds [23]. ...
... Comprehensive reviews on dispersal evolution have listed the different selective pressures on dispersal and how their combination results in positive, negative, disruptive or stabilizing selection [3,4,6]. In brief, dispersal is selected for in situations in which there is temporal variability in environmental conditions [31], perturbations [32], kin competition [18], and inbreeding depression [33]. ...
Dispersal is a well-recognized driver of ecological and evolutionary dynamics, and simultaneously an evolving trait. Dispersal evolution has traditionally been studied in single-species metapopulations so that it remains unclear how dispersal evolves in metacommunities and metafoodwebs, which are characterized by a multitude of species interactions. Since most natural systems are both species-rich and spatially structured, this knowledge gap should be bridged. Here, we discuss whether knowledge from dispersal evolutionary ecology established in single-species systems holds in metacommunities and metafoodwebs and we highlight generally valid and fundamental principles. Most biotic interactions form the backdrop to the ecological theatre for the evolutionary dispersal play because interactions mediate patterns of fitness expectations across space and time. While this allows for a simple transposition of certain known principles to a multispecies context, other drivers may require more complex transpositions, or might not be transferred. We discuss an important quantitative modulator of dispersal evolution—increased trait dimensionality of biodiverse meta-systems—and an additional driver: co-dispersal. We speculate that scale and selection pressure mismatches owing to co-dispersal, together with increased trait dimensionality, may lead to a slower and more ‘diffuse’ evolution in biodiverse meta-systems. Open questions and potential consequences in both ecological and evolutionary terms call for more investigation.
This article is part of the theme issue 'Diversity-dependence of dispersal: interspecific interactions determine spatial dynamics'.
... However, fragmentation increases spatial heterogeneity hence dispersal costs, as the risk of arriving in a hostile environment is increased, which Page 2 of 7 may select for lower dispersal. This is observed in both theoretical (Hastings 1983, Travis and Dytham 1999, Duputié and Massol 2013 and empirical studies (Bonte et al. 2006, Schtickzelle et al. 2006, Cheptou et al. 2008. ...
... This counterselection of dispersal in fragmented habitat supports our hypothesis that fragmentation, by creating spatial heterogeneities and increasing the costs of dispersal, disfavours more dispersive strategies. This effect of dispersal costs associated with spatial heterogeneities is congruent with theoretical works (Hastings 1983, Travis and Dytham 1999, Duputié and Massol 2013, Parvinen et al. 2020) and empirical observations in other systems (Heinze 1993, Bonte et al. 2006, Schtickzelle et al. 2006, Cheptou et al. 2008. ...
... In addition, if fragmentation varies over time this temporal variation of the environment can select for higher dispersal as a bet-hedging strategy. These forces select for more dispersal as shown in several theoretical (Hamilton and May 1977, Charlesworth and Charlesworth 1987, Gandon 1999, Duputié and Massol 2013, Cote et al. 2017, Oldfather et al. 2021, Finand et al. 2023c) and empirical works (Matthysen et al. 1995, Tung et al. 2018. ...
Increased habitat fragmentation is one of the major global changes affecting biodiversity. It is characterised by a decrease in habitat availability and by the isolation of suitable habitat patches. The dispersal capacities of species may evolve in response to increased habitat fragmentation. Spatial heterogeneities and/or costs of dispersal, which are directly linked to habitat fragmentation, tend to select for lower dispersal abilities. We studied the effects of habitat fragmentation on dispersal in forest and urban contexts, using an ant species that exhibits a marked dispersal polymorphism. Myrmecina graminicola produces winged queens dispersing by flight over long distances, or apterous queens dispersing on foot over short distances. We sampled queens in 24 forests around Paris and in 25 parks within Paris, representing varied levels of habitat fragmentation and habitat size. Winged queens predominated in both environments. However, apterous queens were comparatively more common in parks than in forests, suggesting that high fragmentation and/or urbanization counterselects dispersal in this species. We argue that this is because dispersing within urban environments is very costly for this species, and discuss the factors favouring each queen morph or resulting in their co-occurrence (maintenance of polymorphism).
... By definition, fragmentation increases spatial heterogeneity so that dispersing propagules encounter non-suitable patches more frequently. Theoretical and empirical studies suggest that such increases in dispersal costs and in spatial heterogeneity select decreased dispersal (Hastings 1983, Travis and Dytham 1999, Bonte et al. 2006, Schtickzelle et al. 2006, Cheptou et al. 2008, Duputié and Massol 2013. While such a counterselection of dispersal was originally highlighted in theoretical models (Hastings 1983, Travis andDytham 1999), empirical evidence for such effects has accumulated in recent years, for a large variety of species, from the weed Crepis sancta (Cheptou et al. 2008), to the butterfly Proclossiana eunomia (Schtickzelle et al. 2006) and the wolf spider Pardosa monticola (Bonte et al. 2006). ...
... While such a counterselection of dispersal was originally highlighted in theoretical models (Hastings 1983, Travis andDytham 1999), empirical evidence for such effects has accumulated in recent years, for a large variety of species, from the weed Crepis sancta (Cheptou et al. 2008), to the butterfly Proclossiana eunomia (Schtickzelle et al. 2006) and the wolf spider Pardosa monticola (Bonte et al. 2006). Habitat fragmentation however also increases inbreeding, kin competition or temporal variation of the environment and all of these components usually select for higher dispersal abilities (Hamilton and May 1977, Charlesworth and Charlesworth 1987, Matthysen et al. 1995, Gandon 1999, Duputié and Massol 2013, Cote et al. 2017, Tung et al. 2018, Oldfather et al. 2021. In addition to the modulation of overall dispersal levels, fragmentation can also, under certain conditions, maintain contrasted dispersal strategies simultaneously. ...
Because it affects dispersal risk and modifies competition levels, habitat fragmentation directly constrains dispersal evolution. When dispersal is traded off against competitive ability, increased fragmentation is often expected to select higher dispersal. Such evolutionary effects could favor the maintenance of the metapopulation by fostering spatial rescue effects. Using an evolutionary model, we first investigate how dispersal evolves in a metapopulation when fragmentation and aggregation of this fragmentation are fixed. Our results suggest that high fragmentation indeed selects for dispersal increase, but this effect is largely reduced in aggregated landscapes, to the point of being nonexistent at the highest aggregation levels. Contrasted dispersal strategies coexist at high fragmentation levels and with no or low aggregation. We then simulate time-varying fragmentation scenarios to investigate the conditions under which evolutionary rescue of the metapopulation happens. Faster evolution of dispersal favors the persistence of the metapopulation, but this effect is very reduced in aggregated landscapes. Overall, our results highlight how the speed of evolution of dispersal and the structuration of the fragmentation will largely constrain metapopulation survival in changing environments.
... The theoretical framework of dispersal evolution predicts strong selection to reduce dispersal when the availability and connectivity of the habitat are decreasing (Duputié and Massol 2013). This theory has been mainly developed for organisms dispersing randomly within the spatial extent of the landscape, such as wind-dispersing organisms, like many plants and spiders (Bonte 2013). ...
Urban environments represent a theatre for life history evolution. Species able to survive in urban areas can adapt to the local and often divergent environmental conditions compared to rural or (semi‐)natural environments. Dispersal determines establishment, gene flow, and thus the potential for local adaptation. Since habitats in urban environments are highly fragmented, and showing substantial turnover, contrasting adaptive effects on dispersal are expected. Fragmentation selects against dispersal while patch turnover is expected to promote the evolution of dispersal.
We here show both processes to act in concert when different scales are considered. Dispersal behavior of juvenile, lab‐reared garden spiders from threemid‐sized European cities were tested under standardized conditions. While long‐distance dispersal showed to be overall rare, short‐distance dispersal strategies increased with urbanization at small scales but declined when urbanization was quantified at large scales.
We discuss the putative drivers behind these differences in natal dispersal and highlight its importance for urban evolution and ecology.
... The simplest setting to study the joint evolution of dispersal and specialisation is an environment composed of equally sized stable patches belonging to different habitats (e.g. Ravigné et al., 2009;Duputié & Massol, 2013; see Figs 1 and 2 for definitions). Species inhabiting this environment undergo selection within habitat patches relative to a local adaptation trait and can move between habitats according to a genetically encoded dispersal trait. ...
Theory generally predicts that host specialisation and dispersal should evolve jointly. Indeed, many models predict that specialists should be poor dispersers to avoid landing on unsuitable hosts while generalists will have high dispersal abilities. Phytophagous arthropods are an excellent group to test this prediction, given extensive variation in their host range and dispersal abilities. Here, we explore the degree to which the empirical literature on this group is in accordance with theoretical predictions. We first briefly outline the theoretical reasons to expect such a correlation. We then report empirical studies that measured both dispersal and the degree of specialisation in phytophagous arthropods. We find a correlation between dispersal and levels of specialisation in some studies, but with wide variation in this result. We then review theoretical attributes of species and environment that may blur this correlation, namely environmental grain, temporal heterogeneity, habitat selection, genetic architecture, and coevolution between plants and herbivores. We argue that theoretical models fail to account for important aspects, such as phenotypic plasticity and the impact of selective forces stemming from other biotic interactions, on both dispersal and specialisation. Next, we review empirical caveats in the study of this interplay. We find that studies use different measures of both dispersal and specialisation, hampering comparisons. Moreover, several studies do not provide independent measures of these two traits. Finally, variation in these traits may occur at scales that are not being considered. We conclude that this correlation is likely not to be expected from large‐scale comparative analyses as it is highly context dependent and should not be considered in isolation from the factors that modulate it, such as environmental scale and heterogeneity, intrinsic traits or biotic interactions. A stronger crosstalk between theoretical and empirical studies is needed to understand better the prevalence and basis of the correlation between dispersal and specialisation.
... The steeper slope could be-apart from the influence of spatial habitat configuration (van Strien et al. 2015)-due to dispersal capacity being more restricted in the inland region. A difference in dispersal capacity within a species can result from evolved dispersal reductions in highly fragmented landscapes (Cheptou et al. 2017) where costs of dispersal are highest or where spatiotemporal patch turnover is lowest (Bowler and Benton 2005;Bonte et al. 2012;Duputié and Massol 2013). Such conditions could be more prominent for the more fragmented and locally stable populations from the inland sandy regions. ...
Connectivity is a species- and landscape-specific measure that is key to species conservation in fragmented landscapes. However, information on connectivity is often lacking, especially for insects which are known to be severely declining. Patterns of gene flow constitute an indirect measure of functional landscape connectivity. We studied the population genetic structure of the rare digger wasp Bembix rostrata in coastal and inland regions in and near Belgium. The species is restricted to sandy pioneer vegetations for nesting and is well known for its philopatry as it does not easily colonize vacant habitat. It has markedly declined in the last century, especially in the inland region where open sand habitat has decreased in area and became highly fragmented. To assess within and between region connectivity, we used mating system independent population genetic methods suitable for haplodiploid species. We found more pronounced genetic structure in the small and isolated inland populations as compared to the well-connected coastal region. We also found a pattern of asymmetrical gene flow from coast to inland, including a few rare dispersal distances of potentially up to 200 to 300 km, based on assignment tests. We point to demography, wind and difference in dispersal capacities as possible underlying factors that can explain the discrepancy in connectivity and asymmetrical gene flow between the different regions. Overall, gene flow between existing populations appeared not highly restricted, especially at the coast. Therefore, to improve the conservation status of B. rostrata, the primary focus should be to preserve and create sufficient habitat for this species to increase the number and quality of (meta) populations, rather than focusing on landscape connectivity itself.
... One of the three basic mechanisms that give rise to kin selection is limited dispersal-or 'population viscosity'-whereby individuals remain close to their place of origin such that even indiscriminate social interactions tend to lead to fitness consequences for their genealogical kin [1,2]. Accordingly, the causes and consequences of dispersal have received an enormous amount of attention in the social evolution literature [3,4]. Concerning the social evolutionary causes of dispersal, Hamilton & May [5] showed that kin selection favours dispersal as a means of relaxing competition between kin for reproductive resources. ...
A basic mechanism of kin selection is limited dispersal, whereby individuals remain close to their place of origin such that even indiscriminate social interaction tends to modify the fitness of genealogical kin. Accordingly, the causes and consequences of dispersal have received an enormous amount of attention in the social evolution literature. This work has focused on dispersal of individuals in space, yet similar logic should apply to dispersal of individuals in time (e.g. dormancy). We investigate how kin selection drives the evolution of dormancy and how dormancy modulates the evolution of altruism. We recover dormancy analogues of key results that have previously been given for dispersal, showing that: (1) kin selection favours dormancy as a means of relaxing competition between relatives; (2) when individuals may adjust their dormancy behaviour to local density, they are favoured to do so, resulting in greater dormancy in high-density neighbourhoods and a concomitant ‘constant non-dormant principle’; (3) when dormancy is constrained to be independent of density, there is no relationship between the rate of dormancy and the evolutionary potential for altruism; and (4) when dormancy is able to evolve in a density-dependent manner, a greater potential for altruism is expected in populations with lower dormancy.
... In the last six decades, theory has advanced our understanding of why organisms disperse, but few empirical studies have examined this question (Duputié & Massol 2013). Dispersal of organisms is costly in energy, time, risk, and opportunity (Duputié & Massol 2013). ...
... In the last six decades, theory has advanced our understanding of why organisms disperse, but few empirical studies have examined this question (Duputié & Massol 2013). Dispersal of organisms is costly in energy, time, risk, and opportunity (Duputié & Massol 2013). For example, in fragmented landscapes with an inhospitable matrix, wind-dispersed diaspores of the annual herb Crepis sancta experienced high mortality, which resulted in rapid evolution toward a higher proportion of nondispersing diaspores (Cheptou et al. 2008). ...
... In the face of these potential costs, why do organisms disperse? The major selection pressures that increase dispersal, typically measured in theoretical studies as the proportion of dispersing offspring or the distribution of dispersal distances, are generally related to competition and spatiotemporal variation in local environmental conditions (Duputié & Massol 2013, Ronce 2007. With respect to plants, we discuss these selection pressures in terms of escape from conspecific competition, escape from specialized natural enemies, adaptation to ephemeral habitats, and directed dispersal to specific habitats (for a summary of the selection pressures hypothesized to increase seed dispersal, see Figure 3). ...
Seed dispersal, or the movement of diaspores away from the parent location, is a multiscale, multipartner process that depends on the interaction of plant life history with vector movement and the environment. Seed dispersal underpins many important plant ecological and evolutionary processes such as gene flow, population dynamics, range expansion, and diversity. We review exciting new directions that the field of seed dispersal ecology and evolution has taken over the past 40 years. We provide an overview of the ultimate causes of dispersal and the consequences of this important process for plant population and community dynamics. We also discuss several emergent unifying frameworks that are being used to study dispersal and describe how they can be integrated to provide a more mechanistic understanding of dispersal.
Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Ecology, Evolution, and Systematics, Volume 54 is November 2023. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.
