Journal Article

Evolution of a genetic polymorphism with climate change in a Mediterranean landscape

Bouguet, Guillaume, Charpentier, Anne, Roset, Stéphanie, We thank the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique for financial support, Charmasson, Faustine, Laboratoire de Génétique et Evolution des Populations Végétales (GEPV) ; Université de Lille, Sciences et Technologies-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Thompson, John, D, Origine, structure et évolution de la biodiversité (OSEB) ; Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle (MNHN)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Buatois, Bruno, Vernet, Philippe, Centre d’Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive (CEFE) ; Université Paul-Valéry - Montpellier 3 (UPVM)-Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)-Centre international d'études supérieures en sciences agronomiques (Montpellier SupAgro)-École Pratique des Hautes Études (EPHE) ; Université Paris Sciences et Lettres (PSL)-Université Paris Sciences et Lettres (PSL)-Université de Montpellier (UM)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pou

2013

Overview

Many species show changes in distribution and phenotypic trait variation in response to climatic warming. Evidence of genetically based trait responses to climate change is, however, less common. Here, we detected evolutionary variation in the landscape-scale distribution of a genetically based chemical polymorphism in Mediterranean wild thyme (Thymus vulgaris) in association with modified extreme winter freezing events. By comparing current data on morph distribution with that observed in the early 1970s, we detected a significant increase in the proportion of morphs that are sensitive to winter freezing. This increase in frequency was observed in 17 of the 24 populations in which, since the 1970s, annual extreme winter freezing temperatures have risen above the thresholds that cause mortality of freezing-sensitive morphs. Our results provide an original example of rapid ongoing evolutionary change associated with relaxed selection (less extreme freezing events) on a local landscape scale. In species whose distribution and genetic variability are shaped by strong selection gradients, there may be little time lag associated with their ecological and evolutionary response to long-term environmental change.

• Publisher: National Academy of Sciences,CCSD,National Acad Sciences
• Subject: biochemical polymorphism / Biological Sciences / Biological variation / Chemical composition / Climate Change / Climate change adaptation / Climatology. Bioclimatology. Climate change / Earth, ocean, space / Environmental changes / Evolution / Evolution, Molecular / Evolutionary biology / Evolutionary genetics / Exact sciences and technology / External geophysics / Freezing / genetic polymorphism / genetic variation / Genetics / Global warming / landscapes / Life Sciences / Mediterranean Sea / Meteorology / morphs / mortality / Plant ecology / Plants / Polymorphism / Polymorphism, Genetic / Population dynamics / Population growth / Populations and Evolution / temperature / Thyme / Thymus Plant - genetics / Thymus vulgaris
• ISBN: 0003159544000