Evolutionary diversification in stickleback affects ecosystem functioning

Luke J. Harmon (), Blake Matthews, Simone Des Roches, Jonathan M. Chase, Jonathan B. Shurin and Dolph Schluter
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Luke J. Harmon: University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho 83844-3051, USA
Blake Matthews: University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z4, Canada
Simone Des Roches: University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho 83844-3051, USA
Jonathan M. Chase: Washington University, St Louis, Missouri 63130, USA
Jonathan B. Shurin: University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z4, Canada
Dolph Schluter: University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z4, Canada

Nature, 2009, vol. 458, issue 7242, 1167-1170

Abstract: Changing places The evolutionary process of adaptive radiation depends on many ecological factors, but what of the reverse — the effect of adaptive radiation on ecosystems? Surprisingly little work has been done on the effects of evolutionary diversification on ecosystems. Harmon et al. now demonstrate such an effect in tests of the ecosystem effects of a pair of stickleback species that have undergone a recent adaptive radiation and now colonize different niches, and also a related generalist that resembles their common ancestor. The experiments used fish from lakes on Texada Island, British Columbia, Canada, in pond-water mesocosms. The species diversification was shown to alter prey community structure, total ecosystem productivity and — via indirect effects on dissolved organic matter — to alter the spectral properties of light transmission in the system. Even over short timescales — the experiments ran for 10 weeks — recently diversified species can have profoundly different effects on an ecosystem.

Date: 2009
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DOI: 10.1038/nature07974

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