Published in

Nature Research, Nature Communications, 1(7), 2016

DOI: 10.1038/ncomms11693

Links

Tools

Export citation

Search in Google Scholar

Genome-culture coevolution promotes rapid divergence of killer whale ecotypes.

Journal article published in 2016 by Ad Foote, Nagarjun Vijay, María C. Ávila-Arcos, Mc ??vila-Arcos, Rw Baird, Jw Durban, Matteo Fumagalli, Ra Gibbs, Mb Bradley Hanson, Ts Korneliussen ORCID, Michael D. Martin, Km Robertson, Vc Sousa ORCID, Fg Vieira, T. Vina?? and other authors.
This paper is made freely available by the publisher.
This paper is made freely available by the publisher.

Full text: Download

Green circle
Preprint: archiving allowed
Upload
Red circle
Postprint: archiving forbidden
Green circle
Published version: archiving allowed
Upload
Policy details
Data provided by SHERPA/RoMEO

Abstract

AbstractAnalysing population genomic data from killer whale ecotypes, which we estimate have globally radiated within less than 250,000 years, we show that genetic structuring including the segregation of potentially functional alleles is associated with socially inherited ecological niche. Reconstruction of ancestral demographic history revealed bottlenecks during founder events, likely promoting ecological divergence and genetic drift resulting in a wide range of genome-wide differentiation between pairs of allopatric and sympatric ecotypes. Functional enrichment analyses provided evidence for regional genomic divergence associated with habitat, dietary preferences and post-zygotic reproductive isolation. Our findings are consistent with expansion of small founder groups into novel niches by an initial plastic behavioural response, perpetuated by social learning imposing an altered natural selection regime. The study constitutes an important step towards an understanding of the complex interaction between demographic history, culture, ecological adaptation and evolution at the genomic level.