Evolution of fast-growing piscivorous herring in the young Baltic Sea

Sammanfattning

The circumstances under which species diversify to genetically distinct lineages is a fundamental question in biology. Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) is an extremely abundant zooplanktivorous species that is subdivided into multiple ecotypes that differ regarding spawning time and genetic adaption to local environmental conditions such as temperature, salinity, and light conditions. Here we show using whole genome analysis that multiple populations of piscivorous (fish-eating) herring have evolved sympatrically after the colonization of the brackish Baltic Sea within the last 8000 years postglaciation. The piscivorous ecotype grows faster, and is much larger and less abundant than the zooplanktivorous Baltic herring. Lesions of the gill rakers in the piscivorous ecotype indicated incomplete adaptation to a fish diet. This niche expansion of herring in the young Baltic Sea, with its paucity of piscivorous species, suggests that empty niche space is more important than geographic isolation for the evolution of biodiversity.

Publicerad i

Nature Communications
2024, volym: 15, nummer: 1, artikelnummer: 10707
Utgivare: NATURE PORTFOLIO

SLU författare

• Bergström, Ulf

  • Institutionen för akvatiska resurser (SLU Aqua), Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet
    

• Heimbrand, Yvette

  • Institutionen för akvatiska resurser (SLU Aqua), Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet
    

• Wennerström, Lovisa

  • Institutionen för akvatiska resurser (SLU Aqua), Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet
    

Associerade SLU-program

Kust och hav

UKÄ forskningsämne

Evolutionsbiologi
Fisk- och akvakulturforskning

Publikationens identifierare

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-55216-8

Permanent länk till denna sida (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/140139