Polygamy slows down population divergence in shorebirds

摘要: Sexual selection may act as a promotor of speciation since divergent mate choice and competition for mates can rapidly lead to reproductive isolation. Alternatively, sexual also retard polygamous individuals access additional by increased breeding dispersal. High dispersal should hence increase gene flow reduce diversification in species. Here, we test how polygamy predicts shorebirds using genetic differentiation subspecies richness proxies population divergence. Examining microsatellite data from 79 populations 10 plover species (Genus: Charadrius) found that display significantly less structure weaker isolation-by-distance effects than monogamous Consistent with this result, comparative analysis including 136 shorebird showed fewer By contrast, migratory behavior neither predicted nor richness. Taken together, our results suggest associated facilitate limit Therefore, intense selection, occurs species, brake rather an engine shorebirds. We discuss alternative explanations these call further studies understand the relationships between dispersal, diversification.