CONTRASTING PATTERNS OF QUANTITATIVE AND NEUTRAL GENETIC VARIATION IN LOCALLY ADAPTED POPULATIONS OF THE NATTERJACK TOAD, BUFO CALAMITA

摘要: The relative importance of natural selection and genetic drift in determining patterns phenotypic diversity observed nature is still unclear. natterjack toad (Bufo calamita) one a few amphibian species capable breeding saline ponds, even though water salinity represents considerable stress for them. Results from two common-garden experiments showed pattern geographic variation embryonic tolerance among populations either fresh or brackish environments, consistent with the hypothesis local adaptation. Full-sib analysis increased survival sibships within population all as osmotic was (broad-sense heritability raised). Nevertheless, toads native to environment had highest overall under conditions. Levels differentiation were higher than those neutral differentiation, latter obtained through eight microsatellite loci. Microsatellite markers also revealed little lack an isolation-by-distance pattern, moderate gene flow connecting populations. Therefore, environmental appears have evolved absence isolation, consequently we reject null differentiation.