On the role of hybridisation in evolution - the case of Eurasian Passer sparrows
Informations
- Funding country
Norway- Acronym
- -
- URL
- -
- Start date
- 1/1/2015
- End date
- 12/31/2020
- Budget
- 1,105,893 EUR
Fundings
| Name | Role | Start | End | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FRIMEDBIO - Independent projects - Medicine, Health Sciences and Biology | Grant | - | - | 1,105,893 EUR |
Abstract
In this project the focus has been on hybridisation and its role in evolution, using Passer sparrow species as model system. The last year of the project our main focus has been to investigate the potential role of hybridisation in facilitating adaptation. When species hybridise one result is that genetic variation is generated through the admixture of differentiated genomes. This may facilitate adaptation because selection will have more genetic variation to act upon. On the other hand hybridisation involves recombination of divergent genomes and many gene combinations derived from two different species are likely to function poorly and be selected against, thus constraining adaptive evolution. We have tested these hypotheses in populations f the Italian sparrow, a species that originated through hybridization between the house and Spanish sparrow. We do find evidence for local adaptations to local climate and in genes affecting beak morphology. However, the genes that have responded to selection are not differentiated between the parent species. Hence, we find no evidence that hybridisation has facilitated adaptive evolution.