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Biology subjects

Gaboriau, T.

Publications and source records attributed to Gaboriau, T..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

Detecting diversifying selection for a trait from within and between-species genotypes and phenotypes

To quantify selection acting on a trait, methods have been developed using either within or between-species variation. However, methods using within-species variation do not integrate the changes at the macro-evolutionary scale. Conversely, current methods using between-species variation usually discard within-species variation, thus not accounting for processes at the micro-evolutionary scale. The main goal of this study is to define a neutrality index for a quantitative trait, by combining within- and between-species variation. This neutrality index integrates nucleotide polymorphism and divergence for normalizing trait variation. As such, it does not require estimation of population size nor of time of speciation for normalization. Our index can be used to seek deviation from the null model of neutral evolution, and test for diversifying selection. Applied to brain mass and body mass at the mammalian scale, we show that brain mass is under diversifying selection. Finally, we show that our test is not sensitive to the assumption that population sizes, mutation rates and generation time are constant across the phylogeny, and automatically adjust for it.

evolutionary biology↗

Implementation of biotic interactions in niche analyses unravels the patterns underneath community composition in clownfishes

Biotic interactions shape the ecology of species and communities, yet their integration into ecological niche modeling methods remains challenging. Despite being a central topic of research for the past decade, the impact of biotic interactions on species distributions and community composition is often overlooked. Mutualistic systems offer ideal case studies for examining the effects of biotic I nteractions on species niches and community dynamics. This study presents a novel approach to incorporating mutualistic interactions into niche modeling, using the clownfish-sea anemone system. By adapting existing niche quantification frameworks, we developed a method to estimate the partial effects of known interactions and refine ecological niche estimates. This approach allows for a more comprehensive understanding of how mutualistic relationships influence species distributions and community assembly patterns. We also used mutualistic information to investigate the resource-use overlap, identitying patterns of competition within clownfish communities. Our results reveal significant deviations in niche estimates when biotic interactions are considered, particularly for specialist species. Host partitioning among clownfish species reduces resource-use overlap, facilitating coexistence in species-rich habitats and highlighting mutualisms role in promoting and maintaining diversity. We uncover complex dynamics in resource-use overlap among clownfish species, influenced by factors such as species richness, ecological niche overlap, and host specialization. Specialist-generalist interactions strike an optimal balance, supporting high species richness while minimizing competition. These insights enhance our understanding of clownfish biodiversity patterns, demonstrating how diverse mutualistic strategies contribute to diversity build-up and mitigate competitive exclusion in saturated communities. The analytical framework presented has broad applications beyond the clownfish-sea anemone system, potentially extending to a broader range of interactions. It enables a more comprehensive understanding of biodiversity maintenance in complex ecosystems and constitutes a valuable tool for conservation planning and ecosystem management.

ecology↗

Species ecology explains the various spatial components of genetic diversity in tropical reef fishes

Intraspecific genetic diversity should be dependent on species ecology, but the influence of ecological traits on interspecific differences in genetic variation is yet to be explored. Generating sequenced data for 20 tropical reef fish species of the Western Indian Ocean, we investigate how species ecology influences genetic diversity patterns from local to regional scales. We distinguish between the , {beta} and{gamma} components of genetic diversity, which we subsequently link to six ecological traits. In contrast to what is expected by the neutral theory of molecular evolution, we find that the and{gamma} components of genetic diversity are negatively associated with species abundance, which can be explained by larger variance in reproductive success in large populations and/or higher introgression in less frequent species. Pelagic larval duration, an important dispersal trait in marine fishes, is found to be negatively related to genetic {beta} diversity, as expected by theory. We conclude that the neutral theory of molecular evolution may not be sufficient to explain genetic diversity in tropical reef fishes and that additional processes influence those relationships.

genetics↗