Evolution of fast-growing piscivorous herring in the young Baltic Sea
Abstract 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 genet...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2024-12-01
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| Series: | Nature Communications |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-55216-8 |
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| _version_ | 1850102975428558848 |
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| author | Jake Goodall Mats E. Pettersson Ulf Bergström Arianna Cocco Bo Delling Yvette Heimbrand O. Magnus Karlsson Josefine Larsson Hannes Waldetoft Andreas Wallberg Lovisa Wennerström Leif Andersson |
| author_facet | Jake Goodall Mats E. Pettersson Ulf Bergström Arianna Cocco Bo Delling Yvette Heimbrand O. Magnus Karlsson Josefine Larsson Hannes Waldetoft Andreas Wallberg Lovisa Wennerström Leif Andersson |
| author_sort | Jake Goodall |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract 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. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-fd825de04845460ea714bb13fffa441d |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2041-1723 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nature Communications |
| spelling | doaj-art-fd825de04845460ea714bb13fffa441d2025-08-20T02:39:38ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232024-12-0115111310.1038/s41467-024-55216-8Evolution of fast-growing piscivorous herring in the young Baltic SeaJake Goodall0Mats E. Pettersson1Ulf Bergström2Arianna Cocco3Bo Delling4Yvette Heimbrand5O. Magnus Karlsson6Josefine Larsson7Hannes Waldetoft8Andreas Wallberg9Lovisa Wennerström10Leif Andersson11Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Uppsala UniversityDepartment of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Uppsala UniversityDepartment of Aquatic Resources, Swedish University of Agricultural SciencesDepartment of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Uppsala UniversityDepartment of Zoology, Swedish Museum of Natural HistoryDepartment of Aquatic Resources, Swedish University of Agricultural SciencesIVL Swedish Environmental Research InstituteMarint centrum, Simrishamns kommunIVL Swedish Environmental Research InstituteDepartment of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Uppsala UniversityDepartment of Aquatic Resources, Swedish University of Agricultural SciencesDepartment of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Uppsala UniversityAbstract 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.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-55216-8 |
| spellingShingle | Jake Goodall Mats E. Pettersson Ulf Bergström Arianna Cocco Bo Delling Yvette Heimbrand O. Magnus Karlsson Josefine Larsson Hannes Waldetoft Andreas Wallberg Lovisa Wennerström Leif Andersson Evolution of fast-growing piscivorous herring in the young Baltic Sea Nature Communications |
| title | Evolution of fast-growing piscivorous herring in the young Baltic Sea |
| title_full | Evolution of fast-growing piscivorous herring in the young Baltic Sea |
| title_fullStr | Evolution of fast-growing piscivorous herring in the young Baltic Sea |
| title_full_unstemmed | Evolution of fast-growing piscivorous herring in the young Baltic Sea |
| title_short | Evolution of fast-growing piscivorous herring in the young Baltic Sea |
| title_sort | evolution of fast growing piscivorous herring in the young baltic sea |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-55216-8 |
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