The pace of mitochondrial molecular evolution varies with seasonal migration distance
Author:
Pegan Teresa M1ORCID,
Berv Jacob S12,
Gulson-Castillo Eric R1,
Kimmitt Abigail A1,
Winger Benjamin M1
Affiliation:
1. Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan , Ann Arbor, MI , United States
2. Museum of Paleontology, University of Michigan , Ann Arbor, MI , United States
Abstract
Abstract
Animals that engage in long-distance seasonal migration experience strong selective pressures on their metabolic performance and life history, with potential consequences for molecular evolution. Species with slow life histories typically show lower rates of synonymous substitution (dS) than “fast” species. Previous research suggests long-distance seasonal migrants have a slower life history strategy than short-distance migrants, raising the possibility that rates of molecular evolution may covary with migration distance. Additionally, long-distance migrants may face strong selection on metabolically-important mitochondrial genes due to their long-distance flights. Using over 1,000 mitochondrial genomes, we assessed the relationship between migration distance and mitochondrial molecular evolution in 39 boreal-breeding migratory bird species. We show that migration distance correlates negatively with dS, suggesting that the slow life history associated with long-distance migration is reflected in rates of molecular evolution. Mitochondrial genes in every study species exhibited evidence of purifying selection, but the strength of selection was greater in short-distance migrants, contrary to our predictions. This result may indicate effects of selection for cold tolerance on mitochondrial evolution among species overwintering at high latitudes. Our study demonstrates that the pervasive correlation between life history and molecular evolutionary rates exists in the context of differential adaptations to seasonality.
Funder
National Science Foundation
Jean Wright Cohn Endowment Fund
Robert W. Storer Endowment Fund
Mary Rhoda Swales Museum of Zoology Research Fund
William G. Fargo Fund
University of Michigan Museum of Zoology
William A and Nancy R Klamm Endowment
Cleveland Museum of Natural History
NSF Graduate Research Fellowship
University of Michigan Rackham Graduate Student Research
Publisher
Oxford University Press (OUP)
Subject
General Agricultural and Biological Sciences,Genetics,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
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