Short- and long-term antagonistic selection explains dispersal polymorphism in the common lizard
Dispersal is a key process that shapes the dynamics, genetic structure and adaptive potential of natural populations, yet persistence of its polymorphism remains puzzling. Combining quantitative genetics with long-term field data from 20-year population monitoring of common lizards (Zootoca vivipara), we assessed the heritability, intragenerational and multi-generational selection of dispersal.
We found both natal and adult dispersal to be weakly to moderately heritable. Furthermore, we found that natal dispersal was subject to antagonistic selection pressures across timescales: dispersers experienced reduced individual fitness during their lifetime; however, their lineages persisted longer through generations, likely owing to competition-mediated kin selection within a lineage and resulting in neutral equilibrium. This antagonistic interplay between short- and long-term selection pressures explains how dispersal polymorphism is maintained in the studied population. Considering multi-generational fitness metrics reveals an evolutionary equilibrium that is obscured focusing on short-term perspectives. Therefore, our study highlights the importance of considering multiple generations to understand the persistence of phenotypic polymorphism.
Koch L, Rutschmann A, Richard M, Massot M, Clobert J, de Villemereuil P. 2026 Short- and long-term antagonistic selection explains dispersal polymorphism in the common lizard. Proc. R. Soc. B 293: 20260107. https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2026.0107
Contacts
Léa Koch
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Pierre de Villemereuil
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