Disruptive Selection In A Bimodal Population Of Darwin's Finches

Main Category: Biology / Biochemistry
Also Included In: Veterinary
Article Date: 05 Nov 2008 - 6:00 PDT

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Much of the diversity of life on earth may be the result of adaptive radiation - but this process is hard to study unless caught in the act.

We studied a population of Darwin's finches in the Galapagos that shows some signs of splitting into two species. We found that birds with intermediate beak sizes have low survival during drought conditions.

This "disruptive selection" should help to maintain the existing divergence in beak size. Other aspects of selection, however, constrain further diversification.

We suggest that natural selection can simultaneously promote and constrain diversification, thus causing a dynamic tug-of-war of variable outcome.

Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences

Proceedings B is the Royal Society's flagship biological research journal, dedicated to the rapid publication and broad dissemination of high-quality research papers, reviews and comment and reply papers. The scope of journal is diverse and is especially strong in organismal biology.

Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences

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