Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, London, UK.
School of BioSciences, Bio21 Institute, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia.
Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 2022 Apr 11;377(1848):20210027. doi: 10.1098/rstb.2021.0027. Epub 2022 Feb 21.
Understanding processes that limit species' ranges has been a core issue in ecology and evolutionary biology for many decades, and has become increasingly important given the need to predict the responses of biological communities to rapid environmental change. However, we still have a poor understanding of evolution at range limits and its capacity to change the ecological 'rules of engagement' that define these communities, as well as the time frame over which this occurs. Here we link papers in the current volume to some key concepts involved in the interactions between evolutionary and ecological processes at species' margins. In particular, we separate hypotheses about species' margins that focus on hard evolutionary limits, which determine how genotypes interact with their environment, from those concerned with soft evolutionary limits, which determine where and when local adaptation can persist in space and time. We show how theoretical models and empirical studies highlight conditions under which gene flow can expand local limits as well as contain them. In doing so, we emphasize the complex interplay between selection, demography and population structure throughout a species' geographical and ecological range that determines its persistence in biological communities. However, despite some impressively detailed studies on range limits, particularly in invertebrates and plants, few generalizations have emerged that can predict evolutionary responses at ecological margins. We outline some directions for future work such as considering the impact of structural genetic variants and metapopulation structure on limits, and the interaction between range limits and the evolution of mating systems and non-random dispersal. This article is part of the theme issue 'Species' ranges in the face of changing environments (Part II)'.
理解限制物种分布范围的过程是生态学和进化生物学几十年来的核心问题，鉴于需要预测生物群落对快速环境变化的反应，这一问题变得愈发重要。然而，我们对分布范围的进化及其改变定义这些群落的生态“交战规则”的能力，以及发生这种情况的时间框架，仍然知之甚少。在这里，我们将本期特刊中的论文与物种边缘的进化和生态过程相互作用涉及的一些关键概念联系起来。特别是，我们将那些关注决定基因型与环境相互作用的硬性进化限制的物种边缘假说，与那些关注决定局部适应在空间和时间上何时何地能够持续的软性进化限制的假说区分开来。我们展示了理论模型和实证研究如何突出在基因流可以扩展局部限制和限制局部限制的条件下。这样做时，我们强调了决定物种在生物群落中生存能力的选择、人口统计和种群结构在整个地理和生态范围内的复杂相互作用。然而，尽管在无脊椎动物和植物等方面对分布范围限制进行了一些令人印象深刻的详细研究，但很少出现可以预测生态边缘进化反应的概括。我们概述了未来工作的一些方向，例如考虑结构遗传变异和复合种群结构对限制的影响，以及范围限制与交配系统和非随机扩散进化之间的相互作用。本文是特刊“变化环境下的物种范围（第二部分）”的一部分。
