Project description
Natural and sexual selection in species diversity
Speciation is piloted by natural selection as well as other forces, including sexual selection. Understanding the drivers of reproductive isolation between populations is instrumental to understanding how speciation occurs. Theoretical and empirical studies have delivered diverse findings of the extent to which natural and sexual selection interact or oppose reproductive isolation. Experimental evolution allows testing the combined effect of natural and sexual selection in species diversity. The EU-funded SpeSex project will explore reproductive isolation as driven by the interaction between local adaptation to a new environment and sexual and selection conflict. The project will study seed beetle Acanthoscelides obtectus from long-term experimental evolution lines having differed in environmental condition and selective stress.
Objective
Understanding the drivers of reproductive isolation between populations lies at the core of evolutionary biology and is central to understanding how speciation occurs. Natural selection has been traditionally considered a major force driving speciation, but other forces can hamper or reinforce the impact of natural selection on adaptation, including sexual selection. So far, theoretical and empirical studies have produced mixed findings about the extent to which natural and sexual selection act jointly or in opposition to drive reproductive isolation, and hence speciation. Experimental evolution is a powerful tool to test the combined effect of natural and sexual selection to drive population divergence. In this action, I will use seed beetle Acanthoscelides obtectus from long-term experimental evolution lines, which have differed in environmental condition and selective pressures, to explore reproductive isolation as driven by the interaction between local adaptation to a novel environment and sexual selection/conflict. In a novel framework combining phenotypic-level measurements with genomic tools, I will quantify (a) the extent of pre-zygotic reproductive isolation between populations under different environmental regimes; (b) the extent of post-zygotic reproductive isolation, by determining the extent to which hybrid eggs and offspring are of lower fitness than non-hybrids; and (c) gene expression and selection pressures associated with the novel environment at loci associated with natural and sexual selection, which are putative sources of reproductive isolation. This project represents a major advance in our understanding of the role of multiple selective forces in driving species diversity.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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H2020-EU.1.3. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
MAIN PROGRAMME
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H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) H2020-MSCA-IF-2018
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
751 05 Uppsala
Sweden
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.