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Free keywords:
evolutionary rescue; extinction, genetic variation; global change; hybridization; Saccharomyces
Abstract:
The resilience of populations to rapid environmental degradation is a major concern
for biodiversity conservation. When environments deteriorate to lethal levels,
species must evolve to adapt to the new conditions to avoid extinction. Here,
we test the hypothesis that evolutionary rescue may be enabled by hybridization,
because hybridization increases genetic variability. Using experimental evolution,
we show that interspecific hybrid populations of Saccharomyces yeast adapt to
grow in more highly degraded environments than intraspecific and parental
crosses, resulting in survival rates far exceeding those of their ancestors. We conclude
that hybridization can increase evolutionary responsiveness and that taxa
able to exchange genes with distant relatives may better survive rapid environmental
change.
