Abstract
The evolutionary processes that can create two species out of one are still under exploration and debate. Recent developments have emphasised the potential of ecological speciation where species divergence and reproductive isolation may develop as an evolutionary consequence of ecological interactions leading to divergent natural selection within the ancestral population. Postglacial lakes provide excellent cases for studying processes of ecological speciation in freshwater fish as they are young in evolutionary time, are replicated many times as discrete, but variable entities, and frequently host polymorphic fish populations. I will present findings of recent and ongoing studies of the evolution of polymorphic European whitefish (Coregonus lavaretus) and Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus) in subarctic lakes of northern Fennoscandia, addressing mechanisms potentially involved in the incipient ecological speciation process.
Per-Arne Amundsen
Professor in Freshwater Ecology
Department of Arctic and Marine Biology
University of Tromsø
Don't miss Göran Englund's seminar at the same day and venue 15.15-16.00.