Date of Award
2011
Publisher
North Dakota State University
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Awarded
Master of Science (MS)
Program
Environmental and Conservation Science
Department
Biological Sciences
College
Graduate and Interdisciplinary Studies
Faculty Advisor
Stockwell, Craig
Description
Reports of contemporary evolution have become ubiquitous, but replicated studies of phenotypic divergence for wild populations are exceptionally rare. In 2001, a series of experimental populations were established to replicate a historic translocation event that led to a case of contemporary body shape evolution in the White Sands pupfish. Using landmark-based geometric morphometric techniques I examined phenotypic variation for seven of these populations, and two wild populations over a 5 year period (5-10 generations) in the field. Significant body shape divergence was observed, but divergence patterns were not parallel, suggesting that the ponds were ecologically dissimilar. Considerable body shape variation found among populations suggests that the observed divergence maybe governed by temporal environmental variance. In this study, body shape variation was correlated with population density. These data suggest that habitat intrinsic factors or unmeasured habitat features may have strong affects on body shape, warranting continuous monitoring of recently translocated fishes.
Recommended Citation
Kowalski, Brandon Michael, "Body Shape Divergence Among Wild and Experimental Populations of White Sands Pupfish (Cyprinodon Tularosa)" (2011). Environmental and Conservation Sciences. 5.
https://digitalcommons.ndsu.edu/env-conservation-sci/5
Rights
NDSU Policy 190.6.2
Handle Identifier
https://hdl.handle.net/10365/19527