Harvest selection, genetic correlations, and evolutionary changes in recruitment: one less thing to worry about?

摘要

Harvest selection may lead to detrimental evolutionary changes in exploited populations. Few studies have considered the indirect impacts that harvest selection may have arising through genetic correlations. Using data from a long-term fishing experiment on Atlantic silversides (Menidia menidia), we show that there are significant genetic correlations between adult length at harvest and several early life history characters known to influence recruitment success. Based on this analysis, we estimate the magnitude of the change in recruitment success that may arise indirectly from selection on adults. In contrast with studies of harvest selection on adult characteristics, we find the response of characters in the early life history to be relatively slow and that impacts on recruitment, if any, are likely to be driven by selective changes in fecundity.