Speciation by local adaptation and isolation by distance in extended environments (2508.06719v1)

Abstract: Speciation is often associated with geographical barriers that limit gene flow. However, species can also emerge in continuous homogeneous environments through isolation by distance. When the environment is not homogeneous, natural selection contributes to differentiation by local adaptation and tends to facilitate speciation. To explore how isolation by distance and adaptation combine to determine species diversity, we implemented a model regulated by these two components. The first is implemented via mating restrictions on spatial proximity and genetic similarity. The second is realized by an ecological phenotype subjected to adaption and natural selection. We consider scenarios where the environment is either homogeneous, with a single ecological optimum, or heterogeneous with two distinct optima. In homogeneous environments no speciation is observed under permissive mating restrictions, independent on the strength of natural selection. On the other hand, if reproduction requires close genetic similarity (strict mating restrictions), speciation occurs only under strong selection. In contrast, in environments with two local optima and strong selection, species well adapted to each of the niches emerge along the spatial structure, leading to the formation of groups with distinct phenotypes. Permissive mating restrictions leads to the formation of only two species, each occupying one of the niches; strong mating restriction leads to several species per niche, in a much faster speciation process. Interestingly, when selection is weak and reproduction requires strong genetic similarity, several species form, but the process is slow. Moreover, species average phenotypes do not remain constant over generations, causing the phenotypic distribution to oscillate, never reaching a stationary pattern.