Data from: Assessing reproductive isolation using a contact zone between parapatric lake-stream stickleback ecotypes

We used a mark-recapture experiment in a contact zone between lake and stream three-spined sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus, Linnaeus) to evaluate the occurrence of hybrids (allowing inferences about reproductive isolation), the inter-annual survival of hybrids (allowing inferences about selection against hybrids), and the shift in lake-like versus stream-like characteristics (allowing inferences about selection against migrants).

Genetic and morphological data suggest the occurrence of hybrids and no selection against hybrids in general, a result contradictory to a number of other studies of sticklebacks. However, we did find selection against more lake-like individuals, suggesting a barrier to gene flow from the lake into the stream. Combined with previous work on this system, our results suggest that multiple (most weakly and often asymmetric) barriers must be combining to yield substantial restrictions on gene flow.

This work provides evidence of a reproductive barrier in lake-stream sticklebacks and highlights the value of assessing multiple reproductive barriers in natural contexts.

Usage notes

Allele scores Allele scores for all fish included in study allele_scores.txt Individual fish data Metadata for each fish including individual id, year caught, and habitat individual_fish_data.csv Landmark data Landmark data for all fish included in geometric morphometric analysis landmark_data.csv