Impact of phenotypic plasticity on tempo and mode of speciation processes in quasi-natural selection environments

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The role of phenotypic plasticity in speciation processes (i.e. the ability of a single genotype to produce several phenotypes) is not yet fully understood: On the one hand, it may dampen the impact of disruptive or directional selection by producing adapted phenotypes without a heritable change in the genotype. On the other hand, it may facilitate population divergence because it enables an instant response to environmental changes and may bring a population in the realm of a new adaptive peak. Whereas theoretical studies have addressed this discrepancy, crucial aspects of the role of phenotypic plasticity during the establishment of reproductive isolation have not been tested yet experimentally. The objective of this exploratory project is to develop an experimental framework for a subsequent full proposal on the role of phenotypic plasticity in speciation processes in a quasi-natural selection environment. For this framework, we aim at collecting, rearing, and systematically testing three potential model species of the crustacean sub-class Copepoda for plasticity in specific morphological and behavioural traits. Based on these results, the subsequent project will focus on the question whether differences in phenotypic plasticity among conspecific populations will be mirrored in the tempo of population divergence.