02192nas a2200169   4500008004100000022002200041245014200063210006900205260013100274300001600405490000800421520138500429100002401814700002601838700002101864856013701885       2006                        eng d  a0962-8452 (Print)00aRapid adaptive divergence of life-history traits in response to abiotic stress within a natural population of a parthenogenetic nematode.0 aRapid adaptive divergence of lifehistory traits in response to a  aLaboratory of Nematology, Wageningen University, Binnenhaven 5, 6709 PD Wageningen, The Netherlands. agnieszka.doroszuk@wur.nl  a2611–26180 v2733 aSexual reproduction is acknowledged to facilitate adaptation to novel environments while asexual eukaryotes are often regarded as having low adaptive potential. This view has been challenged in a number of studies, but the adaptive potential of asexual populations in the field is poorly documented. We investigated the response of natural populations of the parthenogenetic nematode Acrobeloides nanus to imposed divergent selective pressures. For this purpose, we employed a replicated evolution experiment in the field. After 20 years of evolution under abiotic stress and control conditions, life-history traits were assessed in reaction norm- and reciprocal transplant experiments. Both these experiments indicated adaptive divergence within the population of A. nanus. Namely, the transplant experiment demonstrated that in the stressed soil environment, body growth rate was more reduced in the nematodes originating from the control treatment. In the reaction norm experiment, survival and reproduction were higher under test conditions corresponding to the native environment of the nematodes. The differences in the analysed traits are discussed in the context of life-history theory. Overall, our results strongly support high adaptive potential of A. nanus and suggest that population structure and distribution of asexual species is shaped by local adaptation events.1 aDoroszuk, Agnieszka1 aWojewodzic, Marcin, W1 aKammenga, Jan, E  uhttps://nematoda.myspecies.info/content/rapid-adaptive-divergence-life-history-traits-response-abiotic-stress-within-natural-populat