Environmental correlates of genetic variation in the invasive European starling in North America

Populations of invasive species that colonize and spread in novel environments may differentiate both through demographic processes and local selection. European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) were introduced to New York in 1890 and subsequently spread throughout North America, becoming one of the most widespread and numerous bird species on the continent. Genome-wide comparisons across starling individuals and populations can identify demographic and/or selective factors that facilitated this rapid and successful expansion. We investigated patterns of genomic diversity and differentiation using reduced-representation genome sequencing of 17 winter-season sampling sites. Consistent with this species' high dispersal rate and rapid expansion history, we found low geographical differentiation and few F-ST outliers even at a continental scale. Despite starting from a founding population of similar to 180 individuals, North American starlings show only a moderate genetic bottleneck, and models suggest a dramatic increase in effective population size since introduction. In genotype-environment associations we found that similar to 200 single-nucleotide polymorphisms are correlated with temperature and/or precipitation against a background of negligible genome- and range-wide divergence. Given this evidence, we suggest that local adaptation in North American starlings may have evolved rapidly even in this wide-ranging and evolutionarily young system. This survey of genomic signatures of expansion in North American starlings is the most comprehensive to date and complements ongoing studies of world-wide local adaptation in these highly dispersive and invasive birds.

Automated summary

Genomic research on North American starlings indicates low geographical differentiation and few significant F-ST outliers at a continental scale, despite their high dispersal rate and rapid expansion history. Despite starting from a relatively small founding population, these birds show only moderate genetic bottleneck and a dramatic increase in effective population size since introduction. Furthermore, single-nucleotide polymorphisms correlated with temperature and/or precipitation suggest rapid local adaptation in North American starlings even in their wide-ranging and evolutionarily young system.