Spatial heterogeneity of an ecologically relevant environment accelerates diversification and adaptation

Abstract

Spatial heterogeneity is a key driver for the evolution of resource specialists and has been shown to both promote and constrain the rate of adaptation. However, direct empirical support for these evolutionary consequences of spatial heterogeneity comes from simplified laboratory environments. Here we address how spatial structure, through its effect on resource heterogeneity, alters diversification and adaptive evolution of the soil bacterium Pseudomonas fluorescens in an ecologically relevant context: soil-based compost. Our data show that environmental heterogeneity can both promote phenotypic diversification and accelerate adaptation. These results suggest that environmental disturbance, which can decrease spatial heterogeneity, may limit diversification and adaptation of microbial populations.