Data from: Widespread parallel population adaptation to climate variation across a radiation: implications for adaptation to climate change.

Global warming will impact species in a number of ways, and it is important to know the extent to which natural populations can adapt to anthropogenic climate change by natural selection. Parallel microevolution within separate species can demonstrate natural selection, but several studies of homoplasy have not yet revealed examples of widespread parallel evolution in a generic radiation. Taking into account primary phylogeographic divisions, we investigate numerous quantitative traits (size, shape, scalation, colour pattern and hue) in anole radiations from the mountainous Lesser Antillean islands. Adaptation to climatic differences can lead to very pronounced differences between spatially close populations with all studied traits showing some evidence of parallel evolution. Traits from shape, scalation, pattern and hue (particularly the latter) show widespread evolutionary parallels within these species in response to altitudinal climate variation greater than extreme anthropogenic climate change predicted for 2080. This gives strong evidence of the ability to adapt to climate variation by natural selection throughout this radiation. As anoles can evolve very rapidly, it suggests anthropogenic climate change is likely to be less of a conservation threat than other factors, such as habitat loss and invasive species, in this, Lesser Antillean, biodiversity hot spot.

全球变暖会通过多种途径影响物种，明晰自然种群通过自然选择适应人为气候变化的能力边界至关重要。不同物种内的平行微进化可佐证自然选择的存在，但目前多项针对同塑性（homoplasy）的研究尚未在属级辐射类群中发现广泛存在平行演化的案例。本研究结合主要系统地理分区，对小安的列斯群岛山地安乐蜥（Anolis）辐射类群的多项数量性状展开调查，涵盖体型、形态、鳞片格局、体色图案及色调。对气候差异的适应可使空间上邻近的种群间产生极为显著的性状分化，本研究观测的所有性状均表现出一定的平行演化迹象。形态、鳞片格局、体色图案及色调相关的性状（尤以色调最为突出）在该辐射类群的各物种中呈现出广泛的演化平行性，其响应的海拔气候差异幅度超过了针对2080年预测的极端人为气候变化幅度。这一结果为该辐射类群通过自然选择适应气候变异的能力提供了强有力的佐证。鉴于安乐蜥的演化速率极快，本研究结果表明，在小安的列斯群岛这一生物多样性热点地区，人为气候变化对物种的保护威胁可能低于栖息地丧失、入侵物种等其他干扰因素。