Data from: Predators modify the evolutionary response of prey to temperature change

The projected increase in mean global temperature, coupled with climate-induced population extinctions, necessitates a better understanding of how quickly organisms can adapt to changing climate. In nature organisms regularly interact with other species, thus addressing climate-mediated evolution in a community context is critical. Here we examine a naturally occurring aquatic species assemblage and demonstrate that when reared together in the laboratory for three months (~seven generations), predation pressure by Dipteran larvae (Chaoborus americanus) accelerated the evolutionary response of a freshwater crustacean (Daphnia pulex) to its thermal environment. Daphnia kept at 21˚C evolved higher population growth rates than those kept at 18˚C, but only in those populations that were also reared with predators. Furthermore, predator-mediated selection resulted in the evolution of greater Daphnia thermal plasticity. This laboratory natural selection experiment demonstrates that biotic interactions can facilitate evolutionary adaptation to temperature. Understanding the interplay between multiple selective forces can greatly improve predictions regarding evolutionary rates and population persistence in the face of rapid environmental change.