Data from: Life-history evolution in response to changes in metapopulation structure in an arthropod herbivore

The persistence and dynamics of populations largely depends on the way
they are configured and integrated into space and the ensuing
eco-evolutionary dynamics. We manipulated spatial and temporal variation
in patch size in replicated experimental metapopulations of the herbivore
mite Tetranychus urticae and followed evolutionary dynamics over
approximately 30 generations. A significant divergence in life history
traits, physiological endpoints and gene expression was recorded in the
spatially and spatiotemporally variable metapopulation, but also a
remarkable convergence relative to the stable reference metapopulation in
traits related to size and fecundity and in its transcriptional
regulation. The observed evolutionary dynamics are tightly linked to
demographic changes, more specifically frequent episodes of resource
shortage that increased the reproductive performance of mites on tomato, a
challenging host plant. This points towards a general, adaptive stress
response in stable spatial variable and spatiotemporal variable
metapopulations that pre-adapts a herbivore arthropod to novel
environmental stressors.