Data from: Is colour polymorphism advantageous to populations and species?

I am writing in response to an article by Bolton, Rollins and Griffith (2015) entitled ‘The danger within: the role of genetic, behavioural and ecological factors in population persistence of colour polymorphic species’ that was recently published as an Opinion under the NEWS AND VIEWS section in Molecular Ecology. Bolton et al. (2015) argue that colour polymorphism may reduce population fitness and increase extinction risk, and emphasize that this is contrary to predictions put forward by Forsman et al. (2008) and Wennersten and Forsman (2012) that the existence of multiple colour morphs with co-adapted gene complexes and associated trait values may increase the ecological and evolutionary success of polymorphic populations and species. Bolton et al. (2015) further state that there is no clear evidence from studies of ‘true polymorphic species’ that polymorphism promotes population persistence. In response, I (i) challenge their classifications of polymorphisms and revisit the traditional definitions recognizing the dynamic nature of polymorphisms, (ii) review empirical studies that have examined whether and how polymorphism is associated with extinction risk, (iii) discuss the roles of trait correlations between colour pattern and other phenotypic dimensions for population fitness, and (iv) highlight that the causes and mechanisms that influence the composition and maintenance of polymorphisms are different from the consequences of the polymorphic condition and how it may impact on aspects of ecological success and long-term persistence of populations and species.

本文针对Bolton、Rollins与Griffith（2015）发表于《Molecular Ecology》"NEWS AND VIEWS"专栏的观点性文章《The danger within: the role of genetic, behavioural and ecological factors in population persistence of colour polymorphic species》撰写此回应。Bolton等人（2015）提出，颜色多态性可能降低种群适合度并提升灭绝风险，同时强调该结论与Forsman等人（2008）及Wennersten与Forsman（2012）的预测相悖——后者认为，携带共适应基因复合体与关联性状值的多种颜色形态的存在，能够提高多态种群及物种的生态与进化成功率。Bolton等人（2015）进一步指出，目前尚无针对"真正多态物种"的明确研究证据表明多态性可促进种群存续。针对上述观点，本文从四方面作出回应：其一，对其多态性分类标准提出质疑，并回归认可多态性动态本质的传统定义；其二，梳理了检验多态性与灭绝风险是否相关、以及如何相关的实证研究；其三，探讨了颜色图案与其他表型维度间的性状关联对种群适合度的作用；其四，强调影响多态性组成与维持的成因与机制，与多态状态本身所产生的后果存在差异，同时该多态状态可能对种群与物种的生态成功维度及长期存续产生影响。