Data from: Differentiation of movement behavior in an adaptively diverging salamander population

Dispersal is considered to be a species-specific trait, but intraspecific variation can be high. However, when and how this complex trait starts to differentiate during the divergence of species/lineages is unknown. Here, we studied the differentiation of movement behavior in a large salamander (Salamandra salamandra) population, in which individual adaptations to different habitat conditions drive the genetic divergence of this population into two subpopulations. In this system, salamanders have adapted to the deposition and development of their larvae in ephemeral ponds versus small first order streams. In general, the pond habitat is characterized as a spatially and temporally highly unpredictable habitat, while streams provide more stable and predictable conditions for the development of larvae. We analyzed the fine scale genetic distribution of larvae, and explored whether the adaptation to different larval habitat conditions has in turn also affected dispersal strategies and home range size of adult salamanders. Based on the genetic assignment of adult individuals to their respective larval habitat type, we show that pond-adapted salamanders occupied larger home ranges, displayed long distance dispersal and had a higher variability of movement types than the stream-adapted individuals. We argue that the differentiation of phenotypically plastic traits such as dispersal and movement characteristics can be a crucial component in the course of adaptation to new habitat conditions, thereby promoting the genetic divergence of populations.

扩散通常被视为物种特异性性状，但种内变异程度往往较高。然而，这一复杂性状在物种或谱系分化过程中开始分化的时机与机制，目前仍未明确。本研究以大型真螈（*Salamandra salamandra*）种群为研究对象，该种群内个体对不同生境条件的适应性分化，驱动其遗传分化为两个亚种群。在此研究系统中，蝾螈幼体分别适应在临时池塘与一级小型溪流中完成产卵与发育。一般而言，临时池塘生境在空间与时间维度上均呈现高度不可预测性，而溪流则为幼体发育提供了更为稳定且可预测的环境条件。我们分析了幼体的精细尺度遗传分布，并探究针对不同幼体生境的适应，是否反过来也影响了成年蝾螈的扩散策略与家域大小。基于成年个体对其幼体生境类型的遗传归属分析，本研究发现，适应池塘生境的蝾螈拥有更大的家域范围，表现出长距离扩散行为，且其运动类型的变异程度高于适应溪流生境的个体。我们认为，诸如扩散与运动特征这类表型可塑性性状的分化，是适应新生境条件过程中的关键组分，进而可推动种群的遗传分化。