The genetic and morphological basis of local adaptation to elevational extremes in an alpine finch

The genetic and morphological basis of local adaptation to elevational extremes in an alpine finch | Authorea try { document.documentElement.classList.add('js'); } catch (e) { } var _gaq = _gaq || []; _gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'G-8VDV14Y67G']); _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']); (function() { var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true; ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s); })(); Skip to main content Preprints Collections Wiley Open Research IET Open Research Ecological Society of Japan All Collections About About Authorea FAQs Contact Us Quick Search anywhere Search for preprint articles, keywords, etc. Search Search ADVANCED SEARCH SCROLL Ecology and Evolution This is a preprint and has not been peer reviewed. Data may be preliminary. 12 September 2025 V1 Latest version Share on The genetic and morphological basis of local adaptation to elevational extremes in an alpine finch Authors : Erica C.N. Robertson 0000-0002-0869-6300 [email protected] , Timothy Brown , Sophie Deitch 0009-0003-1465-0506 , Christen Bossu , Erika Zavaleta , Mevin B. Hooten , and Kristen Ruegg 0000-0001-5579-941X Authors Info & Affiliations https://doi.org/10.22541/au.175768601.14719360/v1 Published Ecology and Evolution Version of record Peer review timeline 321 views 255 downloads Contents Abstract Supplementary Material Information & Authors Metrics & Citations View Options References Figures Tables Media Share Abstract Understanding patterns and mechanisms underlying local adaptation is becoming increasingly important for species conservation amid anthropogenically driven environmental change. Alpine systems are experiencing particularly intense pressure from environmental change resulting from increased rates of warming and corresponding loss of snow and ice. We integrate morphological and genetic analyses to identify traits important for local adaptation in one of the highest elevation breeding birds in North America, the Sierra Nevada Gray-crowned Rosy Finch. We performed an in-depth analysis of how traits with known links to thermoregulation in birds such as wing length, bill size, and feather microstructure vary between two populations at sites with contrasting climate and environmental conditions. We identified loci underlying these traits using a genome-wide association study and further examined regions of the genome related to altitude adaptation and cold tolerance using F ST outlier tests. Together, these results indicate that temperature, food availability, and alpine landscape features may impose multifaceted and potentially conflicting selective pressures on morphological traits important to adaptation in alpine birds. Overall, this work represents one of the first in-depth analyses of the genetic basis of adaptation in an alpine specialist songbird. Supplementary Material File (gcrf_manuscript_full_draft_figures.docx) Download 4.45 MB File (gwas_gene_table.pdf) Download 57.38 KB Information & Authors Information Version history V1 Version 1 12 September 2025 Peer review timeline Published Ecology and Evolution Version of Record 29 Jan 2026 Published Copyright This work is licensed under a Non Exclusive No Reuse License. Collection Ecology and Evolution Keywords molecular evolution molecular genetics terrestrial vertebrate Authors Affiliations Erica C.N. Robertson 0000-0002-0869-6300 [email protected] Colorado State University Department of Biology View all articles by this author Timothy Brown University of California Santa Cruz Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology View all articles by this author Sophie Deitch 0009-0003-1465-0506 Colorado State University Department of Biology View all articles by this author Christen Bossu Colorado State University View all articles by this author Erika Zavaleta University of California Santa Cruz Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology View all articles by this author Mevin B. Hooten The University of Texas at Austin College of Natural Sciences View all articles by this author Kristen Ruegg 0000-0001-5579-941X University of Colorado View all articles by this author Metrics & Citations Metrics Article Usage 321 views 255 downloads .FvxKWukQNSOunydq8rnd { width: 100px; } Citations Download citation Erica C.N. Robertson, Timothy Brown, Sophie Deitch, et al. The genetic and morphological basis of local adaptation to elevational extremes in an alpine finch. Authorea . 12 September 2025. DOI: https://doi.org/10.22541/au.175768601.14719360/v1 If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download. For more information or tips please see 'Downloading to a citation manager' in the Help menu . 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