View article

Epigenetic modifications are expected to occur at a much faster rate than genetic mutations, potentially causing isolated populations to stochastically drift apart, or if they are subjected to different selective regimes, to directionally diverge. A high level of genome‐wide epigenetic divergence between individuals occupying distinct habitats is therefore predicted. Here, we introduce bisulfite‐converted restriction site associated DNA sequencing (bsRADseq), an approach to quantify the level of DNA methylation differentiation across multiple individuals. This reduced representation method is flexible in the extent of DNA sequence interrogated. We showcase its applicability in three natural systems, each comprising individuals adapted to divergent environments: a diploid plant (Heliosperma, Caryophyllaceae), a tetraploid plant (Dactylorhiza, Orchidaceae) and an animal (Gasterosteusaculeatus, Gasterosteidae). We …