Thomas J. Firneno Jr.1, Georgy Semenov2, Erik B. Dopman3, Scott A. Taylor2, Erica L. Larson1 and Zachariah Gompert4 1Department of Biology, University of Denver, Denver, Colorado 80208, USA 2Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado 80211, USA 3Department of Biology, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, USA 4Department of Biology, Utah State University, Logan, Utah 84321, USA Correspondence: zach.gompertusu.edu

In hybrid zones, whether barrier loci experience selection mostly independently or as a unit depends on the ratio of selection to recombination as captured by the coupling coefficient. Theory predicts a sharper transition between an uncoupled and coupled system when more loci affect hybrid fitness. However, the extent of coupling in hybrid zones has rarely been quantified. Here, we use simulations to characterize the relationship between the coupling coefficient and variance in clines across genetic loci. We then reanalyze 25 hybrid zone data sets and find that cline variances and estimated coupling coefficients form a smooth continuum from high variance and weak coupling to low variance and strong coupling. Our results are consistent with low rates of hybridization and a strong genome-wide barrier to gene flow when the coupling coefficient is much greater than 1, but also suggest that this boundary might be approached gradually and at a near constant rate over time.