Environment couples selection and heritability
In Soay sheep, strong selection on birthweight occurs when heritability is lowest, limiting evolutionary response.
Source
Environmental coupling of selection and heritability limits evolution
Study at a glance
- Design
- Cohort — Random-regression animal models of Soay sheep birthweight and neonatal survival across years of varying environmental quality
- N
- N=2630 · 2,630 lambs with known mothers in animal models; birthweights for 2,902 individuals, 1985–2005 (n = 19 years)
- Population
- Soay sheep on Hirta, St. Kilda
- Outcome
- Maternal genetic variance for birthweight rises in good years while directional selection on birthweight falls, limiting predicted evolutionary response
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Environment couples selection and heritability
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Soay sheep on Hirta.
Edinburgh, United Kingdom 2 Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada 3 Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom Kingsolver Joel Academic Editor ].
Birthweight.
Our approach also contrasts with previous empirical investigations of the impact of environmental quality on genetic variances, which have relied on comparison between environments defined as either good or bad [ ].
What they did
Used random-regression animal models across years of varying neonatal mortality quality.
What they found
Maternal genetic variance and selection differentials both depend on environment and covary negatively.
The limits
What it doesn't show
Observational wild population; unmeasured confounders may remain.
Key terms
- Heritability
- Fraction of variance that is genetic.
- Selection differential
- Mean phenotypic change by selection.
- Maternal genetic effect
- Genetic influence via mother.
- Animal model
- Mixed model using pedigree.
- Environmental quality
- Year quality via neonatal survival.
- Soay sheep
- Wild island study population.
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Common questions
Species?
Soay sheep.
Trait?
Birthweight.
Coupling?
Selection vs heritability.
Limit?
Evolutionary response.
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