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Testing for causality in covarying traits: genes and latitude in a molecular world
Author(s) -
O’BRIEN CONOR,
BRADSHAW WILLIAM E.,
HOLZAPFEL CHRISTINA M.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
molecular ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.619
H-Index - 225
eISSN - 1365-294X
pISSN - 0962-1083
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-294x.2011.05133.x
Subject(s) - biology , proxy (statistics) , latitude , timer , regression , causality (physics) , evolutionary biology , ecology , contrast (vision) , econometrics , statistics , computer science , mathematics , artificial intelligence , physics , geodesy , quantum mechanics , computer hardware , geography , microcontroller
Many traits are assumed to have a causal (necessary) relationship with one another because of their common covariation with a physiological, ecological or geographical factor. Herein, we demonstrate a straightforward test for inferring causality using residuals from regression of the traits with the common factor. We illustrate this test using the covariation with latitude of a proxy for the circadian clock and a proxy for the photoperiodic timer in Drosophila and salmon. A negative result of this test means that further discussion of the adaptive significance of a causal connection between the covarying traits is unwarranted. A positive result of this test provides a point of departure that can then be used as a platform from which to determine experimentally the underlying functional connections and only then to discuss their adaptive significance.