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Selection on QTL and complex traits in complex environments
Author(s) -
MitchellOlds Thomas
Publication year - 2013
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/mec.12345
Subject(s) - quantitative trait locus , biology , trait , selection (genetic algorithm) , quantitative genetics , phenology , phenotypic trait , genetic architecture , evolutionary biology , adaptation (eye) , pleiotropy , phenotype , family based qtl mapping , genetic variation , genetics , gene , ecology , gene mapping , artificial intelligence , computer science , neuroscience , chromosome , programming language
Understanding genetic variation for complex traits in heterogeneous environments is a fundamental problem in biology. In this issue of Molecular Ecology, Fournier‐Level et al . ([Fournier‐Level A, 2013]) analyse quantitative trait loci ( QTL ) influencing ecologically important phenotypes in mapping populations of A rabidopsis thaliana grown in four habitats across its native E uropean range. They used causal modelling to quantify the selective consequences of life history and morphological traits and QTL on components of fitness. They found phenology QTL colocalizing with known flowering time genes as well as novel loci. Most QTL influenced fitness via life history and size traits, rather than QTL having direct effects on fitness. Comparison of phenotypes among environments found no evidence for genetic trade‐offs for phenology or growth traits, but genetic trade‐offs for fitness resulted because flowering time had opposite fitness effects in different environments. These changes in QTL effects and selective consequences may maintain genetic variation among populations.