The genetics of adaptation: a reassessment
Article Abstract:
The theoretical foundations of and supporting experimental evidence for the Neo-Darwinian view that adaptation is the result of the accumulation of many alleles of small effect were investigated. The results showed that this 'micromutationist' theory is not strongly supported by evidence. Although there are some adaptations that are due to genes of small effect, there are also adaptations that involve major genes, but these have not been investigated sufficiently due to a paucity of genetic analyses to detect them. Future studies could use molecular techniques to resolve this question.
Publication Name: The American Naturalist
Subject: Earth sciences
ISSN: 0003-0147
Year: 1992
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Path analysis of local adaptation in two ecotypes of the annual plant Diodia teres Walt (Rubiaceae)
Article Abstract:
Local adaptation in morphologically distinct ecotypes of poorjoe (Diodia teres) was tested by conducting reciprocal transplant experiments. The Comparisons of growth, survival and seed production showed that local ecotypes were generally favored. Coefficients for a model of causal relations among fitness parameters were estimated using path-coefficient analysis. The model demonstrated how differences between ecotypes over several life history stages lead to selection against the introduced ecotype, although introduced ecotypes exhibited superior fitnessin some comparisons.
Publication Name: The American Naturalist
Subject: Earth sciences
ISSN: 0003-0147
Year: 1992
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Clinal variation in cold adaptation in Mus domesticus: verification of predictions from laboratory populations
Article Abstract:
A study was done to determine whether heritability estimates of cold adaptation obtained from laboratory populations of domestic mice (Mus domesticus) could be used to predict the variation of traits of natural house mice populations from a temperature cline along the US east coast. The results showed that house mice in natural populations were heavier and built larger nests as an adaptation to cold. The study corroborated the predictions of laboratory research on cold adaptation.
Publication Name: The American Naturalist
Subject: Earth sciences
ISSN: 0003-0147
Year: 1992
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