Artificial and Natural Selection of quantitative traits Flashcards
Competition for resources
If individuals with a particular trait have a higher fitness due to their ability to obtain resources more efficiently or compete more successfully, this can lead to the evolution of the trait in the population
Competition causes population decline
Differences in fitness that depend on trait
If individuals with certain trait values have higher fitness than others, then it suggests that natural selection is favouring those trait values and leading to their evolution
If there is a clear relationship between trait value and fitness, it can provide evidence that natural selection is causing the evolution of the trait
Selection on quantitative traits
Can be directional, stabilising, or divergent, this affects the genetic variance in different ways
Natural selection can act on quantitative traits correlated with fitness, if it is a heritable trait it will evolve
The direction of selection can change as the environment changes
Artificial selection on quantitative traits
Usually plateaus due to genetic variation running out or natural selection opposes artificial selection
Artificial selection can produce dramatic changes in phenotype
Response depends on heritability and strength of selection
