Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Mutation, Gene Flow, and Genetic Drift01:09

Mutation, Gene Flow, and Genetic Drift

In a population that is not at Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, the frequency of alleles changes over time. Therefore, any deviations from the five conditions of Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium can alter the genetic variation of a given population. Conditions that change the genetic variability of a population include mutations, natural selection, non-random mating, gene flow, and genetic drift (small population size).Mechanisms of Genetic VariationThe original sources of genetic variation are mutations,...
Genetic Drift03:33

Genetic Drift

Natural selection—probably the most well-known evolutionary mechanism—increases the prevalence of traits that enhance survival and reproduction. However, evolution does not merely propagate favorable traits, nor does it always benefit populations.Life is not fair. A deer grazing contentedly in a field can have her meal cut tragically short by a bolt of lightning. If the doomed doe is one of only three in the population, 1/3 of the population’s gene pool is lost. Random events like this can...
Evolution of New Traits in Microbes01:24

Evolution of New Traits in Microbes

Microorganisms evolve rapidly due to their large population sizes and short generation times, often exhibiting measurable changes within days under laboratory conditions. Natural selection acts on standing genetic variation, enabling the retention and amplification of beneficial traits that confer fitness advantages in changing environments.Adaptive Pigment Regulation in RhodobacterIn Rhodobacter, a genus of purple non-sulfur bacteria, light-harvesting pigments such as bacteriochlorophyll and...
Natural Selection and Adaptation01:15

Natural Selection and Adaptation

Natural selection, a fundamental concept in evolutionary biology, is the mechanism by which evolution is driven, favoring organisms that are best adapted to their environments. This process enhances their chances of survival and reproduction. Adaptation, a key outcome of this process, involves genetic modifications that optimize an organism's functionality under specific environmental challenges, such as extreme cold or thinner air at high altitudes.
Beyond physical adaptations, psychological...
Background and Environment Affect Phenotype02:27

Background and Environment Affect Phenotype

Although the genetic makeup of an organism plays a major role in determining the phenotype, there are also several environmental factors, such as temperature, oxygen availability, presence of mutagens, that can alter an organism’s phenotype.
An example of how genetic background affects phenotype can be seen in horses. The Extension gene in horses is responsible for their coat color. A wild-type gene (EE) produces black pigment in the coat, while a mutant gene (ee) produces red pigment. A...
Genetics of Speciation02:16

Genetics of Speciation

Speciation is the evolutionary process resulting in the formation of new, distinct species—groups of reproductively isolated populations.The genetics of speciation involves the different traits or isolating mechanisms preventing gene exchange, leading to reproductive isolation. Reproductive isolation can be due to reproductive barriers that have effects either before or after the formation of a zygote. Pre-zygotic mechanisms prevent fertilization from occurring, and post-zygotic mechanisms...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Nucleotide diversity is a poor predictor of short-term adaptive potential.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2026
Same author

Quantitative genetics of shy-bold behaviour and plastic response to novel predator cues in the cherry shrimp, Neocaridina davidi.

Journal of evolutionary biology·2026
Same author

Levels of additive genetic variation vary substantially between species.

PLoS biology·2026
Same author

Using Landsat Satellite Imagery to Investigate Spatial and Temporal Variation in Life History Traits in a Long-Term Study Population of Superb Fairy-Wrens <i>Malurus cyaneus</i>.

Ecology and evolution·2026
Same author

Satellite-Derived NDVI Predicts Forage Availability in a Wild Ungulate System: Ground-Truthing Using Field-Collected Vegetation Biomass.

Ecology and evolution·2026
Same author

Choice of traits defines the scope for assisted evolution of corals under climate change.

Current biology : CB·2026
Same journal

Adaptive Dynamics of Quantitative Traits in a Steadily Changing Environment.

Genetics·2026
Same journal

Functional Landscape of Zebrafish Gonadotropins and Receptors: A Comprehensive Genetic Analysis.

Genetics·2026
Same journal

Synergistic actions of Nup43 and Myosin VI drive actin cone assembly during Drosophila spermiogenesis.

Genetics·2026
Same journal

Identification of two Cryptococcus neoformans heme transporters involved in Fhb1-mediated nitrosative stress protection in a fission yeast model.

Genetics·2026
Same journal

Analysis of a hypomorphic mei-P26 mutation reveals coordination between developmental programming of germ cells and meiotic chromosome dynamics.

Genetics·2026
Same journal

Neural and Genetic Mechanisms Regulating Copulation Latency in Male Drosophila melanogaster.

Genetics·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 5, 2026

Daily Transfers, Archiving Populations, and Measuring Fitness in the Long-Term Evolution Experiment with Escherichia coli
15:00

Daily Transfers, Archiving Populations, and Measuring Fitness in the Long-Term Evolution Experiment with Escherichia coli

Published on: August 18, 2023

Cryptic evolution: does environmental deterioration have a genetic basis?

Jarrod D Hadfield1, Alastair J Wilson, Loeske E B Kruuk

  • 1Institute of Evolutionary Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH9 3JT, United Kingdom. j.hadfield@ed.ac.uk

Genetics
|January 19, 2011
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Cryptic evolution occurs when adaptive changes are hidden by environmental shifts. This study presents a quantitative genetic model to differentiate evolutionary environmental deterioration from external changes, offering new insights into cryptic evolution.

More Related Videos

Resurrection of Dormant Daphnia magna: Protocol and Applications
07:37

Resurrection of Dormant Daphnia magna: Protocol and Applications

Published on: January 19, 2018

Quantifying Tissue-Specific Proteostatic Decline in Caenorhabditis elegans
09:18

Quantifying Tissue-Specific Proteostatic Decline in Caenorhabditis elegans

Published on: September 7, 2021

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 5, 2026

Daily Transfers, Archiving Populations, and Measuring Fitness in the Long-Term Evolution Experiment with Escherichia coli
15:00

Daily Transfers, Archiving Populations, and Measuring Fitness in the Long-Term Evolution Experiment with Escherichia coli

Published on: August 18, 2023

Resurrection of Dormant Daphnia magna: Protocol and Applications
07:37

Resurrection of Dormant Daphnia magna: Protocol and Applications

Published on: January 19, 2018

Quantifying Tissue-Specific Proteostatic Decline in Caenorhabditis elegans
09:18

Quantifying Tissue-Specific Proteostatic Decline in Caenorhabditis elegans

Published on: September 7, 2021

Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary biology
  • Quantitative genetics
  • Ecology

Background:

  • Cryptic evolution is adaptive evolutionary change masked by concurrent environmental change.
  • Previous studies often linked cryptic evolution to external factors like climate change or population density.
  • Fisher (1958) and Cooke et al. (1990) suggested that evolutionary change itself can cause environmental deterioration.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To reformulate Cooke's model as a quantitative genetic model.
  • To provide a statistical framework for distinguishing between environmental change and evolutionary environmental deterioration.
  • To identify biological processes that can mimic cryptic evolution patterns.

Main Methods:

  • Quantitative genetic modeling
  • Reformulation of Cooke's model
  • Statistical analysis of predicted breeding values

Main Results:

  • The reformulated Cooke's model is mathematically identical to recent quantitative genetic developments.
  • A statistical framework is established to differentiate between environmental change and evolutionary environmental deterioration.
  • Processes like mutation, sib competition, and invisible fractions can generate patterns resembling cryptic evolution even without phenotypic change.

Conclusions:

  • Evolutionary environmental deterioration is a distinct mechanism from general environmental change, impacting traits influenced by resource competition.
  • The study provides a robust framework for empirical testing of cryptic evolution hypotheses.
  • Care must be taken when interpreting patterns in predicted breeding values, as non-adaptive processes can produce similar signals.