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Related Concept Videos

What is Natural Selection?01:32

What is Natural Selection?

Natural selection is an evolutionary process in which individuals with survival-promoting traits reproduce at higher rates. These favorable traits become more common within a population or species. Naturally selected traits initially arise via random genetic mutations. In order for selection to occur, there must be variation within a population, the trait controlling the variation must be heritable, and there must be an evolutionary advantage for variation in the trait.
Types of Selection01:46

Types of Selection

Natural selection influences the frequencies of particular alleles and phenotypes within populations in several different ways. Primarily, natural selection can be directional, stabilizing, or disruptive. Directional selection favors one extreme trait and shifts the population towards that phenotype while selecting against individuals displaying alternate traits. Stabilizing selection favors an intermediate trait with a narrow range of variation. Deviation from the optimal phenotype towards an...
Limits to Natural Selection01:38

Limits to Natural Selection

Organisms that are well-adapted to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce. However, natural selection does not lead to perfectly adapted organisms. Several factors constrain natural selection.
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.
Nature and Nurture01:10

Nature and Nurture

Many human characteristics, like height, are shaped by both nature—in other words, by our genes—and by nurture, or our environment. For example, chronic stress during childhood inhibits the production of growth hormones and consequently reduces bone growth and height. Scientists estimate that 70-90% of variation in height is due to genetic differences among individuals, and 10-30% of variation in height is due to differences in the environments that individuals experience, such as differences...
Design Example: Maintaining Level of an Embankment01:19

Design Example: Maintaining Level of an Embankment

Constructing a roadway embankment over uneven terrain requires precise leveling to ensure stability and proper drainage. Surveyors use a leveling instrument and staff to calculate ground elevations and determine the required fill material at each point along the embankment alignment.The process begins by positioning a leveling instrument near a benchmark with a known elevation. A backsight reading establishes the instrument height, which serves as a reference for subsequent measurements. A...

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Experimental Manipulation of Body Size to Estimate Morphological Scaling Relationships in Drosophila
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Artificial selection on allometry: change in elevation but not slope.

C K Egset1, T F Hansen, A LE Rouzic

  • 1Centre for Conservation Biology, Department of Biology, NTNU, Trondheim, Norway.

Journal of Evolutionary Biology
|March 13, 2012
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Static allometries may constrain evolution. Researchers found that the elevation of caudal-fin allometry in guppies is evolvable, but the slope is not, suggesting it acts as an evolutionary constraint.

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Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary biology
  • Quantitative genetics

Background:

  • Within-species static allometries are debated as evolutionary constraints.
  • Testing the evolvability of allometries is crucial for understanding evolutionary constraints.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the evolvability of static allometric relationships.
  • To determine if allometric slope or elevation is more constrained in evolution.

Main Methods:

  • Artificial selection experiment on male guppy (Poecilia reticulata) caudal-fin size and body size allometry.
  • Independent selection on allometric slope and elevation over three generations.

Main Results:

  • Allometric elevation diverged significantly between lines selected for increase or decrease.
  • Realized heritability of allometric elevation was 50%.
  • Allometric slope remained unaffected by selection.

Conclusions:

  • Allometric elevation is more evolvable than allometric slope in guppies.
  • The allometric slope may represent a constraint on adaptive trait evolution.
  • This study provides novel insights into the evolvability of static allometric slopes.