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Quantifying the causal pathways contributing to natural selection.

Jonathan M Henshaw1,2, Michael B Morrissey3, Adam G Jones2

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Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

This study introduces a new causal framework for understanding natural selection, extending Wright's path rules. It decomposes selection into specific pathways, accommodating complex nonlinear and nonadditive evolutionary mechanisms.

Keywords:
Causal derivativecausalitypath analysisstructural equation modeling (SEM)

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Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary biology
  • Quantitative genetics

Background:

  • Natural selection's consequences are statistical, but understanding trait-fitness covariation requires a causal approach.
  • Existing causal decompositions of selection are limited to linear models (Wright's rules).

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop a general framework for partitioning natural selection into its causal pathways.
  • To extend Wright's path rules to accommodate nonlinear and nonadditive evolutionary mechanisms.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized path analysis to create a general framework for decomposing selection.
  • Defined extended selection gradients and path-specific selection gradients.
  • Incorporated standard statistical methods like generalized linear (mixed) models and generalized additive models.

Main Results:

  • Developed a general framework for partitioning selection into contributing causal pathways.
  • Showed how extended selection gradients can be decomposed into path-specific gradients.
  • The framework accommodates nonlinear effects and nonadditive interactions.

Conclusions:

  • Provided a generalization of Wright's path rules for natural selection.
  • Enabled a more comprehensive understanding of the causal mechanisms underlying evolutionary selection.
  • Facilitates the study of complex selection processes in biology.