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Niche construction in quantitative traits: heritability and response to selection
Laurel Fogarty1, Michael J Wade2
1Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany.
Proceedings. Biological Sciences
|June 1, 2022
Summary
Organisms construct niches, altering environments and selection pressures. Niche construction (NC) also impacts trait heritability, influencing evolutionary pace beyond selection alone.
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary Biology
- Ecology
- Theoretical Biology
Background:
- Niche construction (NC) theory posits organisms alter environments, impacting evolution via selection.
- The role of NC in modifying trait heritability and phenotypic plasticity remains underexplored.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how niche construction affects trait heritability and evolutionary change.
- To differentiate the impacts of NC on selection versus heritability.
Main Methods:
- Development of mathematical models for trait evolution under niche construction.
- Partitioning the effects of NC on heritability and selection pressures.
Main Results:
- Niche construction significantly alters phenotypic response to selection and the pace of evolution.
- Trans-generational interactions compound the effects of NC on evolutionary trajectories.
- NC's influence on heritability suggests a need for revised theoretical frameworks.
Conclusions:
- Niche construction influences evolution through both altered selection and modified heritability.
- Novel mathematical frameworks are required to model the dual effects of NC.
- The concept of heritability may need theoretical expansion to incorporate NC-induced changes.
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