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Evolvability predicts macroevolution under fluctuating selection.

Agnes Holstad1, Kjetil L Voje2, Øystein H Opedal3

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Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Evolutionary divergence in populations and species is linked to microevolutionary evolvability. Genetic constraints influence how populations adapt to environmental changes, impacting long-term evolutionary trajectories.

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Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary biology
  • Genetics
  • Paleontology

Background:

  • Heritable variation is essential for evolution, but genetic constraints' role in macroevolution is debated.
  • Understanding the interplay between microevolutionary processes and macroevolutionary patterns is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between microevolutionary evolvability and evolutionary divergence across populations and species.
  • To test hypotheses explaining this relationship and propose a mechanism involving genetic constraints.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of two datasets encompassing fossil and contemporary taxa.
  • Statistical evaluation of evolutionary divergence and microevolutionary evolvability.

Main Results:

  • Evolutionary divergence at population and species levels increases with microevolutionary evolvability.
  • Several alternative hypotheses were evaluated and rejected.

Conclusions:

  • Evolvability influences population and species divergence.
  • Genetic constraints play a key role by affecting populations' ability to track environmental fluctuations, thus shaping macroevolutionary outcomes.