Dissecting fluctuating selection: A unified population and quantitative genetics framework

Area of Science:

• Evolutionary Biology
• Population Genetics
• Genomics

Background:

• Fluctuating selection's impact on genetic and phenotypic levels is debated.
• A gap exists between empirical and theoretical findings on fluctuating selection mechanisms.
• Genomic data reveals oscillating allele frequencies, interpreted as fluctuating selection signatures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To elucidate genetic and ecological drivers of fluctuating selection.
• To identify parameters promoting consistent allele frequency oscillations.
• To develop a theoretical model predicting persistent allele frequency oscillations.

Main Methods:

• Integrated quantitative and population genetics modeling framework.
• Simulated populations under various selection regimes.
• Applied spectral analysis to detect periodicity in allele frequency data.

Main Results:

• Identified conditions sustaining allele frequency oscillations over time.
• Spectral analysis successfully detected periodic patterns even in complex scenarios.
• Simulation parameters are predictable from natural populations.

Conclusions:

• Clarified conditions leading to oscillatory evolutionary behaviors.
• Developed a novel method for detecting fluctuating selection using spectral analysis.
• Paved the way for empirical testing and forecasting of population evolution in changing environments.