When a polygenic character is exposed to natural selection in which the curve giving fitness as a function of phenotype is a mixture of two Gaussian (normal) curves, the population may respond either by evolving to a specialized phenotype near one of the two optimum phenotypes, or by evolving to a generalized phenotype between them. Using approximate multivariate normal distribution methods, it is demonstrated that the condition for selection to result in a specialized phenotype is that the curve of fitness as a function of breeding value be bimodal. This implies that a specialized phenotype is more likely to result the higher is the heritability of the character. Numerical iterations of four-locus models and algebraic analysis of a symmetric two-locus model generally support the conclusions of the normal approximation.
%0 Journal Article
%1 felsenstein1979excursions
%A Felsenstein, Joseph
%D 1979
%J Genetics
%K local_adaptation quantitative_genetics
%N 3
%P 773-795
%R 10.1093/genetics/93.3.773
%T Excursions along the interface between disruptive and stabilizing selection
%U https://doi.org/10.1093/genetics/93.3.773
%V 93
%X When a polygenic character is exposed to natural selection in which the curve giving fitness as a function of phenotype is a mixture of two Gaussian (normal) curves, the population may respond either by evolving to a specialized phenotype near one of the two optimum phenotypes, or by evolving to a generalized phenotype between them. Using approximate multivariate normal distribution methods, it is demonstrated that the condition for selection to result in a specialized phenotype is that the curve of fitness as a function of breeding value be bimodal. This implies that a specialized phenotype is more likely to result the higher is the heritability of the character. Numerical iterations of four-locus models and algebraic analysis of a symmetric two-locus model generally support the conclusions of the normal approximation.
@article{felsenstein1979excursions,
abstract = {{When a polygenic character is exposed to natural selection in which the curve giving fitness as a function of phenotype is a mixture of two Gaussian (normal) curves, the population may respond either by evolving to a specialized phenotype near one of the two optimum phenotypes, or by evolving to a generalized phenotype between them. Using approximate multivariate normal distribution methods, it is demonstrated that the condition for selection to result in a specialized phenotype is that the curve of fitness as a function of breeding value be bimodal. This implies that a specialized phenotype is more likely to result the higher is the heritability of the character. Numerical iterations of four-locus models and algebraic analysis of a symmetric two-locus model generally support the conclusions of the normal approximation.}},
added-at = {2021-05-25T22:24:36.000+0200},
author = {Felsenstein, Joseph},
biburl = {https://www.bibsonomy.org/bibtex/237802047bfcd342509a1403af63d31e0/peter.ralph},
doi = {10.1093/genetics/93.3.773},
eprint = {https://academic.oup.com/genetics/article-pdf/93/3/773/34425210/genetics0773.pdf},
interhash = {3af2af5c60708cebbae4a3f15729f975},
intrahash = {37802047bfcd342509a1403af63d31e0},
issn = {1943-2631},
journal = {Genetics},
keywords = {local_adaptation quantitative_genetics},
month = {11},
number = 3,
pages = {773-795},
timestamp = {2021-05-25T22:24:36.000+0200},
title = {Excursions along the interface between disruptive and stabilizing selection},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1093/genetics/93.3.773},
volume = 93,
year = 1979
}