Regional heterogeneity and gene flow maintain variance in a quantitative trait within populations of lodgepole pine

Genetic variation is of fundamental importance to biological evolution, yet we still know very little about how it is maintained in nature. Because many species inhabit heterogeneous environments and have pronounced local adaptations, gene flow between differently adapted populations may be a persis...

Descripción completa

Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores principales: Yeaman, S, Jarvis, Andy
Formato: Journal Article
Lenguaje:Inglés
Publicado: Royal Society 2006
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/44020
_version_ 1855533371452555264
author Yeaman, S
Jarvis, Andy
author_browse Jarvis, Andy
Yeaman, S
author_facet Yeaman, S
Jarvis, Andy
author_sort Yeaman, S
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description Genetic variation is of fundamental importance to biological evolution, yet we still know very little about how it is maintained in nature. Because many species inhabit heterogeneous environments and have pronounced local adaptations, gene flow between differently adapted populations may be a persistent source of genetic variation within populations. If this migration selection balance is biologically important then there should be strong correlations between genetic variance within populations and the amount of heterogeneity in the environment surrounding them. Here, we use data from a long-term study of 142 populations of lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta) to compare levels of genetic variation in growth response with measures of climatic heterogeneity in the surrounding region. We find that regional heterogeneity explains at least 20% of the variation in genetic variance, suggesting that gene flow and heterogeneous selection may play an important role in maintaining the high levels of genetic variation found within natural populations.
format Journal Article
id CGSpace44020
institution CGIAR Consortium
language Inglés
publishDate 2006
publishDateRange 2006
publishDateSort 2006
publisher Royal Society
publisherStr Royal Society
record_format dspace
spelling CGSpace440202024-08-27T10:36:38Z Regional heterogeneity and gene flow maintain variance in a quantitative trait within populations of lodgepole pine Yeaman, S Jarvis, Andy pinus contorta genetic resources genetic variation gene flow climate change population genetics recursos genéticos variación genética flujo genético cambio climático genética de poblaciones Genetic variation is of fundamental importance to biological evolution, yet we still know very little about how it is maintained in nature. Because many species inhabit heterogeneous environments and have pronounced local adaptations, gene flow between differently adapted populations may be a persistent source of genetic variation within populations. If this migration selection balance is biologically important then there should be strong correlations between genetic variance within populations and the amount of heterogeneity in the environment surrounding them. Here, we use data from a long-term study of 142 populations of lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta) to compare levels of genetic variation in growth response with measures of climatic heterogeneity in the surrounding region. We find that regional heterogeneity explains at least 20% of the variation in genetic variance, suggesting that gene flow and heterogeneous selection may play an important role in maintaining the high levels of genetic variation found within natural populations. 2006-07-07 2014-10-02T08:33:06Z 2014-10-02T08:33:06Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/44020 en Open Access Royal Society
spellingShingle pinus contorta
genetic resources
genetic variation
gene flow
climate change
population genetics
recursos genéticos
variación genética
flujo genético
cambio climático
genética de poblaciones
Yeaman, S
Jarvis, Andy
Regional heterogeneity and gene flow maintain variance in a quantitative trait within populations of lodgepole pine
title Regional heterogeneity and gene flow maintain variance in a quantitative trait within populations of lodgepole pine
title_full Regional heterogeneity and gene flow maintain variance in a quantitative trait within populations of lodgepole pine
title_fullStr Regional heterogeneity and gene flow maintain variance in a quantitative trait within populations of lodgepole pine
title_full_unstemmed Regional heterogeneity and gene flow maintain variance in a quantitative trait within populations of lodgepole pine
title_short Regional heterogeneity and gene flow maintain variance in a quantitative trait within populations of lodgepole pine
title_sort regional heterogeneity and gene flow maintain variance in a quantitative trait within populations of lodgepole pine
topic pinus contorta
genetic resources
genetic variation
gene flow
climate change
population genetics
recursos genéticos
variación genética
flujo genético
cambio climático
genética de poblaciones
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/44020
work_keys_str_mv AT yeamans regionalheterogeneityandgeneflowmaintainvarianceinaquantitativetraitwithinpopulationsoflodgepolepine
AT jarvisandy regionalheterogeneityandgeneflowmaintainvarianceinaquantitativetraitwithinpopulationsoflodgepolepine