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The evolutionary stability of cross-sex, cross-trait genetic covariances

Gosden, Thomas LU and Chenoweth, Stephen F (2014) In Evolution 68(6). p.1687-1697
Abstract
Although knowledge of the selective agents behind the evolution of sexual dimorphism has advanced considerably in recent years, we still lack a clear understanding of the evolutionary durability of cross-sex genetic covariances that often constrain its evolution. We tested the relative stability of cross-sex genetic covariances for a suite of homologous contact pheromones of the fruit fly Drosophila serrata, along a latitudinal gradient that these traits have diverged in mean. Using a Bayesian framework, which allowed us to account for uncertainty in all parameter estimates, we compared divergence in the total amounts and orientations of genetic variance across populations, finding divergence in orientation but not total variance. We then... (More)
Although knowledge of the selective agents behind the evolution of sexual dimorphism has advanced considerably in recent years, we still lack a clear understanding of the evolutionary durability of cross-sex genetic covariances that often constrain its evolution. We tested the relative stability of cross-sex genetic covariances for a suite of homologous contact pheromones of the fruit fly Drosophila serrata, along a latitudinal gradient that these traits have diverged in mean. Using a Bayesian framework, which allowed us to account for uncertainty in all parameter estimates, we compared divergence in the total amounts and orientations of genetic variance across populations, finding divergence in orientation but not total variance. We then statistically compared orientation divergence of within-sex (G) to cross-sex (B) covariance matrices. In line with a previous theoretical prediction, we find that the cross-sex covariance matrix, B, is more variable than either male or female within-sex covariance matrix. Decomposition of B matrices into their symmetrical and non-symmetrical components revealed that instability is linked to the degree of asymmetry. We also find that the degree of asymmetry correlates with latitude suggesting a role for spatially varying natural selection in shaping genetic constraints on the evolution of sexual dimorphism. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. (Less)
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author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Evolution
volume
68
issue
6
pages
1687 - 1697
publisher
Wiley-Blackwell
external identifiers
  • pmid:24620712
  • wos:000337558900012
  • scopus:84901692771
  • pmid:24620712
ISSN
1558-5646
DOI
10.1111/evo.12398
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
5dfe82b7-2c41-4185-938d-5d0ff01fab34 (old id 4383451)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 10:55:55
date last changed
2022-02-02 22:19:04
@article{5dfe82b7-2c41-4185-938d-5d0ff01fab34,
  abstract     = {{Although knowledge of the selective agents behind the evolution of sexual dimorphism has advanced considerably in recent years, we still lack a clear understanding of the evolutionary durability of cross-sex genetic covariances that often constrain its evolution. We tested the relative stability of cross-sex genetic covariances for a suite of homologous contact pheromones of the fruit fly Drosophila serrata, along a latitudinal gradient that these traits have diverged in mean. Using a Bayesian framework, which allowed us to account for uncertainty in all parameter estimates, we compared divergence in the total amounts and orientations of genetic variance across populations, finding divergence in orientation but not total variance. We then statistically compared orientation divergence of within-sex (G) to cross-sex (B) covariance matrices. In line with a previous theoretical prediction, we find that the cross-sex covariance matrix, B, is more variable than either male or female within-sex covariance matrix. Decomposition of B matrices into their symmetrical and non-symmetrical components revealed that instability is linked to the degree of asymmetry. We also find that the degree of asymmetry correlates with latitude suggesting a role for spatially varying natural selection in shaping genetic constraints on the evolution of sexual dimorphism. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.}},
  author       = {{Gosden, Thomas and Chenoweth, Stephen F}},
  issn         = {{1558-5646}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{6}},
  pages        = {{1687--1697}},
  publisher    = {{Wiley-Blackwell}},
  series       = {{Evolution}},
  title        = {{The evolutionary stability of cross-sex, cross-trait genetic covariances}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/evo.12398}},
  doi          = {{10.1111/evo.12398}},
  volume       = {{68}},
  year         = {{2014}},
}