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Local adaptation in Swiss silver fir populations
Do phenotypic differences between silver fir populations across Switzerland reflect adaptation?
Keywords: silver fir, population genetics, quantitative genetics, Switzerland
Most species are subdivided into many partially isolated sub-populations. Depending on the strengths of selection, drift, and migration, sub-populations become both genetically and phenotypically differentiated over time. Understanding to what degree population differentiation is caused by neutral versus selective (adaptive) processes is of central interest for evolutionary and conservation genetics. A standard way of evaluating if natural selection is responsible for differentiation between populations is comparing differentiation at trait values (measured by QST) with that at neutral molecular markers (measured by FST). In the absence of selection, one expects that QST=FST, thus population differentiation is observed only due to neutral forces such as genetic drift and migration. However, QST>FST suggests that populations are phenotypically diverged because they became adapted to their local environments due to selection.
Silver fir populations in Switzerland European silver fir (Abies alba Mill.) grows in many mountain ranges of Europe. In Switzerland, mountain ranges result in a fragmented distribution in the southern regions while in the northern half of the country silver fir maintains continuous large populations. The locations of the 29 Swiss silver fir populations that will be studied are shown on the map.
Most species are subdivided into many partially isolated sub-populations. Depending on the strengths of selection, drift, and migration, sub-populations become both genetically and phenotypically differentiated over time. Understanding to what degree population differentiation is caused by neutral versus selective (adaptive) processes is of central interest for evolutionary and conservation genetics. A standard way of evaluating if natural selection is responsible for differentiation between populations is comparing differentiation at trait values (measured by QST) with that at neutral molecular markers (measured by FST). In the absence of selection, one expects that QST=FST, thus population differentiation is observed only due to neutral forces such as genetic drift and migration. However, QST>FST suggests that populations are phenotypically diverged because they became adapted to their local environments due to selection. Silver fir populations in Switzerland European silver fir (Abies alba Mill.) grows in many mountain ranges of Europe. In Switzerland, mountain ranges result in a fragmented distribution in the southern regions while in the northern half of the country silver fir maintains continuous large populations. The locations of the 29 Swiss silver fir populations that will be studied are shown on the map.
- Quantify levels of neutral population differentiation
- Perform a QST-FST test for each trait separately and also using state-of-the-art multi-trait models
- Test if populations isolated by mountain ranges are more diverged than those in plains, and if this divergence may be adaptive
- You will also visit some of the natural forests and visit the experimental field site in Matzendorf. Additional phenotypic measures may be performed.
- Quantify levels of neutral population differentiation
- Perform a QST-FST test for each trait separately and also using state-of-the-art multi-trait models
- Test if populations isolated by mountain ranges are more diverged than those in plains, and if this divergence may be adaptive
- You will also visit some of the natural forests and visit the experimental field site in Matzendorf. Additional phenotypic measures may be performed.
Dr. Katalin Csilléry (ETH Zurich & WSL, katalin.csillery@wsl.ch) and Dr Felix Gugerli (WSL, felix.gugerli@wsl.ch)
Dr. Katalin Csilléry (ETH Zurich & WSL, katalin.csillery@wsl.ch) and Dr Felix Gugerli (WSL, felix.gugerli@wsl.ch)