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Opinion
QST < FST As a signature of canalization
Article first published online: 30 OCT 2012
DOI: 10.1111/mec.12017
© 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd
Additional Information
How to Cite
Lamy, J.-B., Plomion, C., Kremer, A. and Delzon, S. (2012), QST < FST As a signature of canalization. Molecular Ecology, 21: 5646–5655. doi: 10.1111/mec.12017
Publication History
- Issue published online: 21 NOV 2012
- Article first published online: 30 OCT 2012
- Manuscript Accepted: 31 JUL 2012
- Manuscript Revised: 27 JUL 2012
- Manuscript Received: 10 JAN 2012
Keywords:
- Canalization;
- diversifying selection;
- evolutionary stasis;
- phylogeny signal;
- QST/FST comparison;
- stabilizing selection;
- uniform selection
Abstract
A key aim of evolutionary biology – inferring the action of natural selection on wild species – can be achieved by comparing neutral genetic differentiation between populations (FST) with quantitative genetic variation (QST). Each of the three possible outcomes of comparisons of QST and FST (QST > FST, QST = FST, QST < FST) is associated with an inference (diversifying selection, genetic drift, uniform selection, respectively). However, published empirical and theoretical studies have focused on the QST > FST outcome. We believe that this reflects the absence of a straightforward biological interpretation of the QST < FST pattern. We here report recent evidence of this neglected evolutionary pattern, provide guidelines to its interpretation as either a canalization phenomenon or a consequence of uniform selection and discuss the significant importance this issue will have for the area of evolutionary biology.