EEB Thursday Seminar: Variation and selection of genes controlling ecologically important traits in nature

Although many studies provide examples of evolutionary processes such as balancing selection or deleterious polymorphism, the relative importance of these processes for phenotypic variation is unclear. To understand the evolutionary forces that influence variation in a wild relative of Arabidopsis, we are studying genes that control complex traits and fitness in nature. We performed a Genome-Wide Association Study (GWAS) for ~100 traits, using sequenced genotypes from 430 populations across the species range. Among the significant results, we focus on a gene that is widely polymorphic and experiences heterogeneous selection among natural populations in the Rocky Mountains. Field experiments show that this polymorphism is influenced by fitness trade-offs in nature.

Light refreshments served at 4 p.m.