Quantitative genetics has traditionally been used to examine selection responses in domesticated organisms, but has recently been applied by evolutionary biologists to natural populations. Evolutionary biologists use quantitative genetics to model variation in traits related to fitness and, ultimately, to make predictions about the impact of natural selection on populations. However, there are few cases in which quantitative genetics has been used to predict changes in natural populations, and only two cases in which it has been used to predict a correlated response to natural selection. / I use a quantitative genetic model to predict the correlated response to natural selection in geographically distinct wild populations of the wing dimorphic sand cricket, Gryllus firmus. Three populations of G. firmus that naturally vary in proportion macroptery are used to qualitatively assess, for the first time, predictions from a quantitative genetic model postulating that an increase in proportion macroptery is correlated with a decrease in fecundity. Variation observed among the populations when raised in a common garden supports predictions and demonstrates that a difference in mean fecundity is the result of a response in fecundity within wing morphs in addition to a change in the proportion of macropterous females. My results indicate that the complexity behind evolutionary changes in traits genetically correlated with proportion macroptery can be modeled through quantitative genetics.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:LACETR/oai:collectionscanada.gc.ca:QMM.31276 |
| Date | January 2000 |
| Creators | Mostowy, Serge. |
| Contributors | Roff, Derek (advisor), Fairbairn, Daphne (advisor) |
| Publisher | McGill University |
| Source Sets | Library and Archives Canada ETDs Repository / Centre d'archives des thèses électroniques de Bibliothèque et Archives Canada |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Coverage | Master of Science (Department of Biology.) |
| Rights | All items in eScholarship@McGill are protected by copyright with all rights reserved unless otherwise indicated. |
| Relation | alephsysno: 001809235, proquestno: MQ70473, Theses scanned by UMI/ProQuest. |
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