Dr. Derek Roff
Professor
Department of Biology
University of California, Riverside
lOctober 9, 2003, 4PM, Thursday
1352 Gilman Hall
"The Evolution of Trade-Offs: Quantitative Genetics meets Optimality Theory"
Dr. Derek Roff
Professor
Department of Biology
University of California, Riverside
Roff
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Trade-offs are a core element of evolutionary theory. Their
impact on evolutionary processes have been analyzed both in an optimality and
quantitative genetic framework. On the surface these two approaches make
contradictory predictions about how trade-offs will evolve in populations.
In this talk I test these two predictions using data on the trade-off between
flight capability and reproductive fitness in the sand cricket. The
prediction from the quantitative genetic perspective is shown to be correct.
However, I argue that the failure of the optimality model arises from a
misconception of how traits interact and that a simple extension of the model
both connects quantitative genetics and optimality theory and provides a means
of opening the “black box” of quantitative genetics.
Suggested references
Roff, D. A. 2002. Life History Evolution. Sinauer Associates, Sunderland,
MA.
Roff, D. A., Mostowy, S. & Fairbairn, D. J. 2002. The evolution of
trade-offs: Testing predictions on response to selection and environmental
variation. Evolution 56: 84-95.
Roff, D. A., Crnokrak, P. & Fairbairn, D. J. 2003. The evolution of
trade-offs: geographic variation in call duration and flight ability in the sand
cricket, Gryllus firmus. Journal of Evolutionary Biology 16:
744-753.