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2,445 results for “Genetics: population”
Data of "Investigating the potential for genetic improvement of nitrogen and phosphorus efficiency of in a Swiss Large White pigs population using chemical analysis"
<p>Data for article 'Investigating the Potential for Genetic Improvement of Nitrogen and Phosphorus Efficiency in a Swiss Large White Pig Population using Chemical Analysis' (DOI: 10.1111/JBG.12472). Dataset of 294 Swiss Large White pigs for which phenotypes of nitrogen efficiency, phosphorus efficiency (both determined by chemical analysis of N and P content of empty body and carcass as well as the feed ingested over the experiment phase), average daily gain and gain:feed ratio are available. We also provide the pedigree that was used to estimate genetic parameters in animal models and a description of the variables (metadata).</p>
Data from: The contribution of hybridization to range‐wide population genetic structure in a Pacific coastal dune plant
<p>Premise of the study: Interspecific hybridization can cause genetic structure across species ranges if the mating system and degree of sympatry/parapatry with close relatives varies geographically. The coastal dune endemic <em>Camissoniopsis cheiranthifolia</em> (Onagraceae) exhibits genetic subdivisions across its range, some of which are associated with shifts in mating system from outcrossing to selfing, while others are not. For instance, strong differentiation between large-flowered, self-incompatible (LF-SI) and large-flowered, self-compatible (LF-SC) populations occurs without much reduction in outcrossing or obvious barriers to gene flow. We hypothesized that LF-SI diverged from LF-SC via hybridization with the predominantly inland SI sister species <em>C. bistort</em>a.</p> <p>Methods: We analyzed spatial proximity using 1460 herbarium records, and genetic variation at 12 microsatellites assayed for 805 and 404 individuals from 32 <em>C. cheiranthifolia</em> and 18 <em>C. bistorta</em> populations, respectively. We also assayed nine chloroplast microsatellites for 124 and 111 individuals from 27 and 19 populations, respectively. </p> <p>Key results: Closer parapatry was associated with unexpectedly high genetic continuity between LF-SI <em>C. cheiranthifolia</em> and <em>C. bistorta</em>. LF-SI genotypes clustered with <em>C. bistorta</em> exclusive of other <em>C. cheiranthifolia</em> genotypes. Similarly, pairwise FST among SI <em>C. cheiranthifolia</em> and <em>C. bistorta</em>, adjusted for geographic proximity, was not higher between heterospecific than conspecific populations. </p> <p>Conclusions: The lack of genetic differentiation between LF-SI <em>C. cheiranthifolia</em> and <em>C. bistorta</em> populations, even those located away from the zone of parapatry, suggests that LF-SI <em>C. cheiranthifolia</em> instead of hybridizing with <em>C. bistorta</em> is rather an ecotype of <em>C. bistorta</em> that has adapted to coastal dune habitat independent of other lineages in <em>C. cheiranthifolia</em> proper.</p>
Data from: Adaptive landscape genetics and malaria across divergent island bird populations
Environmental conditions play a major role in shaping the spatial distributions of pathogens, which in turn can drive local adaptation and divergence in host genetic diversity. Haemosporidians, such as plasmodium (malaria) are a strong selective force, impacting survival and fitness of hosts, with geographic distributions largely determined by habitat suitability for their insect vectors. Here, we have tested whether patterns of fine-scale local adaptation to malaria are replicated across discrete, ecologically differing island populations of Berthelot's pipits Anthus berthelotii. We sequenced TLR4, an innate immunity gene that is potentially under positive selection in <i>Berthelot's pipits</i>, and two SNPs previously identified as being associated with malaria infection in a genome-wide association study (GWAS) in Berthelot's pipits in the Canary Islands. We determined the environmental predictors of malaria infection, using these to estimate variation in malaria risk on Porto Santo, and found some congruence with previously identified environmental risk factors on Tenerife. We also found a negative association between malaria infection and a TLR4 variant in Tenerife. In contrast, one of the GWAS SNPs showed an association with malaria risk in Porto Santo, but in the opposite direction to that found in the Canary Islands GWAS. Together, these findings suggest that disease-driven local adaptation may be an important factor in shaping variation among island populations.
Data from: Can dominance genetic variance be ignored in evolutionary quantitative genetic analyses of wild populations?
<p>Accurately estimating genetic variance components is important for studying evolution in the wild. Empirical work on domesticated and wild outbred populations suggests that dominance genetic variance represents a substantial part of genetic variance, and theoretical work predicts that ignoring dominance can inflate estimates of additive genetic variance. Whether this issue is pervasive in natural systems is unknown, because we lack estimates of dominance variance in wild populations obtained <i>in situ</i>. Here, we estimate dominance and additive genetic variance, maternal variance, and other sources of non-genetic variance in 8 traits measured in over 9000 wild nestlings linked through a genetically resolved pedigree. We find that dominance variance, when estimable, does not statistically differ from zero and represents a modest amount (2-36%) of genetic variance. Simulations show that 1) inferences of all variance components for an average trait are unbiased; 2) the power to detect dominance variance is low; 3) ignoring dominance can mildly inflate additive genetic variance and heritability estimates but such inflation becomes substantial when maternal effects are also ignored. These findings hence suggest that dominance is a small source of phenotypic variance in the wild and highlight the importance of proper model construction for accurately estimating evolutionary potential.</p>
Data from: Multi-scale spatial genetic structure within and between populations of wild cherry trees in nuclear genotypes and chloroplast haplotypes
Spatial genetic structure (SGS) of plants mainly depends on the effective population size and gene dispersal. Maternally inherited loci are expected to have higher genetic differentiation between populations and more intensive SGS within populations than biparentally inherited loci because of smaller effective population sizes and fewer opportunities of gene dispersal in the maternally inherited loci. We investigated biparentally inherited nuclear genotypes and maternally inherited chloroplast haplotypes of microsatellites in 17 tree populations of three wild cherry species under different conditions of tree distribution and seed dispersal. As expected, inter-population genetic differentiation was 6–9 times higher in chloroplast haplotypes than in nuclear genotypes. This difference indicated that pollen flow 4–7 times exceeded seed flow between populations. However, no difference between nuclear and chloroplast loci was detected in within-population SGS intensity due to their substantial variation among the populations. The SGS intensity tended to increase as trees became more aggregated, suggesting that tree aggregation biased pollen and seed dispersal distances toward shorter. The loss of effective seed dispersers, Asian black bears, did not affect the SGS intensity probably because of mitigation of the bear loss by other vertebrate dispersers and too few tree generations after the bear loss to alter SGS. The findings suggest that SGS is more variable in smaller spatial scales due to various ecological factors in local populations.
Low levels of genetic differentiation with isolation by geography and environment in populations of Drosophila melanogaster from across China
<p>The fruit fly <i>Drosophila</i> <i>melanogaster</i> is a model species in evolutionary studies. However, the population processes of this species in East Asia are poorly studied, even though this area was one of the first regions colonized outside of its native distribution range. Here we examined the population genetic structure of <i>D.</i> <i>melanogaster</i> across China. There were 14 mitochondrial haplotypes with ten unique ones out of 23 known from around the globe. Pairwise F<sub>ST</sub> values estimated from 15 novel microsatellites ranged from 0 to 0.11, with geographically isolated populations showing the highest level of genetic uniqueness. STRUCTURE analysis identified high levels of admixture at both the individual and population levels. Mantel tests indicated a strong association between genetic distance and geographical distance as well as environmental distance. Full RDA analysis showed that independent effects of environmental conditions and geography accounted for 62.10% and 31.58% of the total explained genetic variance, respectively. When geographic variables were constrained in a partial RDA analysis, three environmental variables of bio2 (mean diurnal air temperature range), bio13 (precipitation of the wettest month), and bio15 (precipitation seasonality) were correlated with genetic distance. Our study suggests that a high level of gene flow, geographical isolation, and environmental factors have together shaped the population genetic structure of <i>D.</i> <i>melanogaster</i> after its introduction into China.</p>
Data from: Curation: heat stress responses and population genetics of the kelp Laminaria digitata (Phaeophyceae) across latitudes reveal differentiation among North Atlantic populations
<p>We aim to understand the thermal plasticity of a coastal foundation species across its latitudinal distribution by assessing physiological responses to high temperature stress in the kelp <i>Laminaria digitata</i> in combination with population genetic characteristics. We <a>hypothesize</a> that Arctic and cold-temperate populations are less heat resilient than warm-temperate populations. Using meristems of natural <i>L. digitata</i> populations from six locations ranging between Kongsfjorden, Spitsbergen (79°N), and Quiberon, France (47°N), we performed a common-garden heat stress experiment applying 15°C to 23°C over eight days. We assessed growth, quantum yield, carbon and nitrogen storage, and xanthophyll pigment contents as response traits. Population connectivity and genetic diversity were analysed with microsatellite markers to relate heat resilience to genetic features and phylogeography. Microsatellite genotyping revealed all sampled populations to be genetically distinct, underlying strong hierarchical structuring between and within southern and northern clades. Genetic diversity was lowest in the isolated population of the North Sea island of Helgoland and highest in Roscoff in the English Channel. Results from the heat stress experiment suggest that the upper temperature limit of <i>L. digitata</i> is nearly identical across its distribution range, but subtle differences we<a>re </a>revealed for the two populations currently at their warm limits. They respectively <a>show</a> a significant advantage in growth at 19°C and 21°C (Quiberon) and a lack of stress responses in photosynthetic quantum yield and xanthophyll pigments at 23°C (Helgoland). In addition, quantum yield indicated the highest heat sensitivity in <i>L. digitata</i> from the northernmost population in Spitsbergen. All together, these results support the hypothesis of moderate local differentiation across <i>L. digitata</i>'s European distribution, whereas effects are likely too weak to ameliorate the species' capacity to withstand ocean warming and marine heatwaves at the southern range edge.</p>
Data from: Integrating population genetics to define conservation units from the core to the edge of Rhinolophus ferrumequinum western range
The greater horseshoe bat (<i>Rhinolophus ferrumequinum</i>) is among the most widespread bat species in Europe but it has experienced severe declines, especially in Northern Europe. This species is listed Near Threatened in the European IUCN Red List of Threatened Animals and it is considered to be highly sensitive to human activities and particularly to habitat fragmentation. Therefore, understanding the population boundaries and demographic history of populations of this species is of primary importance to assess relevant conservation strategies. In this study, we used 17 microsatellite markers to assess the genetic diversity, the genetic structure and the demographic history of <i>R. ferrumequinum</i> colonies in the western part of its distribution. We identified one large population showing high levels of genetic diversity and large population size. Lower estimates were found in England and northern France. Analyses of clustering and isolation by distance suggested that the Channel and the Mediterranean seas could impede <i>R. ferrumequinum</i> gene flow. These results provide important information to improve the delineation of <i>R. ferrumequinum</i> management units. We suggest that a large management unit corresponding to the population ranging from Spanish Basque country to northern France must be considered. Particular attention should be given to mating territories as they seem to play a key role in maintaining the high levels of genetic mixing between colonies. Smaller management units corresponding to English and northern France colonies must also be implemented. These insular or peripheral colonies could be at higher risk of extinction in a near future.
Limited genetic parallelism underlies recent, repeated incipient speciation in geographically proximate populations of an Arctic fish (Salvelinus alpinus)
<p>The genetic underpinnings of incipient speciation, including the genomic mechanisms which contribute to morphological and ecological differentiation and reproductive isolation, remain poorly understood. The repeated evolution of consistently, phenotypically distinct morphs of Arctic Charr (<i>Salvelinus alpinus</i>) within the Quaternary period offer an ideal model to study the repeatability of evolution at the genomic level. Sympatric morphs of Arctic Charr are found across this species' circumpolar distribution. However, the specific genetic mechanisms driving this morph differentiation are largely unknown despite the cultural and economic importance of the anadromous morph. We used a newly designed 87k SNP chip to investigate the character and consistency of the genomic differences among sympatric morphs within three recently deglaciated and geographically proximate lakes in Labrador, Canada. We found genetically distinct small and large morph Arctic Charr in all three lakes consistent with resident and anadromous morphs, respectively. A degree of reproductive isolation among sympatric morphs is likely given genome-wide distributions of outlier SNPs and high genome-wide <i>F</i><sub>ST</sub>s. Across all lakes, outlier SNPs were largely non-overlapping suggesting a lack of genetic parallelism driving morph differentiation. Alternatively, several genes and paralogous copies of the same gene consistently differentiated morphs across multiple lakes suggesting their importance to the manifestation of morphs. Our results confirm the utility of Arctic Charr as a model for investigating the predictability of evolution and support the importance of both genetic parallelism and non-parallelism to the incipient speciation of Arctic Charr morphs.</p>
Dataset for METAPOPGEN 2.0: a multi-locus genetic simulator to model populations of large size
<p>Multi-locus genetic processes in subdivided populations can be complex and difficult to interpret using theoretical population genetics models. Genetic simulators offer a valid alternative to study multi-locus genetic processes in arbitrarily complex scenarios. However, the use of forward-in-time simulators in realistic scenarios involving high numbers of individuals distributed in multiple local populations is limited by computation time and memory requirements. These limitations increase with the number of simulated individuals. We developed a genetic simulator, <span>MetaPopGen</span> 2.0, to model multi-locus population genetic processes in subdivided populations of arbitrarily large size. It allows for spatial and temporal variation in demographic parameters, age structure, adult and propagule dispersal, variable mutation rates and selection on survival and fecundity. We developed <span>MetaPopGen</span> 2.0 in the R environment to facilitate its use by non-modeler ecologists and evolutionary biologists. We illustrate the capabilities of <span>MetaPopGen</span> 2.0 for studying adaptation to water salinity in the striped red mullet <i>Mullus surmuletus</i>.</p>
Weak founder effects but significant spatial genetic imprint of recent contraction and expansion of European beech populations.
Understanding the ecological and evolutionary processes occurring during species range shifts is important in the current context of global change. Here, we investigate the interplay between recent expansion, gene flow and genetic drift, and their consequences for genetic diversity and structure at landscape and local scales in European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) On Mont Ventoux, South-Eastern France, we located beech forest refugia at the time of the most recent population minimum, approximately 150 years ago, and sampled 71 populations (2042 trees) in both refugia and expanding populations over an area of 15,000 ha. We inferred patterns of gene flow and genetic structure using 12 microsatellite markers. We identified six plots as originating from planting, rather than natural establishment, mostly from local genetic material. Comparing genetic diversity and structure in refugia versus recent populations did not support the existence of founder effects: heterozygosity (He = 0.667) and allelic richness (Ar = 4.298) were similar, and FST was low (0.031 overall). Still, significant spatial evidence of colonization was detected, with He increasing along the expansion front, while genetic differentiation from the entire pool (βWT) decreased. Isolation by distance was found in refugia but not in recently expanding populations. Our study indicates that beech capacities for colonization and gene flow were sufficient to preserve genetic diversity despite recent forest contraction and expansion. Because beech has long distance pollen and seed dispersal, these results illustrate a 'best case scenario' for the maintenance of high genetic diversity and adaptive potential under climate-change related range change.
Population genetic structure of the insular Ryukyu flying fox Pteropus dasymallus
<p>Small isolated populations are vulnerable to both stochastic events and the negative consequences of genetic drift. For threatened species, the genetic management of such populations has therefore become a crucial aspect of conservation. Flying foxes (<i>Pteropus</i> spp, Chiroptera) are keystone species with essential roles in pollination and seed dispersal in tropical and subtropical ecosystems. However, many flying fox species are also threatened, having experienced dramatic population declines driven by habitat loss and hunting. The insular Ryukyu flying fox (<i>Pteropus dasymallus</i>) ranges from the Ryukyu Archipelago of Japan through Taiwan to the northern Philippines and has undergone precipitous population crashes on several islands in recent decades. To assess the population genetic structure and diversity in <i>P. dasymallus</i>, and its likely causes, we analyzed mitochondrial and microsatellite DNA. Both markers showed significant genetic differentiation among most island populations, with mitochondrial haplotypes showing some mixing across the region, likely reflecting historical colonization and/or dispersal events. In contrast, microsatellite markers showed an overall pattern of isolation by distance; however, this pattern appeared to be driven by the presence of deep ocean trenches between geographically distant populations. Thus the current distribution of<i> P. dasymallus</i> and its subspecific diversity appears to have arisen through vicariance coupled with a long history of restricted gene flow across oceanic barriers. We conclude that isolated island subgroups should be managed separately, with efforts directed at reducing further declines in genetic diversity.</p>
Geography, seasonality, and host-associated population structure influence the fecal microbiome of a genetically depauparate Arctic mammal
<p>The Canadian Arctic is an extreme environment with low floral and faunal diversity characterized by major seasonal shifts in temperature, moisture and daylight. Muskoxen (<i>Ovibos moschatus</i>) are one of few large herbivores able to survive this harsh environment. Microbiome research of the gastrointestinal tract may hold clues as to how muskoxen exist in the Arctic, but also how this species may respond to rapid environmental changes. In this study, we investigated the effects of season (spring/summer/winter), year (2007-2016), and host genetic structure on population-level microbiome variation in muskoxen from the Canadian Arctic. We utilized 16S rRNA gene sequencing to characterize the fecal microbial communities of 78 male muskoxen encompassing two population genetic clusters.<a name="_Hlk534564036"> These clusters are defined by Arctic Mainland and Island populations, including; 1) two mainland sampling locations of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut; and 2) four locations of Victoria Island. </a>Between these geographic populations, we found that differences in the microbiome reflected host-associated genetic cluster with evidence of migration. Within populations, seasonality influenced bacterial diversity with no significant differences between years of sampling. We found evidence of pathogenic bacteria, with significantly higher presence in mainland samples. Our findings demonstrate the effects of seasonality and the role of host population-level structure in driving fecal microbiome differences in a large Arctic mammal.</p>
Mixed-stock analysis using Rapture genotyping to evaluate stock-specific exploitation of a walleye population despite weak genetic structure
<p>Mixed-stock analyses using genetic markers have informed fisheries management in cases where strong genetic differentiation occurs among local spawning populations, yet many fisheries are supported by multiple spawning stocks that are weakly differentiated. Freshwater fisheries exemplify this problem, with many harvested populations supported by multiple stocks of young evolutionary age and that are isolated across small spatial scales. As a result, attempts to conduct genetic mixed-stock analyses of inland fisheries have often been unsuccessful. Advances in genomic sequencing now offer the ability to discriminate among populations with weak population structure, by providing the necessary resolution to conduct mixed-stock assignment among previously indistinguishable stocks. We demonstrate the use of genomic data to conduct a mixed-stock analysis of Lake Erie's commercial and recreational walleye (<em>Sander vitreus</em>) fisheries and estimate the relative harvest of weakly differentiated stocks. We used RAD-capture (Rapture) to sequence and genotype individuals at 12,081 loci that had been previously determined to be capable of discriminating between western and eastern basin stocks (mean pairwise F<sub>ST</sub> = 0.001) with 95% reassignment accuracy. An outcome not possible in the past with microsatellite markers. Genetic assignment of 1,075 fish harvested from recreational and commercial fisheries in the eastern basin indicated that western basin stocks supported the majority of the harvest during peak harvest (July – September). Composition of harvest changed seasonally, with eastern basin fish comprising much of the early season harvest (May – June). Clear spatial structure in stock-specific harvest existed; more easterly sites contained more individuals of east basin origin than did westerly sites. Our study provides important stock contribution estimates for Lake Erie fishery management and demonstrates the power of genomic data to facilitate mixed-stock analysis in exploited fish populations with weak population structure or limited existing genetic resources.</p>
Data for: Coevolution fails to maintain genetic variation in a host-parasite model with constant finite population size
<p>Coevolutionary negative frequency-dependent selection has been hypothesized to maintain genetic variation in host and parasites. <br> Despite the extensive literature pertaining to host-parasite coevolution, the dynamics of genetic variation has not been examined in a matching-alleles model (MAM) with a finite population size relative to the expectation under neutral genetic drift alone. The dynamics of the MA coevolution in an infinite population, in fact, suggests that genetic variation in these coevolving populations behaves neutrally. By comparing host heterozygosity to the expectation in a single-species model of neutral genetic drift we find that while this is also largely true in finite populations two additional phenomena arise. First, reciprocal natural selection acting on stochastic perturbations in host and pathogen allele frequencies results in a slight increase or decrease in genetic variation depending on the parameter conditions. Second, following the fixation of an allele in the parasite, selection in the MAM becomes directional, which then rapidly erodes genetic variation in the host. Hence, rather than maintain it, we find that, on average, matching-alleles coevolution depletes genetic variation.</p>
Does genetic diversity protect host populations from parasites? A meta-analysis across natural and agricultural systems
<p>If parasites transmit more readily between closely related hosts, then parasite burdens should decrease with increased genetic diversity of host populations. This important hypothesis is often accepted at face value - notorious epidemics of crop monocultures testify to the vulnerability of host populations that have been purged of diversity. Yet the relationship between genetic diversity and parasitism likely varies across contexts, differing between crop and non-crop hosts and between experimental and natural host populations. Here, we used a meta-analytic approach to ask if host diversity confers protection against parasites over the range of contexts in which it has been tested.</p> <p>We synthesized the results of 102 studies, comprising 2,004 effect sizes representing a diversity of approaches and host-parasite systems. Our results validate a protective effect of genetic diversity, while revealing significant variation in its strength across biological and empirical contexts. In experimental host populations, genetic diversity reduces parasitism by ~20% for non-crop hosts and by ~50% for crop hosts. In contrast, observational studies of natural host populations show no consistent relationship between genetic diversity and parasitism, with both strong negative and positive correlations reported. This result supports the idea that, if parasites preferentially attack close relatives, the correlation of genetic diversity with parasitism could be positive or negative depending upon the potential for host populations to evolve in response to parasite selection. Taken together, these results reinforce genetic diversity as a priority for both conservation and agriculture and emphasize the challenges inherent to drawing comparisons between controlled experimental populations and dynamic natural populations.</p>
Population genetic structure and classification of cultivated and wild pea (Pisum sp.) based on morphological traits and SSR markers
<p>Pea (<em>Pisum</em> <em>sativum</em> L.) is an important legume crop that is widely grown worldwide for human consumption and livestock feed. Despite extensive studies, the population genetic structure and classification of cultivated and wild pea (<em>Pisum</em> sp.) are remaining controversial. To characterize patterns of genetic and morphological variation and investigate the classification of <em>Pisum</em>, we conducted comprehensive population genetic analyses for 323 accessions from cultivated and wild pea representing three species of <em>Pisum</em> utilizing 34 morphological traits and 87 polymorphic SSR markers. First, we identified three distinct genetic groups among all samples. Group I was primarily composed of <em>Pisum fulvum</em>, <em>Pisum</em> <em>abyssinicum</em> and some wild <em>P. sativum</em> accessions, whereas groups II and III consisted of the two genetic groups under <em>P. sativum </em>representing different geographic distributions of cultivated pea. Analyses of morphological variation revealed significant differences among the three species. Second, among pea germplasms representing eight taxa of <em>Pisum</em>, <em>P. fulvum</em> and <em>P. abyssinicum</em> possessed unique genetic backgrounds and morphological characteristics, corroborating their independent species status. The intraspecific subdivisions of <em>P. sativum</em> described by some authors were not supported in this study, with the exception of several genotypes of <em>P. sativum</em> subsp. <em>elatius</em> that were clustered with <em>P. fulvum</em> and <em>P. abyssinicum</em>. Finally, we confirmed that the Chinese pea germplasm was genetically distinct and could be divided into two genetic groups, each of which included both spring-sowing and autumn-sowing ecotypes. These results provide a robust foundation for understanding pea domestication and the utilization of wild genetic resources of pea.</p>
Microsatellite genotypes and associated data for: The contribution of clonality to population genetic structure in the sea anemone Diadumene lineata
<p>Ecological and evolutionary processes differ depending on how genetic diversity is organized in space. For clonal organisms, the organization of both genetic and genotypic diversity can influence the fitness effects of competition, the mating system, and reproductive mode, which are key drivers of life cycle evolution. Understanding how individual reproductive behavior contributes to population genetic structure is essential for disentangling these forces, particularly in species with complex and plastic life cycles. The widespread sea anemone <i>Diadumene lineata</i> exhibits temperature-dependent fission which contributes to predictable variation in clonal rate along the Atlantic coast of the United States, part of its non-native range. Because warmer conditions lead to higher rates of clonality, we expected to find lower genotypic and genetic diversity in lower versus higher latitude populations. We developed primers for 11 microsatellite loci and genotyped 207 anemones collected from 8 sites ranging from Florida to Massachusetts. We found clonal influence at all sites, and as predicted, the largest clones were found at lower latitude sites. We also found genetic signatures of sex in the parts of the range where gametogenesis is most common. Evidence of sex outside the native range is novel for this species and provides insights into the dynamics of this successful invader. Our findings also illustrate challenges that partially clonal taxa pose for eco-evolutionary studies, such as difficulty sampling statistically robust numbers of genets and interpretating common population genetic metrics. For example, we found high among-locus variation in F<i><sub>is, </sub></i>which makes the meaning of mean multilocus F<i><sub>is</sub></i> unclear.</p>
The genetic basis of coordinated plasticity across functional units in a Lake Malawi cichlid mapping population
Adaptive radiations are often stereotypical, as populations repeatedly specialize along conserved environmental axes. Phenotypic plasticity may be similarly stereotypical, as individuals respond to environmental cues. These parallel patterns of variation, which are often consistent across traits, have led researchers to propose that plasticity can facilitate predictable patterns of evolution along environmental gradients. This "flexible stem" model of evolution raises questions about the genetic nature of plasticity, including: How complex is the genetic basis for plasticity? Is plasticity across traits mediated by many distinct loci, or few "global" regulators? To address these questions, we reared a hybrid cichlid mapping population on alternate diet regimes mimicking an important environmental axis. We show that plasticity across an array of ecologically relevant traits is generally morphologically integrated, such that traits respond in a coordinated manner, especially those with overlapping function. Our genetic data are more ambiguous. While our mapping experiment provides little evidence for global genetic regulators of plasticity, these data do contain a genetic signal for the integration of plasticity across traits. Overall, our data suggest a compromise between genetic modularity, whereby plasticity may evolve independently across traits, and low-level but widespread genetic integration, establishing the potential for plasticity to experience coordinated evolution.
Genetic diversity in two insular populations of bobcats (Lynx rufus)
<p>We documented changes in genetic diversity in an isolated, reintroduced population of bobcats on Cumberland Island (CUIS), Georgia, USA, compared to another bobcat population on Kiawah Island, South Carolina, USA, that was naturally established and experiences limited immigration from the mainland. We compared the predictions of a novel population viability analysis (PVA) to empirical estimates of abundance and genetic diversity on CUIS and used our PVA to identify management actions that are likely to support long-term viability.</p>
ScienceDex guides
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These curated guides explain access requirements, typical timelines, costs, and reuse considerations for widely used research datasets.
Allen Brain Atlas
Allen Brain Atlas is an Allen Institute collection of brain map atlases, datasets, APIs, and analysis tools covering mouse, human, and non-human primate brain resources.
Annotated Behaviour and Observability Dataset (ABODe)
ABODe is a University of Edinburgh DataShare dataset for behavior classification in group-housed mice using home-cage video, identities, bounding boxes, ground-plate positions, and annotator labels.
DANDI Archive for NWB datasets
DANDI is a BRAIN Initiative archive for publishing and sharing neurophysiology data, including electrophysiology, optophysiology, and behavioral data packaged as NWB and related standards.
International Brain Laboratory public data
The International Brain Laboratory public data releases expose standardized mouse decision-making experiments, including Neuropixels recordings, widefield calcium imaging, behavior, and session metadata accessed through the ONE API.
OpenNeuro
OpenNeuro is a free, open platform for sharing neuroimaging datasets, with public search, dataset pages, and download paths for web, S3, DataLad, and the OpenNeuro CLI.