The roles of genetic drift and natural selection in quantitative trait divergence along an altitudinal gradient in Arabidopsis thaliana.

摘要: Understanding how natural selection and genetic drift shape biological variation is a central topic in biology, yet our understanding of the agents their target traits limited. We investigated to what extent along an altitudinal gradient or contributed ecologically relevant Arabidopsis thaliana. collected seeds from 8 14 individuals each A. thaliana populations originating sites between 800 2700 m above sea level Swiss Alps. Seed families were grown with without vernalization, corresponding winter-annual summer-annual life histories, respectively. analyzed putatively neutral divergence these using 24 simple sequence repeat markers. measured seven related growth, phenology leaf morphology that are rarely reported performed analyses clines, as well overall QST-FST comparisons correlation among pair-wise QST, FST altitude origin differences. Multivariate suggested adaptive differentiation entire suite traits, particularly when expressed history. Of individual decrease rosette number vegetative state increase succulence increasing could be attributed divergence. Interestingly, patterns relate common within- between-species trends smaller plant size thicker leaves at high altitude. Our results thus offer exciting possibilities unravel underlying mechanisms for conspicuous model species