Collaborative Research: A Simulation Approach To The Evolution of The G-Matrix

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In this project, three investigators will collaborate on computer simulation studies of G-matrix stability and evolution. The G-matrix is a statistical description of ghe pattern of genetic variances and covariances among quantitative traits. It is the central concept of inheritance in theoretical models for the evolution of characters that are affected by many genes. Many important characters are in this category (e.g., body size, intelligence, susceptibility to some kinds of disease). Consequently the stability and evolution of the G-matrix are important issues because they affect our ability to predict how such characteristics evolve. One aim is to determine how randomly varying selective pressures affect G-matrix stability. Another aim is to determine how details of genetic architecture (mutation, linkage, dominance, and epistasis) affect both the stability and evolution of the G-matrix. The overarching goal is to determine the conditions under which the G-matrix is likely to be stable or unstable, with a focus on selection regimes that are likely to prevail in nature. In the course of this project we will train graduate and postdoctoral students by including them in our planning and writing sessions. We will also build a website that will enable students, teachers and researchers to run simulations of G-matrix fluctuation and evolution.