Evaluation of the Rate of Evolution in Natural Populations of Guppies (Poecilia reticulata)

Natural populations of guppies were subjected to an episode of directional selection that mimicked natural processes. The resulting rate of evolution of age and size at maturity was similar to rates typically obtained for traits subjected to artificial selection in laboratory settings and up to seve...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) 1997-03, Vol.275 (5308), p.1934-1937
Main Authors: Reznick, David N., Shaw, Frank H., Rodd, F. Helen, Shaw, Ruth G.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Analysis
Animal populations
Animals
Attrition (Research Studies)
Biographies
Biological and medical sciences
Birth
Community Relations
Evolution
Evolution (Biology)
Evolutionary genetics
Females
Fish
Fish populations
Fishes
Food availability
Fossils
Freshwater
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Genetics
Genetics of eukaryotes. Biological and molecular evolution
Guppies
Inferences
Interval estimators
Males
Matrices
Mortality Rate
Natural selection
Phenotypic traits
Poecilia reticulata
Pollution
Population genetics, reproduction patterns
Rates of change
Reproduction
Vertebrata
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Natural populations of guppies were subjected to an episode of directional selection that mimicked natural processes. The resulting rate of evolution of age and size at maturity was similar to rates typically obtained for traits subjected to artificial selection in laboratory settings and up to seven orders of magnitude greater than rates inferred from the paleontological record. Male traits evolved more rapidly than female traits largely because males had more genetic variation upon which natural selection could act. These results are considered in light of the ongoing debate about the importance of natural selection versus other processes in the paleontological record of evolution.
ISSN:0036-8075
1095-9203
DOI:10.1126/science.275.5308.1934