Detecting microevolutionary responses to natural selection by observing temporal changes in individual breeding values is challenging. The collection of suitable datasets can take many years and disentangling the contributions of the environment and genetics to phenotypic change is not trivial. Furthermore, pedigree-based methods of obtaining individual breeding values have known biases. Here, we apply a genomic prediction approach to estimate breeding values of adult weight in a 35-year dataset of Soay sheep (Ovis aries). During the study period adult body weight decreased, but the underlying genetic component of body weight increased, at a rate that is unlikely to be attributable to genetic drift. Thus cryptic microevolution of greater adult body weight has probably occurred. Using genomic prediction to study microevolution in wild populations can remove the requirement for pedigree data, potentially opening up new study systems for similar research.

中文翻译：

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使用基因组预测检测定量性状的微进化变化

通过观察个体育种值的时间变化来检测对自然选择的微进化反应是具有挑战性的。收集合适的数据集可能要花费很多年，要弄清环境和遗传学对表型变化的贡献并非易事。此外，基于谱系的获得个体育种值的方法存在已知的偏差。在这里，我们应用基因组预测方法来估计繁殖于Soay羊的35年的数据集成年体重值（绵羊白羊座）。在研究期间，成人体重下降，但体重的潜在遗传成分增加，其速率不太可能归因于遗传漂移。因此，可能发生了成人体重更大的隐秘微进化。使用基因组预测来研究野生种群的微观进化可以消除对系谱数据的需求，从而有可能为类似研究打开新的研究系统。