Mapping the genes underlying ecologically relevant traits in natural populations is fundamental to develop a molecular understanding of species adaptation. Current sequencing technologies enable the characterization of a species’ genetic diversity across the landscape or even over its whole range. The relevant capture of the genetic diversity across the landscape is critical for a successful genetic mapping of traits and there are no clear guidelines on how to achieve an optimal sampling and which sequencing strategy to implement. Here we determine, through simulation, the sampling scheme that maximizes the power to map the genetic basis of a complex trait in an outbreeding species across an idealized landscape and draw genomic predictions for the trait, comparing individual and pool sequencing strategies. Our results show that quantitative trait locus detection power and prediction accuracy are higher when more populations over the landscape are sampled and this is more cost-effectively done with pool sequencing than with individual sequencing. Additionally, we recommend sampling populations from areas of high genetic diversity. As progress in sequencing enables the integration of trait-based functional ecology into landscape genomics studies, these findings will guide study designs allowing direct measures of genetic effects in natural populations across the environment.

中文翻译：

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自然种群数量性状基因组分析的采样设计和测序策略优化

绘制自然种群中生态相关特征的基因图是发展对物种适应的分子理解的基础。当前的测序技术能够表征整个景观甚至整个范围内的物种遗传多样性。整个景观中遗传多样性的相关捕获对于成功的性状遗传图谱至关重要，并且没有关于如何实现最佳采样和实施哪种测序策略的明确指南。在这里，我们通过模拟确定了采样方案，该方案最大限度地绘制了理想化景观中远交物种复杂性状的遗传基础，并为该性状绘制了基因组预测，比较了个体和池测序策略。我们的结果表明，当对景观中的更多种群进行采样时，数量性状基因座检测能力和预测准确度更高，并且使用池测序比单独测序更具成本效益。此外，我们建议从遗传多样性高的地区对种群进行抽样。随着测序的进步，将基于特征的功能生态学整合到景观基因组学研究中，这些发现将指导研究设计，允许直接测量整个环境中自然种群的遗传效应。我们建议从遗传多样性高的地区抽样种群。随着测序的进步，将基于特征的功能生态学整合到景观基因组学研究中，这些发现将指导研究设计，允许直接测量整个环境中自然种群的遗传效应。我们建议从遗传多样性高的地区抽样种群。随着测序的进步，将基于特征的功能生态学整合到景观基因组学研究中，这些发现将指导研究设计，允许直接测量整个环境中自然种群的遗传效应。