BIOCOMPLEXITY-INCUBATION ACTIVITY: Integrated Approaches to Studies of Infinite-Dimensional Trait Evolution in Natural Populations

Washington State University, Pullman WA

Investigators

Abstract

The grant address the evolution of so-called "infinite-dimensional" traits in natural populations. Many highly complex traits, such as morphological shapes, developmental trajectories, and phenotypic responses to continuous environmental variables (like temperature, photoperiod, or rainfall) are "infinite-dimensional" because their complete description would require, in general, an infinite number of measurements. The project will involve the joint development of specialized mathematical models, identification of critical statistical issues and methods (including experimental design, parameter estimation, hypothesis testing, and prediction), and evaluation of field and laboratory empirical approaches that can be used to study infinite-dimensional trait evolution in natural systems. Understanding the evolution of highly complex (i.e., infinite-dimensional) traits is one of the most important and challenging problems in biology. Although holistic quantitative approaches to study infinite-dimensional trait evolution were first proposed over a decade ago, current methods lack many developments required for practical implementation in empirical studies of natural populations. These incubation activities will enable development of a research proposal that would, when implemented, provide practical and powerful quantitative tools and empirical systems for investigations of complex trait evolution.