Data from: The robustness and evolvability of continuously-varying traits
Data files
May 13, 2026 version files 85.37 MB
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log-Hardy_2026_epistasisModel_C_1.csv
24.70 MB
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log-Hardy_2026_epistasisModel_C_2.csv
46.95 MB
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log-Hardy_2026_spatialModel.csv
8.53 MB
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log-Hardy_2026_temporalModel.csv
5.19 MB
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README.md
3.88 KB
Abstract
Theoretical work on the evolution of simple phenotypes with discrete states, such as RNA and protein structures, has shown that the most evolvable phenotypes have intermediate levels of mutational robustness, so long as we let neutral mutations cause the diversification of a population’s mutationally-accessible phenotypic neighborhood. But whether this applies to more complex phenotypes is unclear. Here, I predict that for quantitative traits, intermediate levels of mutational robustness should boost evolvability whenever (i) the adaptive landscape changes after a period of stabilizing selection, and (ii) the phenotypic neighborhood of a genotype is determined in large part by the accumulation of cryptic alleles, the effects of which can be exposed to selection by epistatic mutations. I present evolutionary simulation models that support these predictions, provided that cryptic allele effects are not too large. Genetic diversity can also be concealed and exposed by incomplete environmental robustness (i.e., plasticity). With additional simulations, I show that evolvability can also be maximized with intermediate levels of environmental robustness, although in a more restrictive parameter space. So, as for discrete traits, quantitative trait robustness can be good for evolvability.
Dataset DOI: 10.5061/dryad.pc866t24r
Description of the data and file structure
These are simulated data, from forward-time individual-based evolutionary models of how phenotypic robustness against genetic or environmental variation affect evolvability.
Files and variables
File: log-Hardy_2026_spatialModel.csv
Description: Simulated data under a model of the relationship between environmental robustness and evolvability, with an environment that varies across demes.
Variables
- rep: Replication number
- p: Probability that a mutation affects the plasticity of a locus
- sigMu: Mutational variance
- m: Migration rate
- cycle: Program cycle number, which corresponds to the generation number
- mP1: Deme 1 mean phenotype value
- mW1: Deme 1 mean fitness
- n_p2: Number of individuals in deme 2
- pv1: Phenotypic variance in deme 1
- pv2: Phenotypic variance in deme 2
- pv2_resident: Phenotypic variance of individuals born in deme 2
- vc1: Cryptic genetic variance in deme 1
- p2_m1_mean: In individuals born in deme 2, the mean phenotypic contribution of sites never subject to plasticity-affecting mutation
- p2_m2_mean: In individuals born in deme 2, the mean phenotypic contribution of sites subject to plasticity-affecting mutation
File: log-Hardy_2026_temporalModel.csv
Description: Simulated data under a model of the relationship between environmental robustness and evolvability, with an environment that varies over time.
Variables
- rep: Replication number
- p: Probability that a mutation affects the plasticity of a locus
- sigMu: Mutational variance
- lambda: Rate of environmental fluctuation
- cycle: Program cycle number, which corresponds to the generation number
- mP1: Mean phenotype value
- mW1: Mean fitness
- N1: Population size
- pv1: Exposed phenotypic variance
- vc1: Cryptic phenotypic variance
- Es: Current environmental state
File: log-Hardy_2026_epistasisModel_C_1.csv
Description: Simulated data under a model of the relationship between mutational robustness and evolvability, with a one-dimensional phenotype.
Variables
- rep: Replication number
- Q: Probability mutation affects epistasis
- rho: Crypticity factor
- N: Population size
- L: Number of genes
- C: Number of phenotypes
- sig: Mutational variance
- H: The relative fitness conferred by the local phenotypic sub-optimum after generation tx.
- gen: Generation number
- mP: Mean phenotype
- mW: Mean fitness
- R: Robustness against cryptic mutation
- S: The mean difference between an individual's phenotype, and what it would have been were crypticity turned off
File: log-Hardy_2026_epistasisModel_C_2.csv
Description: Simulated data under a model of the relationship between mutational robustness and evolvability, with a two-dimensional phenotype.
Variables
- rep: Replication number
- Q: Probability mutation affects epistasis
- rho: Crypticity factor
- N: Population size
- L: Number of genes
- C: Number of phenotypes
- sig: Mutational variance
- H: The relative fitness conferred by the local phenotypic sub-optimum after generation tx.
- gen: Generation number
- mP: Mean phenotype
- mW: Mean fitness
- R: Robustness against cryptic mutation
- S: The mean difference between an individual's phenotype, and what it would have been were crypticity turned off
Code/software
SLiM codes for models in which the evolvability of a continuously-varying trait is affected by (1) mutational robustness, (2) robustness against spatial variation in the environment, and (3) robustness against temporal variation in the environment.
Access information
Other publicly accessible locations of the data:
- NA
Data was derived from the following sources:
- NA