Bill Amos University of Cambridge, UK Title How strong is the relationship between fitness and genetics? Abstract Many studies report a link between genetic heterozygosity and fitness in animal populations. Traits examined so far cover a broad range, from birth weight and juvenile survival, through resistance to disease to adult reproductive success. When looked at in greater detail, it seems as though each trait can then be dissected into sub-traits, which again correlate with heterozygosity. Although many studies attribute these patterns to inbreeding depression, simulation studies suggest that there are many circumstances where overdominance is the more likely explanation. Across a number of different system, we are finding that both mechanisms probably play a role. Whatever the true explanation, in many vertebrates, the relationship between fitness and heterozygosity may be so strong that the fate of an individual may be predicted with surprising accuracy from its genotype. Degrees / Positions 1978-80 Oxford Zoology Degree 1980-84 Cambridge Zoology PhD Genetic variability in Aphids 1984-92 Cambridge Genetics Various post-doctoral positions 1992-96 Cambridge Genetics Royal Society University Research Fellowship 1996-01 Cambridge Zoology Lecturer Oct 2001 Cambridge Zoology Reader in Evolutionary Genetics Publications Amos, W., Worthington Wilmer, J and Kokko, H. 2001. Do female grey seals select genetically diverse mates? Anim. Behav. 62: 157-164 Krüger, O., Lindström, J. and Amos, W. 2001. Maladaptive mate choice maintained by heterozygote advantage. Evolution 55: 1207-1214 Amos, W., Worthington Wilmer, J., Fullard, K., Burg, T.M., Croxall, J.P., Bloch, D., Coulson, T. 2001. The influence of parental relatedness on reproductive success. Proc. Roy. Soc. Lond. B. 268: 2021-2027. Hoffman, J.I., Boyd, I.L., and Amos, W. 2003. Male reproductive strategy and the importance of maternal status in the Antarctic fur seal, Arctocephalus gazella. Evolution 57: 1917-1930 Amos, W., Hutter, C.M., Schug, M.D., and Aquadro, C.F. 2003. Directional evolution of size coupled with ascertainment bias for variation in Drosophila microsatellites. Mol. Biol. Evol. 20: 660-662. Acevedo-Whitehouse, K., Gulland, F., Greig, D. and Amos, W. 2003. Inbreeding-dependent pathogen susceptibility in California sea lions. Nature 422: 35 Burg, T.M., Lomax, J., Almond, R., Brooke, M. deL., Amos, W. 2003. Unravelling dispersal patterns in an expanding population of a highly mobile seabird, the northern fulmar. Proc. Roy. Soc. Lond. B. 270: 979-984 Gaggioitti, O.E., Brooks, S.P., Amos, W. and Harwood, J.H. 2003. Combining demongraphic, environmental and genetic data to test hypotheses about colonisation events in metapopulations. Mol. Ecol. 13: 811-825 Valsecchi, E., Amos, W., Raga, J.A., Podesta, M. and Sherwin, W. 2004. The effects of inbreeding on mortality during a morbillivirus outbreak in the Mediterranean striped dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba). Animal Cons. 7: 139-146 Bean, K., Amos, W., Pomeroy, P.P., Twiss, S.D. Coulson T.N. and Boyd, I.L., 2004. Patterns of parental relatedness and pup survival in the grey seal (Halichoerus grypus). Mol. Ecol. 13: 2365-2370 Madden, J., Lowe, T., Fuller, H., Coe, R., Dasmahapatra, K., Amos, W., and Dury, F. 2004. Neighbouring male spotted bowerbirds are not related, but do maraud each other. Anim. Behav. (in press) Vowles, E.J. and Amos, W. 2004. Evidence for widespread convergent evolution around microsatellites. PloS Biol. 2(8): e199 Hoffman, J.I., Boyd, I.L., and Amos, W. 2004. Exploring the relationship between parental relatedness and male reproductive success in the Antarctic fur seal Arctocephalus gazella. Evolution (in press) Seddon, N., Amos, W. and Tobias, J.A. 2004. Heterozygosity predicts territory size and song structure in a co-operatively breeding bird. Proc. Roy. Soc. Lond. B. 271: 1823-1829 Balloux, F., Amos, W. and Coulson, T.N. 2004. Does heterozygosity estimate inbreeding in real populations? Mol. Ecol. (in press)