Selection limits

<p>A selection limit is a term from <a href="/facts/Animal_breeding/a9VgVI2I">animal breeding</a> and <a href="/facts/Quantitative_genetics/r9ReNW6P">quantitative genetics</a> that refers to a cessation of progress even when continued directional selection is being applied to a trait, such as body <a href="/facts/Size/brTWIYNF">size</a>.  In other words, a breeder or scientist is using <a href="/facts/Selective_breeding/CAkkM2UG">selective breeding</a> (artificial selection) and choosing individuals as breeders within a population based on some <a href="/facts/Phenotypic_trait/seYSUTul">phenotypic trait</a> or traits.  If this is done, then the <a href="/facts/Average/etawWjw4">average</a> value of the population typically evolves across generations in the direction being favored by selection (i.e., for higher or lower values of the trait), but then at some point the population stops evolving.  The trait under selection is then said to have reached a limit or plateau at that value.
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Selection limits open-in-new

Selection limits