Two-locus clines maintained by diffusion and recombination in a heterogeneous environment

TL;DR

This paper investigates the existence and stability of two-locus clines in a spatially structured population, revealing how recombination strength influences genetic diversity and equilibrium stability in heterogeneous environments.

Contribution

It provides new conditions for the existence and stability of two-locus clines, including cases of weak and strong recombination, and analyzes stability of monomorphic equilibria.

Findings

Strong recombination leads to unique, globally stable clines.

Weak recombination allows for stable internal clines under certain conditions.

Monomorphic equilibria stability depends on recombination and selection.

Abstract

We study existence and stability of stationary solutions of a system of semilinear parabolic partial differential equations that occurs in population genetics. It describes the evolution of gamete frequencies in a geographically structured population of migrating individuals in a bounded habitat. Fitness of individuals is determined additively by two recombining, diallelic genetic loci that are subject to spatially varying selection. Migration is modeled by diffusion. Of most interest are spatially non-constant stationary solutions, so-called clines. In a two-locus cline all four gametes are present in the population, i.e., it is an internal stationary solution. We provide conditions for existence and linear stability of a two-locus cline if recombination is either sufficiently weak or sufficiently strong relative to selection and diffusion. For strong recombination, we also prove uniqueness and global asymptotic stability. For arbitrary recombination, we determine the stability properties of the monomorphic equilibria, which represent fixation of a single gamete.