How has natural selection influenced the evolution of human physical traits over time?
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Natural selection has significantly impacted the evolution of human physical traits over time. Studies have shown that natural selection has been a crucial force in human evolution, leading to differentiation from apelike ancestors and adaptation to diverse environments . Recent research on 870 polygenic traits in European populations revealed that 88% of traits exhibited signals of selection in the past 2,000-3,000 years, with traits related to pigmentation, body measurements, and nutritional intake showing strong selection signals across different time scales . Additionally, the effects of natural selection on human populations have been observed through the shaping of phenotypic characteristics and the contribution of common genetic variants to complex traits, indicating the pervasive influence of natural selection on polygenicity in brain-related traits .
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| Natural selection has impacted 88% of 870 human polygenic traits in the past 2,000–3,000 years, with strong signals observed in pigmentation, body measurement, and nutritional intake traits. | |
| Natural selection has played a significant role in shaping human physical traits, as evidenced by studies on muscle performance, xenobiotic acetylation, high altitude, and tropical forest adaptations in Latin America. | |
| Natural selection has been crucial in shaping human physical traits through positive, purifying, and balancing selection, leading to adaptation to diverse environments and geographic variations over time. | |
01 Jan 2021 | Natural selection in human evolution may have acted more as stabilizing selection, maintaining traits, rather than driving significant change, with drift and environmental factors playing larger roles in hominid diversity. |
| Natural selection has influenced the genetic architecture of brain structure, behavioral traits, and neuropsychiatric disorders, impacting polygenicity and trait variance in human populations over time. |
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