Prediction of the response to a selection for canalisation of a continuous trait in animal breeding

Abstract

SanCristobal-Gaudy et al introduce a simple model for the heritability of the environmental variance; they use it to predict the rate of response of this variance to stabilising selection, and to estimate heritability of Ve for data on goats & pigs. There is an interesting issue here, but I do not think that it justifies this long and elaborate analysis. A simple parent-offspring regression is quite adequate, and there is no justification for the specific model which they use. (In their reply to referees, they assert that results are robust to choice of model, but do not give any evidence that it is). I agree with referee 2 that the real issue is empirical: what is the extent of genetic variance in Ve? Also, the English needs thorough revision - the introduction I found especially baffling. The paper should be rejected; a substantial revision along the lines of Ref. 2 might (perhaps) be acceptable. p8l15 - dimensions make no sense here - exp((nu+v)/2) has a dimension! - How to make sense of "repeated measures":. Are cloned individuals to be used? On p29, this is clarified, but up till then is confusing.