What two metrics were compared in the eastern clade study to assess trait divergence drivers?
$Q_{ ext{ST}}$ against $F_{ ext{ST}}$
A detailed study focused on 13 populations within the eastern genetic clade utilized quantitative genetic tools to dissect the causes of observed trait variation in tadpoles reared under controlled, common garden conditions. To distinguish between evolutionary processes, researchers compared trait divergence, denoted by $Q_{ ext{ST}}$, against neutral genetic differentiation, denoted by $F_{ ext{ST}}$. If $Q_{ ext{ST}}$ significantly exceeded $F_{ ext{ST}}$, it suggested that selection driven by local environmental adaptation (Isolation by Environment, IBE) was playing a major role in shaping the observed differences between populations. If they were similar, it suggested that random genetic drift (Isolation by Distance, IBD) was the dominant factor shaping neutral genetic differences.
