Abstract
A key aim of evolutionary biology – inferring the action of natural selection on wild species – can be achieved by comparing neutral genetic differentiation between populations ( F ST ) with quantitative genetic variation ( Q ST ). Each of the three possible outcomes of comparisons of Q ST and F ST ( Q ST > F ST , Q ST = F ST , Q ST F ST ) is associated with an inference (diversifying selection, genetic drift, uniform selection, respectively). However, published empirical and theoretical studies have focused on the Q ST > F ST outcome. We believe that this reflects the absence of a straightforward biological interpretation of the Q ST F ST pattern. We here report recent evidence of this neglected evolutionary pattern, provide guidelines to its interpretation as either a canalization phenomenon or a consequence of uniform selection and discuss the significant importance this issue will have for the area of evolutionary biology.