Fluctuating Asymmetry
Joseph L Tomkins, University of St Andrews, UK
Janne S Kotiaho, University of Jyväskylä, Finland
Published online: March 2002
DOI: 10.1038/npg.els.0003741
Abstract
Fluctuating asymmetry refers to small random deviations from perfect symmetry in bilaterally paired structures; it is thought
to reflect an organism's ability to cope with genetic and environmental stress during development and its utility as an indicator
of such stresses is based on the assumption that perfect symmetry is an a priori expectation for the ideal state of bilateral structures. Fluctuating asymmetry has been used as an indicator of individual
quality in studies of natural and sexual selection and as a bioindicator tool for environmental monitoring and conservation
biology.
Keywords: conservation; environmental and genetic stress; fitness; heterozygosity; sexual selection
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