Professor Mark Blows
Professor

Mark Blows

Email: 
Phone: 
+61 7 336 57277

Background

My research interests are in evolutionary quantitative genetics. Much of my research involves developing multivariate statistical approaches to the analysis of the genetic basis of complex traits, and the selection acting upon them, which are then applied to questions in statistical genetics and evolutionary biology. Many of the empirical studies I conduct use the Australian native model system Drosophila serrata.

Availability

Professor Mark Blows is:
Available for supervision
Media expert

Fields of research

Biological Sciences Genetics

Qualifications

  • Doctor of Philosophy, La Trobe University

Search Professor Mark Blows’s works on UQ eSpace

117 works between 1991 and 2023
All (117) Journal Article (111) Book Chapter (1) Conference Publication (1) Other Outputs (4)

41 - 60 of 117 works

2011

Journal Article

Pleiotropy, apparent stabilizing selection and uncovering fitness optima

McGuigan, Katrina, Rowe, Locke and Blows, Mark W. (2011). Pleiotropy, apparent stabilizing selection and uncovering fitness optima. Trends In Ecology & Evolution, 26 (1), 22-29. doi: 10.1016/j.tree.2010.10.008

Pleiotropy, apparent stabilizing selection and uncovering fitness optima

2010

Journal Article

Quantitative genetics of female mate preferences in an ancestral and a novel environment

Delcourt, Matthieu, Blows, Mark W. and Rundle, Howard D. (2010). Quantitative genetics of female mate preferences in an ancestral and a novel environment. Evolution, 64 (9), 2758-2766. doi: 10.1111/j.1558-5646.2010.01031.x

Quantitative genetics of female mate preferences in an ancestral and a novel environment

2010

Journal Article

Evolvability of individual traits in a multivariate context: Partitioning the additive genetic variance into common and specific components

McGuigan, Katrina and Blows, Mark W. (2010). Evolvability of individual traits in a multivariate context: Partitioning the additive genetic variance into common and specific components. Evolution, 64 (7), 1899-1911. doi: 10.1111/j.1558-5646.2010.00968.x

Evolvability of individual traits in a multivariate context: Partitioning the additive genetic variance into common and specific components

2010

Journal Article

Experimental evidence for the evolution of indirect genetic effects: Changes in the interaction effect coefficient, psi (ψ), due to sexual selection

Chenoweth, Stephen F., Rundle, Howard D. and Blows, Mark W. (2010). Experimental evidence for the evolution of indirect genetic effects: Changes in the interaction effect coefficient, psi (ψ), due to sexual selection. Evolution, 64 (6), 1849-1856. doi: 10.1111/j.1558-5646.2010.00952.x

Experimental evidence for the evolution of indirect genetic effects: Changes in the interaction effect coefficient, psi (ψ), due to sexual selection

2010

Journal Article

Ontogenetic change in genetic variance in size depends on growth environment

Dmitriew, C., Blows, M. W. and Rowe, L. (2010). Ontogenetic change in genetic variance in size depends on growth environment. American Naturalist, 175 (6), 640-649. doi: 10.1086/652470

Ontogenetic change in genetic variance in size depends on growth environment

2010

Journal Article

Sexual conflict and the maintenance of multivariate genetic variation

Hall, Matthew D., Lailvaux, Simon P., Blows, Mark W. and Brooks, Robert C. (2010). Sexual conflict and the maintenance of multivariate genetic variation. Evolution, 64 (6), 1697-1703. doi: 10.1111/j.1558-5646.2009.00932.x

Sexual conflict and the maintenance of multivariate genetic variation

2010

Journal Article

The contribution of selection and genetic constraints to phenotypic divergence

Chenoweth, Stephen F., Rundle, Howard D. and Blows, Mark W. (2010). The contribution of selection and genetic constraints to phenotypic divergence. American Naturalist, 175 (2), 186-196. doi: 10.1086/649594

The contribution of selection and genetic constraints to phenotypic divergence

2009

Journal Article

Abundant Genetic Variation plus Strong Selection = Multivariate Genetic Constraints: A Geometric View of Adaptation

Walsh, B. and Blows, M.W. (2009). Abundant Genetic Variation plus Strong Selection = Multivariate Genetic Constraints: A Geometric View of Adaptation. Annual Review of Ecology, Evolution, and Systematics, 40, 41-59. doi: 10.1146/annurev.ecolsys.110308.120232

Abundant Genetic Variation plus Strong Selection = Multivariate Genetic Constraints: A Geometric View of Adaptation

2009

Journal Article

Asymmetry of genetic variation in fitness-related traits: Apparent stabilizing selection on g(max)

McGuigan, Katrina and Blows, Mark W. (2009). Asymmetry of genetic variation in fitness-related traits: Apparent stabilizing selection on g(max). Evolution, 63 (11), 2838-2847. doi: 10.1111/j.1558-5646.2009.00759.x

Asymmetry of genetic variation in fitness-related traits: Apparent stabilizing selection on g(max)

2009

Journal Article

The diversification of mate preferences by natural and sexual selection

Rundle, H.D., Chenoweth, S.F. and Blows, M.W. (2009). The diversification of mate preferences by natural and sexual selection. Journal of Evolutionary Biology, 22 (8), 1608-1615. doi: 10.1111/j.1420-9101.2009.01773.x

The diversification of mate preferences by natural and sexual selection

2009

Journal Article

Characterizing the evolution of genetic variance using genetic covariance tensors

Hine, E, Chenoweth, SF, Rundle, HD and Blows, MW (2009). Characterizing the evolution of genetic variance using genetic covariance tensors. Philosphical Transactions of the Royal Society B-Biological Sciences, 364 (1523), 1567-1578. doi: 10.1098/rstb.2008.0313

Characterizing the evolution of genetic variance using genetic covariance tensors

2009

Journal Article

Sexually antagonistic genetic variance for fitness in an ancestral and a novel environment

Delcourt, M, Blows, M.W. and Rundle, H.D. (2009). Sexually antagonistic genetic variance for fitness in an ancestral and a novel environment. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London - B, 276 (1664), 2009-2014. doi: 10.1098/rspb.2008.1459

Sexually antagonistic genetic variance for fitness in an ancestral and a novel environment

2009

Journal Article

An expressed sequence tag (EST) library for Drosophila serrata, a model system for sexual selection and climatic adaptation studies

Frentiu, Francesca D., Adamski, Marcin, McGraw, Elizabeth A., Blows, Mark W. and Chenoweth, Stephen F. (2009). An expressed sequence tag (EST) library for Drosophila serrata, a model system for sexual selection and climatic adaptation studies. BMC Genomics, 10 (40) 40, 1-10. doi: 10.1186/1471-2164-10-40

An expressed sequence tag (EST) library for Drosophila serrata, a model system for sexual selection and climatic adaptation studies

2008

Journal Article

Estimating Nonlinear Selection Gradients Using Quadratic Regression Coefficients: Double or Nothing?

Stinchcombe, J.R., Agrawal, A.F., Hohenlohe, P.A., Arnold, S.J. and Blows, M. W. (2008). Estimating Nonlinear Selection Gradients Using Quadratic Regression Coefficients: Double or Nothing?. Evolution, 62 (9), 2435-2440. doi: 10.1111/j.1558-5646.2008.00449.x

Estimating Nonlinear Selection Gradients Using Quadratic Regression Coefficients: Double or Nothing?

2008

Journal Article

An Evolutionary Limit to Male Mating Success

McGuigan, K. L., Van Homrigh, A. J. and Blows, M. W. (2008). An Evolutionary Limit to Male Mating Success. Evolution, 62 (6), 1528-1537. doi: 10.1111/j.1558-5646.2008.00379.x

An Evolutionary Limit to Male Mating Success

2008

Journal Article

Qst meets the G matrix: The dimensionality of adaptive divergence in multiple correlated quantitative traits

Chenoweth, Stephen F. and Blows, Mark W. (2008). Qst meets the G matrix: The dimensionality of adaptive divergence in multiple correlated quantitative traits. Evolution, 62 (6), 1437-1449. doi: 10.1111/j.1558-5646.2008.00374.x

Qst meets the G matrix: The dimensionality of adaptive divergence in multiple correlated quantitative traits

2008

Journal Article

The Evolution of Reproductive Charater Displacement Conflicts with how Sexual Selection Operates within a Species

Higgie, M. and Blows, M. W. (2008). The Evolution of Reproductive Charater Displacement Conflicts with how Sexual Selection Operates within a Species. Evolution, 62 (5), 1192-1203. doi: 10.1111/j.1558-5646.2008.00357.x

The Evolution of Reproductive Charater Displacement Conflicts with how Sexual Selection Operates within a Species

2008

Journal Article

Comparing Complex Fitness Surfaces: Among-Population Variation in Mutual Sexual Selection in Drosophila serrata

Rundle, H. D., Chenoweth, S. F. and Blows, M. W. (2008). Comparing Complex Fitness Surfaces: Among-Population Variation in Mutual Sexual Selection in Drosophila serrata. American Naturalist, 171 (4), 443-454. doi: 10.1086/528963

Comparing Complex Fitness Surfaces: Among-Population Variation in Mutual Sexual Selection in Drosophila serrata

2008

Journal Article

Genetic Constraints and the Evolution of Display Trait Sexual Dimorphism by Natural and Sexual Selection.

Chenoweth, S. F., Rundle, H. D. and Blows, M. W. (2008). Genetic Constraints and the Evolution of Display Trait Sexual Dimorphism by Natural and Sexual Selection.. American Naturalist, 171 (1), 22-34. doi: 10.1086/523946

Genetic Constraints and the Evolution of Display Trait Sexual Dimorphism by Natural and Sexual Selection.

2008

Journal Article

Pedigree-free Animal Models: the Relatedness Matrix Reloaded

Frentiu, F., Clegg, S.M., Chittock, J., Burke, T., Blows, M. W. and Owens, I.P.F. (2008). Pedigree-free Animal Models: the Relatedness Matrix Reloaded. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London - B, 275 (1635), 639-647. doi: 10.1098/rspb.2007.1032

Pedigree-free Animal Models: the Relatedness Matrix Reloaded

Past funding

  • 2019 - 2024
    The nature of standing genetic variation
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2015 - 2019
    Operation of the Queensland Emory Drug Development Initiative (QEDDI)
    Queensland Government Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts
    Open grant
  • 2015 - 2017
    The contribution of pleiotropic mutation to genetic variation and evolution
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2015 - 2021
    Why does the genetic nearly-null subspace exist?
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2011 - 2013
    Mutational Genetic Variance and the Fitness Optimum
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2010 - 2018
    The Geometry of Genetic Limits to Evolutionary Change
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2010
    Genetical Genomics of Mutational Variance
    ARC Future Fellowships
    Open grant
  • 2010 - 2012
    Testing the Limits to Evolution: When and Why does adaptation fail in response to ecological change
    University of Bristol
    Open grant
  • 2008 - 2010
    Sexual selection and the accumulation of deleterious mutations
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2007 - 2009
    The Genomic Dimensionality of the Response to Natural Selection
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2005 - 2007
    Multivariate Quantitative Genetics And The Lek Paradox
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2002 - 2003
    Do females prefer males of high genetic quality?
    UQ Foundation Research Excellence Awards - DVC(R) Funding
    Open grant
  • 2002 - 2006
    Mapping Speciation Genes
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2001 - 2003
    Adaptation to Environmental Gradients
    La Trobe University
    Open grant
  • 2001
    Genetic Basis of speciation: Mapping Speciation Genes.
    ARC Australian Research Council (Large grants)
    Open grant
  • 2000
    Quantitative genetics in wild populations: Empirical test of a new molecular approach.
    ARC Australian Research Council (Small grants)
    Open grant
  • 2000
    Quantitative Genetics of Environmental Gradients
    UQ External Support Enabling Grant
    Open grant
  • 1999
    Process of speciation via sexual selection
    UQ New Staff Research Start-Up Fund
    Open grant
  • 1999
    The genetic basis of incipient speciation
    ARC Australian Research Council (Small grants)
    Open grant
  • 1999 - 2001
    The role of sexual selection in speciation
    ARC Australian Research Council (Large grants)
    Open grant
  • 1998
    Testing evolutionary explanations for species borders using two drosophila species
    James Cook University
    Open grant
  • 1998
    The genetic basis of speciation
    ARC Australian Research Council (Large grants)
    Open grant

Availability

Professor Mark Blows is:
Available for supervision

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Supervision history

Completed supervision

Enquiries

Contact Professor Mark Blows directly for media enquiries about:

  • Evolutionary genetics
  • Genetics - quantitative

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