Substitution rates under stabilizing selection.

Allelic substitutions under stabilizing phenotypic selection on quantitative traits are studied in Monte Carlo simulations of 8 and 16 loci. The results are compared and contrasted to analytical models based on work of M. Kimura for two and "infinite" loci. Selection strengths of S = 4Nes approximately four (which correspond to reasonable strengths of selection for quantitative characters) can retard substitution rates tenfold relative to rates under neutrality. An important finding is a strong dependence of per locus substitution rates on the number of loci.