Lascoux lab
Population and evolutionary genetics
Population geneticists spend most of their time doing one of two things: describing the genetic structure of populations or theorizing on the evolutionary forces acting on populations. On a good day, these two activities mesh and true insights emerge. (JH Gillespie, 1998)

Our group is carrying out both empirical and theoretical research. Our main interest is to try to infer the relative importance of the factors that have shaped the present-day genetic structure and variation of populations. Some specific aspects that have interested us lately is the extent of local adaptation at different level of biological integration (phenotype, transcriptome, genome and genes), and the evolution of polyploids. We currently work on different biological systems: the shepherd’s purse (Capsella bursa-pastoris) and its relatives, Norway spruce and other spruce species and birches. Most of our theoretical work stems from questions encountered during the development of these and other empirical projects.
Ongoing research
- Capsella: Local adaptation, demographic history and polyploidy
- Spruces: Clinal Variation and local adaptation
- Birches: Hybridization, introgression and phylogeography of birch species
- Poplars: Adaptation to drought and evolution of Populus euphratica
Gruppmedlemmar
Publications
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Part of Molecular biology and evolution, 2026
- DOI for Estimating the Reduction in Genetic Diversity from Background Selection under Non-equilibrium Demography and Partial Selfing
- Download full text (pdf) of Estimating the Reduction in Genetic Diversity from Background Selection under Non-equilibrium Demography and Partial Selfing
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Part of Molecular Ecology, 2026
- DOI for When South Meets North: A Joint Contact Zone Coinciding With Environmental Gradients in Three Boreal Tree Species
- Download full text (pdf) of When South Meets North: A Joint Contact Zone Coinciding With Environmental Gradients in Three Boreal Tree Species
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Genomic consequences of residual recombination in a hybrid apomictic hickory complex
Part of Nature Communications, 2026
- DOI for Genomic consequences of residual recombination in a hybrid apomictic hickory complex
- Download full text (pdf) of Genomic consequences of residual recombination in a hybrid apomictic hickory complex
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Part of Genome Biology and Evolution, 2026
- DOI for A Recipe for a Good Ï. How to Properly Estimate Population Genetics Summary Statistics and Why we Should Systematically Report Them
- Download full text (pdf) of A Recipe for a Good Ï. How to Properly Estimate Population Genetics Summary Statistics and Why we Should Systematically Report Them
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Amino Acid Properties, Substitution Rates, and the Nearly Neutral Theory
Part of Genome Biology and Evolution, 2025
- DOI for Amino Acid Properties, Substitution Rates, and the Nearly Neutral Theory
- Download full text (pdf) of Amino Acid Properties, Substitution Rates, and the Nearly Neutral Theory
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'Chimes of resilience': what makes forest trees genetically resilient?
Part of New Phytologist, p. 1934-1951, 2025
- DOI for 'Chimes of resilience': what makes forest trees genetically resilient?
- Download full text (pdf) of 'Chimes of resilience': what makes forest trees genetically resilient?
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Complex Polyploids: Origins, Genomic Composition, and Role of Introgressed Alleles
Part of Systematic Biology, p. 392-418, 2024
- DOI for Complex Polyploids: Origins, Genomic Composition, and Role of Introgressed Alleles
- Download full text (pdf) of Complex Polyploids: Origins, Genomic Composition, and Role of Introgressed Alleles
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Resilience of genetic diversity in forest trees over the Quaternary
Part of Nature Communications, 2024
- DOI for Resilience of genetic diversity in forest trees over the Quaternary
- Download full text (pdf) of Resilience of genetic diversity in forest trees over the Quaternary
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Part of Molecular Ecology, 2024
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Part of Molecular Ecology, 2024
- DOI for Recurrent hybridization and gene flow shaped Norway and Siberian spruce evolutionary history over multiple glacial cycles
- Download full text (pdf) of Recurrent hybridization and gene flow shaped Norway and Siberian spruce evolutionary history over multiple glacial cycles