Biased Estimates of Diminishing-Returns Epistasis? Empirical Evidence Revisited

Abstract

Abstract Empirical evidence for diminishing fitness returns of beneficial mutations supports Fisher’s geometric model. We show that a similar pattern emerges through the phenomenon of regression to the mean and that few studies correct for it. Although biases are often small, regression to the mean has overemphasized diminishing returns and will hamper cross-study comparisons unless corrected for.