A selection pressure landscape for 870 human polygenic traits

Abstract Characterizing the natural selection of complex traits is essential for understanding human evolution and biological or pathological mechanisms. To fulfill this requirement, we leveraged Genome-wide summary statistics for 870 polygenic traits and quantified the selection pressure of different forms and time scales on them in European ancestry. We found that 88% of traits underwent polygenic adaptation in the past 2000 years. At the present time and Neolithic period, selection pressure showed profound alteration. Traits related to pigmentation, impedance, and nutrition intake exhibited strong selection signals across different time scales. Our result provided an overview of selection pressure on various human polygenic traits, which served as a foundation for further populational and medical genetic studies.