biostudies-literatureSparks AMEuropean Research CouncilNatural Environment Research CouncilRoyal SocietyWellcome TrustBiotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council4607-4621https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC9545857biostudies-literatureUnknown31(18)Vitamin D has a well-established role in skeletal health and is increasingly linked to chronic disease and mortality in humans and companion animals. Despite the clear significance of vitamin D for health and obvious implications for fitness under natural conditions, no longitudinal study has tested whether the circulating concentration of vitamin D is under natural selection in the wild. Here, we show that concentrations of dietary-derived vitamin D<sub>2</sub> and endogenously produced vitamin D<sub>3</sub> metabolites are heritable and largely polygenic in a wild population of Soay sheep (Ovis aries). Vitamin D<sub>2</sub> status was positively associated with female adult survival, and vitamin D<sub>3</sub> status predicted female fecundity in particular, good environment years whenMolecular ecologyVitamin D status is heritable and under environment-dependent selection in the wild.PMC9545857098493/Z/12/Z250098EC 250098 WEGNE/R011109/1UF150448BB/H021868/1Berry JMellanby RJPemberton JMPilkington JGSparks AMJohnston SEHandel INussey DHfalseVitamin D status is heritable and under environment-dependent selection in the wild.Vitamin D has a well-established role in skeletal health and is increasingly linked to chronic disease and mortality in humans and companion animals. Despite the clear significance of vitamin D for health and obvious implications for fitness under natural conditions, no longitudinal study has tested whether the circulating concentration of vitamin D is under natural selection in the wild. Here, we show that concentrations of dietary-derived vitamin D<sub>2</sub> and endogenously produced vitamin D<sub>3</sub> metabolites are heritable and largely polygenic in a wild population of Soay sheep (Ovis aries). Vitamin D<sub>2</sub> status was positively associated with female adult survival, and vitamin D<sub>3</sub> status predicted female fecundity in particular, good environment years when2022-01-01T00:00:00Z2022 Sep2026-05-28T04:42:06.061Z2024-11-21T06:46:16.519ZS-EPMC95458573488896510.1111/mec.16318