QUANTITATIVE GENETICS OF SEQUENTIAL LIFE-HISTORY AND JUVENILE TRAITS IN THE PARTIALLY SELFING PERENNIAL,AQUILEGIA CAERULEA

We determined the genetic basis of several traits related to overall fitness of Aquilegia caerulea, a perennial herb of the Rocky Mountains in western North America. To obtain measures of heritability relevant to the evolutionary potential of wild populations, we performed full and partial diallel crosses and studied progeny performance in the field. Based on a joint analysis of two designs with a total of 18 parents and 102 crosses, we detected significant maternal variance for seed mass and emergence time, but this component was negligible for later-expressed traits. Low heritability and evidence that maternal effects on seed mass are largely environmental suggest that in this population there is little evolutionary potential for change in seed mass under conditions experienced during the study. Seed mass varied depending on particular combinations of parents and cross direction. Such an interaction can have several different biological interpretations, including that particular maternal parents selectively provision embryos sired by particular pollen genotypes. Width of the first true leaf after 4 wk of growth and leaf size of juvenile plants at years one and two were significantly heritable and positively genetically correlated. Juvenile survival exhibited significant dominance variance, as expected from evidence of inbreeding depression in this trait. In contrast, for other traits that exhibit inbreeding depression in this population (seed mass and third-year leaf size), dominance variance was negligible.     

DIFFERENTIAL SUCCESS OF POLLEN DONORS IN A SELF-COMPATIBLE LILY

If pollen donors are equally effective at siring seeds, the presence of equal proportions of pollen from two pollen donors on a stigma will lead to equal proportions of seeds sired by each pollen donor. Variation in germination rates, pollen-tube growth, and embryo viability may cause one donor to sire more seed than another. We looked for differential donor success in the field by simultaneously applying equal amounts of pollen from two pollen donors. We simultaneously applied equal amounts of self and outcross pollen to receptive stigmas and simultaneously applied pollen from two donors at different physical distances from the recipient. Following simultaneous application of self and outcross pollen, significantly more of the seeds were sired by outcross pollen donors. Seed set following simultaneous application of two outcross donors was also nonrandom. Pollen donors from 100 m were more likely to sire seeds when competing with pollen from plants nearby (1 m). To determine whether pollen-tube growth rates were responsible for these patterns of paternity, we varied the timing of deposition of outcross pollen allowing self pollen tubes a head start on the stigma. Outcross pollen was applied 3 or 24 h after self pollen. In spite of this time delay, the majority of the seeds were again sired by outcross pollen. There was no significant difference in the amount of seeds sired by self pollen between the two delay treatments. This result suggests that mechanisms operating after ovule fertilization may contribute to the discordance between the proportions of the pollen present and the proportions of seeds sired.     

用非固定的荧光探针方法观察紫萼花粉管肌动蛋白纤丝的形式

用非固定的、二甲基亚砜作为渗透剂的、异硫氰四甲基罗丹明标记的鬼笔环肽染色方法,观察了紫萼(Hosta caerulea Tratt.)未萌发的花粉粒及不同生长时期的花粉管中的肌动蛋白纤丝的形式。显示未萌发的花粉粒中具有结晶状的梭状体,为肌动蛋白的一种贮藏形式。花粉萌发时,这种梭状体转移到短的花粉管中,逐渐松解、分支和形成肌动蛋白纤丝交错的网络。在花粉管迅速生长和达到一定长度时,肌动蛋白纤丝形成以与花粉管长轴平行的细丝占优势的网络系统,这是在大多数情况中紫萼花粉管典型的肌动蛋白纤丝的形式。在某些条件下,在花粉管接近顶端的前部,肌动蛋白纤丝可集合成长的粗束,这种粗束也常有分支和并合。肌动强白纤丝一直分布到花粉管的末端。讨论了研究肌动蛋白纤丝的非固定方法的重要性和进一步研究花粉管肌动蛋白纤丝值得注意的问题。     

ECOLOGICAL GENETICS OF GYNODIOECY IN SILENE VULGARIS: RELATIVE FITNESS OF FEMALES AND HERMAPHRODITES DURING THE COLONIZATION PROCESS

Recent theoretical models have addressed the influence of metapopulation dynamics on the fitness of females and hermaphrodites in gynodioecious plants. In particular, selection is thought to favor hermaphrodites during population establishment because that sex should be less prone to pollen limitation, especially if self-fertilization is possible. However, inbreeding depression could limit this advantage. In this experimental study of Silene vulgaris, a weedy gynodioecious plant, the fitness of females and hermaphrodites was estimated from seed production in both mixed-sex populations and for individuals isolated from these populations by 20, 40, 80, or 160 m. In mixed populations females display statistically significant greater per capita seed production owing to higher capsule production and higher rates of seed germination. The fitness of both sexes declines with increasing isolation, but at different rates, such that in the 160-m treatment hermaphrodites are by far the more fit sex. Allozyme studies suggest that this differential decline is because the selfing rate in hermaphrodites increases as a function of isolation, at least partially compensating for a decline in the availability of outcross pollen. Overall, the negative effects of pollen limitation on females far outweighs the negative effects of inbreeding depression following selfing in hermaphrodites. Thus, extinction/recolonization dynamics would appear to favor hermaphrodites as long as seed dispersal events exceed some critical distance.     

EVOLUTION OF DOMINANCE IN SPOROPHYTIC SELF-INCOMPATIBILITY SYSTEMS: I. GENETIC LOAD AND COEVOLUTION OF LEVELS OF DOMINANCE IN POLLEN AND PISTIL

Recent theoretical advances have suggested that various forms of balancing selection may promote the evolution of dominance through an increase of the proportion of heterozygote genotypes. We test whether dominance can evolve in the sporophytic self-incompatibility (SSI) system in plants. SSI prevents mating between individuals expressing identical SI phenotypes by recognition of pollen by pistils, which avoids selfing and inbreeding depression. SI phenotypes depend on a complex network of dominance relationships between alleles at the self-incompatibility locus ( S -locus). Empirical studies suggest that these relationships are not random, but the exact evolutionary processes shaping these relationships remain unclear. We investigate the expected patterns of dominance under the hypothesis that dominance is a direct target of natural selection. We follow the fate of a mutant allele at the S -locus whose dominance relationships are changed but whose specificity remains unaltered. We show that strict codominance is not evolutionarily stable in SSI, and that inbreeding depression due to deleterious mutations linked or unlinked to the S -locus exerts strong constraints on changes in relative levels of dominance in pollen and pistil. Our results provide a general adaptive explanation for most patterns of dominance relationships empirically observed in natural plant populations.     

EFFECTS OF PARENTAGE AND SIZE OF THE POLLEN LOAD ON PROGENY PERFORMANCE IN CAMPANULA AMERICANA

To examine the effects of maternal and paternal parentage and the size of the pollen load on seed size and weight and on progeny performance we conducted a controlled crossing experiment using a natural population of Campanula americana. We found that seed size was positively correlated with early seedling performance for all but one of traits we measured (days to emergence), but was not significantly correlated with any of the later vegetative measures or reproductive output. We detected significant effects due to the maternal parent for the vegetative traits days to emergence, days to first leaf, and final plant height, as well as total seed weight, and mean seed weight per fruit. Significant paternal effects were found for all of the seedling traits except number of leaves after vernalization. The progeny from fruits receiving high pollen loads significantly outperformed the progeny from fruits receiving low pollen loads for the traits days to first and second leaf, numbers of leaves after vernalization, and days to first flower. These results not only demonstrate the importance of parentage and seed weight on progeny performance, but also indicate that variations in the size of the pollen load may be important in seedling establishment in natural populations.     

THE RELATIVE IMPORTANCE OF INBREEDING AND MATERNAL SEX IN DETERMINING PROGENY FITNESS IN SIDALCEA OREGANA SSP. SPICATA,A GYNODIOECIOUS PLANT

Gynodioecious plant populations contain both hermaphrodite and female individuals. For females to be maintained they must compensate for their loss of reproductive fitness through pollen. Females may achieve compensation by producing more and/or higher quality seeds than hermaphrodites. In this study, I investigated the independent and interactive effects of maternal sexual identity and inbreeding level on fitness of the progeny of hermaphrodites and females of Sidalcea oregana ssp.spicata. Seeds produced by selling hermaphrodites and by outcrossing or sib-crossing hermaphrodites and females, were planted in the field and greenhouse. Maternal-sex effects were substantial at the juvenile stages of the life cycle; seeds of females germinated in higher proportions and produced seedlings that grew significantly faster. Inbreeding effects were manifested primarily at the adult stage of the life cycle. Outcrossed plants were significantly larger and produced more flowers per plant than sib-crossed and selfed plants growing in the greenhouse. Progeny of hermaphrodites and females appeared to respond similarly to sib-matings. The maternal-sex effects observed in Sidalcea may have been related to cytoplasmically inherited factors and could be a driving force in the maintenance of females. Inbreeding depression could play a role in determining the fitness of both sex morphs, if females experience biparental inbreeding in the field. Frequent inbreeding of hermaphrodites may not be necessary to explain the maintenance of gynodioecy in this species.     

大小兴安岭泥炭的孢粉记录及演变过程研究

根据３个高位泥炭剖面孢粉分析,揭示大注兴安岭分别于５０００ａＢ．Ｐ．、２７００ａＢ。．Ｐ．以来孢粉组合特征和植物群与气候演变过程。小兴安岭北部山地森林疲宣传早分为２个时期,５０００－３０００ａＢ．Ｐ．桦为主落叶阔叶林;３０００ａＢ．Ｐ．－－现今为红松、云冷杉为主,混有少量桦寒温必殖阔叶混交林。气候由温凉偏干向冷偏湿方向发展大兴安岭北部山地,２７００～１８００ａＢ．Ｐ．以来,已构成针叶林为主（樟子松     

TRANSMISSION ADVANTAGE FAVORS SELFING ALLELE IN EXPERIMENTAL POPULATIONS OF SELF‐INCOMPATIBLE WITHERINGIA SOLANACEA (SOLANACEAE)

The evolution of self‐fertilization is one of the most commonly traversed transitions in flowering plants, with profound implications for population genetic structure and evolutionary potential. We investigated factors influencing this transition using Witheringia solanacea, a predominantly self‐incompatible (SI) species within which self‐compatible (SC) genotypes have been identified. We showed that self‐compatibility in this species segregates with variation at the S‐locus as inherited by plants in F1 and F2 generations. To examine reproductive assurance and the transmission advantage of selfing, we placed SC and SI genotypes in genetically replicated gardens and monitored male and female reproductive success, as well as selfing rates of SC plants. Self‐compatibility did not lead to increased fruit or seed set, even under conditions of pollinator scarcity, and the realized selfing rate of SC plants was less than 10%. SC plants had higher fruit abortion rates, consistent with previous evidence showing strong inbreeding depression at the embryonic stage. Although the selfing allele did not provide reproductive assurance under observed conditions, it also did not cause pollen discounting, so the transmission advantage of selfing should promote its spread. Given observed numbers of S‐alleles and selfing rates, self‐compatibility should spread even under conditions of exceedingly high initial inbreeding depression.     

黄山钓桥青冈种群的交配系统与近交衰退

采用垂直板型不连续聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳检测了黄山钓桥青冈种群的遗传变异、交配系统及近交衰退程度。黄山钓桥青冈群维持有中等程度的遗传变异,多态位点百分比和期望杂合度分别为５０％和０．１８１４。采用ＰＯＤ－２、ＥＳＴ－１和ＥＳＴ－２等３个多态位点,利用ＭＬＴ程序估计的花粉库和母株基因频率之间存在一些差异,可能是由于成熟个体花粉产量不同和种群内个体非随机分布造成的。单位点杂交率平均为０．３９２,略高于多位     

MEASUREMENTS OF NATURAL SELECTION ON FLORAL TRAITS IN WILD RADISH (RAPHANUS RAPHANISTRUM). II. SELECTION THROUGH LIFETIME MALE AND TOTAL FITNESS

It has often been suggested that selection on floral traits in hermaphroditic plants should occur primarily through differences in male fitness. However, measurements of selection on floral traits through differences in lifetime male fitness have been lacking. We measured selection on a variety of wild radish floral traits using lifetime male fitness measures derived from genetic paternity analysis. These male fitness estimates were then combined with estimates of lifetime female fitness of the same plants to produce measurements of selection based on lifetime total fitness. Contrary to the prediction above, there was no strong evidence for selection on floral morphology through male fitness differences in any of the three years of the study, but there was strong selection for increased flower size through female fitness differences in one year. The main determinant of both male and female fitness in all years was flower number; this lead to moderately positive correlations between male and female fitness in all three years.