ECOLOGICAL DIFFERENTIATION IN PERENNIAL,OCTOPLOID SPECIES OF FRAGARIA

Plants of octoploid Fragaria (2n = 56) were collected from 19 natural sites supporting strawberry colonies in California, grown in a common greenhouse and analyzed for 25 quantitative traits and 2 enzyme systems. Inter-populational variation was measured by using analysis of variance and genetic identity techniques. Micro- and macro-environmental measurements were made at each site. Stepwise multiple regressions were completed on the morphological-environmental variations and the allozyme frequency-environmental variations. Clonal propagules were compared under three controlled environmental conditions. Octoploid Fragaria appears to have undergone considerable ecological differentiation. Significant amounts of inter-populational variation were observed in a number of polygenic and monogenic traits. Numerous significant correlations were found between environmental and character variations, and in many cases, only a few environmental variables were necessary to “explain” significant amounts of that variation. Inter-populational differences were also found in the abilities of plants to accumulate biomass and survive under salt, nutrient and shade stress. It has been suggested that ecological differentiation plays a minor role in determining the eco-geographical range of allopolyploids due to the effects of polyploidy on the generation of mutational and recombinational variability. Clearly, this has not been the case in Fragaria.     

GENETIC DIFFERENTIATION,SYMPATRIC SPECIATION,AND THE ORIGIN OF A DIPLOID SPECIES OF STEPHANOMERIA

Evidence is presented that a geographically peripheral population of the annual Stephanomcria exigua ssp. coronaria (Compositae), a widespread and ecologically diverse species, has recently given rise by a process of sympatric speciation to a diploid species presently designated “Malheurensis.” The new species comprises less than 250 individuals and is found only at a single locality in eastern Oregon where it grows interspersed with its parental population. Stephanomeria exigua ssp. coronaria is an obligate outcrosser and “Malheurensis” is highly self-pollinating. Reproductive isolation is maintained by differences in breeding system, a crossability barrier that reduces seed set following cross-pollination between them, and reduction in hybrid fertility caused by chromosomal structural differences. They are very similar morphologically. Electrophoretic analyses of seven enzyme systems demonstrate that all the alleles but one at the controlling 13 gene loci in “Malheurensis” are identical to alleles in ssp. coronaria. The new species displays certain maladapted features including loss of the specific requirements for seed germination characteristic of the progenitor population of ssp. coronaria. The origin of “Malheurensis” appears to be an exception to the theory of geographical speciation because spatial isolation is not necessary at any time for the origin or establishment of its reproductive isolating barriers. The nature of these barriers plus the genetic homogeneity of the species are compatible with the hypothesis that it derives from a single progenitor individual. Very little genetic change is involved initially in this mode of speciation.     

THE CYTOLOGY AND PHYLOGENETICS OF THE DIPLOID SPECIES OF GOSSYPIUM

Meiotic chromosome behavior of 11 inter-genomic hybrids of Gossypium (2n = 26) were investigated. Per cell univalent frequencies at meiotic metaphase I in these hybrids were: A genome × Cgenome—G. herbaceum × sturtianum, 10.53; G. herbaceum × australe, 18.05. A genome × E genome—G. smnalense × arboreum, 21.82. B genome × C genome—G. anomalum × sturtianum, 9.23; G. anomalum × australe, 13.11. B genome × D genome—G. anomalum × klotzschianum, 17.45; G. anomalum × raimondii, 18.83. C genome × D genome—G. robinsonii × davidsonii, 12.77; G. sturtianum (armourianum × thurberi), 8.63. C genome × E genome—G. somalense × australe, 23.78; G. somalense × bickii, 25.58. Trivalent and quadrivalent frequencies were relatively high for those hybrids involving a C genome species, indicating that a reciprocal translocation differentiates the C genome from the A, B, D, and E genomes. The results of this study and the data of similar studies cited from the literature on Gossypium cytogenetics are discussed relative to the phylogenetics and evolution of the major (genome) groups of Gossypium and their constituent taxa.     

EVOLUTION IN CALIFORNIA POPULATIONS OF DIPLOID AND OCTOPLOID FRAGARIA (ROSACEAE): A COMPARISON

Genetic differentiation, physiological homeostasis, and heterozygosity were contrasted in the closely related octoploid species Fragaria chiloensis and F. virginiana, and in one of their putative diploid progenitors F. vesca. Plants from 27 natural sites supporting strawberry colonies were collected and grown in a common greenhouse. They were analyzed for 18 quantitative traits and three enzyme loci. Intra- and inter-populational variation was measured using analysis of variance techniques. Micro- and macro-environmental measurements were made at each site. Phenotypic stability of octoploid and diploid individuals was contrasted across four environmental regimes. The octoploids displayed more morphological variation, were more heterozygous, had greater physiological homeostasis, and were found across a broader range of environments. Octoploid strawberries may have broader ecological ranges than the diploids, both because they have higher levels of physiological homeostasis, and also because they have undergone more genetic differentiation. The higher levels of physiological homeostasis may be due to the fact that they are more heterozygous than the diploids.     

ADAPTATION AND SPECIALIZATION IN A TWO-RESOURCE ENVIRONMENT IN DROSOPHILA SPECIES

We assayed two components of performance (development time and survivorship), on food medium with and without ethanol, in laboratory populations of Drosophila simulans and D. melanogaster for which ethanol-medium was a novel food resource. These assays were done before and after 12 generations of rearing in either one-(regular medium only) or two-resource (regular medium and ethanol medium) environments. Initially, D. simulans was highly susceptible to ethanol, whereas D. melanogaster was relatively unaffected. After 12 generations in the two-resource environment, D. simulans showed significantly improved mean performance on ethanol medium; mean performance of D. melanogaster did not significantly change. Variation among families for both traits was higher on ethanol medium in D. simulans. Variation in D. melanogaster was not significantly affected by ethanol level, suggesting that resource quality was more important than novelty per se. In both species, the least variation was seen in populations after 12 generations in the two-resource environment. For development time in D. simulans, the decrease in variation was largely due to reduced variation within families, suggesting the evolution of canalization. Development time on the two media was not negatively correlated. In D. simulans, correlations measured before and after the experiment were not heterogeneous, suggesting that trade-offs in performance did not block diet expansion. In D. melanogaster, correlations became significantly less positive after 12 generations in the two-resource environment, supporting the view that correlations between performance on different resources may become less positive over time through selection.     

ROOT PROFILES AND COMPETITION BETWEEN THE INVASIVE,EXOTIC PERENNIAL,CARPOBROTUS EDULIS,AND TWO NATIVE SHRUB SPECIES IN CALIFORNIA COASTAL SCRUB

The mat-forming succulent, Carpobrotus edulis (Aizoaceae), surrounds and grows over many native plant species in California coastal communities. Two shrub species, Haplopappus ericoides and H. venetus var. sedoides, were found to have shallow root systems that occupied the same soil depths as those of C. edulis. In the presence of C. edulis, the normal rooting profiles of the shrubs were displaced downward, although partial overlap with C. edulis remained. Removal of C. edulis from around individuals of both shrub species resulted in higher predawn xylem pressure potentials in shrubs from the removal treatments as compared to controls, suggesting that the surrounding C. edulis was utilizing water that would otherwise have been available to these shrubs. In H. ericoides, predawn xylem pressure potentials of removal treatment shrubs remained higher than those of the controls throughout the remainder of the dry season even though these shrubs showed a marked increase in canopy area after removal of surrounding C. edulis. Removal of C. edulis from around H. venetus also initially led to higher predawn xylem pressure potentials in the removal shrubs as compared to the controls and increased production of new leaves. After this initial period the predawn xylem pressure potentials of the removal shrubs were not significantly different from those of controls, suggesting that the demand for water by the increased leaf areas eventually matched the enhanced water availability resulting from C. edulis removal. Also, the morphology of H. venetus shrubs changed to that more typical of unaffected individuals. Thus, C. edulis significantly affected not only the water relations of these two shrub species but also their shoot sizes and overall morphologies.     

LOCAL ADAPTATION,PHENOTYPIC DIFFERENTIATION,AND HYBRID FITNESS IN DIVERGED NATURAL POPULATIONS OF ARABIDOPSIS LYRATA

Selection for local adaptation results in genetic differentiation in ecologically important traits. In a perennial, outcrossing model plant Arabidopsis lyrata, several differentiated phenotypic traits contribute to local adaptation, as demonstrated by fitness advantage of the local population at each site in reciprocal transplant experiments. Here we compared fitness components, hierarchical total fitness and differentiation in putatively ecologically important traits of plants from two diverged parental populations from different continents in the native climate conditions of the populations in Norway and in North Carolina (NC, U.S.A.). Survival and number of fruits per inflorescence indicated local advantage at both sites and aster life‐history models provided additional evidence for local adaptation also at the level of hierarchical total fitness. Populations were also differentiated in flowering start date and floral display. We also included reciprocal experimental F₁ and F₂ hybrids to examine the genetic basis of adaptation. Surprisingly, the F₂ hybrids showed heterosis at the study site in Norway, likely because of a combination of beneficial dominance effects from different traits. At the NC site, hybrid fitness was mostly intermediate relative to the parental populations. Local cytoplasmic origin was associated with higher fitness, indicating that cytoplasmic genomes also may contribute to the evolution of local adaptation.     

30种新疆沙生植物的结构及其对沙漠环境的适应

新疆３０种沙生植物营养器官的解剖学研究表明,它们的形态结构为适应沙漠环境发生相应变化。叶片表面积／体积比普遍小于中生植物;表皮细胞外壁具厚的角质膜,并覆盖毛状体,气孔下陷,具有孔下室;按叶肉结构的差别,３０种沙生植物的叶片可归为正常型、全栅型、环栅型、不规则型、禾草型、退化型等６类。轴器官中普遍具有发达的机械组织,一些植物形成异常结构;根的周皮发达;茎中基本组织／半径比率较大;部分植物形成同化枝,有的茎、叶中存在粘液细胞或结晶。按其适应沙生环境的形态结构特点,可以分为薄叶植物、多浆植物、肉茎植物以及卷叶植物等４类。沙生植物以不同的旱生结构特征和不同的方式适应沙漠环境。     

潮滩红树植物抗低温适应的生态学研究

采用电导法定量测定了中国东南沿海红树植物叶片的抗寒力变化。结果表明;(1)海南琼山东寨港主要红树种类冬季抗寒力(半致死温度)介于-2.3～-6.8℃之间,其中红树科植物抗寒力较强,多数种类属于低温敏感性相对较弱的L类型;海桑科和楝科红树种类抗寒力较弱,属于低温敏感性较强的H类型。(2)随纬度升高(个别地点除外),秋茄(Kandelia candel)、桐花树(Aegiceras corniculatum)和红海榄(Rhizophors,stylosa)抗寒力增强,呈现种群分化趋势。(3)同一地点,秋茄和桐花树抗寒力有明显季节变化：夏季最低,秋冬两季高于春季。(4)同一群落内,生长于中潮区滩面的秋茄抗寒力强于高潮区,但桐花树抗寒力在各个滩面相差木大。(5)秋茄和桐花树树冠上不同部位叶片的抗寒力不同,由表及里,由上至下,呈降低趋势。红树叶片抗寒力的种群分化、季节变化和部位差异是其趋异适应的结果,有益于红树植物的生存和繁育。     

DEVELOPMENT OF FLOWER FORM IN AN ALLOTETRAPLOID CLARKIA AND ITS PARENTAL DIPLOID SPECIES

The allotetraploid Clarkia delicata possesses a floral phenotype and breeding system intermediate to its diploid progenitors. Three patterns were observed in a comparative study of anther, sepal, and petal development using allometry and scanning electron micrographs. In Pattern 1 (e.g., anther), all three species are similar at inception and in subsequent development. Anthers of the allotetraploid mature at a size intermediate to both diploids. In Pattern 2 (e.g., sepal and petal limb), diploids exhibit divergent developmental patterns, and the allotetraploid develops similarly to one diploid. In Pattern 3 (e.g., petal size and shape), diploids exhibit divergent developmental patterns, and the allotetraploid is variously intermediate to both. In petal size (length vs. width), the diploid developmental pathways are parallel, and the allotetraploid is intermediate at all points of development. In petal shape (limb length above widest point/length below widest point vs. petal width), diploid developmental pathways intersect, and the allotetraploid is similar to one diploid at inception and the other in subsequent development.