Postpollination Mechanisms and Relative Fitness Contribution of Differential Outcrossing Distance

研究将集中在描述哪些人 分享下一代种子的血统。 通过 研究两个物种的交配系统， 非木本多年生植物，研究人员将测试的想法 植物的最佳交配取决于 因为这反映了基因的相似性。 以前的研究表明，杂交成功应该是 最高的植物之间的中间距离，和 因此在基因上既不太相似也不太不同。 这项研究的一个主要目标是获得完整的寿命 估计幼苗存活和繁殖，以测试 “最佳异交”的后代 “距离”是最合适的。 第二个目标是评估 适应性的差异是通过使用一种复杂的 实验授粉 第三个目标是评估与健康相关的成本， 在离亲本植物不同距离处萌发。 第四 我们的目标是观察“授粉后”的选择是否会带来 实际交配系统与最佳交配系统 交配系统 这些研究对其他植物也有影响，包括 作物品种 一般来说，健身似乎是 对配偶的遗传相似性敏感， 到目前为止，公认的，授粉后的选择将 修改结果。 这项研究将提供一个更接近 调查这些可能性。

Research will focus on characterizing which individuals share parentage of the seeds that form the next generation. By studying mating systems of two species that are representative of non-woody perennial plants, the investigators will test the idea that the best mating for a plant will depend on the physical proximity of mates, because this reflects genetic similarity. Previous research has indicated that crossing success should be highest between plants separated by an intermediate distance, and thus neither too similar nor too dissimilar genetically. A major goal of this research is to obtain complete lifetime estimates of seedling survival and reproduction in order to test the hypothesis that offspring from the "optimal outcrossing distance" are most fit. A second goal is to assess how great the fitness differences are by using a complex kind of experimental pollination. A third goal is to assess fitness costs associated with germinations at various distances from parental plants. A fourth goal is to see whether "postpollination" selection will bring the actual mating system into closer agreement with the optimal mating system. These studies have implications for other plants, including crop species. It seems likely in general that fitness will be sensitive to genetic similarity of mates on a finer scale than hitherto recognized, and that postpollination selection will modify the outcome. This research will provide a closer investigation of these possibilities.