Collaborative Research: The Evolution of Dioecy and Sexual Dimorphism in a Gynodioecious Strawberry: The Role of Phenotypic Selection and its Ecological Context

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9903802 AshmanPlants with separate genders have evolved repeatedly from plants with combined genders (hermaphrodites), leading some evolutionary biologists to conclude that this evolutionary transition represents a central problem in biology. This work aims to dissect the causes of natural selection for separate sexes, in particular selection on male function of hermaphrodites, and on attractive floral features, by directly investigating the strength of natural selection under contrasting ecological environments. This work will combine paternity analyses using microsatellite DNA markers with quantitative genetic-based theory to address long-standing questions regarding the mechanisms of natural selection for separation of the sexes and sexual dimorphism.This research will contribute to our understanding the role of the environment in shaping plant reproductive phenotype. The results of this research will also have important implications for agricultural practices that aim to increase yield in, and conservation biology of, endangered plants with separate genders.