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

不同性别的植物从混合性别的植物（雌雄同体）进化而来，这使得一些进化生物学家得出这样的结论：这种进化转变代表了生物学的一个核心问题。本研究旨在通过直接调查不同生态环境下自然选择的强度，剖析两性分离的自然选择原因，特别是雌雄同体雄性功能的选择，以及吸引人的花的特征。这项工作将结合使用微卫星DNA标记的亲子分析和基于定量遗传学的理论来解决关于性别分离和两性二态现象的自然选择机制的长期问题。这项研究将有助于我们理解环境在植物生殖表型形成中的作用。这项研究的结果还将对旨在提高不同性别濒危植物产量和保护生物学的农业实践产生重要影响。

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.