Inbreeding Depression and the Evolution of Dioecy in Higher Plants

这个项目是关于近亲繁殖抑制在高等植物性别进化中的作用的理论研究，有两个主要目标：(1)发展一个普遍的、可经验检验的植物种群近亲繁殖抑制理论，以及(2)将该理论应用于近亲繁殖在从两性异体到两性分离的进化路径中的作用问题。这些研究方法包括数值组合分析、并行编程和基于随机个体的建模。这些研究将阐明我们对高等植物进化机制活跃研究的四个主要领域的遗传机制的理解：雌雄同体进化、混合交配物种近交衰退的进化、小种群的进化遗传学和生存能力以及异交率的总体进化。这一结果也为通过控制育种清除农业物种的遗传负荷、培育具有遗传生存能力的雄性不育系以及濒危植物种群的遗传管理提供了理论和方法依据。

9981803SchultzThis project is a theoretical study of the role of inbreeding depression in the evolution of gender in higher plants, and has two major goals: (1) the development of a general, empirically testable theory of inbreeding depression in plant populations, and (2) the application of this theory to the problem of the role of inbreeding in the evolutionary pathway from hermaphroditism to separate sexes. Methods used include numerical combinatorial analysis, parallel programming, and stochastic individual-based modeling.These investigations will illuminate our understanding of genetic mechanisms involved in four major areas of active research in evolutionary mechanisms in higher plants: evolution of separate sexes from hermaphroditism, evolution of inbreeding depression in mixed-mating species, evolutionary genetics and viability of small populations, and evolution of the outcrossing rate generally. The results are also pertinent to the theory and methods of purging genetic load from agricultural species through controlled breeding, the production of genetically viable male-sterile lines, and the genetic management of endangered plant populations.