Investigating the Evolution of Sexual Dimporphism via Artificial Selection and Field Experiments

通过人工选择和田间实验研究性二态性的进化

• 批准号: 0075318
• 负责人: Lynda Delph
• 金额: $ 33.5万
• 依托单位: Indiana University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2000
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2000-10-01 至 2005-09-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0075318&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Investigating; Evolution; Sexual; Dimporphism; via

0075318DelphSome of the most conspicuous features of organisms are differences between the sexes (known as sexual dimorphism). Sexual selection is usually invoked to explain such differences and may explain dimorphism in characters that are not directly related to mate acquisition because of a cascade of genetic effects. Previous research with the dioecious plant Silene latifolia, which has remarkable sexual dimorphism in flower production, shows that individuals that produce a relatively high number of flowers have upregulated metabolisms and may pay life history costs (such as lower longevity). Artificial selection lines will be created that will have both increased and reduced sexual dimorphism in flower size and number. These lines will be planted out in experimental arrays to assess the consequences of flower production on fitness via two pathways - mating success (sexual selection) and longevity (natural selection).The combination of increasing the phenotypic variation in traits via artificial selection and subsequent field experimentation with these lines should yield great power in understanding the causes and patterns of selection. This work will help us determine whether sexual dimorphism in morphological, physiological, and life history traits has evolved via sexual selection.

0075318 Delphe生物体最显著的一些特征是两性之间的差异(称为性别二型性)。性选择通常被用来解释这种差异，并可能解释由于一系列遗传效应而与配偶获得没有直接关系的性格中的二态现象。以前对雌雄异株植物宽叶银莲花的研究表明，产生相对较多花朵的个体上调了新陈代谢，并可能付出生命历史的代价(如较低的寿命)。人工选育品系将在花朵大小和花数上增加和减少性别二型性。这些品系将被种植在实验阵列中，通过两条途径--交配成功(性选择)和寿命(自然选择)--评估花生产对适合度的影响。通过人工选择增加性状的表型变异和随后的田间试验相结合，应该会在理解选择的原因和模式方面产生巨大的力量。这项工作将帮助我们确定形态、生理和生活史特征中的性别二型性是否通过性别选择而进化。