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

0075318戴尔夫生物体的一些最显著的特征是两性之间的差异（称为两性异形）。 性选择通常被用来解释这种差异，并可能解释由于遗传效应的级联而与配偶获得没有直接关系的性状的二型性。 此前对雌雄异株植物宽叶蝇子草（Silene latifolia）的研究表明，产生相对较多花朵的个体会上调代谢，并可能付出生活史成本（例如寿命较短）。 将创建人工选择系，其将在花的大小和数量上具有增加和减少的两性异形。 这些品系将被种植在实验阵列中，通过两种途径--交配成功（性选择）和寿命（自然选择）--评估花卉生产对适合度的影响。通过人工选择增加性状的表型变异，并随后对这些品系进行田间实验，这将为理解选择的原因和模式提供巨大的力量。 这项工作将帮助我们确定是否在形态，生理和生活史性状的性二型性已经通过性选择进化。

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.