The role of group selection in plant population dynamics: competitive ability and fitness components of kin groups

群体选择在植物种群动态中的作用：亲缘群体的竞争能力和适应度组成

• 批准号: 386172-2010
• 负责人: Willenborg, Christian
• 金额: $ 2.55万
• 依托单位: University of Saskatchewan
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2013
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2013-01-01 至 2014-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=528760
• 关键词: role; group; selection; plant; population

Competition from weeds remains a constant threat to agro-ecosystem productivity. The ability of weeds to invade, dominate, and persist in agricultural lands results in more money being spent on managing weeds than any other pest. Understanding why weeds occur where they do, or do not, is critical to both predicting their spatial dynamics and to determining how habitat patchiness influences their distribution and abundance. To do this, we must develop a greater understanding of the ecological and evolutionary processes that govern weed population dynamics and thus, weed species distributions. Group selection theory contends that alleles can spread in a population because of the benefits they bestow on groups of organisms. That weeds operate in groups is obvious; weeds are distinctly heterogeneous in their distribution across the landscape and because of this, group selection may be a powerful evolutionary force in weed populations. The purpose of this research program is to work to gain a better understanding of group selection and the role it may play in weed population dynamics and ultimately, the spatial distribution of weed populations. If we can understand the driving forces in weed population dynamics, we will be better equipped to predict their spatial distribution, which will ultimately improve our ability to limit their success. This is important not just for maintaining crop yields and profits in agriculture, but also for reducing the impact of invasive weeds on the conservation and restoration of natural and semi-natural habitats.

杂草的竞争仍然是对农业生态系统生产力的持续威胁。杂草在农田中入侵、占主导地位和持续存在的能力导致用于管理杂草的资金比任何其他害虫都要多。了解杂草出现或不出现的原因对于预测其空间动态以及确定栖息地斑块如何影响其分布和丰度至关重要。为此，我们必须更好地了解控制杂草种群动态以及杂草物种分布的生态和进化过程。群体选择理论认为，等位基因可以在群体中传播，因为它们给生物群体带来好处。杂草群居是显而易见的。杂草在整个景观中的分布具有明显的异质性，因此，群体选择可能是杂草种群中强大的进化力量。该研究计划的目的是更好地了解群体选择及其在杂草种群动态以及最终杂草种群空间分布中可能发挥的作用。如果我们能够了解杂草种群动态的驱动力，我们将能够更好地预测其空间分布，这最终将提高我们限制其成功的能力。这不仅对于维持农作物产量和农业利润很重要，而且对于减少入侵杂草对自然和半自然栖息地的保护和恢复的影响也很重要。