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.

来自杂草的竞争仍然是对农业生态系统生产力的持续威胁。杂草的入侵能力，统治，并坚持在农业土地上的结果是更多的钱被花在管理杂草比任何其他害虫。了解为什么杂草发生在他们做的地方，或不，是至关重要的预测其空间动态，并确定栖息地斑块如何影响其分布和丰度。要做到这一点，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，等位基因可以在种群中传播，因为它们赋予生物群体以好处。杂草的群体运作是显而易见的;杂草在整个景观中的分布是明显异质的，正因为如此，群体选择可能是杂草种群中强大的进化力量。本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中可能发挥的作用，并最终了解杂草种群的空间分布。如果我们能够理解杂草种群动态的驱动力，我们将更好地预测它们的空间分布，这将最终提高我们限制它们成功的能力。这不仅对维持农作物产量和农业利润很重要，而且对减少入侵杂草对自然和半自然生境的保护和恢复的影响也很重要。