PRF: Cryptic Dioecy: Hypotheses for the Maintenance of Non-functional Floral Parts

这项研究将测试三个特定的假说，这些假说可能解释了唐松子的功能雌性植株中维持非功能性花药和花粉产生的原因，唐松子是一种原生多年生植物，具有神秘的雌雄异株繁殖系统。花药和花粉的产生可能保留在雌性中，作为对昆虫传粉者的奖励，因为昆虫探访增加的选择压力(适应假说)；作为对雄性保持花药和花粉产生的选择的相关反应(即，在雄性和雌性的花药和花粉产生之间存在强烈的正遗传相关，遗传约束假说)；或者被认为是祖先两性状态的残留物，因为去除它们几乎没有或没有选择性的好处(即，雌性没有产生花药和花粉的“成本”，祖先假说)。该项目的第二部分将评估在多配子植物中雌雄异株进化的进化途径，资源重新分配作为一种选择力量对这种转变至关重要的可能作用，以及风媒授粉与这种变化的相关性。

This research will test three specific hypotheses that may account for the maintenance of non-functional anther and pollen production in functionally female plants of Thalictrum polygamum, a native perennial plant with a cryptically dioecious breeding system. Anther and pollen production may remain in females as a reward for insect pollinators because of selection pressure for increased insect visitation (Adaptation Hypothesis); as a correlated response because of selection maintaining anther and pollen production in males (i.e. a strong, positive genetic correlation exists between anther and pollen production in males and females, Genetic Constraint Hypothesis); or as vestiges of the ancestral cosexual state because there is little or no selective benefit to their removal (i.e. no "cost" to females for production of anthers and pollen, Ancestry Hypothesis). The second portion of this project will evaluate the evolutionary pathway by which dioecy has evolved in the T. polygamun, the possible role of resource reallocation as a selective force important to this transition, and the relevance of wind pollination to the change.