Collaborative Research: The Evolution of Dioecy and Sexual Dimorphism in a Gynodioecious Strawberry: The Role of Phenotypic Selection and its Ecological Context

9904115 Ashley具有不同性别的植物从具有两性的植物（雌雄同体）反复进化而来，导致一些进化生物学家得出结论，这种进化转变代表了生物学的一个中心问题。本工作旨在通过直接调查对比生态环境下自然选择的强度，剖析不同性别的自然选择的原因，特别是对雌雄同体的雄性功能的选择，以及对有吸引力的花特征的选择。 本工作将联合收割机利用微卫星DNA标记进行亲子鉴定，并结合基于数量遗传学的理论，解决长期存在的关于两性分离和两性二型性的自然选择机制的问题，有助于我们理解环境在植物生殖表型形成中的作用。这项研究的结果也将对农业实践产生重要影响，这些农业实践旨在提高不同性别濒危植物的产量和保护生物学。

9904115 AshleyPlants with separate genders have evolved repeatedly from plants with combined genders (hermaphrodites), leading some evolutionary biologists to conclude that this evolutionary transition represents a central problem in biology. This work aims to dissect the causes of natural selection for separate sexes, in particular selection on male function of hermaphrodites, and on attractive floral features, by directly investigating the strength of natural selection under contrasting ecological environments. This work will combine paternity analyses using microsatellite DNA markers with quantitative genetic-based theory to address long-standing questions regarding the mechanisms of natural selection for separation of the sexes and sexual dimorphism.This research will contribute to our understanding the role of the environment in shaping plant reproductive phenotype. The results of this research will also have important implications for agricultural practices that aim to increase yield in, and conservation biology of, endangered plants with separate genders.