Using Manipulated Phenotypes to Evaluate the Contribution of Maternal Effects to Life History Evolution in an Herbaceous Plant

父母对后代的贡献往往超出了基因的范畴。例如，在许多物种中，母体大小和营养状况会影响后代的性状表达。尽管这种母性效应已被广泛记录在案，但它们对自然种群进化的影响程度尚不清楚。本研究将以草本植物美洲风铃为模型系统，(1)评估自然种群中母体效应的机制模型，(2)拟合定量遗传模型以确定母体效应对进化的重要性。人工选择和受控生长环境将被用来创造基于遗传和环境的母体特征表达变化。这些操作对后代性状表达的影响将在自然条件下进行评估，并与后代的成功相关。理论预测，母性效应可能会导致对选择的延迟、负面或周期性反应。通过经验研究和合适的遗传模型了解这些代际影响的重要性，将能够更准确地预测对自然和人为环境变化的进化反应。这样的预测模型对于进化生物学为保护、流行病学和农业挑战做出贡献是必要的。该项目还将为博士后和本科生研究人员提供培训机会。

The contribution of parents to their offspring often extends beyond genes. For example, maternal body size and nutritional condition influences offspring trait expression in many species. Although such maternal effects have been widely documented, the extent to which they influence evolution in natural populations is not known. This research will use the herbaceous plant Campanula americana as a model system to (1) evaluate a mechanistic model of maternal effects in a natural population, and to (2) fit a quantitative genetic model to determine the importance of maternal effects for evolution. Artificial selection and controlled growth environments will be used to create genetic and environmentally based changes in the expression of maternal traits. The consequences of these manipulations for offspring trait expression will be evaluated under natural conditions and associated with offspring success. Theory predicts that maternal effects may cause delayed, negative or cyclical responses to selection. Understanding the importance of these intergenerational effects through empirical studies and fitting genetic models will enable more accurate predictions of evolutionary response to natural and man-made changes in the environment. Such predictive models are necessary for evolutionary biology to contribute to conservation, epidemiological, and agricultural challenges. The project will also provide training opportunities to postdoctoral and undergraduate researchers.