Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/1959.11/4522
Title: Inbreeding avoidance maintains gender dimorphism in 'Wurmbea dioica' (Colchicaceae)
Contributor(s): Ramsey, Michael William (author); Vaughton, Glenda Vera  (author); Peakall, R (author)
Publication Date: 2003
Handle Link: https://hdl.handle.net/1959.11/4522
Abstract: Inbreeding avoidance has been proposed as a key factor in the evolution and maintenance of separate sexes in flowering plants, but requires the controversial coexistence of high selfing rate and high inbreeding depression in hermaphrodites. Subdioecy (males, females and hermaphrodites in populations) provides an ideal system for exploring the role of inbreeding avoidance because the 3 sexual morphs can be compared. In subdioecious 'W. dioica' populations, we examined selfing rates, inbreeding depression and relative performance, using open-pollinated and experimentally pollinated hermaphrodites (selfed and crossed) and females (crossed). Open hermaphrodites produced 62% fewer seeds and exhibited higher selfing rates than females (0.60 to 0.25). Hermaphrodite inbreeding depression was high (> 0.85) and parental inbreeding coefficients were zero, indicating that selfed progeny are unlikely to reproduce. Relative performance of open hermaphrodites to females (0.27) was sufficiently low to maintian females at observed frequencies in populations, assuming nuclear genes control male sterility. By experimentally increasing outcrossing, we improved hermaphrodite performance (0.80) to levels that should exclude females from populations. Our findings demonstrate that intermediate selfing rates and high inbreeding depression reduce hermaphrodite fitness, and confirm the role of inbreeding avoidance in maintaining gender dimorphism in 'W. dioica'.
Publication Type: Conference Publication
Conference Details: ESA 2003: 28th Annual Conference of the Ecological Society of Australia, Armidale, Australia, 8th - 10th December, 2003
Source of Publication: Abstracts of the ESA Ecology 2003 Conference, Armidale, NSW, p. 130-130
Publisher: Ecological Society of Australia (ESA)
Place of Publication: Armidale, Australia
Fields of Research (FoR) 2008: 060299 Ecology not elsewhere classified
Socio-Economic Objective (SEO) 2008: 960806 Forest and Woodlands Flora, Fauna and Biodiversity
HERDC Category Description: E3 Extract of Scholarly Conference Publication
Publisher/associated links: http://www.ecolsoc.org.au/2003/index.html
http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/10370194
Appears in Collections:Conference Publication

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