Contrasting heterozygosity-fitness correlations between populations of a self-compatible shrub in a fragmented landscape.

Genetica
J P González-VaroR G Albaladejo

Abstract

The mechanisms underlying heterozygosity-fitness correlations (HFCs) are subject of intense debates, especially about how important population features such as size or degree of isolation influence HFCs. Here, we report variation in HFCs between Large and Small populations of a self-compatible shrub (Myrtus communis) occurring within an extremely fragmented landscape. In each of the five study populations, we obtained data on both heterozygosity and fitness for 9-12 maternal families (i.e. offspring from the same mother plant). Whereas heterozygosity explained most of the variance (60-86 %) in growth rate of seedling families within Large populations, this relationship was absent within Small populations. Our results suggest that inbreeding may explain the observed HFCs within Large populations, and that different genetic processes (such as genetic drift and/or selection) could have overridden HFCs within Small populations. While it is difficult to draw general conclusions from five populations, we think our results open new research perspectives on how different genetic processes underlie variation in HFCs under different population contexts. Our study also points to a need for further attention on the complex relationships be...Continue Reading

References

Feb 26, 2000·Genetical Research·B Charlesworth, D Charlesworth
Jul 28, 2001·Evolution; International Journal of Organic Evolution·G C Thelen, F W Allendorf
Nov 28, 2002·Molecular Ecology·Bengt Hansson, Lars Westerberg
Jul 3, 2003·Evolution; International Journal of Organic Evolution·D W Coltman, J Slate
Sep 16, 2004·Molecular Ecology·F BallouxT Coulson
Aug 18, 2009·Trends in Ecology & Evolution·Christopher G EckertAlice A Winn
Oct 17, 2009·Nature Reviews. Genetics·Deborah Charlesworth, John H Willis
Feb 13, 2010·Evolution; International Journal of Organic Evolution·Marta SzulkinPatrice David
Oct 7, 2010·Annals of Botany·Juan P González-Varo, Anna Traveset

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Related Feeds

Biodiversity Data

Biodiversity refers to the variety and variability of life on Earth. Biodiversity is typically a measure of variation at the genetic, species, and ecosystem level.Discover the latest research on biodiversity data here.