Multiple factors influence population sex ratios in the Mojave Desert moss Syntrichia caninervis

PREMISE OF RESEARCH: Natural populations of many mosses appear highly female‐biased based on the presence of reproductive structures. This bias could be caused by increased male mortality, lower male growth rate, or a higher threshold for achieving sexual maturity in males. Here we test these hypoth...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:American journal of botany 2017-05, Vol.104 (5), p.733-742
Main Authors: Baughman, Jenna T., Payton, Adam C., Paasch, Amber E., Fisher, Kirsten M., McDaniel, Stuart F.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Bias
Botany
bryophyte
Bryopsida - genetics
Bryopsida - physiology
Deoxyribonucleic acid
Desert Climate
Deserts
DNA
DNA sequencing
Elevation
Environment
Females
Genotype & phenotype
Growth rate
Identification methods
Males
Mojave Desert
Mortality
moss
Mosses
Natural populations
Phenotype
Plant populations
Populations
Pottiaceae
reproductive strategy
RESEARCH ARTICLE
Sequence Analysis, DNA
Sex
sex expression
Sex Ratio
Sexual dimorphism
Sexual maturity
Southwestern United States
Syntrichia caninervis
Thresholds
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:PREMISE OF RESEARCH: Natural populations of many mosses appear highly female‐biased based on the presence of reproductive structures. This bias could be caused by increased male mortality, lower male growth rate, or a higher threshold for achieving sexual maturity in males. Here we test these hypotheses using samples from two populations of the Mojave Desert moss Syntrichia caninervis. METHODS: We used double‐digest restriction‐site associated DNA (RAD) sequencing to identify candidate sex‐associated loci in a panel of sex‐expressing plants. Next, we used putative sex‐associated markers to identify the sex of individuals without sex structures. KEY RESULTS: We found a 17:1 patch‐level phenotypic female to male sex ratio in the higher elevation site (Wrightwood) and no sex expression at the low elevation site (Phelan). In contrast, on the basis of genetic data, we found a 2:1 female bias at the Wrightwood site and only females at the Phelan site. The relative area occupied by male and female genets was indistinguishable, but males were less genetically diverse. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that both male‐biased mortality and sexual dimorphism in thresholds for sex expression could explain genetic and phenotypic sex ratio biases and that phenotypic sex expression alone over‐estimates the extent of actual sex ratio bias present in these two populations of S. caninervis.
ISSN:0002-9122
1537-2197
DOI:10.3732/ajb.1700045