Gamete sex and elevation affect genetically based variation for unreduced gamete production in a mixed‐ploidy plant

Premise Unreduced gametes are the primary mechanism of neopolyploid formation. Their production in diploid populations is arguably maladaptive, but the magnitude and patterns of genetically based variation maintained in natural populations are poorly understood. Methods We examined variation in male...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:American journal of botany 2024-01, Vol.111 (1), p.e16262-n/a
Main Authors: DeVries, Sarah, Kron, Paul, Husband, Brian C.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Chamerion angustifolium
common environment
Diploids
Females
fireweed
Flow cytometry
Fruits
Gametes
genetic variation
Males
Natural populations
Onagraceae
Ploidy
pollination
polyploidy
Population studies
Populations
Seeds
Variation
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 Unreduced gametes are the primary mechanism of neopolyploid formation. Their production in diploid populations is arguably maladaptive, but the magnitude and patterns of genetically based variation maintained in natural populations are poorly understood. Methods We examined variation in male and female unreduced gamete production among plants from different elevations in fireweed, Chamerion angustifolium, grown in a common environment. Using seeds from three high‐elevation and three low‐elevation diploid populations in one study, and a single diploid population in another, we estimated realized rates of unreduced male (sperm) and female (egg) gamete production by reciprocally pollinating diploid and tetraploid plants and estimating the incidence of tetraploid seeds using flow cytometry. Results Unreduced gamete frequencies per plant were similar in the two studies (0.12% vs. 0.08%). High‐elevation populations had a greater percentage of fruit with seeds from unreduced gametes, but a lower percentage of seeds per fruit than low‐elevation populations. Female unreduced gamete frequencies differed among elevations, but male frequencies did not, and the gamete sexes were not correlated at the plant level. Conclusions We conclude that genetically based variation for unreduced gametes is maintained within and among natural populations, despite their fitness disadvantages, suggesting that local selection may be ineffective at purging them under some conditions.
ISSN:0002-9122
1537-2197
1537-2197
DOI:10.1002/ajb2.16262