New perspectives on the evolution of plant mating systems

• Background The remarkable diversity of mating patterns and sexual systems in flowering plants has fascinated evolutionary biologists for more than a century. Enduring questions about this topic include why sexual polymorphisms have evolved independently in over 100 plant families, and why proporti...

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Published in:Annals of botany 2012-02, Vol.109 (3), p.493-503
Main Authors: Karron, Jeffrey D., Ivey, Christopher T., Mitchell, Randall J., Whitehead, Michael R., Peakall, Rod, Case, Andrea L.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Biological Evolution
Chloroplasts - genetics
Ecological genetics
Evolution
Evolutionary genetics
Fertilization
Flowers - genetics
Flowers - physiology
Genes, Plant
Genetic Variation
Genome, Chloroplast
Inbreeding
Magnoliopsida - classification
Magnoliopsida - genetics
Magnoliopsida - physiology
Mating systems
Phenotypic traits
Phylogeny
Plants
Pollen
Pollination
Pollinators
Reproduction
VIEWPOINT
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Summary:• Background The remarkable diversity of mating patterns and sexual systems in flowering plants has fascinated evolutionary biologists for more than a century. Enduring questions about this topic include why sexual polymorphisms have evolved independently in over 100 plant families, and why proportions of self-and crossfertilization often vary dramatically within and among populations. Important new insights concerning the evolutionary dynamics of plant mating systems have built upon a strong foundation of theoretical models and innovative field and laboratory experiments. However, as the pace of advancement in this field has accelerated, it has become increasingly difficult for researchers to follow developments outside their primary area of research expertise. • Scope In this Viewpoint paper we highlight three important themes that span and integrate different subdisciplines: the changes in morphology, phenology, and physiology that accompany the transition to selfing; the evolutionary consequences of pollen pool diversity in flowering plants; and the evolutionary dynamics of sexual polymorphisms. We also highlight recent developments in molecular techniques that will facilitate more efficient and cost-effective study of mating patterns in large natural populations, research on the dynamics of pollen transport, and investigations on the genetic basis of sexual polymorphisms. This Viewpoint also serves as the introduction to a Special Issue on the Evolution of Plant Mating Systems. The 15 papers in this special issue provide inspiring examples of recent discoveries, and glimpses of exciting developments yet to come.
ISSN:0305-7364
1095-8290
DOI:10.1093/aob/mcr319