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Life cycle expression of inbreeding depression in Eucalyptus regnans and intergenerational stability of its mixed mating system

journal contribution
posted on 2023-05-20, 06:09 authored by Anthony Griffin, Bradley PottsBradley Potts, Rene VaillancourtRene Vaillancourt, Bell, JC

Background and Aims: Many plants exhibit a mixed mating system. Published models suggest that this might be an evolutionarily stable rather than a transitional state despite the presence of inbreeding depression, but there is little empirical evidence. Through field experimentation, we studied the role of inbreeding depression in eliminating inbred progeny from the reproductive cohort of the forest tree Eucalyptus regnans, and demonstrate a stable mixed primary mating system over two successive generations.

Methods: Two field experiments were conducted using seed from natural populations. We sowed open-pollinated seeds to simulate a natural regeneration event and determined isozyme genotypes of dominant and suppressed individuals over 10 years. We also planted a mixture of open-pollinated, outcross and selfed families with common maternal parentage; monitored survival of cross types over 29 years; and determined the percentage of outcrosses in open-pollinated seed from a sample of reproductively mature trees using microsatellite analysis.

Key Results: Both experiments demonstrated progressive competitive elimination of inbred plants. By 29 years, the reproductive cohort in the planted experiment consisted only of outcrosses which produced seed which averaged 66 % outcrosses, similar to the estimate for the parental natural population (74 %).

Conclusions: Selective elimination of inbred genotypes during the intense intra-specific competition characteristic of the pre-reproductive phase of the life cycle of E. regnans results in a fully outcrossed reproductive population, in which self-fertility is comparable with that of its parental generation. The mixed mating system may be viewed as an unavoidable consequence of the species’ reproductive ecology, which includes the demonstrated effects of inbreeding depression, rather than a strategy which is actively favoured by natural selection.

History

Publication title

Annals of Botany

Volume

124

Pagination

179-187

ISSN

0305-7364

Department/School

School of Natural Sciences

Publisher

Oxford Univ Press

Place of publication

Great Clarendon St, Oxford, England, Ox2 6Dp

Rights statement

Copyright 2019 the authors

Repository Status

  • Restricted

Socio-economic Objectives

Native forests