Natural selection acting on integrated phenotypes : covariance among functional leaf traits increases plant fitness
© 2019 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2019 New Phytologist Trust.
| Publié dans: | The New phytologist. - 1979. - 225(2020), 1 vom: 13. Jan., Seite 546-557 |
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| Auteur principal: | |
| Autres auteurs: | , , , , |
| Format: | Article en ligne |
| Langue: | English |
| Publié: |
2020
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| Accès à la collection: | The New phytologist |
| Sujets: | Journal Article Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't Turnera velutina covariance matrices functional strategies functional traits optimisation phenotypic integration phenotypic selection |
| Résumé: | © 2019 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2019 New Phytologist Trust. Plant functional strategies are usually accomplished through the simultaneous expression of different traits, and hence their correlations should be promoted by natural selection. The adaptive value of correlations among leaf functional traits, however, has not been assessed in natural populations. We estimated intraspecific variation in leaf functional traits related to the primary metabolism and anti-herbivore defence in a population of Turnera velutina. We analysed whether natural selection favoured the expression of individual traits, particular combinations of traits or leaf phenotypic integration. Patterns of covariation among traits were related to water and nitrogen economy, and were similar among genotypes, but the magnitude of their phenotypic integration differed by 10-fold. Although families did not differ in the mean values of leaf functional traits, directional selection favoured low nitrogen content and low chemical defence, high content of chlorophyll, sugar in extrafloral nectar and trichome density. Families with higher phenotypic integration among leaf traits grew faster and produced more flowers. We suggest that the coordinated expression of leaf traits has an adaptive value, probably related to optimisation in the expression of traits related to water conservation and nitrogen acquisition |
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| Description: | Date Completed 11.11.2020 Date Revised 11.11.2020 published: Print-Electronic Citation Status MEDLINE |
| ISSN: | 1469-8137 |
| DOI: | 10.1111/nph.16116 |