Abstract Detail

Ecological Section

Van Drunen, Wendy [1], Husband, Brian [2].

The association between polyploidy and clonal reproduction in the angiosperms: A comparative approach.

Polyploidy is widespread within the angiosperms, yet many mechanisms surrounding the two primary barriers to polyploid evolution, formation and establishment, remain largely unexplored. Asexuality via clonal reproduction may play an important role in both processes by enhancing the probability of polyploid formation, and increasing the chances of polyploid establishment by diminishing the frequency-dependent mating disadvantage experienced by newly formed polyploids (Minority Cytotype Exclusion). Moreover, the mode or extent of clonal reproduction itself may have a significant influence on polyploid establishment by altering the spatial patterns of ramets within genets (i.e., phalanx vs. guerrilla type growth, and high vs. low clonal growth rates), moderating the negative effects of mating between cytotypes and inbreeding within cytotypes. Here, we use across-species and comparative analyses of ~1100 angiosperm species (representing 603 genera and 142 families) to test the hypothesis that polyploidy and clonal reproduction are evolutionarily correlated. Since both polyploidy and clonal reproduction may be indirectly associated through correlations with other factors, we include life history and woodiness in our analyses. We also test the influence that clonal mode, clonal propagule production, and genet lateral spread have on the incidence of polyploidy in our taxa. Preliminary results provide support for a positive association between polyploidy and clonality in both across-species and comparative analyses. However, this association may be primarily driven by the close correlation between clonal reproduction and perennial life history. Between clonal species, polyploidy was influenced by clonal mode, but the relationship was partially dependent on how polyploidy was measured in the phylogenetic analysis. Lastly, we found no association between polyploidy and the propagule production or lateral spread in either analysis. We conclude that clonal reproduction is evolutionarily correlated with the presence of polyploidy and may influence the process of polyploid evolution in the angiosperms, but observe that this relationship may be largely a product of perennial life history in clonal species. However, among clonal species we find evidence for an effect of clonal mode on polyploidy suggesting that the degree of spatial aggregation and patterns of mating mediated by clonal reproduction may also play an important part in polyploid occurrence.

1 - University of Guelph, Integrative Biology, Guelph, ON, N1G2W1, Canada
2 - University Of Guelph, Department Of Integrative Biology, 50 Stone Road E, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada

Keywords:
clonal growth
Polyploidy
angiosperms
phylogenetic analysis.

Presentation Type: Oral Paper:Papers for Sections
Session: 52
Location: Salon 6/The Shaw Conference Centre
Date: Tuesday, July 28th, 2015
Time: 3:00 PM
Number: 52006
Abstract ID:1069
Candidate for Awards:None