Short-term population differences in the genetic architecture of life history traits related to sexuality in an aphid species

Nespolo, RF; Figueroa, CC; Plantegenest, M; Simon, JC

Abstract

One of the most important factors that determine the evolutionary trajectory of a suite of traits in a population is the structure of the genetic variance-covariance matrix (G). We studied the cyclically parthenogenetic aphid Rhopalosiphum padi, whose populations exhibit two types of reproductive lineages respectively specialized in sexuality (that is, cyclically parthenogenetic lineages) and in asexuality (that is, obligate parthenogenetic lineages). We compared the quantitative genetics of life histories in these two lineage types. Our results suggest that both, the elements and the whole structure of the resulting G matrices differ in the very short term, between lineage types. This would involve the evolution toward different evolutionary optima in the same population, depending on whether sexual or asexual lineages predominate. Since sexual and asexual lineages vary seasonally in their abundance, a fluctuating selective regime has been proposed for this species, which would contribute to the maintenance of the reproductive polymorphism that these populations exhibit. © 2008 Nature Publishing Group All rights reserved.

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Título según WOS: Short-term population differences in the genetic architecture of life history traits related to sexuality in an aphid species
Título según SCOPUS: Short-term population differences in the genetic architecture of life history traits related to sexuality in an aphid species
Título de la Revista: HEREDITY
Volumen: 100
Número: 4
Editorial: SPRINGERNATURE
Fecha de publicación: 2008
Página de inicio: 374
Página final: 381
Idioma: English
URL: http://www.nature.com/doifinder/10.1038/sj.hdy.6801085
DOI:

10.1038/sj.hdy.6801085

Notas: ISI, SCOPUS