RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Shifts in outcrossing rates and changes to floral traits are associated with the evolution of herbicide resistance in the common morning glory
JF bioRxiv
FD Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
SP 061689
DO 10.1101/061689
A1 Adam Kuester
A1 Eva Fall
A1 Shu-Mei Chang
A1 Regina S. Baucom
YR 2016
UL http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2016/07/01/061689.abstract
AB Human-mediated selection can strongly influence the evolutionary response of natural organisms within ecological timescales. But what traits allow for, or even facilitate, adaptation to the strong selection humans impose on natural systems? Using a combination of lab and greenhouse studies of 32 natural populations of the common agricultural weed, Ipomoea purpurea, we show that herbicide resistant populations self-fertilize more than susceptible populations. We also identify a potential mechanism to explain this higher rate of selfing in nature: highly resistant populations exhibit lower anther-stigma distance, a trait known to lead to high self-pollination in this species. Overall, our results extend the general finding that plant mating can be impacted by human-mediated agents of selection to that of the extreme selection of the agricultural system. This work highlights the influence of human-mediated selection on rapid responses of natural populations that can lead to unexpected long-term evolutionary consequences.