RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Fitness and mating consequences of variation in male allocation in a wind pollinated plant
JF bioRxiv
FD Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
SP 2021.12.01.470797
DO 10.1101/2021.12.01.470797
A1 Abrar A. Aljiboury
A1 Jannice Friedman
YR 2021
UL http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2021/12/03/2021.12.01.470797.abstract
AB In hermaphrodites, the allocation of resources to each sex function can influence fitness through reproductive success and mating success. In wind pollinated plants, sex allocation theory predicts that male fitness increases linearly with investment of resources into male function. However, there have been few empirical tests of this prediction. We experimentally manipulated allocation to male function in Ambrosia artemisiifolia (common ragweed) in a field experiment and measured mating success using genetic assays. We investigated the effects of various morphological traits and flowering phenology on male fitness, and on male and female mate diversity. Our results provide evidence for a linear relation between allocation to male function and fitness. We find earlier onset of male flowering time increases reproductive success, while later onset flowering time increases the probability of mating with diverse individuals. This research is among the first empirical studies testing the prediction of linear male fitness returns in wind pollinated plants. Our results provide insight into the large investment into male function by wind pollinated plants and temporal variation in sex allocation.Competing Interest StatementThe authors have declared no competing interest.