Correlations of polyploidy and apomixis with elevation and associated environmental gradients in an alpine plant.

ABSTRACT: Apomictic plants expand their geographical distributions more to higher elevations compared to their sexual progenitors. It was so far unclear whether this tendency is related to mode of reproduction itself or represents a side effect of polyploidy. Apomixis is advantageous for range expansions as no mating partners and pollinators are needed (Baker's rule). Polyploidy is thought to infer fitness advantages and a higher vigour that would enable plants to adjust better to more extreme climatic conditions. However, little is known about actual performance of plants at higher elevations. We analyzed 81 populations of Ranunculus kuepferi from the whole distribution area in the European Alps to quantify apomictic versus sexual seed formation via flow cytometric seed screening. Seed set and vege

SUBMITTER: Schinkel CC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5091893 | biostudies-literature | 2016

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature