Genetic consequences of being a dwarf: do evolutionary changes in life-history traits influence gene flow patterns in populations of the world's smallest goldenrod?

ABSTRACT:

Background and aims

Contrasting life-history traits can evolve through generations of dwarf plant ecotypes, yet such phenotypic changes often involve decreased plant size and reproductive allocation, which can configure seed dispersal patterns and, subsequently, population demography. Therefore, evolutionary transitions to dwarfism can represent good study systems to test the roles of life-history traits in population demography by comparing genetic structure between related but phenotypically divergent ecotypes.

Methods

In this study, we examined an ecotypic taxon pair of the world's smallest goldenrod (stem height 2.6 cm) in alpine habitats and its closely related lowland taxon (30-40 cm) found on Yakushima Island, Japan. Genetic variation in chloroplast DNA sequences, nuc

SUBMITTER: Sakaguchi S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7304467 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature