The role of multiple reproductive barriers: strong post-pollination interactions govern cytotype isolation in a tetraploid-octoploid contact zone.

ABSTRACT:

Background and aims

Polyploidy is an important contributor to sympatric speciation and assortative mating is a key mechanism driving cytotype interactions in contact zones. While strong reproductive barriers can mediate the coexistence of different cytotypes in sympatry, positive frequency-dependent mating disadvantage ultimately drives the transition to single-ploidy populations. However, comprehensive estimates of reproductive isolation among cytotypes and across multiple barriers are rare. We quantify the strength of isolation across multiple reproductive stages in a tetraploid-octoploid contact zone to understand the potential for coexistence.

Methods

Assortative mating due to flowering asynchrony, pollinator behaviour, morphological overlap, self-fertilization and gamet

SUBMITTER: Castro M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7596367 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature