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Environmental heterogeneity generates intra-population variation in life-history traits in an annual plant.

Jannice Friedman,Taylor E Middleton,M. Rubin

Published 2019 in New Phytologist

ABSTRACT

Environmental variation affects a plant's life cycle by influencing the timing of germination and flowering, and the duration of the growing season. Yet we know little about how environmental heterogeneity generates variation in germination schedules and the consequences for growth and fecundity through genetic and plastic responses. We use an annual population of Mimulus guttatus where, in nature, seeds germinate in both fall and spring. We investigate whether there is a genetic basis to the timing of germination, the effect of germination timing on fecundity, and if growth and flowering respond plastically to compensate for different season lengths. Using sibling families grown in simulated seasonal conditions, we find families do not differ in their propensity to germinate between seasons. However, germination season affects subsequent growth and flowering time, with significant GxE. Most GxE is due to unequal variance between seasons, because the spring cohort harbors little genetic variance. Despite their different season lengths, the cohorts do not differ in flower number (fecundity). Heterogeneous environments with unpredictable risks may maintain promiscuous germination, which then affects flowering time. Thus, if selection at particular life stages changes with climate change, there may be consequences for the entire life cycle. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

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