TY - JOUR
T1 - A new hypothesis for the evolution of overproduction of ovules
T2 - An advantage of selective abortion for females not associated with variation in genetic quality of the resulting seeds
AU - Sakai, Satoki
PY - 2007/4
Y1 - 2007/4
N2 - A new hypothesis for the evolution of overproduction of ovules within flowers is proposed: overproduction is a counter-strategy of female seed production in the conflict with males and/or offspring. It is advantageous for females to produce a uniform size of seeds, whereas it is advantageous for fertilized ovules to absorb more resources than this size. If there is a variance in resource absorption ability among fertilized ovules, nonuniform seeds are produced. Then, by overproducing ovules, females should select fertilized ovules with similar resource absorption rates, resulting in seeds of uniform size. A model analysis confirmed that this hypothesis works. In the model, the fertilized ovules of a plant consist of two genotypes that differ in resource absorption rate. I found that overproduction of ovules and selective abortion is advantageous if the difference in the resource absorption rates of the genotypes is large. The new hypothesis is different from the selective abortion hypothesis in that selecting ovules is advantageous even if there are no differences in the genetic quality of resulting seeds.
AB - A new hypothesis for the evolution of overproduction of ovules within flowers is proposed: overproduction is a counter-strategy of female seed production in the conflict with males and/or offspring. It is advantageous for females to produce a uniform size of seeds, whereas it is advantageous for fertilized ovules to absorb more resources than this size. If there is a variance in resource absorption ability among fertilized ovules, nonuniform seeds are produced. Then, by overproducing ovules, females should select fertilized ovules with similar resource absorption rates, resulting in seeds of uniform size. A model analysis confirmed that this hypothesis works. In the model, the fertilized ovules of a plant consist of two genotypes that differ in resource absorption rate. I found that overproduction of ovules and selective abortion is advantageous if the difference in the resource absorption rates of the genotypes is large. The new hypothesis is different from the selective abortion hypothesis in that selecting ovules is advantageous even if there are no differences in the genetic quality of resulting seeds.
KW - Conflict
KW - Overproduction of ovules
KW - Resource absorption rate
KW - Seed size
KW - Selective abortion
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U2 - 10.1111/j.1558-5646.2007.00083.x
DO - 10.1111/j.1558-5646.2007.00083.x
M3 - Article
C2 - 17439626
AN - SCOPUS:34047218073
VL - 61
SP - 984
EP - 993
JO - Evolution; international journal of organic evolution
JF - Evolution; international journal of organic evolution
SN - 0014-3820
IS - 4
ER -