Phenotypic Plasticity of Life History Characteristics: Quantitative Analysis of Delayed Reproduction of Green Foxtail (Setaria viridis) in the Songnen Plain of China

Several herbicides were tested in the greenhouse on ivyleaf morningglory (Ipomoea hederacea(L.) Jacq.), green foxtail (Setaria viridis(L.) Beauv.), purple nutsedge (Cyperus rotundusL.), and quackgrass (Agropyron repens(L.) Beauv.) to determine the degree of enhancement in activity that could be obtained with an isoparaffinic oil carrier applied at 140 L/ha. The enhancement varied with the herbicide and with the species, ranging from 16-fold enhancement with 2-chloro-4-(ethylamino)-6-(isopropylamino)-s-triazine (atrazine) and 2-sec-butyl-4,6-dinitrophenol (dinoseb) on ivyleaf morningglory to no enhancement of atrazine activity on purple nutsedge and quackgrass or (2,4-dichlorophenoxy)acetic acid (2,4-D) activity on quackgrass and ivyleaf morningglory. An oil adjuvant was less effective in enhancing dinoseb and 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1-methoxy-1-methylurea (linuron) activity than was the isoparaffinic oil carrier. Also, the isoparaffinic oil carrier emulsified in water was less effective than the undiluted oil in enhancing dinoseb activity on green foxtail, even though equal volumes of the isoparaffinic oil were applied.

Download Full-text

Phenotypic plasticity of labile traits in the wild

Current Zoology ◽

10.1093/czoolo/59.4.485 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 59 (4) ◽

pp. 485-505 ◽

Cited By ~ 37

Author(s):

Jon E. Brommer

Keyword(s):

Life History ◽

Phenotypic Plasticity ◽

Statistical Approach ◽

Scale Up ◽

Population Level ◽

Wild Populations ◽

Quantitative Genetic ◽

In The Wild ◽

The Individual ◽

Quantitative Genetic Parameters

Abstract Individual-based studies allow quantification of phenotypic plasticity in behavioural, life-history and other labile traits. The study of phenotypic plasticity in the wild can shed new light on the ultimate objectives (1) whether plasticity itself can evolve or is constrained by its genetic architecture, and (2) whether plasticity is associated to other traits, including fitness (selection). I describe the main statistical approach for how repeated records of individuals and a description of the environment (E) allow quantification of variation in plasticity across individuals (IxE) and genotypes (GxE) in wild populations. Based on a literature review of life-history and behavioural studies on plasticity in the wild, I discuss the present state of the two objectives listed above. Few studies have quantified GxE of labile traits in wild populations, and it is likely that power to detect statistically significant GxE is lacking. Apart from the issue of whether it is heritable, plasticity tends to correlate with average trait expression (not fully supported by the few genetic estimates available) and may thus be evolutionary constrained in this way. Individual-specific estimates of plasticity tend to be related to other traits of the individual (including fitness), but these analyses may be anti-conservative because they predominantly concern stats-on-stats. Despite the increased interest in plasticity in wild populations, the putative lack of power to detect GxE in such populations hinders achieving general insights. I discuss possible steps to invigorate the field by moving away from simply testing for presence of GxE to analyses that ‘scale up’ to population level processes and by the development of new behavioural theory to identify quantitative genetic parameters which can be estimated.

Download Full-text