Interplay between fecundity, sexual and growth selection on the spring phenology of European beech (*Fagus sylvatica* L.).use asterix (*) to get italics

Sylvie Oddou-Muratorio, Aurore Bontemps, Julie Gauzere, Etienne KleinPlease use the format "First name initials family name" as in "Marie S. Curie, Niels H. D. Bohr, Albert Einstein, John R. R. Tolkien, Donna T. Strickland"

2024

<p>Background: Plant phenological traits such as the timing of budburst or flowering can evolve on ecological timescales through response to fecundity and viability selection. However, interference with sexual selection may arise from assortative mating. This study aims to investigate how these three components of selection on spring phenology may combine in European beech populations in contrasting environments (high versus low altitude).&nbsp;</p> <p>Methods: we monitored the timing of budburst (TBB) in 339 adult beech trees and estimated their fecundity using spatially explicit mating models. Fecundity selection was infered by regressing fecundities on TBB, while sexual selection was inferred by regressing fecundities on mating opportunities (i.e., TBB mismatch). The correlation between mates for flowering time (i.e., assortative mating) was estimated based on paternity analyses. Morever, TBB and growth were surveyed in 3261 seedlings from 40 families grown planted in a common garden, and viability selection was inferred by regressing growth on TBB.</p> <p>Results: Overall, directional fecundity selection on female fitness favored trees with earlier TBB. Sexual selection acted only on male fitness through assortative mating favoring trees with mean TBB value (stabilizing selection). In the common garden, early budburst was associated with higher seedling growth. The respective intensities of directional and stabilizing selection varied with the environment: at low altitude, directional selection for earlier phenology was modulated by strong assortative mating and by an interaction effect between TBB an size on female fecundity, whereas at high altitude, directional selection for earlier phenology was reinforced by selection through male fecundity.&nbsp;</p> <p>Discussion: This study showed that selection through female fecundity and seedlings growth predominantly selected for earlier TBB, while sexual selection on male fitness through assortative mating modulated this trend. This interplay between fecundity and sexual selection calls for an integrative approach to predict the evolution of spring phenology under a changing climate.</p>

https://doi.org/10.57745/ZVPNXXYou should fill this box only if you chose 'All or part of the results presented in this preprint are based on data'. URL must start with http:// or https://

https://doi.org/10.57745/ZVPNXXYou should fill this box only if you chose 'Scripts were used to obtain or analyze the results'. URL must start with http:// or https://

budburst phenology, selection gradient, assortative mating, Bateman’s gradient, parentage/paternity analyses, Mixed-Effect Mating Model (MEMM), Fagus sylvatica

NonePlease indicate the methods that may require specialised expertise during the peer review process (use a comma to separate various required expertises).

Adaptation, Evolutionary Ecology, Quantitative Genetics, Reproduction and Sex, Sexual Selection

Yann Vitasse [yann.vitasse@wsl.ch]; Pierre de Villemereuil [pierre.devillemereuil@ephe.psl.eu]; No need for them to be recommenders of PCIEvolBiol. Please do not suggest reviewers for whom there might be a conflict of interest. Reviewers are not allowed to review preprints written by close colleagues (with whom they have published in the last four years, with whom they have received joint funding in the last four years, or with whom they are currently writing a manuscript, or submitting a grant proposal), or by family members, friends, or anyone for whom bias might affect the nature of the review - see the code of conduct

2023-05-02 11:57:23

Santiago C. Gonzalez-Martinez