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Propensity for selfing varies within a population of hermaphroditic snails: coexistence of selfers, outcrossers and mixed-mating individuals

Felmy, Anja LU orcid ; Streiff, Alena B and Jokela, Jukka (2023) In Royal Society Open Science 10(10).
Abstract

To understand mating-system evolution in self-compatible hermaphrodites, variation in selfing rates is highly relevant. Empirical studies are rarely designed to capture variation between individuals, instead often comparing species and populations. Yet, evolution primarily occurs within populations, rendering among-individual variation essential. Observed individual selfing rates depend on the environment (e.g. differences in mate availability) and individuals' propensity for selfing. We quantified individual variation in selfing propensity in the snail Radix balthica by conducting laboratory mating trials that manipulated mate availability (low versus moderate) and estimating selfing rates from progeny arrays. We also measured female... (More)

To understand mating-system evolution in self-compatible hermaphrodites, variation in selfing rates is highly relevant. Empirical studies are rarely designed to capture variation between individuals, instead often comparing species and populations. Yet, evolution primarily occurs within populations, rendering among-individual variation essential. Observed individual selfing rates depend on the environment (e.g. differences in mate availability) and individuals' propensity for selfing. We quantified individual variation in selfing propensity in the snail Radix balthica by conducting laboratory mating trials that manipulated mate availability (low versus moderate) and estimating selfing rates from progeny arrays. We also measured female lifetime fitness. We found substantial among-individual variation in selfing propensity, including pure selfers (32%), pure outcrossers (31%) and mixed-mating individuals that selfed and outcrossed (37%). Experimental levels of mate availability did not significantly affect selfing rates. Selfers had reduced female liftetime fitness. Our results show that the propensity for selfing can differ considerably among individuals, with similar proportions of selfers, outcrossers and mixed maters. As mate availability did not affect selfing, our 'moderate' experimental level of mate availability might still have been too low to prompt selfers to outcross. This and the observed fitness differences also cautiously suggest that investigating the heritability of selfing propensities might be worthwhile in this population.

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type
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publication status
published
subject
in
Royal Society Open Science
volume
10
issue
10
article number
230532
publisher
Royal Society Publishing
external identifiers
  • scopus:85174359280
  • pmid:37800152
ISSN
2054-5703
DOI
10.1098/rsos.230532
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
c9ab7032-8f7b-4a42-ba9d-fc99c4763ef9
date added to LUP
2023-12-11 11:07:32
date last changed
2024-04-24 08:53:31
@article{c9ab7032-8f7b-4a42-ba9d-fc99c4763ef9,
  abstract     = {{<p>To understand mating-system evolution in self-compatible hermaphrodites, variation in selfing rates is highly relevant. Empirical studies are rarely designed to capture variation between individuals, instead often comparing species and populations. Yet, evolution primarily occurs within populations, rendering among-individual variation essential. Observed individual selfing rates depend on the environment (e.g. differences in mate availability) and individuals' propensity for selfing. We quantified individual variation in selfing propensity in the snail Radix balthica by conducting laboratory mating trials that manipulated mate availability (low versus moderate) and estimating selfing rates from progeny arrays. We also measured female lifetime fitness. We found substantial among-individual variation in selfing propensity, including pure selfers (32%), pure outcrossers (31%) and mixed-mating individuals that selfed and outcrossed (37%). Experimental levels of mate availability did not significantly affect selfing rates. Selfers had reduced female liftetime fitness. Our results show that the propensity for selfing can differ considerably among individuals, with similar proportions of selfers, outcrossers and mixed maters. As mate availability did not affect selfing, our 'moderate' experimental level of mate availability might still have been too low to prompt selfers to outcross. This and the observed fitness differences also cautiously suggest that investigating the heritability of selfing propensities might be worthwhile in this population. </p>}},
  author       = {{Felmy, Anja and Streiff, Alena B and Jokela, Jukka}},
  issn         = {{2054-5703}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{10}},
  publisher    = {{Royal Society Publishing}},
  series       = {{Royal Society Open Science}},
  title        = {{Propensity for selfing varies within a population of hermaphroditic snails: coexistence of selfers, outcrossers and mixed-mating individuals}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsos.230532}},
  doi          = {{10.1098/rsos.230532}},
  volume       = {{10}},
  year         = {{2023}},
}