Genetic Bases of Maternal Effects
A maternal parent’s environment and genotype substantially influence early traits of her offspring. This maternal effect will limit response to natural selection by the offspring. Considering our changing environment, species need to adapt quickly. Therefore an understanding of the limits to natural selection is critical for assessment of the potential for adaptation of individuals in natural populations. However, it has rarely been determined if maternal effects influence reproductive traits which have more direct consequences for evolution than early traits. In collaboration with Christina Minott (an undergraduate honors student), we found the variation in some later expressed traits such as reproductive traits were also attributed to genetically based maternal effects Nemophila menziesii. We used pedigreed plants and then statistically determined the source of the variation in ovule and pollen production . This research suggests if a species’ evolutionary response to selection on reproductive traits and consequently relative fitness is limited due to maternal effects in the previous generation.
