Consequences of sexually dimorphic timing of emergence and flowering in Silene latifolia

摘要: 1 Males and females of dioecious plant species often differ in a variety secondary characteristics, such as size, flower number flowering time, suggesting that have sex-specific selection histories. However, potential source these dimorphic traits is age differences between males females. By sowing 3000 seeds the perennial, Silene latifolia (Caryophyllaceae), on single day, we were able to assess contribution sex emergence time development sexually adult traits. 2 Females emerged before our experimental field population, but average flowered first. Age did not therefore cause earlier males. 3 The consequence detected phenology was explored by path analysis. Emergence had strong direct effect production well an indirect through time. regression coefficient significantly larger for male plants. 4 A phenotypic analysis revealed seedlings emerging early suffered greater mortality than those later. Seedlings early, however, developed into plants with more flowers, indicating there trade-off survivorship reproductive performance. Seeds intermediate times highest total fitness, presence stabilizing selection. Despite against emergers, no shift ratio compared matured under low-mortality greenhouse conditions.