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Fluctuating asymmetry in leaves and flowers of sympatric species in a tropical montane environment
Author(s) -
Telhado Cristina,
Silveira Fernando A.O.,
Fernandes G. Wilson,
Cornelissen Tatiana
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
plant species biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.419
H-Index - 36
eISSN - 1442-1984
pISSN - 0913-557X
DOI - 10.1111/1442-1984.12122
Subject(s) - fluctuating asymmetry , biology , sympatric speciation , bilateral symmetry , botany , petal , montane ecology , ontogeny , environmental stress , ecology , mechanical engineering , genetics , engineering
Abstract F luctuating a symmetry ( FA ) represents small, random variations in traits, presumably with bilateral symmetry, and is widely used as a tool to measure developmental instability in plants and animals. Because FA is a quick, simple and reliable measure, it has been frequently used for monitoring levels of environmental stress. This study investigated whether FA can be used as a predictor of individual developmental instability for four sympatric M elastomataceae species. To achieve that aim, 20 individuals of T rembleya laniflora , T . parviflora , L avoisiera campos‐portoana and T ibouchina heteromalla were marked in southeastern B razil and monitored before and during the flowering season. The FA index was calculated as the mean of the difference in the width or length between the left and right sides measured for each leaf or flower. All studied species exhibited asymmetry in the leaves and flowers, but the leaves of L . campos‐portoana and the petal width of T . heteromalla exhibited directional asymmetry, also an indicator of developmental instability. The highest level of leaf asymmetry was found in T . heteromalla and on flowers of L . campos‐portoana . None of the studied species exhibited a significant relationship between the FA level of the leaves and flowers on an individual basis, indicating that environmental and/or genetic sources of stress might act differently on different plant traits. For the studied species, measurements of FA can be suggested as useful tools to biomonitor levels of stress experienced by both leaves and flowers within the M elastomataceae family.