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MINORITY CYTOTYPE EXCLUSION IN LOCAL PLANT POPULATIONS
Author(s) -
Levin Donald A.
Publication year - 1975
Publication title -
taxon
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.819
H-Index - 81
eISSN - 1996-8175
pISSN - 0040-0262
DOI - 10.2307/1218997
Subject(s) - pollination , disadvantage , population , reproductive success , biology , pollen , ecology , demography , sociology , political science , law
Summary The outcome of random cross‐pollination and incomplete self‐pollination in populations of two cytotypes not capable of hybridizing is analyzed in a simple model. The reproductive success of a cytotype is frequency‐dependent, the minority being at a disadvantage because it suffers a greater proportion of ineffectual pollinations. The reproductive handicap in a given generation leads to a greater handicap in the next, the minority cytotype being rapidly excluded from the population. Self‐pollination reduces the minority disadvantage and the tempo of the exclusion process as does the immigration of minority type pollen and seeds. It is concluded that unless two cytotypes have disparate ecological requirements, a minority disadvantage will cause the local extinction of one of the cytotypes, even though they may be equally fit in all respects.