Rapid response to artificial selection on flower size in Phlox

Abstract

Quantitative characters are often said to evolve rather slowly, taking many generations to exhibit appreciable differences among populations. We tested this notion experimentally by performing bi-directional selection on corolla diameter of plants from a wild population of Phlox drummondii for three generations. By monitoring flower size, tube length and stigma-anther proximity of flowers, we obtained the direct and indirect responses to selection, and calculated genetic correlations, realized and narrow sense heritabilities using offspring-mother regression. Realized heritability of flower size was high (0.83), whereas genetic correlations among traits were weak or not significant. The per-generation average of the response in corolla diameter was about 5% We found that P. drummondii has a great capacity to respond rapidly to selection, and this capacity may be in part responsible for the observed high degree of differentiation within the species. We also concluded that rapid evolution of morphological floral traits is possible.