start-ver=1.4
cd-journal=joma
no-vol=109
cd-vols=
no-issue=11
article-no=
start-page=3916
end-page=3928
dt-received=
dt-revised=
dt-accepted=
dt-pub-year=2021
dt-pub=2021916
dt-online=
en-article=
kn-article=
en-subject=
kn-subject=
en-title=
kn-title=The eco‐evolutionary dynamics of prior selfing rates promote coexistence without niche partitioning under conditions of reproductive interference
en-subtitle=
kn-subtitle=
en-abstract=
kn-abstract=1. Pollinator-mediated reproductive interference can occur when two or more plant species share the same pollinators. Recent studies have suggested that prior autonomous selfing mitigates reproductive interference, potentially facilitating coexistence even in the absence of pollination niche partitioning (i.e. the pre-emptive selfing hypothesis). However, whether the evolution of prior selfing promotes coexistence, in the context of the eco-evolutionary dynamics of population size, selfing rates and inbreeding depression, remains poorly understood.
2. We constructed an individual-based model to examine the conditions under which the evolution of prior selfing promotes coexistence in the context of mutual reproductive interference. In the model, two plant species compete by way of mutual reproductive interference, and both have the potential to evolve the capacity for prior autonomous selfing. We expected that purging of deleterious mutations might result in evolutionary rescue, assuming that the strength of inbreeding depression declines as the population selfing rate increases; this would enable inferior competitors to maintain population density through the evolution of prior selfing.
3. Our simulation demonstrated that evolution of prior selfing may promote coexistence, whereas reproductive interference in the absence of such evolution results in competitive exclusion. We found that lower pollinator availability is likely to favour rapid evolutionary shifts to higher prior selfing rates, thereby neutralising the negative effects of reproductive interference in both species. When the strength of inbreeding depression decreased with an increase in the population-level selfing rate, moderate pollinator availability resulted in long-term coexistence in which relative abundance-dependent selection on the prior selfing rate served to intermittently maintain the population density of the inferior competitor.
4. Synthesis. We demonstrate that the evolution of prior selfing may increase population growth rates of inferior competitors and may consequently promote long-term coexistence via an evolutionary rescue. This constitutes a novel mechanism explaining the co-evolutionary coexistence of closely related plant species without niche partitioning, and is consistent with recent studies reporting that closely related species with mixed mating systems can co-occur sympatrically, even under conditions of mutual reproductive interference.
en-copyright=
kn-copyright=
en-aut-name=KatsuharaKoki
en-aut-sei=Katsuhara
en-aut-mei=Koki
kn-aut-name=
kn-aut-sei=
kn-aut-mei=
aut-affil-num=1
ORCID=
en-aut-name=TachikiYuuya
en-aut-sei=Tachiki
en-aut-mei=Yuuya
kn-aut-name=
kn-aut-sei=
kn-aut-mei=
aut-affil-num=2
ORCID=
en-aut-name=IritaniRyosuke
en-aut-sei=Iritani
en-aut-mei=Ryosuke
kn-aut-name=
kn-aut-sei=
kn-aut-mei=
aut-affil-num=3
ORCID=
en-aut-name=UshimaruAtushi
en-aut-sei=Ushimaru
en-aut-mei=Atushi
kn-aut-name=
kn-aut-sei=
kn-aut-mei=
aut-affil-num=4
ORCID=
affil-num=1
en-affil=Graduate School of Human Development and Environment, Kobe University Kobe
kn-affil=
affil-num=2
en-affil=Department of Biological Sciences Tokyo Metropolitan University Tokyo Japan
kn-affil=
affil-num=3
en-affil=Interdisciplinary Theoretical and Mathematical Sciences Program (iTHEMS) RIKEN Wako Saitama Japan
kn-affil=
affil-num=4
en-affil=Graduate School of Human Development and Environment Kobe University Kobe Japan
kn-affil=
en-keyword=Co-evolution
kn-keyword=Co-evolution
en-keyword=evolutionary rescue
kn-keyword=evolutionary rescue
en-keyword=inbreeding depression
kn-keyword=inbreeding depression
en-keyword=individual-based model
kn-keyword=individual-based model
en-keyword=mixed mating
kn-keyword=mixed mating
en-keyword=pollinator-mediated competition
kn-keyword=pollinator-mediated competition
en-keyword=reproductive ecology
kn-keyword=reproductive ecology
en-keyword=selfing syndrome
kn-keyword=selfing syndrome
END