Transgenerational Plasticity in Yellow Monkeyflower (Mimulus guttatus): An Analysis of Maternal and Paternal Effects in Association with Edaphic Variation

dc.contributor.advisorMurren, Courtney
dc.contributor.committeeMemberPritchard, Seth
dc.contributor.committeeMemberRutter, Matt
dc.contributor.committeeMemberStrand, Allan
dc.creatorHenson, Christopher
dc.date.accessioned2016-10-18T16:13:19Z
dc.date.available2016-10-18T16:13:19Z
dc.date.issued2014-08-27
dc.description.abstractEdaphic conditions are an important component in the overall environment experienced by individual plants and their resultant progeny. For annual, sessile organisms, response to soil conditions and variability across generations is an essential element of living in a patchy environment. Transgenerational plasticity involves maternal or paternal induction of the offspring phenotype based upon the environmental conditions experienced in the parental generation and provides a possible response mechanism for variable environments across generations. To assess the presence of transgenerational plasticity in the form of maternal and paternal effects, three generations of Mimulus guttatus were introduced to chemical solutions mimicking the calcium and magnesium of serpentine and nonserpentine edaphic environments. Maternal effects were significant in early growth and persisted through reproduction. Paternal effects were significant only in early growth. Transgenerational plasticity therefore may provide an evolutionary mechanism for M. guttatus to respond to variable edaphic conditions across generations.en_US
dc.description.sponsorshipCollege of Charleston. Graduate School; College of Charleston. Environmental Studies Program.en_US
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/123456789/3023
dc.language.isoen_USen_US
dc.subjectCommon monkeyflower; Soil ecology; Evolution (Biology)en_US
dc.titleTransgenerational Plasticity in Yellow Monkeyflower (Mimulus guttatus): An Analysis of Maternal and Paternal Effects in Association with Edaphic Variationen_US
dc.typeThesisen_US
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