title: Genetic correlations do not constrain the evolution of sexual dimorphism in the moss Ceratodon purpureus.
abstract: The trajectory of phenotypic evolution is constrained in the short term by genetic correlations among traits. However, the extent to which genetic correlations impose a lasting constraint is generally unknown. Here, I examine the genetic architecture of life-history variation in male and female gametophytes from two populations of the moss Ceratodon purpureus, focusing on genetic correlations within and between the sexes. A significant negative correlation between allocation to vegetative and reproductive tissue was evident in males of both populations, but not females. All traits showed between-sex correlations of significantly less than one, indicating additive genetic variance for sexual dimorphism. The degree of dimorphism for traits was significantly negatively associated with the strength of the between-sex correlation. The structure of genetic correlations among life-history traits was more divergent between the two populations in females than in males. Collectively, these results suggest that genetic correlations do not impose a lasting constraint on the evolution of life-history variation in the species.
authors.affiliation: Biology Department, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA. smcdaniel@biology2.wustl.edu
authors.forename: Stuart F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: McDaniel
mesh_terms: D005075:Biological Evolution; D019068:Bryopsida / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology; D014644:Genetic Variation; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000254:growth & development; D012727:Sex Characteristics