title: The evolution of self-incompatibility when mates are limiting.
abstract: Self-incompatibility (SI) is a genetic barrier to inbreeding that is broadly distributed in angiosperms. In finite populations of SI plants, the loss of S-allele diversity can limit plant reproduction by reducing the availability of compatible mates. Many studies have shown that small or fragmented plant populations suffer from mate limitation. The advent of molecular typing of S-alleles in many species has paved the way to address quantitatively the importance of mate limitation, and to provide greater insight into why and how SI systems breakdown frequently in nature. In this review, we highlight the ecological factors that contribute to mate limitation in SI taxa, discuss their consequences for the evolution and functioning of SI, and propose new empirical research directions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, McGill University, 1205 Docteur Penfield, Montreal, QC H3A 1B1, Canada. jeremiah.busch@mcgill.ca
authors.forename: Jeremiah W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Busch
authors.forename: Daniel J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Schoen
mesh_terms: D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D005838:Genotype; D005843:Geography; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D008957:Models, Genetic; D009154:Mutation; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D054817:Pollination / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D012641:Selection, Genetic
chemical_list: D006023:Glycoproteins; D010940:Plant Proteins; C064156:self-incompatibility locus specific glycoprotein, Brassica