Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada.
Grupo de Ecología de la Polinización, INIBIOMA, CONICET-Universidad Nacional del Comahue, San Carlos de Bariloche, Río Negro, 8400, Argentina.
New Phytol. 2019 Nov;224(3):1021-1034. doi: 10.1111/nph.15916. Epub 2019 Jun 28.
Ecological interaction and adaptation both depend on phenotypic characteristics. In contrast with the common conception of the 'adult' phenotype, plant bodies develop continuously during their lives. Furthermore, the different units (metamers) that comprise plant bodies are not identical copies, but vary extensively within individuals. These characteristics foster recognition of plant phenotypes as dynamic mosaics. We elaborate this conception based largely on a wide-ranging review of developmental, ecological and evolutionary studies of plant reproduction, and identify its utility in the analysis of plant form, function and diversification. An expanded phenotypic conception is warranted because dynamic mosaic features affect plant performance and evolve. Evidence demonstrates that dynamic mosaic phenotypes enable functional ontogeny, division of labour, resource and mating efficiency. In addition, dynamic mosaic features differ between individuals and experience phenotypic selection. Investigation of the characteristics and roles of dynamic and mosaic features of plant phenotypes benefits from considering within-individual variation as a function-valued trait that can be analysed with functional data methods. Phenotypic dynamics and within-individual variation arise despite an individual's genetic uniformity, and develop largely by heterogeneous gene expression and associated hormonal control. These characteristics can be heritable, so that dynamic mosaic phenotypes can evolve and diversify by natural selection.
生态相互作用和适应都依赖于表型特征。与“成年”表型的常见概念相反，植物的身体在其一生中会不断发育。此外，构成植物身体的不同单元（体节）不是完全相同的副本，而是在个体内广泛变化。这些特征促进了对植物表型的动态马赛克的识别。我们主要基于对植物繁殖的发育、生态和进化研究的广泛回顾，阐述了这一概念，并确定了其在分析植物形态、功能和多样化方面的效用。扩展的表型概念是合理的，因为动态马赛克特征会影响植物的表现和进化。有证据表明，动态马赛克表型能够实现功能发生、劳动分工、资源和交配效率。此外，动态马赛克特征在个体之间存在差异，并经历表型选择。研究植物表型的动态和马赛克特征的特征和作用，从将个体内的变异性作为可以用功能数据方法分析的函数值特征来考虑中获益。尽管个体具有遗传均匀性，但表型动态和个体内变异性仍然存在，并主要通过异质基因表达和相关激素控制来发展。这些特征是可遗传的，因此动态马赛克表型可以通过自然选择进化和多样化。
