Evolution of flowering time in a changing environment

Sammanfattning: How come the same species of plants can naturally occur under various conditions in different parts of the world? A plant's ability to adapt in response to a changing climate hinges on the presence of genetic variation in traits, such as flowering phenology. In this study, I examine whether flowering start varies genetically within populations and compare this variation to differences between populations. This study quantifies genetic variation in flowering time in two Italian populations of Arabidopsis thaliana whilst using two Swedish populations as a reference. This was done using a randomized block design where plants were grown in a controlled climate. To characterize and measure flowering phenology, time of bolting and flowering were recorded. The experiment included four populations, a total of 150 maternal lines, and 2980 plants. One-way ANOVAs conducted separately by population indicated significant among-line variation in the two Italian populations. Flowering time differed between the Italian and Swedish populations, but not between the two Italian populations. More data would be needed to draw conclusions about the among-line variation in the Swedish populations. The results indicate that the Italian populations have the potential to respond to selection on flowering time, which is a likely consequence of a changing climate.