Correlations of polyploidy and apomixis with elevation and associated environmental gradients in an alpine plant

Apomictic plants expand their geographical distributions more to higher elevations compared to their sexual progenitors. It was so far unclear whether this tendency is related to mode of reproduction itself or represents a side effect of polyploidy. Apomixis is advantageous for range expansions as no mating partners and pollinators are needed (Baker’s rule). Polyploidy is thought to infer fitness advantages and a higher vigour that would enable plants to adjust better to more extreme climatic conditions. However, little is known about actual performance of plants at higher elevations. We analyzed 81 populations of Ranunculus kuepferi from the whole distribution area in the European Alps to quantify apomictic versus sexual seed formation via flow cytometric seed screening. Seed set and vegetative growth were measured as fitness parameters. All parameters were correlated to geographical distribution, elevation, temperature and precipitation. Flow cytometric seed screening revealed predominantly obligate sexuality (88.9 %) and facultative apomixis in diploid populations, while tetraploid populations are predominantly facultative (65.4 %) to obligate apomictic. Apomictic seed formation correlated significantly to higher elevations, which explains also the observed niche shift to lower temperatures. However, within the tetraploid range, there is no apparent correlation of degree of facultative apomixis to geographical distance. Apomixis appeared in diploids three times independently in separated, otherwise sexual populations in the southwestern refugial areas of the Alps. Diploid apomixis was not successful in range expansions, and obligate sexual polyploids were not observed. Polyploidy may relate to cold tolerance as an adaptation to conditions at high elevations, where diploid sexuals have no fitness advantage. Instead, facultative apomixis may have aided colonization of higher elevations and range expansions in the Alps without mate and pollinator limitation, but did not necessarily involve long-distance dispersal. A direct influence of low temperatures on unreduced gamete formation cannot be ruled out.