Developmental stability or homeostasis refers to the ability of an individual to produce a consistent phenotype in a given environment (Graham et al. 1993). Reduced developmental stability can result from a wide variety of environmentally (or genetically) induced perturbations.nul

Stanković, Siniša

Veličković, Miroslava V.

Digital Repository of Archived Publications - Institute for Biological Research Sinisa Stankovic (RADaR)

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Arch. Biol. Sci., Belgrade, 57 (3), 7P-8P, 2005.
DOES THE COEFFICIENT OF VARIATION REFLECT DEVELOPMENTAL INSTABILITY IN
PLANTS? Miroslava V. Veličković. Siniša Stanković Institute for Biological Research, 11060 Beograd, Ser-
bia and Montenegro
UDC 502:58
Developmental stability or homeostasis refers to the ability of
an individual to produce a consistent phenotype in a given envi-
ronment (G r a h a m et al. 1993). Reduced developmental sta-
bility can result from a wide variety of environmentally (or
genetically) induced perturbations (Va l e n t i n e and S o u l é ,
1973; Va l e n t i n e et al. 1973; S i e g e l and D o y l e , 1975;
S i e g e l et al. 1992; Ya b l o k o v, 1986; C l a r k e , 1992,
1993). 
Typically, the most commonly used index of developmen-
tal stability is the level of fluctuating asymmetry (M ø l l e r and
S w a d d l e , 1997). Fluctuating asymmetry is the random devi-
ation from perfect bilateral symmetry and is characterized by
normally distributed R-L differences about a mean of zero
(Va n Va l e n , 1962; P a l m e r and S t r o b e c k , 1986;
L e a r y and A l l e n d o r f , 1989; P a r s o n s , 1990), where R
and L represent measurement of the right and left sides of bilat-
erally symmetrical traits, respectively. Besides FA, there are
other indicators of developmental instability, such as the fre-
quency of asymmetric traits, the frequency of phenodeviants,
namely individual variance and the coefficient of variation or
the relative variation in value of a trait. Concerning CV as an
index of developmental perturbations, in animals and plants,
there are opposite opinions. 
The main aim of the present study was to evaluate the
potential use of CV as an indicator of developmental perturba-
tions of leaf traits in common plantain Plantago major L. (Plan-
taginaceae). Inasmuch as R a s m u n s o n (1960) found a posi-
tive relationship between fluctuating asymmetry and the coeffi-
cient of variation in Drosophila, in the present study FA and CV
values for each trait at both sites were calculated and then com-
pared.
Two bilateral linear dimensions on each leaf: (1) leaf width
(LW, which is the distance from the midrib to the right and left
margins at a leaf's widest point) and (2) vein distances within a
leaf (VD, which is the distance between veins in the left and
right side of a leaf, measured at the leaf's widest point) were
analyzed. These morphometric traits were measured with a dig-
ital caliper (0.01 mm accuracy). Thirty-two leaves per site (one
leaf per plant) were sampled during July of 2004. Each meas-
urement of the left and right sides for each leaf, was performed
twice during two independent sessions, and all measurements
were performed by the same person (V. M.).
Leaves were sampled from two sites in Northern Serbia.
The Karaburma site is located near Pančevo, a town in Serbia
which has a large petrochemical complex and fuel storage facil-
ities. At the petrochemical plant, chlorinated solvents, e.g.,
trichloromethane, tetrachloromethane, trichloroethane, dichlo-
roethene, trichloroethene, and others that are often associated
with PVC (polyvinyl chloride) production as unwanted by-
products were found in both soil and groundwater samples
(G o p a l and D e l l e r , 2002). The Zemun (Gornji Grad) site is
a forested area, far from any known contamination. 
In keeping with P a l m e r (1994), the level of FA for each
trait separately by site was calculated as si2 by partitioning the
measurement error out of the side x individual mean squares of
the ANOVA results (P a l m e r and S t r o b e c k , 1986), while
CV values were calculated using the formula:
CV = S.D. x 100/µ,
where S.D. = standard deviation and µ = mean value of the trait
Before proceeding with the asymmetry analysis, the Pear-
son coefficient of correlation (r2) between original and repeated
measurements for each side of each trait was calculated. The
following values were obtained: for leaf width, 0.999 (left side)
and 0.999 (right side); and for distances within the leaf, 0.999
(left side) and 0.998 (right side). We therefore considered our
measurements reliable. Deviation from normality of the R-L
distributions was assessed using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test
of normality. All R-L distributions were normal (0.14<d<0.19,
p>0.05). 
Because the si2 values are variances, differences between
samples were detected by comparing heterogeneous of vari-
ances using the F-test. The obtained results showed significant-
ly higher values on the environmentally stressed sample than on
the reference one (p>0.01). 
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
Karaburma
Zemun
(G.G.)
FA
 a
nd
 C
V
 v
al
ue
s
LW      Leaf traits       VD
Fig. 1. Comparison of fluctuating asymmetry (FA) and coefficient of variation
(CV)  in two leaf traits, leaf width (LW) and vein distances within a leaf (VD), in
two populations of common plantain: Karaburma = polluted area and Zemun
(Gornji Grad) = reference site.
SHORT COMMUNICATIONS
8P
Reporting significantly higher values of FA for both leaf
traits on the environmentally stressed sample and a positive
relationship between FA and CV values (Fig.1), the study cor-
roborates the potential of CV as an indicator of developmental
perturbations. 
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Does the coefficient of variation reflect developmental instability in plants?

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Does the coefficient of variation reflect developmental instability in plants?

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