Life History Variation in Geranium carolinianum. 1. Covariation between Characters at Different Stages of the Life Cycle

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Abstract
Seeds of Geranium carolinianum were collected according to common female parent from three populations, and then planted back with identification labels in a randomized block design into one of the original populations. Seven individuals per family were destructively harvested at three stages of the life cycle.sbd.early juvenile, late juvenile, and adult.sbd.and the same traits were measured at each life stage. The genetic correlations measured between early juvenile and adult traits were negative, and the genetic correlations of age-specific characters with fecundity changed during the life cycle and became positive later in life. Positive phenotypic correlations were found between these same characters. The implications for life history evolution of these genetic correlations between different life stages are discussed.