Meeting Abstract
he asymmetry is studied on different biosystemic levels. The deviation from perfect bilateral symmetry is a phenomen, which mean the turns in metabolic paths responsible for developmental homeostasis. There is an importance of unbiased estimates of asymmetry. Present study demonstrates as accuracy of measurement indicates the statistically significant presence of directional asymmetry (DA) in leaf blade of Betula pendula. Twelve landmarks were employed in every leaf blade and Procrustes analyze of variance was used. The random measuring error was determined by repeated photographing and two-fold application of landmarks on each image. In ten randomly selected populations DA was revealed in all biosystem level from the population to leaf blade level. Populations did not show significant difference in DA value. Two-factor interaction “leaf × side” showed the statistical significance on all levels as well. The directional asymmetry of metric traits corresponded to the value directional asymmetry in leaf blade shape. Results revealed the DA highly varied in individual (tree level) whereby population characteristic remain invariant. DA as a genotypic component of asymmetry variety can be concluded about high heterogeneity of genotypic effect in individual level across all populations. The high accuracy of measurement error allows to detect DA variance as a genetic component variability on intra and inter individual levels. So directional asymmetry can be characterised as a common type of bilateral asymmetry presented in the shape of birch leaf blades. Fluctuating asymmetry in its pure form, at all levels of biosystem was met only in single population of ten that should be taken into account in testing developmental stability of birch and possibly other woody plants. Keywords— developmental instability, directional asymmetry, fluctuating asymmetry, geometric morphometrics, silver birch.
