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Núñez-Hidalgo S, Cascante-Marín A. Selfing in epiphytic bromeliads compensates for the limited pollination services provided by nectarivorous bats in a neotropical montane forest. AOB PLANTS 2024; 16:plae011. [PMID: 38497049 PMCID: PMC10944016 DOI: 10.1093/aobpla/plae011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
Abstract. Plants with specialized pollination systems frequently exhibit adaptations for self-pollination, and this contradictory situation has been explained in terms of the reproductive assurance function of selfing. In the neotropics, several plant lineages rely on specialized vertebrate pollinators for sexual reproduction, including the highly diverse Bromeliaceae family, which also displays a propensity for selfing. Thus far, the scarce evidence on the role of selfing in bromeliads and in other neotropical plant groups is inconclusive. To provide insights into the evolution and persistence of self-fertilization in the breeding systems of Bromeliaceae, we studied four sympatric epiphytic species from the genus Werauhia (Tillandsioideae) in Costa Rica. We documented their floral biology, pollination ecology and breeding systems. We estimated the contribution of selfing by comparing the reproductive success between emasculated flowers requiring pollinator visits and un-manipulated flowers capable of selfing and exposed to open pollination across two flowering seasons. The studied species displayed specialized pollination by nectar-feeding bats as well as a high selfing ability (auto-fertility index values > 0.53), which was attained by a delayed selfing mechanism. Fruit set from natural cross-pollination was low (<26% in both years) and suggested limited pollinator visitation. In line with this, we found a very low bat visitation to flowers using video-camera recording, from 0 to 0.24 visits per plant per night. On the contrary, the contribution of selfing was comparatively significant since 54-80% of the fruit set from un-manipulated flowers can be attributed to autonomous self-pollination. We concluded that inadequate cross-pollination services diminished the reproductive success of the studied Werauhia, which was compensated for by a delayed selfing mechanism. The low negative effects of inbreeding on seed set and germination likely reinforce the persistence of selfing in this bromeliad group. These results suggest that selfing in bat-pollinated bromeliads may have evolved as a response to pollinator limitation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Núñez-Hidalgo
- Sistema de Estudios de Posgrado, Universidad de Costa Rica, San Pedro de Montes de Oca, 11501-2060 San José, Costa Rica
| | - Alfredo Cascante-Marín
- Escuela de Biología y Centro de Investigación en Biodiversidad y Ecología Terrestre (CIBET), Universidad de Costa Rica, San Pedro de Montes de Oca, 11501-2060 San José, Costa Rica
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Nieto A, Wüest RO, Graham CH, Varassin IG. Diel niche partitioning of a plant-hummingbird network in the Atlantic forest of Brazil. Oecologia 2023; 201:1025-1037. [PMID: 37027042 PMCID: PMC10113301 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-023-05347-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2022] [Accepted: 03/01/2023] [Indexed: 04/08/2023]
Abstract
Niche partitioning is an important mechanism that allows species to coexist. Within mutualistic interaction networks, diel niche partitioning, i.e., partitioning of resources throughout the day, has been neglected. We explored diel niche partitioning of a plant-hummingbird network in the Brazilian Atlantic forest for nine months. To evaluate diel patterns of hummingbird visits and nectar production, we used time-lapse cameras on focal flowers and repeated nectar volume and concentration measures, respectively. Additionally, we measured flower abundance around focal flowers and flower morphological traits. We did not observe diel partitioning for either hummingbirds or plants. Instead, hummingbirds appeared to specialize in different plant species, consistent with trophic niche partitioning, potentially resulting from competition. In contrast, plant species that co-flowered and shared hummingbird visits produced nectar during similar times, consistent with facilitation. Our focus on the fine-scale temporal pattern revealed that plants and hummingbirds appear to have different strategies for promoting co-existence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Nieto
- Laboratório de Interações e Biologia Reprodutiva, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Centro Politécnico, Jardim das Américas, 81531-990, Curitiba, PR, Brazil.
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia e Conservação, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Centro Politécnico, Jardim das Américas, 81531-990, Curitiba, PR, Brazil.
- Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Center (SBiK-F), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325, Frankfurt, Germany.
| | - Rafael O Wüest
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Zürcherstrasse 111, 8903, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
| | - Catherine H Graham
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Zürcherstrasse 111, 8903, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
| | - Isabela G Varassin
- Laboratório de Interações e Biologia Reprodutiva, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Centro Politécnico, Jardim das Américas, 81531-990, Curitiba, PR, Brazil
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Sánchez‐Collazo XM, Figueroa‐Castro DM, Cruz JA, Castañeda‐Posadas C. Relative importance of two bat species as pollinators of
Neobuxbaumia tetetzo
(Cactaceae): Evidences from morphometric and pollen load analyses. Ecol Res 2023. [DOI: 10.1111/1440-1703.12384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - José Alberto Cruz
- Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla Puebla Mexico
- Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia Moneda 16, Col. Centro, Del. Cuauhtémoc Mexico
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Microhabitat and Pollinator Differentiation Drive Reproductive Isolation between Two Sympatric Salvia Species (Lamiaceae). PLANTS 2022; 11:plants11182423. [PMID: 36145824 PMCID: PMC9506227 DOI: 10.3390/plants11182423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2022] [Revised: 09/05/2022] [Accepted: 09/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Evaluation of multiple barriers contributing to reproductive isolation between sympatric plant species is key to understanding the mechanism of their coexistence; however, such investigations in biodiversity hotspots are still rare. In this study, we investigated and compared geography, microhabitat, phenology, flora, and pollinators, in addition to pollen–pistil interactions, seed production, and seed germination of the closely related sympatric Salvia digitaloides and S. flava on Yulong Snow Mountain, Southwestern Yunnan, China. The geographic distribution of these species overlapped, but their adaptation to physical and chemical properties of soil microhabitats differed. They shared the same flowering time but differed in flower size, style length, nectar volume, sugar concentration, and flower longevity. Both species shared bumblebees as effective pollinators, but flower constancy for the two species was relatively strong. Pollen tube growth, seed production, and seed germination were lower in interspecific than in intraspecific crosses. Our study suggested that microhabitat and pollinator isolation acted as the most important isolating barriers in maintaining the coexistence of the two Salvia species. Our study also highlighted that post-pollination barriers play an important role in preventing the gene flow between these two Salvia species.
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Ayasta J, Juarez A, Escurra J. Pitcairnia y Deuterocohnia (Bromeliaceae: Pitcairnoideae) del departamento de Lambayeque, Perú. REVISTA PERUANA DE BIOLOGÍA 2022. [DOI: 10.15381/rpb.v29i3.22835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Este estudio proporciona una lista comentada de las especies de Pitcairnioideae (Bromeliaceae) del departamento de Lambayeque, Perú. Se reporta un total de cinco especies, una de ellas por primera vez para la zona de estudio y dos representan endemismos norperuanos. Las ecoregiones donde se encuentran corresponden al Desierto Cálido Tropical (DCT), Bosque Seco estacional (BSe), la transición Matorral Desértico-Bosque Seco (MD-BS) y el Bosque Pluvial Montano del Noroeste (BPMN), en las tres provincias del departamento. Se discuten las razones de endemismos, amenazas y criterios de categorización de estas.
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Cardoso JCF, Trevizan R, Matallana-Puerto CA, Gonçalves RV, Oliveira PE, Coelho CP, Matias R. Do distylous syntopic plant species partition their floral morphological traits? Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2022. [DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blac072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Morphological niche partitioning between related syntopic plants that are distylous (with short- and long-styled morphs) is complex. Owing to differences in the heights of stigmas and anthers, each floral morph must place pollen onto two distinct parts of the body of the pollinator. This led us to hypothesize that such partitioning should be more accurate among distylous syntopic species in comparison to combinations with other related plants that do not co-occur. We tested these assumptions using a set of Palicourea (Rubiaceae) species as a model system. We compared the distribution, flowering phenology, floral measurements and reciprocity of sexual organ heights of two syntopic species (Palicourea rigida and Palicourea coriacea) and one non-syntopic congener (Palicourea marcgravii). The three species overlapped in their distributions and flowering periods. The position of sexual organs was, in most cases, partitioned between syntopic populations, with low overlap in anther and stigma heights. However, we found a higher overlap involving the non-syntopic species, especially between Palicourea rigida and Palicourea marcgravii. Additionally, reciprocity of sexual organs was more accurate in intraspecific inter-morph combinations (i.e. legitimate organ correspondence) in comparison to intraspecific intra-morph, interspecific syntopic and interspecific non-syntopic combinations. The partitioning of morphological traits between syntopic species might facilitate the differential placement of pollen on the body of the pollinator and reduce the chances of interspecific interference.
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Affiliation(s)
- João Custódio Fernandes Cardoso
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia e Conservação de Recursos Naturais, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia , Uberlândia, MG , Brazil
| | - Renata Trevizan
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Vegetal, Universidade Estadual de Campinas , Campinas, SP , Brazil
| | | | - Rogério Victor Gonçalves
- Centre for Sustainable Ecosystem Solutions, University of Wollongong , Wollongong , NSW , Australia
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