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Albuquerque-Lima S, Domingos-Melo A, Milet-Pinheiro P, Navarro DMDOAF, Taylor NP, Zappi DC, Machado IC. The iconic cactus of the Caatinga dry forest, Cereus jamacaru (Cactaceae) has high sphingophily specialization and pollinator dependence. AN ACAD BRAS CIENC 2023; 95:e20220460. [PMID: 37646712 DOI: 10.1590/0001-3765202320220460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 09/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Cereus jamacaru is a cactus distributed in Northeastern Brazil, with high symbolic value to this region. However, the interaction, behavior and the role of pollinators remains poorly understood. Here, we investigate the reproductive biology, addressing the ecological significance of floral attributes, including details about floral signaling. The study was carried at three areas of the Caatinga, in 2015, 2017 and 2021. We analyzed the floral morphometry, volume and concentration of the nectar, and characterized the colour and scent of flowers. Additionally, we described the pollinator behavior and performed controlled pollination experiments. The 'Mandacaru' is self-incompatible, has nocturnal anthesis and the nectar is accumulated as droplets in a long hypanthial tube. The flowers have a reflective pattern with a dark outer surface and a white inner surface. (E)-nerolidol is the major component (87.4%) of its floral perfume. We registered the sphingid moth Cocytius antaeus visiting the flowers. The floral attributes, attractants and rewards drives to a sphingophily, and the pollination treatments showed the dependence to fruit set by C. antaeus, the pollinator registered. In this case, if the apparent lack of pollinator diversity encompasses its entire range, the loss of the hawkmoth could severely impact the reproductive success of the cactus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sinzinando Albuquerque-Lima
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Vegetal, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Departamento de Botânica, Laboratório de Biologia Floral e Reprodutiva - POLINIZAR, Avenida Prof. Moraes Rego, 1235, Cidade Universitária, 50670-901 Recife, PE, Brazil
| | - Arthur Domingos-Melo
- Universidade de Pernambuco, Laboratório de Ecologia, Campus Petrolina, Rodovia BR 203, Km 2, s/n, Vila Eduardo, 56328-900 Petrolina, PE, Brazil
| | - Paulo Milet-Pinheiro
- Universidade de Pernambuco, Laboratório de Ecologia, Campus Petrolina, Rodovia BR 203, Km 2, s/n, Vila Eduardo, 56328-900 Petrolina, PE, Brazil
- Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Departamento de Química Fundamental, Laboratório de Ecologia Química, Avenida Prof. Moraes Rego, 1235, Cidade Universitária, 50670-901 Recife, PE, Brazil
| | - Daniela Maria DO Amaral Ferraz Navarro
- Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Departamento de Química Fundamental, Laboratório de Ecologia Química, Avenida Prof. Moraes Rego, 1235, Cidade Universitária, 50670-901 Recife, PE, Brazil
| | - Nigel P Taylor
- University of Gibraltar, Gibraltar Botanic Gardens Campus, 'The Alameda', Red Sands Road, PO Box 843, Gibraltar GX11 1AA
| | - Daniela C Zappi
- Universidade de Brasília, Secretaria da Coordenação de Pós-Graduação em Botânica, Caixa Postal 04457, 70919-970 Brasília, DF, Brazil
| | - Isabel C Machado
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Vegetal, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Departamento de Botânica, Laboratório de Biologia Floral e Reprodutiva - POLINIZAR, Avenida Prof. Moraes Rego, 1235, Cidade Universitária, 50670-901 Recife, PE, Brazil
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Gorostiague P, Ollerton J, Ortega-Baes P. Latitudinal gradients in biotic interactions: Are cacti pollination systems more specialized in the tropics? PLANT BIOLOGY (STUTTGART, GERMANY) 2023; 25:187-197. [PMID: 35751486 DOI: 10.1111/plb.13450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2022] [Accepted: 06/16/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Biotic interactions are said to be more specialized in the tropics, and this was also proposed for the pollination systems of columnar cacti from North America. However, this has not yet been tested for a wider set of cactus species. Here, we use the available information about pollination in the Cactaceae to explore the geographic patterns of this mutualistic interaction, and test if there is a latitudinal gradient in its degree of specialization. We performed a bibliographic search of all publications on the pollination of cacti species and summarized the information to build a database. We used generalized linear models to evaluate if the degree of specialization in cacti pollination systems is affected by latitude, using two different measures: the number of pollinator guilds (functional specialization) and the number of pollinator species (ecological specialization). Our database contained information about the pollination of 148 species. The most frequent pollinator guilds were bees, birds, moths and bats. There was no apparent effect of latitude on the number of guilds that pollinate a cactus species. However, latitude had a small but significant effect on the number of pollinator species that service a given cactus species. Bees are found as pollinators of most cactus species, along a wide latitudinal gradient. Bat and bird pollination is more common in the tropics than in the extra-tropics. The available information suggests that cacti pollination systems are slightly more ecologically specialized in the tropics, but it does not support any trend with regard to functional specialization.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Gorostiague
- Laboratorio de Investigaciones Botánicas (LABIBO), Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Salta-CONICET, Salta, Argentina
- Faculty of Arts, Science & Technology, University of Northampton, University Drive, Northampton, UK
| | - J Ollerton
- Faculty of Arts, Science & Technology, University of Northampton, University Drive, Northampton, UK
| | - P Ortega-Baes
- Laboratorio de Investigaciones Botánicas (LABIBO), Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Salta-CONICET, Salta, Argentina
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González VV, Gorostiague P, Ortega-Baes P, Galati BG, Ferrucci MS. Nectary structure is not related to pollination system in Trichocereeae cactus from Northwest Argentina. AN ACAD BRAS CIENC 2021; 93:e20201401. [PMID: 34909820 DOI: 10.1590/0001-3765202120201401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2020] [Accepted: 07/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Floral nectaries are essential for plant reproduction but little is known about the relationship between these secretory structures and pollination system in cacti. To test phenotypic patterns in nectaries associated with pollination syndromes and/or with its pollinators, we selected from evolutionarily related genera Cleistocactus, Denmoza, and Echinopsis, a set of species with bird-pollinated flowers and floral traits that may fit with ornithophily or with sphingophily, and other set of sphingophilous species with moths as effective pollinator. Observations were made under light microscope and scanning and transmission electron microscopes. Nectaries are located at the base of the filaments welded to the tube, forming a chamber. The nectary consists of the epidermis with distinctive features in each genus, a secretory parenchyma which may be vascularized and a non-secretory vascularized parenchyma. Anatomical variants observed in nectaries of different species are not consistent with the floral pollination syndromes neither with groups of pollinators. The basic structure of the nectar chamber is relatively conserved, a fact that may be explained by phylogenetic conservatism among the genera investigated. Our results revalue the role of anatomical traits for the systematics of Cactaceae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valeria V González
- Universidad Nacional del Nordeste/CONICET, Instituto de Botánica del Nordeste (IBONE), Sargento Juan Bautista Cabral 2131, W3402BKG, Corrientes, Argentina
| | - Pablo Gorostiague
- Universidad Nacional de Salta/CONICET, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Laboratorio de Investigaciones Botánicas (LABIBO), Av. Bolivia 5150, A4400, Salta, Argentina
| | - Pablo Ortega-Baes
- Universidad Nacional de Salta/CONICET, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Laboratorio de Investigaciones Botánicas (LABIBO), Av. Bolivia 5150, A4400, Salta, Argentina
| | - Beatriz G Galati
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Agronomía, Depto. de Recursos Naturales y Ambiente, Cátedra de Botánica General, Av. San Martín 4453, C1417DSE, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - María S Ferrucci
- Universidad Nacional del Nordeste/CONICET, Instituto de Botánica del Nordeste (IBONE), Sargento Juan Bautista Cabral 2131, W3402BKG, Corrientes, Argentina
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Cádiz-Véliz A, Verdessi F, Carvallo GO. Shrub canopy matrix decreases reproductive output of a sheltered plant via pollinator exclusion. Basic Appl Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.baae.2021.04.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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Guerrero PC, Majure LC, Cornejo-Romero A, Hernández-Hernández T. Phylogenetic Relationships and Evolutionary Trends in the Cactus Family. J Hered 2020; 110:4-21. [PMID: 30476167 DOI: 10.1093/jhered/esy064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2018] [Accepted: 11/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Members of the cactus family are keystone species of arid and semiarid biomes in the Americas, as they provide shelter and resources to support other members of ecosystems. Extraordinary examples are the several species of flies of the genus Drosophila that lay eggs and feed in their rotting stems, which provide a model system for studying evolutionary processes. Although there is significant progress in understanding the evolution of Drosophila species, there are gaps in our knowledge about the cactus lineages hosting them. Here, we review the current knowledge about the evolution of Cactaceae, focusing on phylogenetic relationships and trends revealed by the study of DNA sequence data. During the last several decades, the availability of molecular phylogenies has considerably increased our understanding of the relationships, biogeography, and evolution of traits in the family. Remarkably, although succulent cacti have very low growth rates and long generation times, they underwent some of the fastest diversifications observed in the plant kingdom, possibly fostered by strong ecological interactions. We have a better understanding of the reproductive biology, population structure and speciation mechanisms in different clades. The recent publication of complete genomes for some species has revealed the importance of phenomena such as incomplete lineage sorting. Hybridization and polyploidization are common in the family, and have been studied using a variety of phylogenetic methods. We discuss potential future avenues for research in Cactaceae, emphasizing the need of a concerted effort among scientists in the Americas, together with the analyses of data from novel sequencing techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pablo C Guerrero
- Departamento de Botánica, Universidad de Concepción, Chile, Concepción, Chile
| | - Lucas C Majure
- Department of Research, Conservation and Collections, Desert Botanical Garden, Phoenix, AZ.,Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
| | - Amelia Cornejo-Romero
- Departamento de Botánica, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Ciudad de México, México
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Guerrero PC, Antinao CA, Vergara-Meriño B, Villagra CA, Carvallo GO. Bees may drive the reproduction of four sympatric cacti in a vanishing coastal mediterranean-type ecosystem. PeerJ 2019; 7:e7865. [PMID: 31608183 PMCID: PMC6786246 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.7865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2019] [Accepted: 09/10/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Sympatric congeneric plants might share pollinators, or each species might avoid competition by evolving specialized traits that generate partitions in pollinator assemblages. In both cases, pollen limitation (a decrease in the quality and quantity of compatible reproductive pollen) can occur, driving the plant mating system to autogamy as a mechanism of reproductive assurance. We assessed the relationships between pollinator assemblages and mating systems in a group of sympatric congeneric plants. We attempted to answer the following questions: (i) How similar are pollinator assemblages among sympatric cactus species? (ii) Which mating systems do sympatric cactus species use? Methods We studied sympatric Eriosyce taxa that inhabit a threatened coastal strip in a mediterranean-type ecosystem in central Chile. We performed field observations on four taxa and characterized pollinators during the years 2016 and 2017. We estimated differences in the pollinator assemblages using the Bray-Curtis index. To elucidate the mating systems, we conducted hand-pollination experiments using three treatments: manual cross-pollination, automatic self-pollination, and control (unmanipulated individuals). We tested differences in seed production for statistical significance using Kruskal-Wallis analysis. Results Eriosyce subgibbosa showed a distinctive pollinator assemblage among the sympatric species that we studied (similarity ranged from 0% to 8%); it was visited by small bees and was the only species that was visited by the giant hummingbird Patagona gigas. Pollinator assemblages were similar between E. chilensis (year 2016 = 4 species; 2017 = 8) and E. chilensis var. albidiflora (2016 = 7; 2017 = 4); however, those of E. curvispina var. mutabilis (2016 = 7; 2017 = 6) were less similar to those of the aforementioned species. E. curvispina var. mutabilis showed the highest interannual variation in its pollinator assemblage (18% similarity). Reproduction in E. subgibbosa largely depends on pollinators, although it showed some degree of autogamy. Autonomous pollination was unfeasible in E. chilensis, which depended on flower visitors for its reproductive success. Both E. chilensis var. albidiflora and E. curvispina var. mutabilis showed some degree of autogamy. Discussion We observed differences in pollinator assemblages between E. subgibbosa and the remaining Eriosyce taxa, which depend on hymenopterans for pollen transfer. Pollinator assemblages showed considerable interannual variation, especially those of E. subgibbosa (ornithophilous syndrome) and E. curvispina var. mutabilis (melitophilous syndrome). Autogamous reproduction in these taxa may act as a reproductive assurance mechanism when pollinator availability is unpredictable. Our study contributes to improving our understanding of the reproductive systems of ecological interactions between threatened species in a Chilean mediterranean-type ecosystem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pablo C Guerrero
- Departamento de Botánica, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Oceanográficas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Claudia A Antinao
- Departamento de Botánica, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Oceanográficas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Beatriz Vergara-Meriño
- Departamento de Botánica, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Oceanográficas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Cristian A Villagra
- Instituto de Entomología, Universidad Metropolitana de Ciencias de la Educación, Santiago, Chile
| | - Gastón O Carvallo
- Instituto de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
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Weak population structure and no genetic erosion in Pilosocereus aureispinus: A microendemic and threatened cactus species from eastern Brazil. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0195475. [PMID: 29630653 PMCID: PMC5890996 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0195475] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2018] [Accepted: 03/24/2018] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Succulent cacti (Cactaceae) are among the most threatened taxonomic groups assessed to date. Here we evaluated the genetic diversity and population structure of a narrow endemic columnar cactus Pilosocereus aureispinus. This species is only found in a small area of c. 300 km2 of rocky savanna from eastern Brazil and it is currently classified as vulnerable (VU) on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list. Eight microsatellite loci were genotyped for 91 individuals from four localities of the known P. aureispinus range. In contrast with expectations for narrow endemic species, we found relatively high levels of genetic diversity (e.g., HE = 0.390 to 0.525; HO = 0.394 to 0.572) and very low population structure based on the variation of six loci. All the analyzed individuals were clustered in one unique genetic group in assignment tests. We also generated the sequences of two plastid markers (trnT-trnL and psbD-trnT) and found no variation on a subsample of 39 individuals. We used Landsat 8 images and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index to estimate a potential extent of occurrence of c. 750 km2 for this species. Our results showed that P. aureispinus is not suffering from erosion of nuclear genetic variability due to its narrow distribution. However, we advocate that because of the extremely limited extent of occurrence, the ongoing anthropogenic disturbances in its habitat, and phylogenetic distinctiveness of P. aureispinus, this species should be classified as endangered (EN) on the IUCN Red List.
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Dafni A, Vereecken NJ. Pollination biology from micro-morphological adaptations to community ecology of plant-pollinator interactions. PLANT BIOLOGY (STUTTGART, GERMANY) 2016; 18:3-8. [PMID: 26768999 DOI: 10.1111/plb.12411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- A Dafni
- Department of Evolutionary and Environmental Biology, Institute of Evolution, Haifa University, Haifa, Israel.
| | - N J Vereecken
- Agroecology & Pollination Group, Landscape Ecology & Plant Production Systems, Interfaculty School of Bioengineering, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Boulevard du Triomphe CP 264/2, B-1050, Brussels, Belgium
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