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Betancourt Z, Soriano PJ, Valois-Cuesta H. Long-and short-billed hummingbirds as pollinators of Palicourea demissa, a distylous treelet of Neotropical cloud forests. JOURNAL OF PLANT RESEARCH 2023; 136:841-852. [PMID: 37665471 DOI: 10.1007/s10265-023-01492-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2021] [Accepted: 08/20/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023]
Abstract
Distyly has been interpreted as a mechanism that promotes cross-pollination between floral morphs. According to this hypothesis, pollen from anthers positioned at different heights could adhere to different body parts of the pollinator that would correspond to those points where stigmas of compatible morph contact the animal. In this regard, hummingbird species with different bill sizes may play different roles as pollinators of each morph. If pollinators mobilize more legitimate pollen towards one of the two morphs, gender specialization may occur. This work aimed to assess experimentally the role of long- and short-billed hummingbirds as pollinators of short-style (SS) and long-style (LS) flowers of Palicourea demissa, a distylous, hummingbird-pollinated treelet in Venezuelan cloud forests. Flowers were emasculated and exposed to a single visit of the hummingbird Coeligena torquata (long-billed), Heliangelus spencei (short-billed) or Adelomyia melanogenys (short-billed). Later, stigmas were removed, and pollen load counted under a microscope to calculate the probability of legitimate- and illegitimate-pollen transfer by hummingbirds. The probability analyses of pollen transference showed that short-billed hummingbirds have higher pollination probabilities from SS-anthers to LS- and SS-stigmas, and from LS-anther to LS-stigmas than from LS-anther to SS-stigmas. In contrast, long-billed hummingbirds have higher probabilities of pollen transference from LS-anthers to SS-stigmas than in other directions. A deeper view of the sexual expression of each morph in P. demissa will depend on future studies that determine possible morpho-differences in the biological function of male and female floral structures, and the role played by less frequent floral visitors as mediators of legitimate pollination between floral morphs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zamira Betancourt
- Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Los Andes, 5101, Mérida, Venezuela
| | - Pascual J Soriano
- Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Los Andes, 5101, Mérida, Venezuela
| | - Hamleth Valois-Cuesta
- Programa de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Tecnológica del Chocó, B/ Nicolás Medrano, 292, Quibdó, Chocó, AA, Colombia.
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Wang X, Hu D, Chen Y, Xiang M, Tang H, Yi Y, Tang X. Ancillary polymorphic floral traits between two morphs adaptive to hawkmoth pollination in distylous plant Tirpitzia sinensis (Linaceae). BMC PLANT BIOLOGY 2022; 22:273. [PMID: 35655126 PMCID: PMC9164504 DOI: 10.1186/s12870-022-03659-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2020] [Accepted: 05/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Floral morphs are characterized differentiations in reciprocal positions of sexual organs and ancillary floral traits in heterostylous plants. However, it remains unclear how differential floral morphs ensure reproductive success between morphs using the same pollinator. RESULTS Measurements of floral traits in white-flowered Tirpitzia sinensis with long corolla tubes indicated that it is typically distylous, long-styled (L-) morph producing more but smaller pollen grains per flower than short-styled (S-) morph. Both morphs secreted more nectar volume at night than in the day and the sugar composition was rich in sucrose, potentially adaptive to pollination by hawkmoths (Macroglossum spp.) which were active at dusk. A bumblebee species functioned as the nectar robber in both morphs and a honeybee as the pollen feeder in the S-morph. The L-morph secreted more nectar volume but relatively lower sucrose/hexose ratio than the S-morph. Floral visitation rate by hawkmoths was higher but its pollination efficiency was lower in the S-morph than the L-morph. Hand pollination treatments indicated self-incompatibility in T. sinensis and seed set of open-pollinated flowers did not differ between morphs. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that the two morphs differ with respect to traits relevant to pollination. The L-morph, with its exserted stigma, has more pollen grains per anther and a greater volume of nectar, which may prolong the foraging time and increase the pollination efficiency of hawkmoths. The S-morph has a higher sucrose/hexose ratio in its nectar which can be more attractive to hawkmoths and increase the visit rates. Ancillary polymorphic floral traits between two morphs are adaptive to hawkmoth and ensure reproductive success in distylous plant T. sinensis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyue Wang
- Key Laboratory of State Forestry Administration On Biodiversity Conservation in Karst Mountainous Areas of Southwestern China, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang, 550025, China
- School of Life Sciences, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang, 550025, China
| | - Demei Hu
- Key Laboratory of State Forestry Administration On Biodiversity Conservation in Karst Mountainous Areas of Southwestern China, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang, 550025, China
- School of Life Sciences, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang, 550025, China
| | - Yan Chen
- Key Laboratory of State Forestry Administration On Biodiversity Conservation in Karst Mountainous Areas of Southwestern China, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang, 550025, China
- School of Life Sciences, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang, 550025, China
| | - Mengda Xiang
- Key Laboratory of State Forestry Administration On Biodiversity Conservation in Karst Mountainous Areas of Southwestern China, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang, 550025, China
- School of Life Sciences, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang, 550025, China
| | - Hanqing Tang
- Key Laboratory of State Forestry Administration On Biodiversity Conservation in Karst Mountainous Areas of Southwestern China, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang, 550025, China
- School of Life Sciences, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang, 550025, China
| | - Yin Yi
- Key Laboratory of State Forestry Administration On Biodiversity Conservation in Karst Mountainous Areas of Southwestern China, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang, 550025, China
| | - Xiaoxin Tang
- Key Laboratory of State Forestry Administration On Biodiversity Conservation in Karst Mountainous Areas of Southwestern China, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang, 550025, China.
- School of Life Sciences, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang, 550025, China.
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Márquez-Luna U, Lara C, Corcuera P, Valverde PL. Genetic relatedness and morphology as drivers of interspecific dominance hierarchy in hummingbirds. PeerJ 2022; 10:e13331. [PMID: 35469196 PMCID: PMC9034699 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.13331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2021] [Accepted: 04/04/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
A dominance hierarchy is the set of ranks occupied by species within an assemblage. Species with a high position within the dominance hierarchy tend to dominate subordinate species in contests for access to resources. In hummingbirds, greater weight and wing disc loading have been associated with highest ranks within the dominance hierarchy. Nevertheless, the limit to which the difference between the weight of contending species represents a competitive advantage has not yet been determined. Here, we determined the dominance hierarchy of a hummingbird assemblage exploiting the most abundant floral resource (Palicourea padifolia, Rubiaceae) in a cloud forest of central Veracruz, Mexico. Specifically, we tested whether species weight and wing disc loading influence the dominance hierarchy. Additionally, we tested whether the flowers visited per foraging bout increases with species weight and dominance. We further tested whether weight, wing disc loading, and the genetic relatedness between contenders influenced the dominance relationships in species-pair interactions. Our results indicate that the hierarchy is positively influenced by weight. Hummingbirds visited similar number of flowers regardless their weight or their dominance. Nevertheless, the probability that the heaviest contender won contests was positively associated with the differences of weight and genetic relatedness between contenders. Contrarily, the probability that the contender with greatest wing disc loading won contests was positively associated with differences of weight and negatively associated with the relatedness between contenders. However, these models only explained between 22% and 34% of the variation, respectively. Our results demonstrate that the weight was the major contributor to high dominance values. However, future studies should include (1) the temporal variability of the weight and (2) experimental predictor variables such the burst power of the hummingbirds to evaluate its effects on the dynamics of dominance hierarchies in hummingbird assemblages. All the hummingbird species present in the studied assemblage have developed wide behavioral mechanisms that compensate their morphological differences, which allow them to coexist, even when they compete for the access to the same resource.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ubaldo Márquez-Luna
- Doctorado en Ciencias Biológicas y de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, Iztapalapa, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Carlos Lara
- Centro de Investigación en Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala, San Felipe Ixtacuixtla, Tlaxcala, México
| | - Pablo Corcuera
- Departamento de Biología, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, Iztapalapa, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Pedro Luis Valverde
- Departamento de Biología, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, Iztapalapa, Ciudad de México, México
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Martínez-Gonzalez I, Ruiz-Guerra B, Velázquez-Rosas N. Elevational relationship between functional leaf traits and insect herbivory in two cloud forest understory species in Mexico. ECOSCIENCE 2019. [DOI: 10.1080/11956860.2019.1645566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Betsabé Ruiz-Guerra
- Red de Interacciones Multitróficas, Instituto de Ecología A.C., Xalapa, México
| | - Noé Velázquez-Rosas
- Centro de Investigaciones Tropicales, Universidad Veracruzana, Xalapa, México
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Xun E, Zhang Y, Zhao J, Guo J. Heavy metals in nectar modify behaviors of pollinators and nectar robbers: Consequences for plant fitness. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2018; 242:1166-1175. [PMID: 30114599 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2018.07.128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2017] [Revised: 07/28/2018] [Accepted: 07/28/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Plants growing in heavy-metal-rich soils can accumulate metals into their nectar. Nectar chemical composition can alter foraging behavior of floral visitors (including pollinators and floral antagonists) and further affect plant reproductive fitness. The role of nectar heavy metals in deterring pollinators (e.g., shortening foraging time) has been recently studied, but their effects on plant reproduction via changes in behaviors of both pollinators and floral antagonists (e.g., nectar robbers) are less understood. We experimentally manipulated four nectar heavy metals (Zn, Cu, Ni, and Pb) in a native ornamental plant, Hosta ensata F. Maekawa, to investigate the effect of nectar metals on plant reproductive success. We also recorded nectar robbing as well as foraging time and visitation rate of pollinators to assess whether nectar metals could alter the behavior of antagonists and mutualists. Although metals in nectar had no significant direct effects on plant reproduction via hand-pollination, we detected their positive indirect effects on components of female fitness mediated by pollinators and nectar robbers. Matching effects on female plant fitness, nectar robbers responded negatively to the presence of metals in nectar, robbing metal-treated flowers less often. Pollinators spent less time foraging on metal-treated flowers, but their visitation rate to metal-treated flowers was significantly higher than to control flowers. Moreover, pollinators removed less nectar from flowers treated with metals. Our results provide the first direct evidence to date that heavy metals in nectar are capable of deterring nectar robbers and modifying pollinator foraging behavior to enhance plant reproductive fitness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erna Xun
- Institute of Grassland Science, Northeast Normal University and Key Laboratory for Vegetation Ecology, Ministry of Education, Changchun, 130024, China
| | - Yanwen Zhang
- Institute of Grassland Science, Northeast Normal University and Key Laboratory for Vegetation Ecology, Ministry of Education, Changchun, 130024, China; Department of Biology, Changchun Normal University, Changchun, 130032, China; Department of Biology, Eastern Liaoning University, Dandong, 118003, China.
| | - Jimin Zhao
- Department of Biology, Changchun Normal University, Changchun, 130032, China
| | - Jixun Guo
- Institute of Grassland Science, Northeast Normal University and Key Laboratory for Vegetation Ecology, Ministry of Education, Changchun, 130024, China
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Sapir Y, Karoly K, Koelling VA, Sahli HF, Knapczyk FN, Conner JK. Effect of expanded variation in anther position on pollinator visitation to wild radish, Raphanus raphanistrum. ANNALS OF BOTANY 2017; 120:665-672. [PMID: 28531293 PMCID: PMC5714124 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcx041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2016] [Revised: 02/04/2017] [Accepted: 03/17/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Plant-pollinator interactions shape the evolution of flowers. Floral attraction and reward traits have often been shown to affect pollinator behaviour, but the possible effect of efficiency traits on visitation behaviour has rarely been addressed. Anther position, usually considered a trait that influences efficiency of pollen deposition on pollinators, was tested here for its effect on pollinator visitation rates and visit duration in flowers of wild radish, Raphanus raphanistrum . METHODS Artificial selection lines from two experiments that expanded the naturally occurring phenotypic variation in anther position were used. In one experiment, plant lines were selected either to increase or to decrease anther exsertion. The other experiment decreased anther dimorphism, which resulted in increased short stamen exsertion. The hypothesis was that increased exsertion would increase visitation of pollen foragers due to increased visual attraction. Another hypothesis was that exsertion of anthers above the corolla would interfere with nectar foragers and increase the duration of visit per flower. KEY RESULTS In the exsertion selection experiment, increased exsertion of both short and long stamens resulted in an increased number of fly visits per plant, and in the dimorphism experiment bee visits increased with increased short stamen exsertion. The duration of visits of nectar feeders declined significantly with increasing long stamen exsertion, which was opposite to the hypothesis. CONCLUSIONS Until now, anther position was considered to be an efficiency trait to enhance pollen uptake and deposition. Anther position in wild radish is shown here also to have an ecological significance in attracting pollen foragers. This study suggests an additional adaptive role for anther position beyond efficiency, and highlights the multiple ecological functions of floral traits in plant-pollinator interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuval Sapir
- The Botanical Garden, School of Plant Sciences and Food Security, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Keith Karoly
- Biology Department, Reed College, 3203 S.E. Woodstock Boulevard, Portland, OR 97202, USA
| | - Vanessa A Koelling
- Biology Department, Reed College, 3203 S.E. Woodstock Boulevard, Portland, OR 97202, USA
| | - Heather F Sahli
- Kellogg Biological Station and Department of Plant Biology, Michigan State University, 3700 East Gull Lake Drive, Hickory Corners, MI 49060, USA
| | - Frances N Knapczyk
- Kellogg Biological Station and Department of Plant Biology, Michigan State University, 3700 East Gull Lake Drive, Hickory Corners, MI 49060, USA
| | - Jeffrey K Conner
- Kellogg Biological Station and Department of Plant Biology, Michigan State University, 3700 East Gull Lake Drive, Hickory Corners, MI 49060, USA
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Florivore impacts on plant reproductive success and pollinator mortality in an obligate pollination mutualism. Oecologia 2013; 173:1345-54. [PMID: 23836090 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-013-2694-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2012] [Accepted: 05/23/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Florivores are present in many pollination systems and can have direct and indirect effects on both plants and pollinators. Although the impact of florivores are commonly examined in facultative pollination mutualisms, their effects on obligate mutualism remain relatively unstudied. Here, we used experimental manipulations and surveys of naturally occurring plants to assess the effect of florivory on the obligate pollination mutualism between yuccas and yucca moths. Yucca filamentosa (Agavaceae) is pollinated by the moth Tegeticula cassandra (Lepidoptera: Prodoxidae), and the mutualism also attracts two florivores: a generalist, the leaf-footed bug Leptoglossus phyllopus (Hemiptera: Coreidae), and a specialist, the beetle Hymenorus densus (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae). Experimental manipulations of leaf-footed bug densities on side branches of Y. filamentosa inflorescences demonstrated that feeding causes floral abscission but does not reduce pollen or seed production in the remaining flowers. Similar to the leaf-footed bugs, experimental manipulations of beetle densities within individual flowers demonstrated that beetle feeding also causes floral abscission, but, in addition, the beetles also cause a significant reduction in pollen availability. Path analyses of phenotypic selection based on surveys of naturally occurring plants revealed temporal variation in the plant traits important to plant fitness and the effects of the florivores on fitness. Leaf-footed bugs negatively impacted fitness when fewer plants were flowering and leaf-footed bug density was high, whereas beetles had a positive effect on fitness when there were many plants flowering and their densities were low. This positive effect was likely due to adult beetles consuming yucca moth eggs while having a negligible effect on floral abscission. Together, the actions of both florivores either augmented the relationship of plant traits and fitness or slightly weakened the relationship. Overall, the results suggest that, although florivores are always present during flowering, the impact of florivores on phenotypic selection in yuccas is strongly mitigated by changes in their densities on plants from year to year. In contrast, both florivores consistently influenced pollinator larval mortality through floral abscission, and H. densus beetles additionally via the consumption of pollinator eggs.
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Spatial association between floral resources and hummingbird activity in a Mexican tropical montane cloud forest. JOURNAL OF TROPICAL ECOLOGY 2012. [DOI: 10.1017/s0266467412000508] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Abstract:Spatial distribution of resources is known to govern animal distribution and behaviour. However, few empirical studies have formally evaluated this relationship. Unlike previous studies in which a patch or gap of floral resources is defined a priori by the observer at a subjective perception scale, we used the Spatial Analysis by Distance IndicEs (SADIE) to assess the location, length and spatial co-occurrence of patches and gaps of Palicourea padifolia inflorescences and hummingbird activity (feeding, perching, vocalizing, flying past and agonistic behaviour) in a tropical montane cloud forest of central Veracruz, Mexico. Along a 1010-m transect, both resource and hummingbird activity had a distribution approximately 200% more aggregated than expected by chance, at a scale of tens to hundreds of metres in length. In addition, aggregation patterns of resource and overall and agonistic hummingbird activity were found to be positively associated in 2009 but negatively in 2010. Campylopterus curvipennis and Amazilia cyanocephala were the most frequent species involved in vocal and agonistic activity. The difference observed between the two years may be due to changes in the composition and dominance of hummingbird species with different foraging strategies. In both years, hummingbird overall activity was positively correlated to size of resource patches.
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Gutiérrez-Rodríguez C, Ornelas JF, Rodríguez-Gómez F. Chloroplast DNA phylogeography of a distylous shrub (Palicourea padifolia, Rubiaceae) reveals past fragmentation and demographic expansion in Mexican cloud forests. Mol Phylogenet Evol 2011; 61:603-15. [PMID: 21930221 DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2011.08.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2010] [Revised: 06/24/2011] [Accepted: 08/26/2011] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Several phylogeographic studies in northern Mesoamerica have examined the influence of Pleistocene glaciations on the genetic structure of temperate tree species with their southern limit by the contact zone between species otherwise characteristic of North or South America, but few have featured plant species that presumably colonized northern Mesoamerica from South America. A phylogeographical study of Palicourea padifolia, a fleshy-fruited, bird dispersed distylous shrub, was conducted to investigate genetic variation at two chloroplast regions (trnS-trnG and rpl32-trnL) across cloud forest areas to determine if such patterns are consistent with the presence of Pleistocene refugia and/or with the historical fragmentation of the Mexican cloud forests. We conducted population and spatial genetic analyses as well as phylogenetic and isolation with migration analyses on 122 individuals from 22 populations comprising the distribution of P. padifolia in Mexico to gain insight of the evolutionary history of these populations. Twenty-six haplotypes were identified after sequencing 1389 bp of chloroplast DNA. These haplotypes showed phylogeographic structure (N(ST) = 0.508, G(ST) = 0.337, N(ST) > G(ST), P < 0.05), including a phylogeographic break at the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, with private haplotypes at either side of the isthmus, and a divergence time of the split in the absence of gene flow dating back c. 309,000-103,000 years ago. The patterns of geographic structure found in this study are consistent with past fragmentation and demographic range expansion, supporting the role of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec as a biogeographical barrier in the dispersal of P. padifolia. Our data suggest that P. padifolia populations were isolated throughout glacial cycles by the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, accumulating genetic differences due to the lack of migration across the isthmus in either direction, but the results of our study are not consistent with the existence of the previously proposed Pleistocene refugia for rain forest plant species in the region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carla Gutiérrez-Rodríguez
- Departamento de Biología Evolutiva, Instituto de Ecología, AC, Carretera Antigua a Coatepec No 351, El Haya, Xalapa, Veracruz 91070, Mexico.
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Asymmetrical legitimate pollination in distylous Palicourea demissa (Rubiaceae): the role of nectar production and pollinator visitation. JOURNAL OF TROPICAL ECOLOGY 2011. [DOI: 10.1017/s0266467411000150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Abstract:We investigated morph differences in attributes that contribute to rewarding floral visitors of the distylous shrub Palicourea demissa at La Mucuy cloud forest in Venezuela. In both morphs, we measured nectar production from flowers subjected to repeated removals at 2-h intervals (10 plants per morph) and flowers that accumulated nectar for 24 h (10 plants per morph). In both cases, floral visitors were excluded. In addition, we quantified nectar availability (30 plants per morph), floral visitation (10–12 plants per morph) and legitimate pollination (30 plants per morph) throughout the day. We explored morph differences in the variables mentioned above using analyses of variance, and the effects of nectar variation on floral visitation and legitimate pollination using regression models. We observed 1205 floral visits, grouped into six hummingbird (94.7%) and three insect species (5.3%), across observations (264 h). Coeligena torquata was the most frequent floral visitor (34%) in both morphs (1.4–1.7 visits per plant h−1). Nectar production and availability, and visitation rate were similar between morphs. Visitation rate and legitimate pollen deposition increased with the nectar production in both morphs, but levels of legitimate pollination were higher on short-styled flowers than long-styled flowers. These results show that short-styled and long-styled flowers reward floral visitors equally, but frequency and foraging behaviour of long-billed pollinators can promote asymmetrical legitimate pollination.
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Valois-Cuesta H, Soriano PJ, Ornelas JF. Dimorphisms and self-incompatibility in the distylous species Palicourea demissa (Rubiaceae): possible implications for its reproductive output. JOURNAL OF PLANT RESEARCH 2011; 124:137-146. [PMID: 20577893 DOI: 10.1007/s10265-010-0359-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2009] [Accepted: 04/29/2010] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
Distyly has been interpreted as a mechanism that favors cross-fertilization. In this research we describe floral attributes and ancillary floral polymorphisms typically associated to heterostylous plants in Palicourea demissa (Rubiaceae), a distylous shrub of the Venezuelan Andes cloud forests. A hand-pollination experiment was done to evaluate self- and intramorph incompatibility and female reproductive output in both floral morphs. The studied population was morphologically distylous but morph differences in most ancillary floral polymorphisms and reciprocity of the sexual organ heights were found. The floral morphs were self-incompatible and did not differ in fruit set under controlled cross-pollination conditions, but at the population level they exhibited imperfect reciprocal herkogamy. Fruits and seeds of short-styled plants were larger than those of long-styled plants and fruit set was higher in short-styled plants under natural conditions, suggesting a higher reproductive potential among short-styled plants. Given the 1:1 morph ratio within the studied population, further evidence is needed to determine the influence of floral visitors and seed dispersers in the expression of heterostyly in P. demissa under natural conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hamleth Valois-Cuesta
- Programa de Biología con énfasis en Recursos Naturales, Facultad de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad Tecnológica del Chocó, A. A 292 Quibdó, Chocó, Colombia.
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Kessler D, Diezel C, Baldwin IT. Changing Pollinators as a Means of Escaping Herbivores. Curr Biol 2010; 20:237-42. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2009.11.071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 95] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2009] [Revised: 11/21/2009] [Accepted: 11/25/2009] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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ROSAS F, DOMÍNGUEZ CA. Male sterility, fitness gain curves and the evolution of gender specialization from distyly in Erythroxylum havanense. J Evol Biol 2009; 22:50-9. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1420-9101.2008.01618.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Cawoy V, Kinet JM, Jacquemart AL. Morphology of nectaries and biology of nectar production in the distylous species Fagopyrum esculentum. ANNALS OF BOTANY 2008; 102:675-84. [PMID: 18765442 PMCID: PMC2712373 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcn150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2008] [Revised: 04/28/2008] [Accepted: 07/08/2008] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS The mechanisms of floral nectar production in buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum, Polygonaceae), a distylous pseudo-cereal, have received relatively little attention, prompting an investigation of the factors that regulate this process. The aim was to perform a refined study of the structures that secrete nectar and of the internal and external parameters influencing nectar volumes and sugar concentrations. METHODS In order to control environmental parameters, plants were cultivated in growth rooms under controlled conditions. The structure of nectaries was studied based on histological sections from flowers and flower buds. Nectar was extracted using glass micropipettes and the sugar concentration was measured with a hand refractometer. Sugar concentration in the phloem sap was measured using the anthrone method. To test the influence of photosynthesis on nectar production, different light and defoliation treatments were applied. KEY RESULTS Unicellular trichomes were located in the epidermis at the ventral part of eight nectary glands situated on the flower receptacle alternately with stamens. Vascular bundles consisting of both phloem and xylem were identified at the boundary between a multilayered nectary parenchyma and a sub-nectary parenchyma with chloroplasts. A higher volume of nectar in thrum morphs was observed. No other difference was found in morphology or in sugar supply to inflorescences between morphs. Nectar secretion was strongly influenced by plant age and inflorescence position. Nectar volumes were higher in the upper inflorescences and during the flowering peak. Light had a dual role, (1) acting directly on reproductive structures to trigger flower opening, which conditions nectar secretion, and (2) stimulating photosynthetic activity, which regulates nectar accumulation in open flowers. CONCLUSIONS In buckwheat, nectar is secreted by trichomes and probably proceeds, at least in part, from phloem sap. Nectar secretion is strongly influenced by floral morph type, plant age, inflorescence position and light.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valerie Cawoy
- Groupe de Recherche en Physiologie Végétale – Unité de Biologie Végétale, Université catholique de Louvain, Croix du Sud 5, boîte 13, B-1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Jean-Marie Kinet
- Groupe de Recherche en Physiologie Végétale – Unité de Biologie Végétale, Université catholique de Louvain, Croix du Sud 5, boîte 13, B-1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Anne-Laure Jacquemart
- Groupe de Recherches ‘Génétique, Reproduction, Populations’ – Unité de Génétique et Centre de Recherche sur la Biodiversité, Université catholique de Louvain, Croix du Sud 2, boîte 14, B-1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
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Effmert U, Dinse C, Piechulla B. Influence of green leaf herbivory by Manduca sexta on floral volatile emission by Nicotiana suaveolens. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2008; 146:1996-2007. [PMID: 18281418 PMCID: PMC2287366 DOI: 10.1104/pp.107.112326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2007] [Accepted: 02/07/2008] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Plants have to cope with various abiotic and biotic impacts as a consequence of changing environments, which can impair their ability to sexually reproduce. The main objective of this study was to investigate whether green leaf herbivory, having one of the most hazardous biotic impacts, would have any direct effect on the production and emission of floral volatiles because volatiles are known to play a crucial role in pollination. Nicotiana suaveolens plants were challenged with Manduca sexta feeding on leaves, and alterations in the quality and quantity of the floral blend, shifts in emission patterns, and changes in expression patterns of the floral benzoic/salicylic acid carboxyl-methyltransferase were monitored in noninfested and infested plants. Leaves responded to larval feeding by herbivory-induced diurnal emission of semiochemicals, whereas the emission of floral volatiles remained unchanged in comparison to the noninfested control. Neither the volatile composition nor the quantity of components or the nocturnal emission patterns was altered. The mRNA and protein levels of the benzoic/salicylic acid carboxyl-methyltransferase, as well as its enzyme activity, also did not show any significant differences. These results indicate that metabolism in flowers at and postanthesis is an autonomous process and is independent of metabolic changes in green leaves. By this sustaining mechanism, N. suaveolens plants ensure sexual reproduction even under unfavorable conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Uta Effmert
- Institute of Biological Sciences, Biochemistry, University of Rostock, 18059 Rostock, Germany.
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Hernández A, Ornelas JF. Development of distylous flowers and investment of biomass in male and female function in Palicourea padifolia (Rubiaceae). PLANT BIOLOGY (STUTTGART, GERMANY) 2007; 9:694-704. [PMID: 17564950 DOI: 10.1055/s-2007-965238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Knowledge of developmental pathways for achieving differences in style and anther heights, in concert with those of ancillary features accompanied with data in regard to biomass investment to male and female function, provide an excellent opportunity for examining the developmental correlations between primary and ancillary floral traits so as to understand the evolution of heterostyly. The ontogenetic relationships between bud length and anther height and between bud length and style height, and between bud length versus bud width, anther length, and number of pollen grains per anther for long-styled (LS) and short-styled (SS) morphs of P. PADIFOLIA are described. We also described the ontogenetic biomass allocation to male and female function and to corolla with elongation of buds harvested at regular intervals. We observed an early termination of stylar growth in SS buds, whereas LS styles steadily increased in size. Morph differences for relative growth rates were significant for anther height, anther length, and pollen number but not for bud width. Bud width and anther length had a negative allometric relationship with bud elongation. The relationship between bud length and number of pollen grains per anther was positive and morph differences in pollen number were detected at later stages of development. An increase in corolla mass involved a disproportionate allocation to the female function in SS flowers and male allocation was similar for the two morphs over the course of development. Our results are consistent with theoretical and empirical data for distylous species with an approach herkogamous ancestor, and with the more general hypothesis of ontogenetic lability of heterostyly, in which morph differences in style and anther heights are achieved in various ways. Variations observed in sexual investment between floral morphs suggest differences in sex expression during flower development.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Hernández
- Departamento de Biología Evolutiva, Instituto de Ecología A.C., km. 2.5 Carretera Antigua a Coatepec No. 351, Congregación El Haya, Apartado Postal 63, Xalapa, Veracruz 91070, México
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Asymmetry in pollen flow promotes gender specialization in morphs of the distylous neotropical herb Arcytophyllum lavarum (Rubiaceae). Evol Ecol 2007. [DOI: 10.1007/s10682-007-9198-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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Pre-dispersal seed predation reduces the reproductive compensatory advantage of thrum individuals in Erythroxylum havanense (Erythroxylaceae). Evol Ecol 2007. [DOI: 10.1007/s10682-007-9190-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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García-Robledo C, Mora F. Pollination biology and the impact of floral display, pollen donors, and distyly on seed production in Arcytophyllum lavarum (Rubiaceae). PLANT BIOLOGY (STUTTGART, GERMANY) 2007; 9:453-61. [PMID: 17401810 DOI: 10.1055/s-2007-964962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
In animal-pollinated plants, two factors affecting pollen flow and seed production are changes in floral display and the availability of compatible mates. Changes in floral display may affect the number of pollinator visits and the availability of compatible mates will affect the probability of legitimate pollination and seed production. Distyly is a floral polymorphism where long-styled (pin) and short-styled (thrum) floral morphs occur among different individuals. Distylous plants frequently exhibit self and intra-morph incompatibility. Therefore changes in morph abundance directly affect the arrival of compatible pollen to the stigmas. Floral morph by itself may also affect female reproductive success because floral morphs may display differences in seed production. We explored the effects of floral display, availability of neighboring compatible mates, and floral morph on seed production in the distylous herb ARCYTOPHYLLUM LAVARUM. We found that floral display does not affect the mean number of seeds produced per flower. There is also no effect of the proportion of neighboring legitimate pollen donors on seed production in pin or thrum flowers. However, floral morphs differed in their female reproductive success and the thrum morph produced more seeds. Hand pollination experiments suggest that differences in seed production between morphs are the result of pollen limitation. Future research will elucidate if the higher seed production in thrum flowers is a consequence of higher availability of pollen donors in the population, or higher efficiency of the pin morph as pollen donor.
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Affiliation(s)
- C García-Robledo
- Department of Biology, University of Miami, P.O. Box 249118, Coral Gables, FL 33124-0421, USA.
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GONZÁLEZ CLEMENTINA, ORNELAS JUANFRANCISCO, JIMÉNEZ LEONOR. Between-year changes in functional gender expression of Palicourea padifolia (Rubiaceae), a distylous, hummingbird-pollinated shrub. ANNALS OF BOTANY 2005; 95:371-378. [PMID: 15546929 PMCID: PMC4246829 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mci026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2004] [Revised: 08/10/2004] [Accepted: 09/16/2004] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Because distylous species have two hermaphroditic style-length floral morphs, they face two sex allocation problems: the equilibrium morph ratio and the optimal allocation to pollen and seed production in each floral morph. Gender specialization is expected among distylous species when floral morphs differ in reproductive output. However, spatio-temporal variability in female reproductive output between morphs needs to be investigated to fully understand patterns of sexual expression and gender specialization in distylous plants. Between-year variation in flower and fruit production of hummingbird-pollinated Palicourea padifolia (Rubiaceae) was examined, focusing on functional gender expression of long- and short-styled morphs and comparing their reproductive performance in five consecutive years (1998-2002). METHODS Between-year variation in inflorescence, floral bud and fruit production was monitored and quantified. These traits were then used as parameters to determine functional gender differences between floral morphs through time. KEY RESULTS Inflorescence production varied among years but no significant differences were found between floral morphs. Long-styled plants initiated more floral buds per inflorescence every year than short-styled plants, suggesting higher allocation to pollinator attraction and, potentially, an increase in male fitness through pollen donation. Although fruit production was similar between morphs, their functional gender shifted across years. CONCLUSIONS The gender expression inconsistency across years is surprising because a number of floral characters and attributes that contribute to differently attracting and rewarding effective pollinators in P. padifolia suggest gender specialization. The evidence that morphs of distylous species might specialize in functional gender mostly comes from differences among populations in seed production and non-equilibrium morph ratios based on 1-year field population surveys. The results suggest that more sampling through time is needed to detect gender specialization among distylous species with a perennial habit.
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Ornelas JF, Jiménez L, González C, Hernández A. Reproductive ecology of distylous Palicourea Padifolia (Rubiaceae) in a tropical montane cloud forest. I. Hummingbirds' effectiveness as pollen vectors. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY 2004; 91:1052-1060. [PMID: 21653461 DOI: 10.3732/ajb.91.7.1052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
The adaptiveness of distyly has been typically investigated in terms of its female function, specifically pollen receipt. However, pollen loads on stigmas can only provide moderate support for Darwin's hypothesis of the promotion of legitimate crosses. To determine the effectiveness of hummingbirds as pollen vectors between floral morphs and the consequences in terms of male (pollen transfer) and female function (pollen receipt) in Palicourea padifolia (Rubiaceae), floral visitors, their foraging modes, and temporal patterns of floral visitation were observed and documented. Differences in pollen and stigma morphology, pollen flow, rates of pollen deposition, and/or stigmatic pollen loads were then evaluated for their contribution toward differences in reproductive output between floral morphs. A pollination experiment with stuffed hummingbirds that varied in bill size was done to evaluate the contribution of bill variation toward differences between floral morphs in pollen receipt and pollen transfer and female reproductive output. Anthers of long-styled flowers contained significantly more and smaller pollen grains than those of short-styled flowers, independently of corolla and anther lengths. The shape and orientation of the stigma lobes differed between morphs and were significantly longer among short-styled flowers. Hummingbird visitation rates did not differ significantly between floral morphs, and foraging movements from focal plants towards neighboring plants were independent of floral morph. Stigmatic pollen loads under field conditions and those after controlled hummingbird visitation, along with rates of pollen accumulation through the day indicated that stigmas of short-styled flowers receive proportionately more legitimate (intermorph) pollen grains than did those of long-styled flowers. However, the species of hummingbird was marginally significant in explaining variation in pollen deposition on stigmas. Lastly, intermorph pollinations of P. padifolia resulted in significant differences in fruit production between floral morphs, independent of pollination treatment and pollinator species; short-styled flowers proportionately developed almost twice the number of fruits developed by long-styled flowers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Francisco Ornelas
- Departamento de Ecología y Comportamiento Animal, Instituto de Ecología, AC, Apartado Postal 63, Xalapa 91070, Veracruz, Mexico
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