The contribution of carbon budget to masting intervals in Veratrum album populations inhabiting different elevations

PREMISE

Mast flowering/seeding is often more extreme in lower-resource environments, such as alpine compared to lowland habitats. We studied a masting herb that had less extreme masting at higher elevations, and tested if this difference could be explained by higher photosynthetic productivity and/or lower reproductive investment at the higher-elevation sites.

METHODS

We examined the relationship between flowering intervals and carbon budget (i.e., the balance between reproductive investment and annual carbon fixation) in a masting herb, Veratrum album subsp. oxysepalum, across five lowland and six alpine populations in northern Japan. We evaluated the previous flowering histories of individual plants based on rhizome morphology and analyzed the masting patterns of individual populations. Total mass of the reproductive organs, as a proxy of reproductive investment, was compared between the lowland and alpine populations. Annual carbon fixation was estimated on the basis of photosynthetic capacity, total leaf area per plant, and seasonal transition of light availability.

RESULTS

Interval between high-flowering years was shorter and total reproductive investment was smaller in the alpine than in the lowland populations. Owing to its high photosynthetic capacity and continuous bright conditions, annual carbon fixation per plant was 1.5 times greater in alpine habitat than in lowland habitat. These results suggest that V. album alpine populations have shorter flowering intervals than lowland populations due to faster recovery from energy loss after reproduction.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study demonstrated that masting intervals in V. album populations can be explained by habitat-specific carbon budget balances.

Night and day: Contributions of diurnal and nocturnal visitors to pollen dispersal, paternity diversity, and fruit set in an early-blooming shrub, Daphne jezoensis

PREMISE

Under uncertain pollinator visit conditions, plants often exhibit long flowering periods and generalized pollination systems. Flowering of the gynodioecious shrub Daphne jezoensis occurs in early spring in cool temperate forests. Pollination by nocturnal moths is expected, given the species' tubular-shaped flowers with sweet fragrance and nectar. However, the effectiveness of nocturnal moths under cool conditions is unknown. We evaluated the relative importance of diurnal and nocturnal visitors as pollinators in early spring.

METHODS

We investigated flowering duration, flower visitors, and floral scents in a natural population. We experimentally exposed flowers to visitors only during daytime or nighttime using bagging treatments and evaluated the contributions of diurnal and nocturnal insects to fruit set, pollen dispersal distance, and paternity diversity using 16 microsatellite markers.

RESULTS

Female flowers lasted ~3 wk, which was ~8 d longer than the flowering period of hermaphrodites. Various insects, including Coleoptera, Diptera, Hymenoptera, and Lepidoptera, visited the flowers during both daytime and nighttime. Flowers emitted volatiles, such as lilac aldehyde isomers and β-ocimene, which are known to attract moths. Fruit-set rate in the night-open treatment was similar to or higher than that in the day-open treatment. However, pollen dispersal distance in the night-open treatment was shorter than that in the day-open treatment. Paternity diversity was similar in day-open and night-open treatments.

CONCLUSIONS

Early-blooming plants ensure pollen receipt and dispersal by having a long flowering period and using both diurnal and nocturnal flower visitors, suggesting the importance of a generalized pollination system under uncertain pollinator visit conditions.

The selective advantage of mast flowering in Veratrum album subsp. oxysepalum: Implications of the predator satiation hypothesis

PREMISE

Synchronous, highly variable flower or seed production among years within a population (i.e., masting) has been reported in numerous perennial plants. Although masting provides ecological advantages such as enhancing pollination efficiency and/or escape from predator attack, little is known about the degree of these advantages and variations in masting behavior among populations of conspecific plants.

METHODS

We determined flowering ramet density and reproductive success (fruit-set success and herbivorous damage) of a perennial herb, Veratrum album subsp. oxysepalum, across six lowland and six alpine populations in northern Japan during 2-3 years. We then analyzed the relationship between floral density and reproductive success to assess the ecological significance of mast flowering. Flowering intervals of individual plants were estimated by counting annual scars on rhizomes.

RESULTS

Most populations had mast flowering, but the intervals between flowering for individual plants were shorter in the alpine populations than in the lowland populations. Floral damage by stem borers (dipteran larvae) and seed predation by lepidopteran larvae were intense in the lowland populations. Seed production of individual ramets increased with higher floral density owing to the effective avoidance of floral-stem damage and seed predation. Although stem borers were absent in the alpine habitat, seed predation decreased with higher floral density also in the alpine populations. Pollination success was independent of floral density in both of the alpine and lowland populations.

CONCLUSIONS

These results strongly support the predator satiation hypothesis for mast flowering by this species.

Ecotypic differentiation of a circumpolar Arctic-alpine species at mid-latitudes: variations in the ploidy level and reproductive system of Vaccinium vitis-idaea

Although plant species originated from Arctic regions commonly grow in alpine habitats at mid-latitudes, some populations of these species exist also in some specific habitats below the treeline. Local populations at lower elevations may have different origins, ploidy levels, mating systems and/or morphological traits from alpine populations, but comparative studies between alpine and low-elevation populations are scarce. We aimed to reveal the ecological and genetic differentiations between higher and lower populations of Vaccinium vitis-idaea in Hokkaido, northern Japan by comparing 22 populations growing in diverse environments. We analysed the ploidy level of individual populations using flow cytometry. Genetic differentiation among populations, and genetic diversity within populations were calculated using microsatellite markers. Fruit and seed production were recorded under natural conditions, and a pollination experiment was conducted to reveal the variations in mating system across populations. Furthermore, we compared shoot growth and leaf characteristics among populations. Most of the low-elevation populations were tetraploid, whereas all but one of the alpine populations were diploid. Tetraploid populations were clearly differentiated from diploid populations. Some tetraploid populations formed huge clonal patches but genetic diversity was higher in tetraploids than in diploids. Alpine diploids were self-incompatible and produced more seeds per fruit than tetraploid populations. In contrast, tetraploids showed high self-compatibility. Leaf size and foliar production were greater in tetraploid populations. Our results indicate that the genetic compositions of low-elevation tetraploid populations are different from those of alpine diploid populations. Most populations at lower elevations contained unique ecotypes suited to persistence in isolated situations. Local, low-elevation populations of typical alpine species maintain ecologically and genetically specific characteristics and could be valuable in terms of evolutionary and conservation biology. The present study demonstrates the biological importance of small and isolated populations at the edges of species distribution.

Is increased male flower production a strategy for avoidance of predispersal seed predation in andromonoecious plants?

Floral gender in angiosperms often varies within and among populations. We conducted a field survey to test how predispersal seed predation affects sex allocation in an andromonoecious alpine herb Peucedanum multivittatum. We compared plant size, male and perfect flower production, fruit set, and seed predation rate over three years among nine populations inhabiting diverse snowmelt conditions in alpine meadows. Flowering period of individual populations varied from mid-July to late August reflecting the snowmelt time. Although perfect flower and fruit productions increased with plant size, size dependency of male flower production was less clear. The number of male flowers was larger in the early-flowering populations, while the number of perfect flowers increased in the late-flowering populations. Thus, male-biased sex allocation was common in the early-flowering populations. Fruit-set rates varied among populations and between years, irrespective of flowering period. Fruit-set success of individual plants increased with perfect flower number, but independent of male flower number. Seed predation by lepidopteran larvae was intense in the early-flowering populations, whereas predation damage was absent in the late-flowering populations, reflecting the extent of phenological matching between flowering time of host plants and oviposition period of predator moths. Seed predation rate was independent of male and perfect flower numbers of individual plants. Thus, seed predation is a stochastic event in each population. There was a clear correlation between the proportion of male flowers and the intensity of seed predation among populations. These results suggest that male-biased sex allocation could be a strategy to reduce seed predation damage but maintain the effort as a pollen donor under intensive seed predation.

Belowground impacts of alpine woody encroachment are determined by plant traits, local climate, and soil conditions

Global climate and land use change are causing woody plant encroachment in arctic, alpine, and arid/semi-arid ecosystems around the world, yet our understanding of the belowground impacts of this phenomenon is limited. We conducted a globally distributed field study of 13 alpine sites across four continents undergoing woody plant encroachment and sampled soils from both woody encroached and nearby herbaceous plant community types. We found that woody plant encroachment influenced soil microbial richness and community composition across sites based on multiple factors including woody plant traits, site level climate, and abiotic soil conditions. In particular, root symbiont type was a key determinant of belowground effects, as Nitrogen-fixing woody plants had higher soil fungal richness, while Ecto/Ericoid mycorrhizal species had higher soil bacterial richness and symbiont types had distinct soil microbial community composition. Woody plant leaf traits indirectly influenced soil microbes through their impact on soil abiotic conditions, primarily soil pH and C:N ratios. Finally, site-level climate affected the overall magnitude and direction of woody plant influence, as soil fungal and bacterial richness were either higher or lower in woody encroached versus herbaceous soils depending on mean annual temperature and precipitation. All together, these results document global impacts of woody plant encroachment on soil microbial communities, but highlight that multiple biotic and abiotic pathways must be considered to scale up globally from site- and species-level patterns. Considering both the aboveground and belowground effects of woody encroachment will be critical to predict future changes in alpine ecosystem structure and function and subsequent feedbacks to the global climate system.

Theory of coevolution of cytoplasmic male-sterility, nuclear restorer and selfing

Gynodioecy is a sexual polymorphism in angiosperms, where hermaphroditic and female individuals coexist. This is often caused by a cytoplasmic genetic element (CGE) that destroys male functions, which is called cytoplasmic male-sterility (CMS). On the other hand, nuclear genes tend to evolve the ability to restore male function. The coevolutionary process of CMS and the restoration has been studied theoretically. Recently, a theoretical study suggested that these coevolutionary dynamics could be influenced by the rate of selfing within populations, although it assumed that the selfing rate of a population was a fixed parameter. Accordingly, we theoretically study the coevolution of three traits in this paper: CMS, nuclear restorer and selfing rate, in which we hypothesize that selfing evolution can suppress CMS evolution under some conditions. The analysis indicates three significant properties of the system; (1) CMS-restorer evolution can result in bistability under a given selfing rate, (2) the coevolution of three traits can realize intermediate levels of selfing, and (3) the evolution of high levels of selfing is conditionally associated with no CMS and/or no restoration, which may support our hypothesis.

When spring ephemerals fail to meet pollinators: mechanism of phenological mismatch and its impact on plant reproduction

The flowering phenology of early-blooming plants is largely determined by snowmelt timing in high-latitude and high-altitude ecosystems. When the synchrony of flowering and pollinator emergence is disturbed by climate change, seed production may be restricted due to insufficient pollination success. We revealed the mechanism of phenological mismatch between a spring ephemeral ( Corydalis ambigua) and its pollinator (overwintered bumblebees), and its impact on plant reproduction, based on 19 years of monitoring and a snow removal experiment in a cool-temperate forest in northern Japan. Early snowmelt increased the risk of phenological mismatch under natural conditions. Seed production was limited by pollination success over the 3 years of the pollination experiment and decreased when flowering occurred prior to bee emergence. Similar trends were detected on modification of flowering phenology through snow removal. Following snowmelt, the length of the pre-flowering period strongly depended on the ambient surface temperature, ranging from 4 days (at greater than 7°C) to 26 days (at 2.5°C). Flowering onset was explained with an accumulated surface degree-day model. Bumblebees emerged when soil temperature reached 6°C, which was predictable by an accumulated soil degree-day model, although foraging activity after emergence might depend on air temperature. These results indicate that phenological mismatch tends to occur when snow melts early but subsequent soil warming progresses slowly. Thus, modification of the snowmelt regime could be a major driver disturbing spring phenology in northern ecosystems.

Ecotypic divergences of the alpine herb Potentilla matsumurae adapted to fellfield-snowbed habitats across a series of mountain sky islands

PREMISE

Divergent selection due to environmental heterogeneity can lead to local adaptation. However, the ecological and evolutionary processes of local adaptation that occurs across multiple regions are often unknown. Our previous studies reported on the ecotypic divergence within a local area of variation of Potentilla matsumurae, an alpine herb adapted to the fellfield-snowbed environment. Here we investigated large-scale geographic patterns of ecotypic differentiation in this species to infer local adaptation and selective forces across multiple regions.

METHODS

We compiled information on the overall distributions of fellfield and snowbed habitats on the mountains in Japan across the distribution of the species. Next, we conducted common garden experiments to test the adaptive divergence of the fellfield-snowbed plants derived from multiple regions. Finally, we evaluated phylogeographic structures based on cpDNA and allozyme variations and inferred the evolutionary history of ecotype differentiation.

RESULTS

The mosaic distribution of the fellfield-snowbed ecotypes across isolated mountaintops constitutes indirect evidence for habitat-specific natural selection. The significant difference in survivorship between the ecotypes observed in a controlled snow environment provides more substantial evidence of local selection. Phylogeographic structures support the hypothesis that ecotypic divergence events from fellfield to snowbed populations occurred independently in at least two distinct regions.

CONCLUSIONS

Ecotypic divergence of P. matsumurae has occurred across a series of mountain sky islands. Local selection in snowy environments is a driving force that maintains the divergent ecotypes across multiple mountain regions and can contribute to the diversification of plants in heavy-snow regions.

Association between community assemblage of flower colours and pollinator fauna: a comparison between Japanese and New Zealand alpine plant communities

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Flower colour plays a major role in the attraction and decision-making of pollinators. Different functional groups of pollinators tend to prefer different flower colours, and therefor may lead to different flower colour compositions among different communities depending on the visual system of the dominant pollinators. However, few studies have investigated the linkage between pollinator fauna and flower colour composition in natural communities, a theme we explored in the present study.

METHODS

Flower spectral reflectance of 106 Japanese and 96 New Zealand alpine plants in the wavelength range 300-700 nm were measured. The composition of pollinator fauna in the communities and the types of pollinators for each plant species were also investigated.

KEY RESULTS

Based on bee and fly colour vision models, as well as a principal components analysis, considering phylogenetic non-independence between plant species, flower colours appeared to vary according to pollinator type rather than geographical region. Consequently, flower colour composition differed between the regions, reflecting the bee/fly mixed pollinator fauna of Japan and the fly-dominant pollinator fauna of New Zealand. According to the bee colour vision model, the majority of the colours of hymenopteran-pollinated flowers appeared to be discriminated by bees. In contrast, many of the colours of dipteran-pollinated flowers would not be discriminated by bees and flies.

CONCLUSION

The results suggest that the differences in flower colour composition between Japanese and New Zealand alpine communities are due to differences in the pollinator fauna in these communities rather than differences in abiotic factors between the geographical regions and the phylogenetic origin of the communities.

Variations in ramet performance and the dynamics of an alpine evergreen herb, Gentiana nipponica, in different snowmelt conditions

PREMISE OF THE STUDY

Variation in demographic parameters reflects the life-history strategies of plants in response to specific environments. We aimed to investigate the intraspecific variation in life-history traits of a clonal alpine herb, Gentiana nipponica, in various snowmelt conditions.

METHODS

Individual ramets within genets accumulate leaves for 7-9 yr without shedding, and die after reproduction. We tested the physiological function of accumulated leaves for reproduction and monitored the ramet demography in early, intermediate, and late snowmelt populations over 3 yr. Then, we simulated ramet dynamics using the demographic parameters.

KEY RESULTS

Old leaves had a carbon storage function, and the initiation of reproduction depended on the amount of ramet leaves. Growth and reproductive performance were highest in the population with an intermediate snowmelt period. The early snowmelt population showed short persistence periods due to restricted growth and high mortality of the ramets. The late snowmelt populations showed slow growth, but high survival rate of the ramets, in which the ramet size at reproduction was smallest and fruit formation was often suppressed by the short growing period.

CONCLUSIONS

Limiting factors dictating the distribution of G. nipponica differed between the early and late snowmelt habitats. High mortality and restricted growth, because of the harsh environment, determine the distribution limit toward earlier snowmelt locations. By contrast, late snowmelt strongly limited fecundity because of the short period for fruit maturation. The difference in snowmelt time provides a clear gradient of selective forces that may promote local adaptation among neighboring populations.

Restricted female function of hermaphrodites in a gynodioecious shrub, Daphne jezoensis (Thymelaeaceae)

Gynodioecy is the coexistence of hermaphrodites and females in a population. It is supposed to be an intermediate stage in the evolutionary pathway from hermaphroditism to dioecy in angiosperm. Hermaphrodites gain fitness through both seed and pollen production whereas females gain fitness only through seed production. As females spread in a gynodioecious population, sexual selection prompts hermaphrodites to invest in male function and male-biased hermaphrodites prevail. In the gynodioecious shrub Daphne jezoensis (Thymelaeaceae), female frequency is stably around 50% in most populations, and fruit-set rate of hermaphrodites is commonly low. Therefore, D. jezoensis is likely at a later stage in the evolutionary pathway. Female function of hermaphrodites (fruit-set rate, selfing rate, seed size, and germination rate) was assessed in three populations under natural conditions. In order to evaluate the potential seed fertility and inbreeding depression by selfing in hermaphrodites, hand pollination treatments were also performed. Over a 2-year period under natural conditions, 18-29% of hermaphrodites and 69-81% of females set fruit. Across all three populations, the mean fruit-set rate ranged 9.5-49.2% in females and only 3.9-10.2% in hermaphrodites. Even with artificial outcross-pollination, 59-91% of hermaphrodites failed to set any fruit. When self-pollination was performed in hermaphrodites, both of fruit-set and germination rates were decreased, indicating early-acting inbreeding depression. In addition, more than half of the hermaphrodite seeds were produced by selfing under natural pollination, but pollinator service was still required. Totally, hermaphrodites performed poorly as seed producers because of the intrinsically-low fruiting ability and a combination of autogamous selfing and strong inbreeding depression, indicating the absence of reproductive assurance. These results indicate that the mating system of D. jezoensis is functionally close to dioecy.

A linkage between flowering phenology and fruit-set success of alpine plant communities with reference to the seasonality and pollination effectiveness of bees and flies

To clarify the linkage between flowering phenology and pollination success in alpine plant communities, we quantified the seasonality of flower visitors, the temporal transition of floral resources, and the variation in pollination success of alpine plants in northern Japan. Bumble bees, syrphid flies, and non-syrphid flies were the predominant flower visitors. Foraging activity of bumble bees increased toward the late flowering period reflecting the life cycle of colony development. The activity of syrphid flies was sensitive to ambient temperature, while that of non-syrphid flies remained high throughout the season. Flower production of bee-pollinated plants fluctuated significantly between years with a bimodal pattern peaking in the early and late periods, while flower production of fly-pollinated plants was less variable between years. Fruit-set success of bee-pollinated plants increased considerably from the early to the late flowering period, while the trend for fly-pollinated plants was less marked. Three times more visits of dipteran insects are necessary for fly-pollinated plants to achieve fruiting success comparable to bee-pollinated plants. Bumble bees are potentially excellent pollinators, but the visitation frequency is low early in the season. Lower pollination ability of dipteran insects may be compensated for by abundant flower visits. The relationships between flowering phenology and fruit-set success of alpine plant communities highly depend on the type of pollinators.

Size-dependent sex allocation and reproductive investment in a gynodioecious shrub

In sexually dimorphic plants, resource allocation to reproduction often differs between sex morphs. In gynodioecious species, i.e. coexisting hermaphrodite and female plants within a population, females often produce more fruits than hermaphrodites. Since fruit production is costlier than flower production, hermaphrodites and females may regulate flower and fruit production differently in response to resource availability. To clarify the gender-specific strategies of reproductive allocation, we assessed sexual dimorphism in reproductive traits, size-dependent resource allocation, morphological traits, and photosynthetic capacity in a natural population of a gynodioecious shrub, Daphne jezoensis Hermaphrodites had larger flowers and increased flower number with plant size at a rate greater than females, but showed consistently smaller fruit production. Although females did not increase flower production as much as hermaphrodites did as their size increased, they produced 3.7 times more fruits than did hermaphrodites. Despite a large sexual difference in fruiting ability based on hand-pollination, total resource investment in reproduction (the sum of flower and fruit mass) was similar between sex morphs across plant sizes, and there was little sexual difference in the cost of reproduction, i.e. the negative effect of current reproduction on future reproductive effort, in the natural population. In addition, there were no sexual differences in the resource allocation to vegetative organs (leaf and root mass) and photosynthetic capacity (light response photosynthetic rates). Under natural conditions, pollen limitation strongly restricted the fruit production of females, resulting in similar cost of reproduction between hermaphrodites and females.

Male-biased hermaphrodites in a gynodioecious shrub, Daphne jezoensis

Gynodioecy, a state where female and hermaphrodite plants coexist in populations, has been widely proposed an intermediate stage in the evolutionary pathway from hermaphroditism to dioecy. In the gynodioecy-dioecy pathway, hermaphrodites may gain most of their fitness through male function once females invade populations. To test this prediction, comprehensive studies on sex ratio variation across populations and reproductive characteristics of hermaphrodite and female phenotypes are necessary. This study examined the variation in sex ratio, sex expression, flower and fruit production and sexual dimorphism of morphological traits in a gynodioecious shrub, Daphne jezoensis, over multiple populations and years. Population sex ratio (hermaphrodite:female) was close to 1:1 or slightly hermaphrodite-biased. Sex type of individual plants was largely fixed, but 15% of plants changed their sex during a 6-year census. Hermaphrodite plants produced larger flowers and invested 2.5 times more resources in flower production than female plants, but they exhibited remarkably low fruit set (proportion of flowers setting fruits). Female plants produced six times more fruits than hermaphrodite plants. Low fruiting ability of hermaphrodite plants was retained even when hand-pollination was performed. Fruit production of female plants was restricted by pollen limitation under natural conditions, irrespective of high potential fecundity, and this minimised the difference in resources allocated to reproduction between the sexes. Negative effects of previous flower and fruit production on current reproduction were not apparent in both sexes. This study suggests that gynodioecy in this species is functionally close to a dioecious mating system: smaller flower production with larger fruiting ability in female plants, and larger flower production with little fruiting ability in hermaphrodite plants.

Foraging responses of bumble bees to rewardless floral patches: importance of within-plant variance in nectar presentation

Spatiotemporal variation in nectar distribution is a key factor affecting pollinator movements between flowers and plants within a population. Pollinators having systematic searching ability can flexibly respond to the reward condition of floral patches, and they tend to revisit rewarding patches. However, foraging behaviour may be influenced by the nectar distribution within populations. To evaluate the effects of unrewarding experiences and plant distribution, we compared bumble bee foraging behaviours between naturally rewarding and artificially rewardless (by nectary removal) patches in two aconite populations with different plant densities. Visitation frequency to the patches, number of successive flower visits within inflorescences, and successive inflorescence visits within patches were recorded. Nectar production and standing crop were also measured. Bumble bees increased the movements between neighbouring inflorescences instead of leaving the patches when they faced rewardless flowers. A large variance in nectar production existed among flowers within plants. This might explain the observed bumble bee behaviour, because they could be rewarded by moving to the adjacent inflorescences even after a rewardless experience. Our results imply that a highly variable nectar reward in a population might mask the disadvantage of completely rewardless individuals.

Short-Term Responses in Maximum Quantum Yield of PSII (Fv/Fm) to ex situ Temperature Treatment of Populations of Bryophytes Originating from Different Sites in Hokkaido, Northern Japan

There is limited knowledge available on the thermal acclimation processes for bryophytes, especially when considering variation between populations or sites. This study investigated whether short-term ex situ thermal acclimation of different populations showed patterns of site dependency and whether the maximum quantum yield of PSII (Fv/Fm) could be used as an indicator of adaptation or temperature stress in two bryophyte species: Pleurozium schreberi (Willd. ex Brid.) Mitt. and Racomitrium lanuginosum (Hedw.) Brid. We sought to test the hypothesis that differences in the ability to acclimate to short-term temperature treatment would be revealed as differences in photosystem II maximum yield (Fv/Fm). Thermal treatments were applied to samples from 12 and 11 populations during 12 or 13 days in growth chambers and comprised: (1) 10/5 °C; (2) 20/10 °C; (3) 25/15 °C; (4) 30/20 °C (12 hours day/night temperature). In Pleurozium schreberi, there were no significant site-dependent differences before or after the experiment, while site dependencies were clearly shown in Racomitrium lanuginosum throughout the study. Fv/Fm in Pleurozium schreberi decreased at the highest and lowest temperature treatments, which can be interpreted as a stress response, but no similar trends were shown by Racomitrium lanuginosum.

How do sink and source activities influence the reproduction and vegetative growth of spring ephemeral herbs under different light conditions?

Spring ephemeral herbs inhabiting deciduous forests commonly complete reproduction and vegetative growth before canopy closure in early summer. Effects of shading by early canopy closure on reproductive output and vegetative growth, however, may vary depending on the seasonal allocation patterns of photosynthetic products between current reproduction and storage for future growth in each species. To clarify the effects of sink-source balance on seed production and bulb growth in a spring ephemeral herb, Gagea lutea, we performed a bract removal treatment (source reduction) and a floral-bud removal treatment (sink reduction) under canopy and open conditions. Leaf carbon fixations did not differ between the forest and open sites and among treatments. Bract carbon fixations were also similar between sites but tended to decrease when floral buds were removed. Seed production was higher under open condition but decreased by the bract-removal treatment under both light conditions. In contrast, bulb growth was independent of light conditions and the bract-removal treatment but increased greatly by the bud-removal treatment. Therefore, leaves and bracts acted as specialized source organs for vegetative and reproductive functions, respectively, but photosynthetic products by bracts were flexibly used for bulb growth when plants failed to set fruits. Extension of bright period was advantageous for seed production (i.e., source limited) but not for vegetative growth (i.e., sink limited) in this species.

Invasion of dwarf bamboo into alpine snow-meadows in northern Japan: pattern of expansion and impact on species diversity

Recently, a dwarf bamboo species,Sasa kurilensis; Poaceae, has invaded into alpine snow-meadows in the wilderness area of the Taisetsu Mountains, northern Japan. This dwarf bamboo species has a wide distribution range from lowland to alpine sites of snowy regions. Because of the formation of dense evergreen culms and an extensive rhizome system, other plants are excluded following invasion by this dwarf bamboo, resulting in low species diversity. Dwarf bamboo originally inhabited the leeward slopes of alpine dwarf pine (Pinus pumila) clumps in alpine regions. During the last 32 years, however, dwarf bamboo has expanded its distribution area by up to 47% toward snow-meadows, especially on southeastern facing slopes. This rapid change may be related to the decrease in soil moisture and expansion of the annual growing period caused by the recent acceleration of snowmelt time. A multiyear census revealed that the density of bamboo culms increased 30-150% during 2 years, and the annual expansion of bamboo rhizomes was 39 cm on average. In addition to the expansion of bamboo clumps by vegetative growth, the possibility of migration by seed dispersal was also suggested by a genet analysis. With the increase in culm density, the species richness of snow-meadow vegetation decreased to less than one-quarter of the original level due to intense shading by dwarf bamboo. The rapid vegetation change in these almost pristine alpine environments isolated from the human activity implies that global climate change already influences the alpine ecosystem.

Effects of defoliation and shading on the physiological cost of reproduction in silky locoweed Oxytropis sericea

BACKGROUND

The production of flowers, fruits and seeds demands considerable energy and nutrients, which can limit the allocation of these resources to other plant functions and, thereby, influence survival and future reproduction. The magnitude of the physiological costs of reproduction depends on both the factors limiting seed production (pollen, ovules or resources) and the capacity of plants to compensate for high resource demand.

METHODS

To assess the magnitude and consequences of reproductive costs, we used shading and defoliation to reduce photosynthate production by fully pollinated plants of a perennial legume, Oxytropis sericea (Fabaceae), and examined the resulting impact on photosynthate allocation, and nectar, fruit and seed production.

KEY RESULTS

Although these leaf manipulations reduced photosynthesis and nectar production, they did not alter photosynthate allocation, as revealed by (13)C tracing, or fruit or seed production. That photosynthate allocation to reproductive organs increased >190 % and taproot mass declined by 29 % between flowering and fruiting indicates that reproduction was physiologically costly.

CONCLUSIONS

The insensitivity of fruit and seed production to leaf manipulation is consistent with either compensatory mobilization of stored resources or ovule limitation. Seed production differed considerably between the two years of the study in association with contrasting precipitation prior to flowering, perhaps reflecting contrasting limits on reproductive performance.

Global assessment of experimental climate warming on tundra vegetation: heterogeneity over space and time

Understanding the sensitivity of tundra vegetation to climate warming is critical to forecasting future biodiversity and vegetation feedbacks to climate. In situ warming experiments accelerate climate change on a small scale to forecast responses of local plant communities. Limitations of this approach include the apparent site-specificity of results and uncertainty about the power of short-term studies to anticipate longer term change. We address these issues with a synthesis of 61 experimental warming studies, of up to 20 years duration, in tundra sites worldwide. The response of plant groups to warming often differed with ambient summer temperature, soil moisture and experimental duration. Shrubs increased with warming only where ambient temperature was high, whereas graminoids increased primarily in the coldest study sites. Linear increases in effect size over time were frequently observed. There was little indication of saturating or accelerating effects, as would be predicted if negative or positive vegetation feedbacks were common. These results indicate that tundra vegetation exhibits strong regional variation in response to warming, and that in vulnerable regions, cumulative effects of long-term warming on tundra vegetation - and associated ecosystem consequences - have the potential to be much greater than we have observed to date.

Trade-off between travel distance and prioritization of high-reward sites in traplining bumblebees

1.Animals exploiting renewable resource patches are faced with complex multi-location routing problems. In many species, individuals visit foraging patches in predictable sequences called traplines. However, whether and how they optimize their routes remains poorly understood.

2.In this study, we demonstrate that traplining bumblebees (Bombus terrestris) make a trade-off between minimizing travel distance and prioritizing the most rewarding feeding locations.

3.Individual bees trained to forage on five artificial flowers of equal reward value selected the shortest possible route as a trapline. After introducing a single highly rewarding flower to the array, they re-adjusted their routes visiting the most rewarding flower first provided the departure distance from the shortest possible route remained small (18%). When routes optimizing the initial rate of reward intake were much longer (42%), bees prioritized short travel distances.

4.Under natural conditions, in which individual flowers vary in nectar productivity and replenish continuously, it might pay bees to prioritize highly rewarding locations, both to minimize the overall number of flowers to visit and to beat competitors.

5.We discuss how combined memories of location and quality of resource patches could allow bees and other traplining animals to optimize their routing decisions in heterogeneous environments.

Flowering phenology influences seed production and outcrossing rate in populations of an alpine snowbed shrub, Phyllodoce aleutica: effects of pollinators and self-incompatibility

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Because of differences in snowmelt time, the reproductive phenologies of alpine plants are highly variable among local populations, and there is large variation in seed set across populations. Temporal variation in pollinator availability during the season may be a major factor affecting not only seed production but also outcrossing rate of alpine plants.

METHODS

Among local populations of Phyllodoce aleutica that experience different snowmelt regimes, flowering phenology, pollinator availability, seed-set rate, and outcrossing rate were compared with reference to the mating system (self-compatibility or heterospecific compatibility with a co-occurring congeneric species).

KEY RESULTS

Flowering occurred sequentially among populations reflecting snowmelt time from mid-July to late August. The visit frequency of bumble-bees increased substantially in late July when workers appeared. Both seed set and outcrossing rate increased as flowering season progressed. Although flowers were self-compatible and heterospecific compatible, the mixed-pollination experiment revealed that fertilization with conspecific, outcrossing pollen took priority over selfing and hybridization, indicating a cryptic self-incompatibility. In early snowmelt populations, seed production was pollen-limited and autogamous selfing was common. However, genetic analyses revealed that selfed progenies did not contribute to the maintenance of populations due to late-acting inbreeding depression.

CONCLUSIONS

Large variations in seed-set and outcrossing rates among populations were caused by the timing of pollinator availability during the season and the cryptic self-incompatibility of this species. Despite the intensive pollen limitation in part of the early season, reproductive assurance by autogamous selfing was not evident. Under fluctuating conditions of pollinator availability and flowering structures, P. aleutica maintained the genetic composition by conspecific outcrossing.

Morphological and genetic variations of Potentilla matsumurae (Rosaceae) between fellfield and snowbed populations

Identifying ecological factors associated with local differentiation of populations is important for understanding microevolutionary processes. Alpine environments offer a unique opportunity to investigate the effects of habitat-specific selective forces and gene flow limitations among populations at a microscale on local adaptation because the heterogeneous snowmelt patterns in alpine ecosystems provide steep environmental changes. We investigated the variation in morphological traits and enzyme loci between fellfield and snowbed populations of Potentilla matsumurae, a common alpine herb with a wide distribution along snowmelt gradients in northern Japan. We found significant differences in morphological traits between fellfield and snowbed habitats in a northern distribution region. These differences were maintained when plants were grown under uniform conditions in a greenhouse. Allozyme variations among 15 populations from geographically separated regions with different historical backgrounds showed that the populations are more genetically differentiated between the fellfield and snowbed habitats within a region than between populations occupying the same habitat type in different regions. These results suggest that variation in snowmelt regimes could be a driving force creating local adaptation and genetic differentiation of alpine plant populations.

Comparison of light harvesting and resource allocation strategies between two rhizomatous herbaceous species inhabiting deciduous forests

Light conditions on the floor of deciduous forests are determined by the leaf dynamics of canopy trees and gap formation. Such spatiotemporal variations of light availability should affect the resource partitioning strategies of understory herbs. Although rhizomatous species are common in understory, relationships between rhizome structure, vegetative growth, and sexual reproduction are unclear in terms of carbon allocation. We compared the photosynthetic characteristics and carbon translocation patterns in the under-canopy and light-gap sites between two summer-green perennial species: Cardamine leucantha with an annual long rhizome, and Smilacina japonica with a perennial short rhizome system. Flowering of both species occurs in early summer under decreasing light availability. In the light-gap, C. leucantha maintained high photosynthetic activity due to continuous leaf production, resulting in higher seed production than in the under-canopy. In contrast, the photosynthetic rate of S. japonica, producing leaves simultaneously, decreased with time irrespective of light conditions, resulting in stable seed production in both sites. Although seasonally decreasing light availability commonly restricts carbon assimilation of understory herbs, the responses of resource partitioning to variations in light availability depend greatly on the belowground structure of individual species.

Combined effects of inflorescence architecture, display size, plant density and empty flowers on bumble bee behaviour: experimental study with artificial inflorescences

Pollen dispersal by pollinators is governed by the extent to which diverse effects on pollinator behaviour act independently or augment or moderate each other. Using artificial inflorescences, we assessed the behavioural responses of bumble bees to inflorescence architecture (raceme, panicle, and umbel), inflorescence size (7 or 13 flowers), inter-inflorescence distance and the proportion of empty flowers per inflorescence. The advantage of large inflorescences in terms of attractiveness was larger for racemes and umbels than for panicles, whereas the effect of inter-inflorescence distance on the number of successive probes was smaller for racemes than for panicles and umbels. The number of flowers probed per visit increased almost proportionally with display size when fewer flowers were empty, whereas the number increased less when many flowers were empty. Our results suggest that display size and the spatial arrangement of flowers and nectar within inflorescences can contribute to efficient pollination by affecting pollinator behaviour interactively.

Timing of canopy closure influences carbon translocation and seed production of an understorey herb, Trillium apetalon (Trilliaceae)

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

The light availability on a temperate, deciduous-forest floor varies greatly, reflecting the seasonal leaf dynamics of the canopy trees. The growth and/or reproductive activity of understorey plants should be influenced by the length of the high-irradiance period from snowmelt to canopy closure. The aim of the present study was to clarify how spring-blooming species regulate the translocation of photosynthetic products to current reproduction and storage organs during a growing season in accordance with the changing light conditions.

METHODS

Growth pattern, net photosynthetic rate, seed production, and shoot and flower production in the next year of Trillium apetalon were compared between natural and experimentally shaded conditions. Furthermore, translocation of current photosynthetic products within plants was assessed by a labelled carbon-chase experiment.

KEY RESULTS

During the high-irradiance period, plants showed high photosynthetic ability, in which current products were initially used for shoot growth, then reserved in the rhizome. Carbon translocation to developing fruit occurred after canopy closure, but this was very small due to low photosynthetic rates under the darker conditions. The shading treatment in the early season advanced the time of carbon translocation to fruit, but reduced seed production in the current year and flower production of the next year.

CONCLUSIONS

Carbon translocation to the storage organ had priority over seed production under high-irradiance conditions. A shortened bright period due to early canopy closure effectively restricts carbon assimilation, which greatly reduces subsequent reproductive output owing to low photosynthetic products for fruit development and small carbon storage for future reproduction. As populations of this species are maintained by seedling recruitment, acceleration of canopy closure timing may influence the maintenance and dynamics of populations.

Cost of reproduction in a spring ephemeral species, Adonis ramosa (Ranunculaceae): carbon budget for seed production

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Spring ephemerals have a specific life-history trait, i.e. shoot growth and sexual reproduction occur simultaneously during a short period from snowmelt to canopy closure in deciduous forests. The aim of this study is to clarify how spring ephemerals invest resources for seed production within a restricted period.

METHODS

In order to evaluate the cost of reproduction of a typical spring ephemeral species, Adonis ramosa, an experiment was conducted comprising defoliation treatments (intact, one-third and two-thirds leaf-cutting) and fruit manipulations (control, shading and removal) over two growing seasons. In addition, measurements were made of the movements of carbon assimilated via (13)C tracing.

KEY RESULTS

Survival rate was high irrespective of treatments and manipulations. The proportion of flowering plants and plant size decreased as a result of the defoliation treatments over 2 years, but the fruit manipulations did not affect flowering activity or plant size. Seed set and seed number decreased as a result of fruit shading treatment, but the defoliation treatments did not affect current seed production. Individual seed weight also decreased in the second year due to fruit shading. The (13)C tracing experiment revealed that young fruits had photosynthetic ability and current photosynthetic products from leaves were mainly transferred to the below-ground parts, while translocation to fruit was very small even when fruit photosynthesis was restricted by the shading treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

Current foliage photosynthetic products are largely stored in the below-ground parts for survival and future growth, and about one-third of the resources for seed production may be attained by fruit photosynthesis. Therefore, the trade-off between current seed production and subsequent growth is weak. The cost of seed production may be buffered by sufficient storage in the below-ground organs, effective photosynthesis under high irradiation and self-assimilation ability of fruits.

A test of the effect of floral color change on pollination effectiveness using artificial inflorescences visited by bumblebees

Floral color change has been recognized as a pollination strategy, but its relative effectiveness has been evaluated insufficiently with respect to other floral traits. In this study, effects of floral color change on the visitation pattern of bumblebees were empirically assessed using artificial flowers. Four inflorescence types were postulated as strategies of flowering behavior: type 1 has no retention of old flowers, resulting in a small display size; type 2 retains old flowers without nectar production; type 3 retains old flowers with nectar; and type 4 retains color-changed old flowers without nectar. Effects of these treatments varied depending on both the total display size (single versus multiple inflorescences) and the pattern of flower-opening. In the single inflorescence experiment, a large floral display due to the retention of old flowers (types 2-4) enhanced pollinator attraction, and the number of flower visits per stay decreased with color change (type 4), suggesting a decrease in geitonogamous pollination. Type-4 plants also reduced the foraging time of bees in comparison with type-2 plants. In the multiple inflorescence experiment, the retention of old flowers did not contribute to pollinator attraction. When flowering occurred sequentially within inflorescences, type-4 plants successfully decreased the number of visits and the foraging time in comparison with type-2 plants. In contrast, floral color change did not influence the number of visits, and it extended the foraging time when flowering occurred simultaneously within inflorescences but the opening of inflorescences progressed sequentially within a plant. Therefore, the effectiveness of floral color change is highly susceptible to the display size and flowering pattern within plants, and this may limit the versatility of the color change strategy in nature.

Seasonal changes in pollinator activity influence pollen dispersal and seed production of the alpine shrub Rhododendron aureum (Ericaceae)

In alpine ecosystems, microscale variation in snowmelt timing often causes different flowering phenology of the same plant species and seasonal changes in pollinator activity. We compared the variations in insect visitation, pollen dispersal, mating patterns, and sexual reproduction of Rhododendron aureum early and late in the flowering season using five microsatellites. Insects visiting the flowers were rare early in the flowering season (mid-June), when major pollinators were bumblebee queens and flies. In contrast, frequent visitations by bumblebee workers were observed late in the season (late July). Two-generation analysis of pollen pool structure demonstrated that quality of pollen-mediated gene flow was more diverse late in the season in parallel with the high pollinator activity. The effective number of pollen donors per fruit (N(ep)) increased late in the season (N(ep) = 2.2-2.7 early, 3.4-4.4 late). However, both the outcrossing rate (t(m)) and seed-set ratio per fruit were smaller late in the season (t(m) = 0.89 and 0.71, seed-set ratio = 0.52 and 0.18, early and late in the season, respectively). In addition, biparental inbreeding occurred only late in the season. We conclude that R. aureum shows contrasting patterns of pollen movement and seed production between early and late season: in early season, seed production can be high but genetically less diverse and, during late season, be reduced, possibly due to higher inbreeding and inbreeding depression, but have greater genetic diversity. Thus, more pollinator activity does not always mean more pollen movement.

Seasonal pattern of leaf production and its effects on assimilation in giant summer-green herbs in deciduous forests in northern Japan

Understory vegetation of northern deciduous forests in far eastern Asia is characterized by giant summer-green herbs. We examined the patterns of height growth, leaf accumulation, photosynthetic characteristics, daily net assimilation, and dry matter allocation within aboveground parts of six giant summer-green herbs with reference to light conditions in deciduous forests. Plant height, leaf number, and total leaf area per plant increased with progressing tree-canopy closure in five species ( Cacalia hastata L. subsp. orientalis Kitam., Cirsium kamtschaticum Ledeb., Filipendula kamtschatica (Pall.) Maxim. f. kamtschatica, Senecio cannabifolius Less., and Urtica platyphylla Wedd.) that had continuous leaf production throughout the growing season, whereas one species ( Veratrum album L. subsp. oxysepalum Hulten) with early leaf production, completed leaf production mostly before the beginning of tree-canopy closure. Maximum photosynthetic and dark respiration rates decreased seasonally in all species. Species with continuous leaf emergence accumulated leaves acclimatized to shade conditions, which offset the decreasing photosynthesis of individual leaves with progressing tree-canopy closure, resulting in stable carbon gain even under decreasing light availability. In contrast, V. album assimilated vigorously during the short period of high irradiance before tree-canopy closure, and decreased its assimilation rate continuously thereafter.

Landscape genetics of alpine-snowbed plants: comparisons along geographic and snowmelt gradients

The genetic structure of three snowbed-herb species (Peucedanum multivittatum, Veronica stelleri, and Gentiana nipponica) was analyzed using allozymes across nine populations arranged as a matrix of three snowmelt gradients x three geographic locations within 3 km in the Taisetsu Mountains, northern Japan. Phenologically asynchronous populations are packed within a local area in alpine snowbeds, because flowering season of alpine plants depends strongly on the timing of snowmelt. Moderate genetic differentiation was detected among local populations in every species (FST=0.03-0.07). There was a significant correlation between the geographic distance and genetic distance in the P. multivittatum populations, but not in the V. stelleri and G. nipponica populations. On the other hand, a significant correlation between the phenological distance caused by snowmelt timing and genetic distance was detected in the V. stelleri and G. nipponica populations, but not in the P. multivittatum populations. The snowmelt gradient or geographic separation influenced hierarchical genetic structure of these species moderately (FRT <0.04). Restriction of gene flow due to phenological separation and possible differential selection along the snowmelt gradient may produce genetic clines at microgeographic scale in these species.

Floral color change in Weigela middendorffiana (Caprifoliaceae): reduction of geitonogamous pollination by bumble bees

We examined the significance of retaining color-changed flowers in pollination success of Weigela middendorffiana through a single visit of bumble bees. Inner parts of flowers changed color with age from yellow to red. In an investigation of the mating system, duration of each color phase, reproductive ability of each of the color-phase flowers, and the effects of color-changed flowers on bumble bee behavior (1) flowers of this species were self-incompatible, (2) color-changed flowers provided little reward to pollinators and little residual reproductive ability, (3) the timing of floral color change was delayed with the progress of flowering season within individual plants, while the duration of the red phase shortened with the progress of flowering season, and (4) red-phase flowers did not attract bumble bees at a distance but did contribute to reducing the number of successive flower visits during a single stay within the plants. Red-phase flowers seemed to indicate the low reward level of old flowers and functioned as a cue to discourage pollinators from staying longer on the same plant. Our results predict that the retention of color-changed flowers without sexual function can enhance the pollination success of a whole plant through male function by reducing successive flower visits during a single stay of pollinators, i.e., geitonogamous pollination.