scholarly journals Sterile flowers increase pollinator attraction and promote female success in the Mediterranean herb Leopoldia comosa

2012 ◽  
Vol 111 (1) ◽  
pp. 103-111 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carolina L. Morales ◽  
Anna Traveset ◽  
Lawrence D. Harder
Keyword(s):  
Pollinator Attraction ◽  
The Mediterranean ◽  
Female Success

scholarly journals Horizontal orientation facilitates pollinator attraction and rain avoidance in radially symmetrical flowers

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Taichi Nakata ◽  
Ishii Rin ◽  
Yuki A Yaida ◽  
Atushi Ushimaru
Keyword(s):  
Field Experiments ◽  
Pollen Grains ◽  
Adaptive Significance ◽  
Pollinator Limitation ◽  
Pollinator Attraction ◽  
Pollination Success ◽  
Horizontal Orientation ◽  
Flowering Season ◽  
Germination Experiment ◽  
Female Success

AbstractPremiseFloral angle, such as upward, horizontal, and downward orientation are known to evolve under both biotic and abiotic agents to enhance pollination success in zoophilious plants. Adaptive significance of horizontal orientation in radially symmetrical (actinomorphic) flowers under biotic and abiotic selection pressures were largely unknown, although those in bilaterally symmetrical flowers have been well studied.MethodsUsing experimentally angle changed flowers, we examined the effects of flower angle on pollinator behaviors, pollination success and rain avoidance in a population of insect-pollinated Platycodon grandiflorus. We further investigated the frequency and amount of precipitation in the flowering season and pollen damage by water in this species. Main results: Horizontally oriented flowers received more visitations and pollen grains on the stigma in male and/or female phases than downward and/or upward oriented flowers and avoided pollen damage by rainfall compared to upward oriented flowers. The pollen germination experiment showed that approximately 30% of pollen grains burst in distilled water, thus pollen damage by rainfall was potentially serious in P. garndiflorus.ConclusionIn this study, our field experiments revealed that upward flowers cannot avoid damage from rainfall during the flowering period whereas both upward and downward flowers suffered from pollinator limitation in female success. Thus, horizontal flower orientation is suggested to be adaptive in this insect-pollinated actinomorphic species which blooms in the rainy season.

115 Heart failure mortality due to ischemic etiology: is it the same in the Mediterranean lifestyle?

2006 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 28-29
Author(s):  
M JIMENEZNAVARRO ◽  
J GOMEZDOBLAS ◽  
G GOMEZHERNANDEZ ◽  
A DOMINGUEZFRANCO ◽  
J GARCIAPINILLA ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heart Failure ◽  
The Mediterranean

Homocysteine Levels Show Significant Differences among Mediterranean Dietary Quality Index Variables Compared to Folate and Vitamin B12 Status in Women

2015 ◽  
Vol 85 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 202-210 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ivona Višekruna ◽  
Ivana Rumbak ◽  
Ivana Rumora Samarin ◽  
Irena Keser ◽  
Jasmina Ranilović
Keyword(s):  
Mediterranean Diet ◽  
Diet Quality ◽  
Quality Index ◽  
Fruits And Vegetables ◽  
Reproductive Age ◽  
Dietary Quality ◽  
Vitamin B ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Poor Diet ◽  
The Mediterranean

Abstract. Results of epidemiologic studies and clinical trials have shown that subjects following the Mediterranean diet had lower inflammatory markers such as homocysteine (Hcy). Therefore, the aim of this cross-sectional study was to assess female diet quality with the Mediterranean diet quality index (MDQI) and to determine the correlation between MDQI, homocysteine, folate and vitamin B12 levels in the blood. The study participants were 237 apparently healthy women (96 of reproductive age and 141 postmenopausal) between 25 and 93 years. For each participant, 24-hour dietary recalls for 3 days were collected, MDQI was calculated, and plasma Hcy, serum and erythrocyte folate and vitamin B12 levels were analysed. Total MDQI ranged from 8 to 10 points, which represented a medium-poor diet for the subjects. The strength of correlation using biomarkers, regardless of group type, age, gender and other measured parameters, was ranked from best (0.11) to worst (0.52) for olive oil, fish, fruits and vegetables, grains, and meat, in this order. Hcy levels showed the best response among all markers across all groups and food types. Our study shows significant differences between variables of the MDQI and Hcy levels compared to levels of folate and vitamin B12 in participants with medium-poor diet quality, as evaluated according to MDQI scores.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document