The generalist pollination system and reproductive success of Calluna vulgaris in the Upper Ardenne

1998 ◽  
Vol 76 (11) ◽  
pp. 1843-1851 ◽  
Author(s):  
Grégory Mahy ◽  
Jacques De Sloover ◽  
Anne-Laure Jacquemart
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Success ◽  
Calluna Vulgaris ◽  
Sampling Location ◽  
Wind Pollination ◽  
Seed Number ◽  
Pollinator Visitation ◽  
Pollination System ◽  
Exclusion Experiments ◽  
Syrphid Flies ◽  
Pollination Systems

Although specialist pollination systems are often thought to be the outcome of selection, wide evidence exists for generalization within plant-pollinator interactions. We studied the pollination system and reproductive success of Calluna vulgaris (L.) Hull over 3 years in an Upper Ardennes site in Belgium. A wide variety of insect visitors was recorded including Hymenoptera, Diptera, and Lepidoptera. Relative abundance of families and species of visitors varied markedly among years except for bees. Bumblebees and honeybees were the most efficient pollinators at the study site. Syrphid flies, mainly large ones, acted as important co-pollinators because of their high relative frequency. Calluna pollen was also dispersed by wind, and insect-exclusion experiments demonstrated that wind pollination contributed to reproductive success. Following open pollination, fruit set was high, ranging from 82.0 to 97.2% and independent of sampling location. Mean seed number per fruit was less than maximum potential seed number and varied strongly among sampling locations. We discuss this pollination system (generalist insect and wind) in terms of the ecological and geographical success of the species.Key words: Calluna vulgaris, pollinator visitation, insects, wind pollination, reproductive success.

Factors affecting pollinator visitation and reproductive success in Sonneratia caseolaris and Aegiceras corniculatum in a mangrove forest in India

2001 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 431-447 ◽  
Author(s):  
SHALINI PANDIT ◽  
B. C. CHOUDHURY
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Success ◽  
Mangrove Forest ◽  
Time Of Day ◽  
Pollinator Visitation ◽  
Aegiceras Corniculatum ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Plant Reproductive Success ◽  
Sonneratia Caseolaris ◽  
Exclusion Experiments ◽  
Selfing Species

Pollinator visitation to, and the reproductive success of, Sonneratia caseolaris (Sonneratiaceae) and Aegiceras corniculatum (Myrsinaceae) was investigated in a mangrove forest in India. S. caseolaris was shown to be primarily outcrossed and A. corniculatum was shown to be a selfing species. The flowers of both plant species attracted several diurnal and nocturnal visitors. Earlier reports had indicated that S. caseolaris flowered for one night and was exclusively night-pollinated. But flowers of this species were found to be in bloom both at night and during the day, and diurnal visitors to the flowers were more diverse and frequent than nocturnal ones. This was related to the higher volume and energy value of nectar in the morning. The effects of time of day and temperature on visitation rates were quantified. The importance of visitors to plant reproductive success was investigated via controlled visitor-exclusion experiments. Pollinators were expected to be more important for the outcrossing species than for the selfing species, and this was confirmed by the results of the exclusion experiments. In S. caseolaris reproductive success was determined both by pollinator availability and the intensity of flower and fruit predation, while in A. corniculatum it is likely to be resource limited.

scholarly journals Pollination biology of Agave horrida (Agavaceae) in the Chichinautzin mountain range, in Central Mexico”

2017 ◽  
Vol 95 (3) ◽  
pp. 423 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arnoldo Flores-Torres ◽  
Andrea Galindo-Escamilla
Keyword(s):  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Floral Biology ◽  
Central Mexico ◽  
Mountain Range ◽  
Nectar Production ◽  
Pollination System ◽  
Floral Visitors ◽  
Exclusion Experiments ◽  
Pollination Systems ◽  
Leptonycteris Nivalis

<p><strong>Background:</strong> the predictability of nectarivorous bats and their greater fecundity efficiency promote specialized pollination systems in columnar cactus in central Mexico. Some authors have suggested the same pollination pattern for <em>Agave</em> genus, and even when recent meta-analysis does not find such pattern, they have suggested this could be due to the lack of descriptive studies of pollination for this genus.</p><p><strong>Hypothesis:</strong> according to the chiropterophily syndrome of its flowers, the most efficient pollinator of <em>Agave horrida</em> will be nectarivorous bats leading to a pollination system with a specialist tendency in this agave species.</p><p><strong>Studied species:</strong><em> Agave horrida </em>and floral visitors.</p><p><strong>Study site and years of study: </strong>lava<strong> </strong>field of the Chichinautzin mountain range, in Morelos State in Central Mexico in 2005.</p><p><strong>Methods:</strong> we studied the floral biology of <em>A. horrida</em>, its floral offer (density of flowers in a given area), visitor rate, and visitor abundance, and conducted exclusion experiments for diurnal and nocturnal visitors.</p><p><strong>Results:</strong> <em>A. horrida </em>has protandric flowers with chiropterophilous characteristics (larger nectar production at night and nocturnal anther dehiscence and stigma receptivity). Nectarivorous bats were the most frequent flower visitors and the guild that most frequently presented pollen on their bodies. Pollinator exclusion experiments show that both birds and bats can successfully pollinate <em>A. horrida</em>.  Nevertheless, the predictability and abundance of the nectarivorous bat <em>Leptonycteris nivalis</em>, along with the greater fruit and seed production than birds, makes it the most efficient pollinator.</p><p><strong>Conclusions:</strong> our results support the hypothesis of a specialized pollination system towards nectarivorous bats in agaves in central Mexico.</p>

The generalist pollination system and reproductive success of Calluna vulgaris in the Upper Ardenne

1998 ◽  
Vol 76 (11) ◽  
pp. 1843-1851 ◽  
Author(s):  
Grégory Mahy ◽  
Jacques De Sloover ◽  
Anne-Laure Jacquemart
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Success ◽  
Calluna Vulgaris ◽  
Pollination System ◽  
Generalist Pollination

scholarly journals Flower Colour Polymorphism, Pollination Modes, Breeding System and Gene Flow in Anemone coronaria

Plants ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 397 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amots Dafni ◽  
Hagai Tzohari ◽  
Rachel Ben-Shlomo ◽  
Nicolas J. Vereecken ◽  
Gidi Ne’eman
Keyword(s):  
Gene Flow ◽  
Breeding System ◽  
Abiotic Factors ◽  
Flower Colour ◽  
Colour Polymorphism ◽  
Blue Flower ◽  
Wind Pollination ◽  
Flower Colour Polymorphism ◽  
Syrphid Flies ◽  
Colour Morphs

The flower colour of Anemone coronaria (Ranunculaceae) is a genetically inherited trait. Such intra-specific flower colour polymorphism might be driven by pollinators, other non-pollinating agents, or by abiotic factors. We investigated the genetic relations among red, white and purple-blue flower colour morphs growing in 10 populations of A. coronaria in Israel, in relation to their breeding system, pollination modes, differential perception by bees and visitors’ behaviour. Flowers of these three morphs differed in their reflectance that could be perceived by bees. Honeybees, solitary bees and flies demonstrated only partial preferences for the different colour morphs. No spontaneous self-pollination was found; however, fruit set under nets, excluding insects but allowing wind pollination, was not significantly lower than that of natural free pollinated flowers, indicating a potential role of wind pollination. Anemone coronaria flowers were visited by various insects, honeybees and Andrena sp. preferred the white and purple-blue morphs, while the syrphid flies preferred the white flowers. Thus, visitor behaviour can only partially explain the evolution or maintenance of the colour polymorphism. No significant genetic differences were found among the populations or colour morphs. Wind pollination, causing random gene flow, may explain why no significant genetic divergence was found among all studied populations and their colour morphs. The existence of monomorphic red populations, along other polymorphic populations, might be explained by linked resistance to aridity and/or grazing.

Beetle pollination and fruit predation of Xanthosoma daguense (Araceae) in an Andean cloud forest in Colombia

2004 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 459-469 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carlos García-Robledo ◽  
Gustavo Kattan ◽  
Carolina Murcia ◽  
Paulina Quintero-Marín
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Success ◽  
Positive Relationship ◽  
Fruit Set ◽  
Cloud Forest ◽  
Female Reproductive Success ◽  
Hand Pollination ◽  
Negative Effect ◽  
Tropical Cloud Forest ◽  
Nitidulid Beetles ◽  
Pollination Systems

This study describes a pollination system in a species of Araceae that involves three species of beetle, one of which is also a fruit predator. In a tropical cloud forest in Colombia, inflorescences of Xanthosoma daguense opened at dusk, releasing a sweet scent and raising their temperature 1–3 °C. Soon after, two species of Scarabaeidae (Dynastinae; Cyclocephala gregaria and C. amblyopsis) and one species of Nitidulidae (Macrostola costulata) arrived with pollen. Cyclocephala beetles remained inside the inflorescence for 24 h. The next night, Cyclocephala beetles left the inflorescence after picking up the freshly shed pollen, almost always moving to the nearest inflorescence available. The probability of inflorescence abortion and number of fruits set after the visit of one individual was equivalent for both Cyclocephala species. However, C. gregaria was much more abundant than C. amblyopsis, so it was the most important pollinator. There was a positive relationship between the number of dynastine visits and the number of fruits produced. Besides carrying pollen to the inflorescences, nitidulid beetles had a negative effect on female reproductive success through fruit predation. Nitidulid larvae developed inside the infructescence and preyed on up to 64% of the fruits. However, 8% of inflorescences not visited by dynastines were probably pollinated by nitidulids, because hand-pollination experiments showed that self-pollination was unlikely. Inflorescences potentially pollinated by nitidulids comprised 25% of the fruit crop in the year of our study. This interaction with a fruit predator that is also a potential pollinator resembles brood-site pollination systems in which pollinators prey on part of the fruit set (e.g. Ficus, senita cacti, Yucca), making this system substantially more complex than previously described dynastine-pollinated systems in aroids.

scholarly journals High selfing capability and low pollinator visitation in the epiphyte Pitcairnia heterophylla (Bromeliaceae) at a Costa Rican cloud forest

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luis D. Ríos ◽  
Alfredo Cascante-Marín
Keyword(s):  
Cloud Forest ◽  
Video Recording ◽  
Floral Traits ◽  
Nectar Production ◽  
Pollinator Visitation ◽  
Visitation Rate ◽  
Pollinator Visitation Rate ◽  
Hand Pollination ◽  
Pollination Systems ◽  
Epiphytic Bromeliads

AbstractMost epiphytic bromeliads exhibit specialized pollination systems likely to promote out-crossing but, at the same time, possess floral traits that promote autonomous selfing. Adaptations that promote selfing in flowering plants with specialized pollination systems have been considered as a mechanism for reproductive assurance. In this paper, we analyzed the breeding system and pollinator visitation rate of the hummingbird-pollinated bromeliad Pitcairnia heterophylla in order to see if they fit such trend. We performed hand pollination experiments, video recording of floral visitors, and recorded floral traits in order to describe the reproductive and pollination system of the studied species in a cloud forest in Costa Rica. Results from the pollination treatments indicated that P. heterophylla is self-compatible (SCIf = 0.77), capable of autonomous pollination (AFIf = 0.78), and non-agamospermous (AGf = 0.01). Floral traits, such as scentless red flowers, with tubular corolla and nectar production, suggested ornithophily which was confirmed by the video recording of Lampornis calolaemus (Trochilidae) visiting flowers. However, the visitation rate was low (0.6 visits day-1 per plant) based on 918 hours of video recording using trail cameras. We suggest that the high selfing capability of the studied population of P. heterophylla might be related to the low pollinator visitation rate. If low pollinator visitation is common among hummingbird-pollinated and epiphytic bromeliads, then selfing could be a widespread mechanism to enhance their reproductive success.

scholarly journals Reproductive success of Cabralea canjerana (Meliaceae) in Atlantic forest fragments, Brazil

2015 ◽  
Vol 63 (2) ◽  
pp. 515 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edivani Villaron Franceschinelli ◽  
Roselaini Mendes do Carmo ◽  
Carlos De Melo e Silva Neto ◽  
Bruno Bastos Gonçalves ◽  
Leonardo Lima Bergamini
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Success ◽  
Atlantic Forest ◽  
Native Species ◽  
Biological Diversity ◽  
Forest Tree ◽  
Fruit Production ◽  
Forest Fragments ◽  
Pollinator Visitation ◽  
Continuous Forest ◽  
Z Value

In Brazil, the Atlantic forest remnants have high biological diversity and a high level of endemism, but very little is known about the reproductive success of native species. <em>Cabralea canjerana</em> is a common tree in the Montane Atlantic forest, and its reproduction is highly dependent on pollinators. In order to contribute with the particular knowledge on this species, we collected data in three fragmented and three continuous forest sites, where the effects of fragmentation on both mutualistic (pollination) and antagonistic (seed predation) interactions were analysed. We determined fruit production and weight of 25 trees per site. The number of seeds and the percentage of predated and aborted seeds were also accessed for seven fruits of 10 trees per site. Pollinator visitation frequencies to flowers were recorded in two forest fragments and in two sites of the continuous forest. Our data showed<em> </em>that plants of <em>C. canjerana</em> produced more fruits (z-value=-8.24; p&lt;0.0001) and seeds per fruit (z-value=-6.58; p=0.002) in the continuous than in the fragmented sites. This was likely due to differences in pollination, because the number of pollinator visits was higher in the continuous forest than in the fragments. Seed abortion (z-value=4.08, p&lt;0.001) and predation (z-value=3.72, p=0.0002), on the other hand, were higher in the fragmented than in the continuous sites. Then, mutualistic and antagonistic interactions were affected by fragmentation, decreasing the reproductive success of the study tree. This study was the first to show a decrease in the reproductive output in forest fragments in an Atlantic forest tree species. This decrease may threaten the population structure and viability of <em>C. canjerana</em> in forest fragments.

scholarly journals Pollination and Plant Reproductive Success of Two Ploidy Levels in Red Clover (Trifolium pratense L.)

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shuxuan Jing ◽  
Per Kryger ◽  
Bo Markussen ◽  
Birte Boelt
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Success ◽  
Honey Bee ◽  
Red Clover ◽  
Flower Head ◽  
Seed Number ◽  
Bee Pollination ◽  
Ploidy Levels ◽  
Plant Reproductive Success ◽  
Visitation Rates ◽  
Hand Pollination

Plant reproduction in red clover requires cross-fertilization via insect pollination. However, the influences of visitation rate and timing on maximizing ovule utilization are yet to be determined. We aimed to study the influences of visitation rate, flowering stage, and self-incompatibility on reproductive success. We applied hand and honey bee pollination in the study of eight red clover cultivars with two ploidy levels released between 1964 and 2001. In hand pollination, increasing the visitation rates (from 10 to 80 pollinated florets per flower head) increased the seed number per flower head but reduced the seed number per pollinated floret. Different flowering stages (early, middle, and full flowering) did not influence the seed number per pollinated floret significantly. There was a marked difference in reproductive success depending on the ploidy level, with 0.52 seeds per pollinated floret in diploid and 0.16 in tetraploid cultivars. During the cultivar release history, seed number per pollinated floret seemed to decrease in diploid cultivars, whereas it increased in tetraploids. In honey bee pollination, diploid cultivars had more two-seeded florets than tetraploids. Different visitation rates and the stochastic nature of pollen transfer resulted in difficulties when the plant reproductive success between hand and bee pollination was compared. A maximum of 0.27 seeds per pollinated floret were produced in hand pollination compared to the 0.34 in honey bee pollination. In spite of this, hand pollination provided a valuable method for studying the pollination biology and reproduction of red clover. Future studies may employ hand pollination to unravel further aspects of the low reproductive success with the future perspective of improving seed number per pollinated floret in tetraploid red clover.

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