scholarly journals Pollinator limitation affects low reproductive success in populations of nectarless orchid in the Biebrza National Park

2017 ◽  
Vol 70 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Emilia Brzosko ◽  
Beata Ostrowiecka ◽  
Paweł Mirski ◽  
Edyta Jermakowicz ◽  
Izabela Tałałaj ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Success ◽  
Population Size ◽  
National Park ◽  
Pollen Limitation ◽  
Floral Display ◽  
Pollinator Limitation ◽  
Population Number ◽  
Pollination Success ◽  
Ne Poland ◽  
Conservation Actions

The deficiency of pollinators is indicated as the main factor limiting fruit set in orchids. Nectariferous species are more successful in setting fruits than nectarless species. In the present study, we tested whether pollinator limitation lowers reproductive success in populations of <em>Cypripedium calceolus</em> on environmental islands in the Biebrza National Park, NE Poland. Moreover, we analyzed how population size and structure affect pollination success. Our observations and results of experiments document the low level of fruiting in populations of nectarless <em>C. calceolus</em> (9.2% on average) and strong pollen limitation. Generally, we noted a positive relationship between pollination success and all parameters of population size (measured by both occupied area and number of clumps or shoots) and parameters measuring floral display (number of flowers in population, number of flowers in clumps, spatial structure of flowering shoots). We suggest that information about factors influencing the reproductive success of this endangered species may be useful for planning appropriate conservation actions.

scholarly journals Pollination intensity and paternity in flowering plants

2019 ◽  
Vol 125 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dorothy A Christopher ◽  
Randall J Mitchell ◽  
Jeffrey D Karron
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Success ◽  
Pollen Limitation ◽  
Ecological Factors ◽  
Plant Evolution ◽  
Male Reproductive Success ◽  
Floral Display ◽  
Heritable Variation ◽  
Pollinator Visitation ◽  
Pollination Success ◽  
Siring Success

Abstract Background Siring success plays a key role in plant evolution and reproductive ecology, and variation among individuals creates an opportunity for selection to act. Differences in male reproductive success can be caused by processes that occur during two stages, the pollination and post-pollination phases of reproduction. In the pollination phase, heritable variation in floral traits and floral display affect pollinator visitation patterns, which in turn affect variation among plants in the amount of pollen exported and deposited on recipient stigmas. In the post-pollination phase, differences among individuals in pollen grain germination success and pollen tube growth may cause realized paternity to differ from patterns of pollen receipt. The maternal plant can also preferentially provision some developing seeds or fruits to further alter variation in siring success. Scope In this review, we describe studies that advance our understanding of the dynamics of the pollination and post-pollination phases, focusing on how variation in male fitness changes in response to pollen limitation. We then explore the interplay between pollination and post-pollination success, and how these processes respond to ecological factors such as pollination intensity. We also identify pressing questions at the intersection of pollination and paternity and describe novel experimental approaches to elucidate the relative importance of pollination and post-pollination factors in determining male reproductive success. Conclusions The relative contribution of pollination and post-pollination processes to variation in male reproductive success may not be constant, but rather may vary with pollination intensity. Studies that quantify the effects of pollination and post-pollination phases in concert will be especially valuable as they will enable researchers to more fully understand the ecological conditions influencing male reproductive success.

scholarly journals Breeding system variability, pollination biology, and reproductive success of rare Polemonium caeruleum L. in NE Poland

2017 ◽  
Vol 70 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Beata Ostrowiecka ◽  
Emilia Brzosko ◽  
Edyta Jermakowicz ◽  
Ada Wróblewska ◽  
Paweł Mirski ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Success ◽  
Foraging Behavior ◽  
Breeding System ◽  
Mixed Mating ◽  
Floral Display ◽  
Pollen Transfer ◽  
Ne Poland ◽  
Key Factor ◽  
System Variability ◽  
Interesting System

<em>Polemonium caeruleum</em> (Polemoniaceae) represents a very interesting system of compatibility transition. Studies of its biological and ecological properties in the context of the breeding system of various populations may help to understand the evolutionary mechanism of this process. We investigated some aspects of the breeding system, diversity and foraging behavior of the visitors, and relationship between population properties and fruit set in three populations from NE Poland. We found distinct compatibility systems in two studied populations and showed that if a population is self-compatible (SC), selfing is mediated by insects via geitonogamous pollen transfer. Despite the population properties (compatibility, visitor diversity and activity, population size, density, or floral display), <em>P. caeruleum</em> is not pollen limited and pollinators are highly important as a key factor determining the high reproductive success. Visitor assemblages (including key pollinators, bumblebees, and honey bees) and their foraging behavior on inflorescences vary between the populations, which may influence differences in the breeding system. The self-incompatible population was visited by a more diverse group of insects from Hymenoptera, Diptera, Lepidoptera, Heteroptera, and Coeloptera, which may favor effective cross-pollen transfer, whereas the SC population was pollinated mainly by <em>Apis mellifera</em>, which may promote mixed-mating. Studies on a wider range of <em>P. caeruleum</em> populations are needed to determine selective factors responsible for compatibility transition.

Pollen limitation and reproduction varies with population size in experimental populations of Sabatia angularis (Gentianaceae)

Botany ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 87 (3) ◽  
pp. 330-338 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachel B. Spigler ◽  
Shu-Mei Chang
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Success ◽  
Population Size ◽  
Intraspecific Competition ◽  
Seed Set ◽  
Pollen Limitation ◽  
Small Populations ◽  
Plant Populations ◽  
Large Populations ◽  
Fruit And Seed Set ◽  
Supplemental Pollination

Individuals in large plant populations are expected to benefit from increased reproductive success relative to those in small populations because of the facilitative effects of large aggregations on pollination. As populations become small, the inability to attract sufficient numbers of pollinators can reduce reproduction via pollen limitation. This study experimentally tested whether such trends occur for the herbaceous biennial Sabatia angularis (L.) Pursh (Gentianaceae). We created artificial populations of varying size consisting of potted S. angularis plants in two field sites to determine whether population size affected mean fruit and seed set. We also examined whether population size affected the degree of pollen limitation using a supplemental pollination design in one of the sites. Our results showed that, on average, seed set was lower in large populations, not small populations, of S. angularis and that this result may be due to increased pollen limitation in large populations. We suggest that in certain contexts, small populations may enjoy reproductive advantages over large populations by escaping intraspecific competition for pollinators.

scholarly journals Spatiotemporal Variations in Seed Set and Pollen Limitation in Populations of the Rare Generalist Species Polemonium caeruleum in Poland

2022 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Justyna Ryniewicz ◽  
Katarzyna Roguz ◽  
Paweł Mirski ◽  
Emilia Brzosko ◽  
Mateusz Skłodowski ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Success ◽  
Population Size ◽  
Seed Production ◽  
Seed Set ◽  
Pollen Limitation ◽  
Monthly Precipitation ◽  
Small Populations ◽  
Flower Visitors ◽  
Visitation Frequency ◽  
Average Monthly Precipitation

A vast majority of angiosperms are pollinated by animals, and a decline in the number and diversity of insects often affects plant reproduction through pollen limitation. This phenomenon may be particularly severe in rare plant species, whose populations are shrinking. Here, we examined the variability in factors shaping reproductive success and pollen limitation in red-listed Polemonium caeruleum L. During a 5-year study in several populations of P. caeruleum (7–15, depending on year), we assessed the degree of pollen limitation based on differences in seed set between open-pollinated (control) and hand-pollinated flowers. We analysed the effects of flower visitors, population size, and meteorological data on plant reproductive success and pollen limitation. Our study showed that pollen limitation rarely affected P. caeruleum populations, and was present mainly in small populations. Pollen limitation index was negatively affected by the size of population, visitation frequency of all insects, and when considering the visitation frequency of individual groups, also by honeybee visits. Seed production in control treatment was positively influenced by the population size, average monthly precipitation in June and visits of hoverflies, while visits of honeybees, average monthly temperature in September, and average monthly precipitation in August influenced seed production negatively. As generalist plant P. caeruleum can be pollinated by diverse insect groups, however, in small populations their main visitors, the honeybees and bumblebees, may be less attracted, eventually leading to the disappearance of these populations. In pollination of P. caeruleum managed honeybees may play a dual role: while they are the most frequent and efficient flower visitors, their presence decreases seed set in open-pollinated flowers, which is most probably related to efficient pollen collection by these insects.

scholarly journals A comparative study on the reproductive success of two rewarding Habenaria species (Orchidaceae) occurring in roadside verge habitats

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Wenliu Zhang ◽  
Jiangyun Gao
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Success ◽  
Fruit Set ◽  
Plant Density ◽  
Flowering Plant ◽  
Floral Display ◽  
Pollinator Behaviour ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Nectar Sugar ◽  
Viable Seeds ◽  
Viable Embryo

Abstract Background Most orchid species have been shown to be severely pollination limited, and the factors affecting reproductive success have been widely studied. However, the factors determining the reproductive success vary from species to species. Habenaria species typically produce nectar but exhibit variable fruit set and reproductive success among species. Here, we investigated the influence of the flowering plant density, inflorescence size, breeding system, and pollinator behaviour on the reproductive success of two rewarding Habenaria species. Results Our observations indicated that Habenaria limprichtii and H. petelotii co-occur in roadside verge habitats and present overlapping flowering periods. Both species were pollination limited, although H. limprichtii produced more fruits than H. petelotii under natural conditions during the 3-year investigation. H. petelotii individuals formed distinct patches along roadsides, while nearly all H. limprichtii individuals clustered together. The bigger floral display and higher nectar sugar concentration in H. limprichtii resulted in increased attraction and visits from pollinators. Three species of effective moths pollinated for H. limprichtii, while Thinopteryx delectans (Geometridae) was the exclusive pollinator of H. petelotii. The percentage of viable seeds was significantly lower for hand geitonogamy than for hand cross-pollination in both species. However, H. limprichtii may often be geitonogamously pollinated based on the behaviours of the pollinators and viable embryo assessment. Conclusions In anthropogenic interference habitats, the behaviours and abundance of pollinators influence the fruit set of the two studied species. The different pollinator assemblages in H. limprichtii can alleviate pollinator specificity and ensure reproductive success, whereas the more viable embryos of natural fruit seeds in H. petelotii suggested reducing geitonogamy by pollinators in the field. Our results indicate that a quantity-quality trade-off must occur between species with different breeding strategies so that they can fully exploit the existing given resources.

Estimating chimpanzee population size with nest counts: validating methods in Taï National Park

2009 ◽  
Vol 71 (6) ◽  
pp. 447-457 ◽  
Author(s):  
Célestin Yao Kouakou ◽  
Christophe Boesch ◽  
Hjalmar Kuehl
Keyword(s):  
Population Size ◽  
National Park ◽  
Taï National Park ◽  
Tai National Park ◽  
Chimpanzee Population

scholarly journals New record of Barrio’s Frog, Insuetophrynus acarpicus Barrio, 1970 (Anura, Rhinodermatidae), in Los Ríos region, Chile

Check List ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (6) ◽  
pp. 1519-1522
Author(s):  
Patricio Contreras Bravo ◽  
Fernando Bustos Véliz ◽  
Ignacio Rodriguez-Jorquera
Keyword(s):  
River Basin ◽  
New Record ◽  
National Park ◽  
The World ◽  
Conservation Actions ◽  
A Site

A new record of the Endangered, Chilean endemic Insuetophrynus acarpicus (Barrio 1970) is reported from Alerce Costero National Park, Chile. This species of frog is one of the most threatened anurans in the world, and, consequently, any new record of this species is highly important for assessing its known distribution and proposing urgent conservation actions. The new record is the first known site in the Chaihu&iacute;n river basin, 15 km northwest of a site described by Segura in 2017. The new record fills a gap of the known distribution of I. acarpicus.

scholarly journals Male and female reproductive success in natural and anthropogenic populations of Malaxis monophyllos (L.) Sw. (Orchidaceae)

2015 ◽  
Vol 39 (1) ◽  
pp. 37-44 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edyta Jermakowicz ◽  
Beata Ostrowiecka ◽  
Izabela Tałałaj ◽  
Artur Pliszko ◽  
Agata Kostro-Ambroziak
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Success ◽  
Fruit Set ◽  
Natural Populations ◽  
Floral Display ◽  
Natural Habitats ◽  
Female Reproductive Success ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
Demographic Processes ◽  
Preliminary Study ◽  
Effective Pollinators

Abstract In the presented study, male and female reproductive success was analyzed in relation to the population size, floral display and pollinators’ availability in natural and anthropogenic populations of the orchid Malaxis monophyllos (L.) Sw. Our results indicated significant differences between all investigated populations in parameters of floral display, including heights and number of flowers per inflorescence, as well the number of flowering individuals and their spatial structure. Additionally, populations differed both in male (pollinia removal) and female (fruit set) reproductive success, but only the fruit set clearly differentiated anthropogenic and natural populations. Despite the average flower number per plant being significantly higher in two of the anthropogenic populations, it was not related to the fruits set, which was significantly lower there. Moreover, our preliminary study concerning the potential pollinators of M. monophyllos showed a higher contribution of flies in natural habitats than in anthropogenic ones. Thus, we can suspect that the main factors influencing the level of female reproductive success in M. monophyllos populations are abundance of effective pollinators, as well as flower visitors, which may have resulted in a different level of pollen discounting in populations. Therefore, further studies concerning breeding system and pollination as important forces that shape demographic processes in M. monophyllos populations are necessary. Our results also indicate that suitable conservation methods in M. monophyllos should always include the preservation of potential pollinators, especially in these new, secondary habitats.

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