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

Polemonium caeruleum (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), P. caeruleum 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 Apis mellifera, which may promote mixed-mating. Studies on a wider range of P. caeruleum populations are needed to determine selective factors responsible for compatibility transition.

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Breeding System and Response of the Pollinator to Floral Larceny and Florivory Define the Reproductive Success in Aerides odorata

Frontiers in Plant Science ◽

10.3389/fpls.2021.767725 ◽

2022 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Arjun Adit ◽

Vineet Kumar Singh ◽

Monika Koul ◽

Rajesh Tandon

Keyword(s):

Reproductive Success ◽

Foraging Behavior ◽

Plant Species ◽

Breeding System ◽

Fruit Set ◽

Natural Populations ◽

Reproductive Fitness ◽

Negative Effects ◽

Foraging Guild ◽

Floral Larceny

Consumption of pollination reward by felonious means in a plant species can influence the foraging behavior of its pollinator and eventually the reproductive success. So far, studies on this aspect are largely confined to interaction involving plant-pollinators and nectar robbers or thieves. However, a foraging guild in such interactions may also include floral herbivores or florivores. There is a paucity of information on the extent to which nectar larcenists may influence the foraging behavior of the pollinator and reproductive fitness of plants in the presence of a florivore. We investigated various forms of larceny in the natural populations of Aerides odorata, a pollinator-dependent and nectar-rewarding orchid. These populations differed in types of foraging guild, the extent of larceny (thieving/robbing), which can occur with or without florivory, and natural fruit-set pattern. The nectariferous spur of the flower serves as an organ of interest among the foraging insects. While florivory marked by excision of nectary dissuades the pollinator, nectar thieving and robbing significantly enhance visits of the pollinator and fruit-set. Experimental pollinations showed that the species is a preferential outbreeder and experiences inbreeding depression from selfing. Reproductive fitness of the orchid species varies significantly with the extent of floral larceny. Although nectar thieving or robbing is beneficial in this self-compatible species, the negative effects of florivory were stronger. Our findings suggest that net reproductive fitness in the affected plant species is determined by the overarching effect of its breeding system on the overall interacting framework of the foraging guild.

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

Acta Agrobotanica ◽

10.5586/aa.1706 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 70 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 3

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 Cypripedium calceolus 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 C. calceolus (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.

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

BMC Plant Biology ◽

10.1186/s12870-021-02968-w ◽

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.

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Settlement patterns, foraging behavior, and reproductive success of ospreys along a heterogeneous riverine corridor

Canadian Journal of Zoology ◽

10.1139/z06-190 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 85 (1) ◽

pp. 56-62 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Peter J. Harmata ◽

Marco Restani ◽

Alan R. Harmata

Keyword(s):

Reproductive Success ◽

Foraging Behavior ◽

Settlement Patterns ◽

Missouri River ◽

Nest Density ◽

River Section ◽

Pandion Haliaetus ◽

Factors Influencing ◽

Spatial Use ◽

Gill Netting

In 1998 and 1999, we determined the spatial distribution, foraging behavior, and reproductive success of ospreys ( Pandion haliaetus (L., 1758)) nesting along the upper Missouri River, Montana. We combined our data with that collected in the same area in 1981–1982 and 1990–1991 to investigate factors influencing settlement patterns. The study area was composed of four distinct habitats, three reservoirs and one free-flowing river section. Although number of occupied nests on each habitat increased from 1981–1982 to 1998–1999, the greatest percentage increases in nest density occurred on habitats previously hypothesized to contain the least prey. Osprey reproductive success was positively related to foraging rates, which differed across habitats, being highest on reservoirs and lowest on the free-flowing river. However, reproductive success was adequate for replacement on each habitat. Most fish consumed by ospreys on each habitat were suckers (Catostomidae), followed by salmonids and cyprinids. Fish density, determined from gill netting, was highest on the largest and shallowest reservoir. Over two decades, ospreys shifted their relative spatial use of the upper Missouri River such that reservoirs were occupied first and the free-flowing river section was occupied last. The degree to which presence of conspecifics, distribution of nest trees and prey, and dispersal affected settlement patterns probably varied by spatial scale.

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

Biodiversity Research and Conservation ◽

10.1515/biorc-2015-0024 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 39 (1) ◽

pp. 37-44 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

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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Disentangling the pollination system of the food-deceptive orchid Anacamptis longicornu (Orchidaceae): from breeding system to spatio-temporal variation in reproductive success

Plant Biosystems - An International Journal Dealing with all Aspects of Plant Biology ◽

10.1080/11263504.2019.1610110 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 154 (3) ◽

pp. 306-315 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Miquel Capó ◽

Joana Cursach ◽

Juan Rita

Keyword(s):

Reproductive Success ◽

Temporal Variation ◽

Breeding System ◽

Pollination System ◽

Spatio Temporal

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Pollinator effectiveness of a specialist bee exploiting a generalist plant—tracking pollen transfer by Heriades truncorum with quantum dots

Apidologie ◽

10.1007/s13592-019-00700-0 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 51 (2) ◽

pp. 201-211 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Sabine Konzmann ◽

Margareta Kluth ◽

Deniz Karadana ◽

Klaus Lunau

Keyword(s):

Quantum Dots ◽

Reproductive Success ◽

Pollen Germination ◽

Pollen Grains ◽

Pollen Transfer ◽

Pollinator Effectiveness ◽

Flower Constancy ◽

Single Visit ◽

Heriades Truncorum ◽

Open Control

AbstractHeriades truncorum (Megachilidae) is a specialist bee that forages on Asteraceae and collects pollen by tapping its abdomen on pollen-presenting florets which places the grains directly in the ventral scopa. We tracked pollen transfer by female H. truncorum between conspecific inflorescences of Inula ensifolia and Pulicaria dysenterica by labelling pollen with quantum dots. On average, bees transferred 31.14 (I. ensifolia) and 9.96 (P. dysenterica) pollen grains from the last visited inflorescence, 39% and 45% of which were placed on receptive styles. Pollen germination ratio is significantly lower for inflorescences of P. dysenterica visited by one H. truncorum (0.13%) compared with open control inflorescences (0.51%), which suggests that the bees mainly transfer self-pollen of these self-incompatible plants. Thus, a single visit by H. truncorum does not grant the plant high reproductive success, but the bees’ abundance and flower constancy might reduce this disadvantage.

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