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Field Experiments of Pollination Ecology: The Case of Lycoris sanguinea var. sanguinea
Published on: November 25, 2016
Pollination fluctuations drive evolutionary syndromes linking dispersal and mating system
Pierre-Olivier Cheptou1, François Massol
1Unité Mixte de Recherche 5175, Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive (Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique), 1919 Route de Mende, F-34293 Montpellier cedex 05, France. pierre-olivier.cheptou@cefe.cnrs.fr
The American Naturalist
|May 22, 2009
Summary
This study reveals two distinct plant syndromes: dispersing outcrossers and non-dispersing selfers. These findings challenge traditional views on the link between dispersal rate and mating systems in evolutionary ecology.
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary Ecology
- Plant Biology
- Population Genetics
Background:
- The relationship between dispersal rate and mating systems in plants is a long-standing debate.
- Verbal models suggest self-fertilization may correlate with high dispersal, but empirical data is conflicting.
- Previous studies reported associations between high colonizing ability and high outcrossing rates.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a metapopulation model for the joint evolution of seed dispersal and self-fertilization.
- To investigate how selection shapes the interplay between dispersal and mating systems under stochastic pollen limitation.
- To predict theoretical syndromes of dispersal and mating traits.
Main Methods:
- Development of a general metapopulation model.
- Inclusion of stochastic temporal variation in local pollen limitation.
- Analysis of selection pressures on dispersal and mating systems.
Main Results:
- Prediction of two consistent syndromes: dispersing outcrossers and non-dispersing (partial) selfers.
- Demonstration that selection can favor these distinct trait combinations.
- Theoretical expectations contradict the classical hypothesis linking selfing with high dispersal.
Conclusions:
- The study provides a new theoretical framework for understanding dispersal-mating system evolution.
- The predicted syndromes offer a novel interpretation of existing empirical data.
- Findings highlight the importance of considering pollen limitation dynamics in evolutionary models.
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