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How pollinator-mediated mating varies with population size in plants
Anna-Lena Fritz1, L Anders Nilsson1
1Department of Systematic Botany, Villavägen 6, S-752 36, Uppsala, Sweden.
Oecologia
|March 18, 2017
Summary
Plant population size significantly impacts pollinator-mediated mating. Larger populations increase overall pollination and fruit set, favoring male traits, while smaller populations reinforce female sexual traits.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Evolutionary Biology
- Plant Reproductive Biology
Background:
- Animal pollinators mediate plant sexual interactions, influencing reproductive success.
- The effect of plant population size on pollinator-mediated mating is understudied.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate how plant population size affects pollinator-mediated mating in orchids.
- Quantify variation in pollen removal and fruit set across different population sizes.
Main Methods:
- Studied two bumblebee- and one butterfly-pollinated orchid species in Sweden.
- Measured pollen removal (male function) and fruit set (female function) in varying population sizes.
Main Results:
- Larger populations showed increased pollinia removal and fruit set.
- The ratio of fruit set to pollen removed varied with population size, differing between bumblebee and butterfly pollination.
- Population size influenced the proportion of male, female, and hermaphrodite individuals.
Conclusions:
- Plant population size is crucial for the mating structure of outcrossing plants.
- Selection favors female sexual traits in smaller populations and male sexual traits in larger populations.
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