History of co-flowering among plant species can mediate pollination failure in natural communities
Abstract
Pollination plays a key role in the maintenance of natural plant communities and in securing food production. Understanding that processes that lead to pollination failure is thus central in ecology and for human-wellbeing. Pollination can fail when a pollinator transfers pollen between flowers of different plant species, a process called heterospecific pollen (HP) transfer. HP transfer occurs in about 88% of plants and can reduce seed production by 20%. However, some plant species have shown some degree of tolerance, but the underlying mechanisms that confer such tolerance remain unknown. In this study, I will test the prediction that plants that co-flower and thus are commonly exposed to HP can develop tolerance and thus will have lower HP effects compared to plants that do not co-flower (no history of HP exposure). This will be the first study to investigate the potential role of history of HP exposure in mediating HP effects. To examine the effect of heterospecific pollen (HP) on the recipient species, Mimulus guttatus, five HP donors were selected based on their degree of flowering overlap with the recipient species and divided them into two groups: co-flowering donors (donors that co-flowering with the recipient); and non-co-flowering donors (donors that do not co-flowering with the recipient). I conducted over 200 hand pollinations using a mix of recipient and HP donor pollen applied to M. guttatus plants in the greenhouse and then quantify pollen deposition, pollen tube formation, and seed production to estimate HP effects on reproductive success. I expect that the HP recipient (M. guttatus) will experience smaller effects from HP donors that have more overlap in co-flowering.
Start Time
16-4-2025 9:00 AM
End Time
16-4-2025 10:00 AM
Room Number
303
Presentation Type
Oral Presentation
Presentation Subtype
Grad/Comp Orals
Presentation Category
Science, Technology and Engineering
Faculty Mentor
Gerardo Arceo-Gomez
History of co-flowering among plant species can mediate pollination failure in natural communities
303
Pollination plays a key role in the maintenance of natural plant communities and in securing food production. Understanding that processes that lead to pollination failure is thus central in ecology and for human-wellbeing. Pollination can fail when a pollinator transfers pollen between flowers of different plant species, a process called heterospecific pollen (HP) transfer. HP transfer occurs in about 88% of plants and can reduce seed production by 20%. However, some plant species have shown some degree of tolerance, but the underlying mechanisms that confer such tolerance remain unknown. In this study, I will test the prediction that plants that co-flower and thus are commonly exposed to HP can develop tolerance and thus will have lower HP effects compared to plants that do not co-flower (no history of HP exposure). This will be the first study to investigate the potential role of history of HP exposure in mediating HP effects. To examine the effect of heterospecific pollen (HP) on the recipient species, Mimulus guttatus, five HP donors were selected based on their degree of flowering overlap with the recipient species and divided them into two groups: co-flowering donors (donors that co-flowering with the recipient); and non-co-flowering donors (donors that do not co-flowering with the recipient). I conducted over 200 hand pollinations using a mix of recipient and HP donor pollen applied to M. guttatus plants in the greenhouse and then quantify pollen deposition, pollen tube formation, and seed production to estimate HP effects on reproductive success. I expect that the HP recipient (M. guttatus) will experience smaller effects from HP donors that have more overlap in co-flowering.