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Evolution of floral scent in relation to self-incompatibility and capacity for autonomous self-pollination in the perennial herb Arabis alpina

Petrén, Hampus LU ; Toräng, Per ; Ågren, Jon and Friberg, Magne LU (2021) In Annals of Botany 127(6). p.737-747
Abstract

Background and Aims: The transition from outcrossing to selfing is a frequent evolutionary shift in flowering plants and is predicted to result in reduced allocation to pollinator attraction if plants can self-pollinate autonomously. The evolution of selfing is associated with reduced visual floral signalling in many systems, but effects on floral scent have received less attention. We compared multiple populations of the arctic-alpine herb Arabis alpina (Brassicaceae), and asked whether the transition from self-incompatibility to self-compatibility has been associated with reduced visual and chemical floral signalling. We further examined whether floral signalling differ between self-compatible populations with low and high capacity... (More)

Background and Aims: The transition from outcrossing to selfing is a frequent evolutionary shift in flowering plants and is predicted to result in reduced allocation to pollinator attraction if plants can self-pollinate autonomously. The evolution of selfing is associated with reduced visual floral signalling in many systems, but effects on floral scent have received less attention. We compared multiple populations of the arctic-alpine herb Arabis alpina (Brassicaceae), and asked whether the transition from self-incompatibility to self-compatibility has been associated with reduced visual and chemical floral signalling. We further examined whether floral signalling differ between self-compatible populations with low and high capacity for autonomous self-pollination, as would be expected if benefits of signalling decrease with reduced dependence on pollinators for pollen transfer. Methods: In a common garden we documented flower size and floral scent emission rate and composition in eight self-compatible and nine self-incompatible A. alpina populations. These included self-compatible Scandinavian populations with high capacity for autonomous self-pollination, self-compatible populations with low capacity for autonomous self-pollination from France and Spain, and self-incompatible populations from Italy and Greece. Key Results: The self-compatible populations produced smaller and less scented flowers than the self-incompatible populations. However, flower size and scent emission rate did not differ between self-compatible populations with high and low capacity for autonomous self-pollination. Floral scent composition differed between self-compatible and self-incompatible populations, but also varied substantially among populations within the two categories. Conclusions: Our study demonstrates extensive variation in floral scent among populations of a geographically widespread species. Contrary to expectation, floral signalling did not differ between self-compatible populations with high and low capacity for autonomous self-pollination, indicating that dependence on pollinator attraction can only partly explain variation in floral signalling. Additional variation may reflect adaptation to other aspects of local environments, genetic drift, or a combination of these processes.

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author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Arabis alpina, floral scent, intraspecific variation, mating system, self-incompatibility, selfing syndrome, volatile organic compound (VOC)
in
Annals of Botany
volume
127
issue
6
pages
11 pages
publisher
Oxford University Press
external identifiers
  • pmid:33555338
  • scopus:85106538709
ISSN
0305-7364
DOI
10.1093/aob/mcab007
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
07d29efe-f36d-400f-bfc3-99424b4e616e
date added to LUP
2021-06-08 14:34:17
date last changed
2024-08-11 17:14:07
@article{07d29efe-f36d-400f-bfc3-99424b4e616e,
  abstract     = {{<p>Background and Aims: The transition from outcrossing to selfing is a frequent evolutionary shift in flowering plants and is predicted to result in reduced allocation to pollinator attraction if plants can self-pollinate autonomously. The evolution of selfing is associated with reduced visual floral signalling in many systems, but effects on floral scent have received less attention. We compared multiple populations of the arctic-alpine herb Arabis alpina (Brassicaceae), and asked whether the transition from self-incompatibility to self-compatibility has been associated with reduced visual and chemical floral signalling. We further examined whether floral signalling differ between self-compatible populations with low and high capacity for autonomous self-pollination, as would be expected if benefits of signalling decrease with reduced dependence on pollinators for pollen transfer. Methods: In a common garden we documented flower size and floral scent emission rate and composition in eight self-compatible and nine self-incompatible A. alpina populations. These included self-compatible Scandinavian populations with high capacity for autonomous self-pollination, self-compatible populations with low capacity for autonomous self-pollination from France and Spain, and self-incompatible populations from Italy and Greece. Key Results: The self-compatible populations produced smaller and less scented flowers than the self-incompatible populations. However, flower size and scent emission rate did not differ between self-compatible populations with high and low capacity for autonomous self-pollination. Floral scent composition differed between self-compatible and self-incompatible populations, but also varied substantially among populations within the two categories. Conclusions: Our study demonstrates extensive variation in floral scent among populations of a geographically widespread species. Contrary to expectation, floral signalling did not differ between self-compatible populations with high and low capacity for autonomous self-pollination, indicating that dependence on pollinator attraction can only partly explain variation in floral signalling. Additional variation may reflect adaptation to other aspects of local environments, genetic drift, or a combination of these processes.</p>}},
  author       = {{Petrén, Hampus and Toräng, Per and Ågren, Jon and Friberg, Magne}},
  issn         = {{0305-7364}},
  keywords     = {{Arabis alpina; floral scent; intraspecific variation; mating system; self-incompatibility; selfing syndrome; volatile organic compound (VOC)}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{05}},
  number       = {{6}},
  pages        = {{737--747}},
  publisher    = {{Oxford University Press}},
  series       = {{Annals of Botany}},
  title        = {{Evolution of floral scent in relation to self-incompatibility and capacity for autonomous self-pollination in the perennial herb Arabis alpina}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/aob/mcab007}},
  doi          = {{10.1093/aob/mcab007}},
  volume       = {{127}},
  year         = {{2021}},
}