Pollination by deceit, floral sex ratios and seed set in dioecious Rubus chamaemorus L.
(1986) In Oecologia 70(3). p.332-338- Abstract
Male and female flowers of the dioecious perennial herb Rubus chamaemorus L. are similar in general appearance. However, female flowers are somewhat smaller, do not produce any pollen, and contain very small amounts of nectar. Syrphids and bumblebees, which are important pollinators of R. chamaemorus, showed a strong preference for male flowers. Male flowers were also less often rejected by flower visitors than were female flowers, and two different groups of syrphid species stayed longer in male than in female flowers. These observations suggest that female flowers of R. chamaemorus attract pollinators by deceit. Hand-pollination experiments indicated that pollen availability limited seed production of R. chamaemorus in female... (More)
Male and female flowers of the dioecious perennial herb Rubus chamaemorus L. are similar in general appearance. However, female flowers are somewhat smaller, do not produce any pollen, and contain very small amounts of nectar. Syrphids and bumblebees, which are important pollinators of R. chamaemorus, showed a strong preference for male flowers. Male flowers were also less often rejected by flower visitors than were female flowers, and two different groups of syrphid species stayed longer in male than in female flowers. These observations suggest that female flowers of R. chamaemorus attract pollinators by deceit. Hand-pollination experiments indicated that pollen availability limited seed production of R. chamaemorus in female dominated habitats but not in areas with an equal floral sex ratio. We suggest that the relative importance of factors limiting female reproductive success is not constant, but is influenced by the floral sex ratio of the population. This should apply also to other dioecious species that show variable sex ratios on either a local or regional scale.
(Less)
- author
- Ågren, J. LU ; Elmqvist, T. and Tunlid, A. LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 1986-10-01
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- Dioecy, Pollination, Rubus chamdemorus, Seed set, Sex ratio
- in
- Oecologia
- volume
- 70
- issue
- 3
- pages
- 332 - 338
- publisher
- Springer
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:0022823382
- ISSN
- 0029-8549
- DOI
- 10.1007/BF00379493
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 8f56de64-e0f0-4ea6-be50-b2bdc1640988
- date added to LUP
- 2019-10-23 17:31:12
- date last changed
- 2021-08-29 04:42:41
@article{8f56de64-e0f0-4ea6-be50-b2bdc1640988,
abstract = {{<p>Male and female flowers of the dioecious perennial herb Rubus chamaemorus L. are similar in general appearance. However, female flowers are somewhat smaller, do not produce any pollen, and contain very small amounts of nectar. Syrphids and bumblebees, which are important pollinators of R. chamaemorus, showed a strong preference for male flowers. Male flowers were also less often rejected by flower visitors than were female flowers, and two different groups of syrphid species stayed longer in male than in female flowers. These observations suggest that female flowers of R. chamaemorus attract pollinators by deceit. Hand-pollination experiments indicated that pollen availability limited seed production of R. chamaemorus in female dominated habitats but not in areas with an equal floral sex ratio. We suggest that the relative importance of factors limiting female reproductive success is not constant, but is influenced by the floral sex ratio of the population. This should apply also to other dioecious species that show variable sex ratios on either a local or regional scale.</p>}},
author = {{Ågren, J. and Elmqvist, T. and Tunlid, A.}},
issn = {{0029-8549}},
keywords = {{Dioecy; Pollination; Rubus chamdemorus; Seed set; Sex ratio}},
language = {{eng}},
month = {{10}},
number = {{3}},
pages = {{332--338}},
publisher = {{Springer}},
series = {{Oecologia}},
title = {{Pollination by deceit, floral sex ratios and seed set in dioecious Rubus chamaemorus L.}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00379493}},
doi = {{10.1007/BF00379493}},
volume = {{70}},
year = {{1986}},
}