A theory for exaggerated secondary sexual traits in animal-pollinated plants

Biernaskie, Jay M.; Elle, Elizabeth

doi:10.1007/s10682-006-9112-1

Cited by 11 publications

(19 citation statements)

References 55 publications

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“…1). In plants, where hermaphroditism is the most common breeding system, sexual selection can occur before pollination, when traits favouring pollinator attraction or optimal attachment on pollinators can increase pollen transfer to conspecific stigmas (Delph and Ashman 2006; Biernaskie and Elle 2007; Cocucci et al 2014). Even though mating is done by proxy, involving a vector for pollen transfer, there is opportunity for both sexes or sexual functions to enhance their reproductive success (e.g.…”

Section: Sexual Selection and Sexual Conflict In Plantsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Using theories of sexual selection and sexual conflict to improve our understanding of plant ecology and evolution

Lankinen

Green

2015

AoB PLANTS

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Sexual selection and sexual conflict theories that explain evolution of sexual behaviour are often an integral part of animal studies investigating diverse research questions, e.g. in behaviour, ecology, physiology and immunology. In plants, however, relatively few studies investigate sexual selection and sexual conflict. In this review we discuss how taking these theories into account can be useful not only for our understanding of plant reproductive strategies but also in related research areas, including i) mechanisms of pollen-pistil interactions, ii) mating-system evolution in hermaphrodites and iii) plant immune responses to pests and pathogens.

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Section: Sexual Selection and Sexual Conflict In Plantsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Using theories of sexual selection and sexual conflict to improve our understanding of plant ecology and evolution

Lankinen

Green

2015

AoB PLANTS

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“…If, in addition, visitation depends on the pollen availability of a visited plant relative to the average in the population ( T ) (cf. Biernaskie & Elle, 2007), visitation equals where is averaged across all individuals in the population, and b is a scaling constant translating rewards to units of time spent in visitation. At equilibrium, the mean visitation is simply h = b .…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Division of labour within flowers: heteranthery, a floral strategy to reconcile contrasting pollen fates

Vallejo‐Marín

Manson

Thomson

et al. 2009

J of Evolutionary Biology

132

127

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[Regarding plants] with two kinds of anthers...I am very low about them, and have wasted enormous labour over them, and cannot yet get a glimpse of the meaning of the parts. C. Darwin to J. D. Hooker, October 14, 1862 I have had a letter from Fritz Mü ller suggesting a novel and very curious explanation of certain plants producing two sets of anthers of different colour. This has set me on fire to renew the laborious experiments which I made on this subject, now 20 years ago. C. Darwin to W. Thiselton-Dyer, March 21, 1881 IntroductionIn many species of flowering plants, pollen, the vehicle for the transport of male gametes during cross-fertilization, is also consumed by pollinators in exchange for pollination services. The loss of pollen may be especially significant in nectarless flowers where pollen represents the only floral reward for animal pollinators, e.g. buzzpollinated species (Buchmann, 1983). This situation can have important evolutionary consequences when the exchange of pollen as food to attract pollinators lowers the total number of gametes available for cross-fertilization and reduces fitness. Investigation of potential adaptive solutions for reconciling these contrasting pollen fates in nectarless flowers has received relatively little attention in the literature on floral function and evolution (but see Harder, 1990a;Harder & Wilson, 1997;Luo et al., 2008).The production of two or more types of stamens in the same flower (heteranthery) may help to reduce the fitness costs arising from pollen consumption by pollinators by allowing different sets of stamens to specialize in 'pollinating' and 'feeding' functions. Heteranthery has evolved in more than 20 families and is commonly associated with bee-pollinated, nectarless flowers (Vogel, 1978;Buchmann, 1983;Endress, 1994;Jesson & Barrett, 2003). The stamens of heterantherous species usually differ in shape, size or colour, with two types being most common. Typically one set of stamens has brightly coloured anthers and is easily accessible to visitors that collect pollen. The other stamens usually have different, often cryptically coloured, anthers that are larger, and are usually displaced from the main floral axis to a position corresponding to the location of the stigma (Jesson & Barrett, 2003). Heteranthery provides an opportunity to 828bee pollination; Bombus impatiens; evolutionary stable strategy; heteranthery; nectarless flowers; Solanum rostratum; stamen functions. AbstractIn many nectarless flowering plants, pollen serves as both the carrier of male gametes and as food for pollinators. This can generate an evolutionary conflict if the use of pollen as food by pollinators reduces the number of gametes available for cross-fertilization. Heteranthery, the production of two or more stamen types by individual flowers reduces this conflict by allowing different stamens to specialize in 'pollinating' and 'feeding' functions. We used experimental studies of Solanum rostratum (Solanaceae) and theoretical models to investigate this 'division of labour...

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“…Floral colour can be considered as a secondary sexual characteristic in flowering plants, somewhat analogous to exaggerated ornaments in animals [48]. Because floral colour provides an important cue for pollinators, differences in colour can translate to attracting an increased number of visits from efficient pollinators, which often results in increased pollen transfer [49] and a reduction in the amount of inbreeding [50].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Diversification in Monkeyflowers: An Investigation of the Effects of Elevation and Floral Color in the Genus Mimulus

Ogutcen

Hamper

Vamosi

2014

International Journal of Evolutionary Biology

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The vast diversity of floral colours in many flowering plant families, paired with the observation of preferences among pollinators, suggests that floral colour may be involved in the process of speciation in flowering plants. While transitions in floral colour have been examined in numerous genera, we have very little information on the consequences of floral colour transitions to the evolutionary success of a clade. Overlaid upon these patterns is the possibility that certain floral colours are more prevalent in certain environments, with the causes of differential diversification being more directly determined by geographical distribution. Here we examine transition rates to anthocyanin + carotenoid rich (red/orange/fuschia) flowers and examine whether red/orange flowers are associated with differences in speciation and/or extinction rates in Mimulus. Because it has been suggested that reddish flowers are more prevalent at high elevation, we also examine the macroevolutionary evidence for this association and determine if there is evidence for differential diversification at high elevations. We find that, while red/orange clades have equivalent speciation rates, the trait state of reddish flowers reverts more rapidly to the nonreddish trait state. Moreover, there is evidence for high speciation rates at high elevation and no evidence for transition rates in floral colour to differ depending on elevation.

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A theory for exaggerated secondary sexual traits in animal-pollinated plants

Cited by 11 publications

References 55 publications

Using theories of sexual selection and sexual conflict to improve our understanding of plant ecology and evolution

Using theories of sexual selection and sexual conflict to improve our understanding of plant ecology and evolution

Division of labour within flowers: heteranthery, a floral strategy to reconcile contrasting pollen fates

Diversification in Monkeyflowers: An Investigation of the Effects of Elevation and Floral Color in the Genus Mimulus

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