Do floral herbivores respond to variation in flower characteristics in <i>Gelsemium sempervirens</i> (Loganiaceae), a distylous vine?

Leege, Lissa M.; Wolfe, Lorne M.

doi:10.3732/ajb.89.8.1270

Cited by 52 publications

(66 citation statements)

References 41 publications

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“…Also in 2002, Osmia probed more available flowers in the high-alkaloid than the lowalkaloid treatment in pin flowers, but exhibited the opposite response to thrum flowers. The mechanistic reasons for these visitor-specific responses to floral morphs may be linked to foraging behaviors (i.e., foraging for nectar or pollen) or to correlations between morph and other floral or nectar traits (e.g., Leege and Wolfe 2002). Moreover, in 2004, high-alkaloid nectar reduced fruit production in thrum plants, but had little effect in pin plants (Appendix E).…”

Section: Differences Between Floral Morphsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ecological Costs and Benefits of Defenses in Nectar

Adler

Irwin

2005

Ecology

159

216

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Abstract. The nectar of many plant species contains defensive compounds that have been hypothesized to benefit plants through a variety of mechanisms. However, the relationship between nectar defenses and plant fitness has not been established for any species. We experimentally manipulated gelsemine, the principal alkaloid of Carolina jessamine (Gelsemium sempervirens), in nectar to determine its effect on pollinator visitation, nectar robber visitation, and male and female plant reproduction. We found that nectar robbers and most pollinators probed fewer flowers and spent less time per flower on plants with high compared to low nectar alkaloids. High alkaloids decreased the donation of fluorescent dye, an analogue of pollen used to estimate male plant reproduction, to neighboring plants by one-third to one-half. However, nectar alkaloids did not affect female plant reproduction, measured as pollen receipt, fruit set, seed set, and seed mass. The weak effects of nectar alkaloids on female reproduction could represent a balance between the altered behavior of nectar robbers and pollinators, or it could be that neither of these interactions affected plant reproduction. Taken together, these results suggest that secondary compounds in nectar may have more costs than benefits for plants.

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Section: Differences Between Floral Morphsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ecological Costs and Benefits of Defenses in Nectar

Adler

Irwin

2005

Ecology

159

216

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“…Distylous plant species provide an ideal opportunity to assess the associations among traits related to pollination and antagonistic interactions (Olesen, 1979;Contreras and Ornelas, 1999;Leege and Wolfe, 2002;Ornelas et al, 2004). Populations of distylous plants contain individuals that have flowers that produce either long styles and short filaments (''pin'' or L-morph) or short styles and long filaments (''thrum'' or Smorph) that are typically self-incompatible.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Correlations among traits associated with herbivore resistance and pollination: implications for pollination and nectar robbing in a distylous plant

Irwin

Adler

2006

American J of Botany

419

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Plants interact simultaneously with a diversity of visitors, including herbivores and pollinators. Correlations among traits associated with herbivory and pollination may constrain the degree to which plants can evolve in response to any one interactor. Using the distylous plant, Gelsemium sempervirens, we tested the hypothesis that traits typically associated with pollination (distyly) and herbivore resistance (secondary compounds) were phenotypically correlated and examined how these traits influenced plant interactions with floral visitors. The flowers of G. sempervirens are visited by pollinators and a nectar robber, and the leaves and flowers express gelsemine, an alkaloid that is deterrent and sometimes toxic to visitors. Using an observational approach across five populations, we found the thrum floral morph (short‐styled) expressed more leaf gelsemine than the pin morph (long‐styled). Leaf gelsemine concentrations were positively correlated with flower gelsemine; however, there were no correlations between gelsemine and other floral morphological traits. Trait expression influenced pollination more so than robbing. Thrums received two times less pollen than pins. Moreover, across both morphs, pollen receipt was lower in plants that expressed higher levels of leaf gelsemine in two sites. These results imply that traits associated with pollination and herbivore resistance may not be independent.

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“…However, plants are challenged by constantly changing abiotic and biotic environmental conditions that might affect a plant's capacity to invest in sexual reproduction (Euler and Baldwin, 1996;Carroll et al, 2001;García and Ehrlén, 2002). Besides direct impacts, like floral oviposition (Dufaÿ and Anstett, 2003) or floral herbivory (Leege and Wolfe, 2002;Rö se and Tumlinson, 2004;Theis, 2006;Sanchez-Lafuente, 2007), flowers are mostly exposed to a changing environment as part of an entirely affected plant (Sampson and Cane, 1999;Carroll et al, 2001). One of the most deleterious biotic influences on plants is green leaf herbivory.…”

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confidence: 99%

Influence of Green Leaf Herbivory by Manduca sexta on Floral Volatile Emission by Nicotiana suaveolens

2008

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Plants have to cope with various abiotic and biotic impacts as a consequence of changing environments, which can impair their ability to sexually reproduce. The main objective of this study was to investigate whether green leaf herbivory, having one of the most hazardous biotic impacts, would have any direct effect on the production and emission of floral volatiles because volatiles are known to play a crucial role in pollination. Nicotiana suaveolens plants were challenged with Manduca sexta feeding on leaves, and alterations in the quality and quantity of the floral blend, shifts in emission patterns, and changes in expression patterns of the floral benzoic/salicylic acid carboxyl-methyltransferase were monitored in noninfested and infested plants. Leaves responded to larval feeding by herbivory-induced diurnal emission of semiochemicals, whereas the emission of floral volatiles remained unchanged in comparison to the noninfested control. Neither the volatile composition nor the quantity of components or the nocturnal emission patterns was altered. The mRNA and protein levels of the benzoic/salicylic acid carboxylmethyltransferase, as well as its enzyme activity, also did not show any significant differences. These results indicate that metabolism in flowers at and postanthesis is an autonomous process and is independent of metabolic changes in green leaves. By this sustaining mechanism, N. suaveolens plants ensure sexual reproduction even under unfavorable conditions.

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Do floral herbivores respond to variation in flower characteristics in Gelsemium sempervirens (Loganiaceae), a distylous vine?

Cited by 52 publications

References 41 publications

Ecological Costs and Benefits of Defenses in Nectar

Ecological Costs and Benefits of Defenses in Nectar

Correlations among traits associated with herbivore resistance and pollination: implications for pollination and nectar robbing in a distylous plant

Influence of Green Leaf Herbivory by Manduca sexta on Floral Volatile Emission by Nicotiana suaveolens

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