Plant reproductive susceptibility to habitat fragmentation: review and synthesis through a meta‐analysis

Abstract

The loss and fragmentation of natural habitats by human activities are pervasive phenomena in terrestrial ecosystems across the Earth and the main driving forces behind current biodiversity loss. Animal-mediated pollination is a key process for the sexual reproduction of most extant flowering plants, and the one most consistently studied in the context of habitat fragmentation. By means of a meta-analysis we quantitatively reviewed the results from independent fragmentation studies throughout the last two decades, with the aim of testing whether pollination and reproduction of plant species may be differentially susceptible to habitat fragmentation depending on certain reproductive traits that typify the relationship with and the degree of dependence on their pollinators. We found an overall large and negative effect of fragmentation on pollination and on plant reproduction. The compatibility system of plants, which reflects the degree of dependence on pollinator mutualism, was the only reproductive trait that explained the differences among the speciesÕ effect sizes. Furthermore, a highly significant correlation between the effect sizes of fragmentation on pollination and reproductive success suggests that the most proximate cause of reproductive impairment in fragmented habitats may be pollination limitation. We discuss the conservation implications of these findings and give some suggestions for future research into this area.

Pollen transfer in fragmented plant populations: insight from the pollen loads of pollinators and stigmas in a mass‐flowering species

“…Understanding the processes by which pollinator and mate limitations affect plant reproduction has thus become a major scientific challenge, especially as plant and pollinator populations are endangered by global changes (Aguilar et al. 2006; Bjerknes et al. 2007; Hegland et al.…”

Breeding system and pollination of Pleroma trichopodum DC. (Melastomataceae): a potential species for the restoration of Atlantic Forest in southern Brazil

“…In this way, studies that integrate plant species pollination and breeding systems are of paramount importance for revealing insights on the persistence of plants in different environments and the identification of species with conservation and restoration potential (e.g. Aguilar et al 2006;Neuschulz et al 2016).…”

Reproductive biology of endemic Solanum melissarum Bohs (Solanaceae) and updating of its current geographic distribution as the basis for its conservation in the Brazilian Cerrado

“…At first, the interaction becomes extinct, followed by the extinction of the species involved (Kearns and Inouye, 1997). On the other hand, in an interesting review of the effects of fragmentation on the pollination process, Aguilar et al (2006) noted that more than specialized systems, such as Solanum melissarum, are affected by fragmentation, since the compatibility expressing their degree of dependence on pollination mutualism and consequently its effect fragmentation.…”