Reproductive ecology of Agave colorata: the importance of nectar-feeding bats and the germination consequences of self-pollination
Por:
Berenice Borbon-Palomares, Dalia, Laborin-Sivirian, Flora, Tinoco-Ojanguren, Clara, Cristina Penalba, M., Reyes-Ortega, Ivonne, Molina-Freaner, Francisco
Publicada:
1 ago 2018
Resumen:
Agave colorata is a paniculate agave distributed along the migratory
route of the nectar-feeding bat Leptonycteris yerbabuenae. In this
paper, we evaluate the importance of nectar-feeding bats in the
reproduction of A. colorata in a population in Sonora, Mexico, and
describe the germination consequences of self-pollination. We estimated
abundance using five plots and set pollination treatments to evaluate
the importance of bats. We recorded 14.8 +/- 6.8 plants/400 m(2), with a
bimodal size distribution. Flowers are protandrous and visited mainly (>
20 visits/plant/30 min) by L. yerbabuenae. Pollination exclusion
experiments showed that flowers excluded from diurnal visitors had
maximum fruit set values (0.49 +/- 0.42), while the autonomous
self-pollination treatment had the lowest value (0.03 +/- 0.06).
Similarly, the greatest number of viable seeds per fruit was recorded in
the diurnal exclusion treatment, while the greatest number of empty
seeds was observed in the self-pollination treatment. Fruit set values
among untreated plants varied from 32 to 54%, with a mean value of
41.8%. Seeds derived from self-pollination had a narrower window of
opportunity for germination compared to seeds derived from nocturnal
pollination. Self-pollinated seeds had lower germination, rate of
germination or lag time in response to light, osmotic potential and heat
shock treatments, compared to other pollination treatments, revealing an
inbreeding cost. Overall, our results show that L. yerbabuenae is the
likely major pollinator of the studied A. colorata population. However,
under pollinator limitation A. colorata may produce seeds by autonomous
self-pollination, at a cost expressed as lower germination.
Filiaciones:
Berenice Borbon-Palomares, Dalia:
Univ Sonora, Biol, Hermosillo 83000, Sonora, Mexico
Laborin-Sivirian, Flora:
Univ Sierra, Biol, Moctezuma 84569, Sonora, Mexico
Tinoco-Ojanguren, Clara:
Univ Nacl Autonoma Mexico, Inst Ecol, Dept Ecol Biodiversidad, Blvd LD Colosio S-N Esquina Madrid, Hermosillo 83250, Sonora, Mexico
Cristina Penalba, M.:
Univ Sonora, Dept Invest Cient & Tecnol, Blvd LD Colosio Entre Reforma & Sahuaripa, Hermosillo 83000, Sonora, Mexico
Reyes-Ortega, Ivonne:
Univ Nacl Autonoma Mexico, Inst Ecol, Dept Ecol Func, Mexico City 04510, DF, Mexico
Molina-Freaner, Francisco:
Univ Nacl Autonoma Mexico, Inst Ecol, Dept Ecol Biodiversidad, Blvd LD Colosio S-N Esquina Madrid, Hermosillo 83250, Sonora, Mexico
Univ Nacl Autonoma Mexico, Inst Geol, Estn Reg Noroeste, Blvd LD Colosio S-N Esquina Madrid, Hermosillo 83250, Sonora, Mexico
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