HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

What's this?

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Submit a response Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Web of Science (69) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Bosch, M. Articles by Waser, N. M. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Bosch, M. Articles by Waser, N. M. Agricola Articles by Bosch, M. Articles by Waser, N. M. Social Bookmarking                            What's this?

Effects of local density on pollination and reproduction in Delphinium nuttallianum and Aconitum columbianum (Ranunculaceae)¹

Department of Biology, University of California, Riverside, California 92521; and Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory, Crested Butte, Colorado 81224

Plant populations vary in density both naturally and as a consequence of anthropogenic impacts. Density in turn can influence pollination by animals. For example, plants in dense populations might enjoy more frequent visitation if pollinators forage most efficiently in such populations. We explored effects of plant density on pollination and seed set in the larkspur Delphinium nuttallianum and monkshood Aconitum columbianum. At our site in the Colorado Rocky Mountains, flowers of D. nuttallianum are pollinated primarily by queen bumble bees, solitary bees, and hummingbirds, whereas those of A. columbianum are pollinated primarily by queen and worker bumble bees. We found that the quantity of pollination service to both species (pollinator visitation rate and pollen deposition) was at best weakly related to density. In contrast, seed set declined by approximately one-third in sparse populations relative to nearby dense populations. This decline may stem from the receipt of low-quality pollen, for example, inbred pollen. Alternatively, sparsity may indicate poor environmental conditions that lower seed set for reasons unrelated to pollination. Our results demonstrate the value of simultaneously exploring pollinator behavior, pollen receipt, and seed set in attempting to understand how the population context influences plant reproductive success.

Key Words: Aconitum • Bombus • conservation biology • Delphinium • density • hummingbird • pollination • Ranunculaceae • seed set

CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Facebook    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				F. Jabbour, L. P. Ronse De Craene, S. Nadot, and C. Damerval Establishment of zygomorphy on an ontogenic spiral and evolution of perianth in the tribe Delphinieae (Ranunculaceae) Ann. Bot., October 1, 2009; 104(5): 809 - 822. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. Garcia-Camacho, M. Mendez, and A. Escudero Pollination context effects in the high-mountain dimorphic Armeria caespitosa (Plumbaginaceae): Neighborhood is something more than density Am. J. Botany, September 1, 2009; 96(9): 1620 - 1626. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				L. A. Burkle, R. E. Irwin, and D. A. Newman Predicting the effects of nectar robbing on plant reproduction: implications of pollen limitation and plant mating system Am. J. Botany, December 1, 2007; 94(12): 1935 - 1943. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. M Knight, J. A Steets, and T.-L. Ashman A quantitative synthesis of pollen supplementation experiments highlights the contribution of resource reallocation to estimates of pollen limitation Am. J. Botany, February 1, 2006; 93(2): 271 - 277. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				L. S. ADLER and R. E. IRWIN Comparison of Pollen Transfer Dynamics by Multiple Floral Visitors: Experiments with Pollen and Fluorescent Dye Ann. Bot., January 1, 2006; 97(1): 141 - 150. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. M. Herrera Censusing natural microgametophyte populations: variable spatial mosaics and extreme fine-graininess in winter-flowering Helleborus foetidus (Ranunculaceae) Am. J. Botany, October 1, 2002; 89(10): 1570 - 1578. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. C. Neel Conservation implications of the reproductive ecology of Agalinis acuta (Scrophulariaceae) Am. J. Botany, June 1, 2002; 89(6): 972 - 980. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Quesada, E. J. Fuchs, and J. A. Lobo Pollen load size, reproductive success, and progeny kinship of naturally pollinated flowers of the tropical dry forest tree Pachira quinata (Bombacaceae) Am. J. Botany, November 1, 2001; 88(11): 2113 - 2118. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. A. Fausto Jr., V. M. Eckhart, and M. A. Geber Reproductive assurance and the evolutionary ecology of self-pollination in Clarkia xantiana (Onagraceae) Am. J. Botany, October 1, 2001; 88(10): 1794 - 1800. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. M. Moody-Weis and J. S. Heywood Pollination limitation to reproductive success in the Missouri evening primrose, Oenothera macrocarpa (Onagraceae) Am. J. Botany, September 1, 2001; 88(9): 1615 - 1622. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				C. F. Williams, J. Ruvinsky, P. E. Scott, and D. K. Hews Pollination, breeding system, and genetic structure in two sympatric Delphinium (Ranunculaceae) species Am. J. Botany, September 1, 2001; 88(9): 1623 - 1633. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				M. C. Neel, J. Ross-Ibarra, and N. C. Ellstrand Implications of mating patterns for conservation of the endangered plant Eriogonum ovalifolium var. vineum (Polygonaceae) Am. J. Botany, July 1, 2001; 88(7): 1214 - 1222. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. Niovi Jones and J. S. Reithel Pollinator-mediated selection on a flower color polymorphism in experimental populations of Antirrhinum (Scrophulariaceae) Am. J. Botany, March 1, 2001; 88(3): 447 - 454. [Abstract] [Full Text]