Am. J. Bot.
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     

This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when eLetters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in ISI Web of Science
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via ISI Web of Science (1)
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Karron, J. D.
Right arrow Articles by Bell, J. M.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow Articles by Karron, J. D.
Right arrow Articles by Bell, J. M.
Agricola
Right arrow Articles by Karron, J. D.
Right arrow Articles by Bell, J. M.
(American Journal of Botany. 2006;93:1306-1312.)
© 2006 Botanical Society of America, Inc.

Reproductive Biology

Multiple pollinator visits to Mimulus ringens (Phrymaceae) flowers increase mate number and seed set within fruits1

Jeffrey D. Karron4, Randall J. Mitchell and John M. Bell5

2Department of Biological Sciences, P. O. Box 413, University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53201 USA; 3Department of Biology, University of Akron, Akron, Ohio 44325-3908 USA

ABSTRACT

The timing and effectiveness of pollinator visitation to flowers is an important factor influencing mating patterns and reproductive success. Multiple pollinator probes to a flower may increase both the quantity and genetic diversity of progeny, especially if single probes deposit insufficient pollen for maximal seed set or if the interval between probes is brief. When pollen carryover is limited, sequential pollen loads may also differ markedly in sire representation. We hypothesized that these conditions help explain high levels of multiple paternity in Mimulus ringens fruits. We documented all bee visits to individual flowers, quantified resulting seed set, and determined paternity for 20 seeds per fruit. Most (76%) flowers received multiple probes, and the interval between probes was usually <30 min. Flowers probed multiple times produced 44% more seeds than flowers probed once. All fruits were multiply sired. Flowers receiving a single probe averaged 3.12 outcross sires per fruit, indicating that single probes deposit pollen from several donors. Multiple paternity was even greater after three or more probes (4.92 outcross sires), demonstrating that sequential visits bring pollen from donors not represented in the initial probe.

Key Words: bumble bee • monkeyflower • multiple paternity • paternity analysis • Phrymaceae • pollination effectiveness • pollination intensity • seed set






HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Copyright © 2006 by the Botanical Society of America, Inc.