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(American Journal of Botany. 2009;96:1544-1550.) doi: 10.3732/ajb.0800369 © 2009 Botanical Society of America, Inc.

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Breeding system and pollination ecology of introduced plants compared to their native relatives¹

Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, 1 Brookings Drive, Campus Box 1137, St. Louis, Missouri 63130 USA

ABSTRACT

Identifying how plant–enemy interactions contribute to the success of introduced species has been a subject of much research, while the role of plant–pollinator interactions has received less attention. The ability to reproduce in new environments is essential for the successful establishment and spread of introduced species. Introduced plant species that are not capable of autonomous self-fertilization and are unable to attract resident pollinators may suffer from pollen limitation. Our study quantifies the degree of autogamy and pollination ecology of 10 closely related pairs of native and introduced plant species at a single site near St. Louis, Missouri, USA. Most of these species pairs had similar capacities for autogamy; however, of those that differed, the introduced species were more autogamous than their native congeners. Most introduced plants have pollinator visitation rates similar to those of their native congeners. Of the 20 species studied, only three had significant pollen limitation. We suggest that the success of most introduced plant species is because they are highly autogamous or because their pollinator visitation rates are similar to those of their native relatives. Understanding and identifying traits related to pollination success that are key in successful introductions may allow better understanding and prediction of biological invasions.

Key Words: autogamy • invasive species • introduced plants • mutualism • plant–pollinator interactions • plant mating systems • pollen supplementation • pollinator visitation rates

Received for publication 31 October 2008. Accepted for publication 12 March 2009.

FOOTNOTES

¹ The authors thank J. Chase, K. Olsen, members of the Knight laboratory at Washington University in St. Louis and the Kremen laboratory at the University of California, Berkeley, Ø. Totland, and one anonymous reviewer for comments that improved the manuscript. K. Moriuchi, S. Zang, and A. Chung helped with pollinator observations and experiments. They also thank T. Morhman for plant identification and location information and J. Chase for logistical support. Funding for this project was provided by Tyson Research Center, Washington University in St. Louis, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, American Association of University Women, Missouri Native Plant Society, and National Research Initiative of the USDA Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service, grant no. 05–2290.

² Author for correspondence (e-mail: aharmont{at}nature.berkeley.edu); present address: UC Berkeley, Dept of Environmental Science, Policy & Management,137 Mulford Hall #3114, Berkeley, CA 94720 USA

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