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Absence of pollinator-mediated premating barriers in mixed-ploidy populations of Gymnadenia conopsea s.l. (Orchidaceae)

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Abstract

Polyploidy has played a key role in plant evolution and diversification. Despite this, the processes governing reproductive isolation among cytotypes growing in mixed-ploidy populations are still largely unknown. Theoretically, coexistence of diploid and polyploid individuals in sympatric populations is unlikely unless cytotypes are prezygotically isolated through assortative pollination. Here, we investigated the pre-mating barriers involved in the maintenance of three co-occurring cytotypes from the genus Gymnadenia (Orchidaceae): tetraploid and octoploid G. conopsea and tetraploid G. densiflora. We assessed differences in flowering phenology, floral morphology, and visual and olfactory cues, which could lead to assortative mating. Gas chromatography coupled with electroantennographic detection was used to identify scent compounds with physiological activity in the two main pollinators, Deilephila porcellus and Autographa gamma. The importance of olfactory cues was also assessed in the field by analysing the moths’ responses to the olfactory display of the plants, and by following the pollinator’s behaviour on artificial arrays. Our complex approach demonstrated that the coexistence of Gymnadenia cytotypes in mixed-ploidy populations was only partly explained by differences in floral phenology, as cytotypes with overlapping flowering (i.e., octoploid G. conopsea and tetraploid G. densiflora) might freely exchange pollen due to only 1 mm differences in spur lengths and the lack of assortative behaviour of pollinators. While floral colour among the cytotypes was similar, floral scent differed significantly. Though both pollinator species seemed to physiologically detect these differences, and the floral scent alone was sufficient to attract them, pollinators did not use this cue to discriminate the cytotypes in the field. The absence of pre-mating barriers among cytotypes, except partial temporal segregation, suggests the existence of other mechanisms involved in the cytotypes’ coexistence. The genetic differences in ITS sequences among cytotypes were used to discuss the cytotype’s origin.

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Acknowledgments

We thank I. Jongepierová for locating plant populations, F. Schiestl for helpful comments, A. Kelber for advises on moth vision and S.-L. Steenhuisen for English corrections. We also thank two anonymous reviewers for their helpful suggestions improving the manuscript. The work was financially supported by the GA ASCR No. KJB600870601 to J.J., MSM 6007665801 to the Faculty of Science of University of South Bohemia and the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (SFRH/BPD/41200/2007) to S.C.

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  1. Department of Theoretical Ecology, Institute of System Biology and Ecology AS CR, Na Sádkách 7, 37005, České Budějovice, Czech Republic

    Jana Jersáková & Iva Schödelbauerová

  2. Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 31, 37005, České Budějovice, Czech Republic

    Jana Jersáková & Iva Schödelbauerová

  3. Centre for Functional Ecology, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, PO Box 3046, 3001401, Coimbra, Portugal

    Sílvia Castro

  4. Institute of Botany, Academy of Sciences, Zámek 1, 25243, Průhonice, Czech Republic

    Sílvia Castro

  5. Department of Plant Systematics, University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstrasse 30, 95447, Bayreuth, Germany

    Nicole Sonk, Kathrin Milchreit & Stefan Dötterl

  6. Institut für Zoologie, Fg. Tierökologie, Universität Hohenheim, Garbenstraße 30, Stuttgart, 70593, Germany

    Till Tolasch

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Jersáková, J., Castro, S., Sonk, N. et al. Absence of pollinator-mediated premating barriers in mixed-ploidy populations of Gymnadenia conopsea s.l. (Orchidaceae). Evol Ecol 24, 1199–1218 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10682-010-9356-7

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