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Effects of habitat disturbance on the pollination system of Ammopiptanthus mongolicus (Maxim) Cheng f. at the landscape-level in an arid region of Northwest China

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Abstract

Ammopiptanthus mongolicus is an ecologically important species in the arid region of Northwest China. Habitat disturbance can significantly affect plant mating success and ultimately species viability. Pollen limitation of plant reproduction occurs in many plant species, particularly those under habitat disturbance. However, previous investigations have demonstrated differences in pollen limitation between conserved and disturbed sites. We compared the phenology, pollen limitation, pollinators and breeding system of both sites to determine whether habitat disturbance has generated changes in these plant components. We found that the species differed in four aspects. First, blooming duration and flowering peak were longer in the disturbed site than in the conserved site. Second, A. mongolicus can be pollen-limited and pollen limitation was more intense in the conserved site than in the disturbed site. Third, Anthophora uljanini was found to be a frequent pollinator in the conserved site, while Apis mellifera was the most effective and frequent flower visitor. More pollinator visits were recorded in the disturbed site, which could explain the differences in reproductive success. Finally, seed set was higher in the disturbed site than in the conserved site. We found that outcrossing was dominant in both sites and that agamospermy and self-pollination played complementary roles to ensure reproduction. Differences in flower production influenced by artificial selection and pollinator type explain the different seed set in both sites, whereas habitat disturbance cause changes differences in the pollination process and limits pollen flow. The balance between artificial management and mating success is crucial to analysis of the pollination process and manipulation of A. mongolicus population size.

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Acknowledgments

This research was funded by Integrative research in key techniques for sustainable restoration of Sandy Land Ecosystems (2011BAC07B02), Research in techniques for risk assessment and prediction of Sandy Land Ecosystem (Y439K71001), “One Hundred Talent” Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Y451H31001) and National Natural Science Foundation of China (31300352, 41401620, 41501572). MC and XYZ conceived and designed the experiments. MC wrote the manuscript; other authors provided editorial advice. We thank Naiman Desertification Research Station and Urat Desert-grassland Research Station for all the help and support during this study.

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  1. Cold and Arid Regions Environmental and Engineering Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China

    Min Chen, Xue-Yong Zhao, Xiao-An Zuo, Wei Mao, Hao Qu & Yang-Chun Zhu

  2. University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China

    Yang-Chun Zhu

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  1. Min Chen
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Correspondence to Min Chen.

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Chen, M., Zhao, XY., Zuo, XA. et al. Effects of habitat disturbance on the pollination system of Ammopiptanthus mongolicus (Maxim) Cheng f. at the landscape-level in an arid region of Northwest China. J Plant Res 129, 435–447 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10265-015-0779-7

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