Abstract
Sex allocation of a cosexual wind-pollinated species, Quercus dentata (Fagaceae), was analyzed using biomass, carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus as currencies based on data accumulated for 61 individuals from 1997–2004. Strongly female-biased sex allocation was indicated when measured in terms of biomass and carbon, but no significant bias was detected when measured in terms of nitrogen or phosphorus. From an adaptive viewpoint, there is little support for strong female-biased sex allocation, suggesting that sex allocation in terms of nitrogen or phosphorus is closer to the real picture. The relative sex allocation considerably varied from year to year, but the relative femaleness of individuals in the population was rather constant across years. No significant correlation was observed between relative sex allocation and fecundity or tree height, but individuals that showed very low fecundity tended to produce only acorns.
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Acknowledgments
We thank H. Sato, F. Soeya, N. Morino, Y. Kaya, K. Miki, and T. Nakamura for their assistance in the field work, and Prof. T. Kohyama, Prof. T. Hogetsu, and Dr. K. Nara who allowed and helped us to use facilities for final analyses. This work was partly supported by a Grant-in-Aid from the Ministry of Education, Science, Sports and Culture of Japan (No. 15207008).
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Ishida, T.A., Hattori, K., Shibata, S. et al. Sex allocation of a cosexual wind-pollinated tree, Quercus dentata, in terms of four currencies. J Plant Res 118, 193–197 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10265-005-0206-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10265-005-0206-6