Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The effect of pollination on resource allocation among sexual reproduction, clonal reproduction, and vegetative growth in Sagittaria potamogetifolia (Alismataceae)

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Ecological Research

Abstract

In order to evaluate the effects of pollination on resource allocation in the marsh herb Sagittaria potamogetifolia, experimental manipulation of pollination efficiency on the pattern of resource allocation was accessed by the proportion of dry weight measurements of sexual, vegetative, and clonal organs. In trials where half of the flowers were pollinated, a significant increase of resource allocated to sexual production and decrease to vegetative production resulted compared to plants that received no pollination. In trials where pollination was 100%, these two reproductive components showed the same trend, but less dramatically. This may support the idea that the trade-offs would be more pronounced when the resource was scarce. Besides, a higher inflorescence production with a lower fruit reproduction occurred as a consequence of decreased pollination level. This increased inflorescence production may be a mechanism to promote outcrossing by enhancing floral attraction or by synchronizing reproductive activity with insect pollinators. Examination for possible trade-offs in resource allocation revealed that there was also a trade-off caused by pollination between fruits plus flowers and bulbils production, which might have detrimental effects on the survival of individuals and populations, but promotes outcrossing and genetic variability.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Albert T, Raspe O, Jacquemart AL (2003) Clonal structure in Vaccinium myrtillus L. revealed by RAPD and AFLP markers. Int J Plant Sci 164:649–655

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bell G, Koufopanou V (1986) The cost of reproduction. Oxf Surv Evol Biol 3:83–131

    Google Scholar 

  • Bierzychudek P (1981) Pollinator limitation of plant reproductive effort. Am Nat 117:838–840

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cain ML, Kahn B, Silander JA, Reynolds HL (1995) Genetic variability and tradeoffs among reproductive traits in white clover (Trifolium repens). Can J Bot 73:505–511

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Campbell DR, Motten AF (1985) The mechanism of competition for pollination between two forest herbs. Ecology 66:554–663

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Caswell H (1985) The evolutionary demography of clonal reproduction. In: Jackson JBC, Buss LW, Cook RE (eds) Population biology and evolution of clonal organisms. Yale University Press, New Haven, pp 187–224

    Google Scholar 

  • Chen JK (1989) Systematic and evolutionary botanical studies on Chinese Sagittaria. Wuhan University Press, Wuhan

    Google Scholar 

  • Cheplick GP (1995) Life history trade-offs in Amphibromus scabrivalvis (Poaceae): allocation to clonal growth, storage, and cleistogamous reproduction. Am J Bot 82:621–629

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Eckert CG, Massonnet B, Thomas JJ (2000) Variation in sexual and clonal reproduction among introduced populations of flowering rush, Butomus umbellatus (Butomaceae). Can J Bot 78:437–446

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harder LD, Johnson SD (2005) Adaptive plasticity of floral display size in animal-pollinated plants. Proc R Soc B 272:651–657

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harper JL (1967) A Darwinian approach to plant ecology. J Ecol 55:247–270

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Johnston MO (1991) Pollen limitation of female reproduction in Lobelia cardinalis and L. siphilitica. Ecology 72:1500–1503

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lambers H, Poorter H (1992) Inherent variation in growth rate between higher plants: a research for physiological causes and ecological consequences. Adv Ecol Res 23:187–261

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Liu F, Yue XL, Chen JM, Wang QF (2008) Gender modification in a monoecious plant Sagittaria potamogetifolia (Alismataceae). Plant Ecol 199:217–223

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lovett Doust J (1989) Plant reproductive strategies and resource allocation. Trends Ecol Evol 4:230–234

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mitchell RJ (1997) Effects of pollination intensity on Lesquerella fendleri seed set: variation among plants. Oecologia 109:382–388

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Philbrick CT, Les DH (1996) Evolution of aquatic angiosperm reproductive systems. Bioscience 46:813–826

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Piquot Y, Petit D, Valero M, Cuguen J, de Laguerie P, Vernet P (1998) Variation in sexual and asexual reproduction among young and old populations of the perennial macrophyte Sparganium erectum. Oikos 82:139–148

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Redmond AM, Robbins LE, Travis J (1989) The effects of pollination distance on seed production in three populations of Amianthium muscaetoxicum (Liliaceae). Oecologia 79:260–264

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reekie EG (1991) Cost of seed versus rhizome production in Agropyron repens. Can J Bot 69:2678–2683

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ronsheim ML, Bever JD (2000) Genetic variation and evolutionary trade-offs for sexual and asexual reproductive modes in Allium vineale (Liliaceae). Am J Bot 87:1769–1777

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Saikkonen K, Koivunen S, Vuorisalo T, Mutikainen P (1998) Interactive effects of pollination and heavy metals on resource allocation in Potentilla anserina L. Ecology 79:1620–1629

    Google Scholar 

  • SAS institute (1998) SAS/STAT User’s Guide. SAS Institute Inc., Cary

    Google Scholar 

  • Shore JS, Barrett SCH (1984) The effect of pollination intensity and incompatible pollen on seed set in Turnera ulmifolia (Turneraceae). Can J Bot 62:1298–1303

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sullivan G (1995) A tradeoff between sexual and asexual reproduction in the dioecious clonal macrophyte Vallisneria americana: environmental and genetic influences. PhD Dissertation, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY

  • Suzuki A (2001) Resource allocation to vegetative growth and reproduction at shoot level in Eurya japonica (Theaceae): a hierarchical investment? New Phytol 152:307–312

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thompson FL, Eckert CG (2004) Trade-offs between sexual and clonal reproduction in an aquatic plant: experimental manipulations vs. phenotypic correlations. J Evol Biol 17:581–592

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Van Kleunen M, Fischer M, Schmid B (2002) Experimental life-history evolution: selection on the allocation to sexual reproduction and its plasticity in a clonal plant. Evolution 56:2168–2177

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wang XF, Chen JK (2001) Floral expression, pollination mechanism and mating system of Sagittaria potamogetifolia. Acta Phytoecol Sin 25:155–160

    CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

We thank Zhang Yanwen, Yu Qian, and Ashley Dai for helpful suggestions on the manuscript, Cheng Yu for her management of the plants, Zhang Bing, Han Yi, and Wang Yuanyuan for their help in the field. This work was supported by grants from One Hundred Person Project of the Chinese Academy of Sciences granted to WQF (KSCX2-YW-Z-0805) and from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 30570291 and No. 30800061).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Aquatic Botany and Watershed Ecology, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, 430074, Wuhan, Hubei, People’s Republic of China

    Fan Liu, Wei Li, Jin-Ming Chen & Qing-Feng Wang

  2. Wuhan Botanical Garden, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, 430074, Wuhan, Hubei, People’s Republic of China

    Fan Liu, Wei Li, Jin-Ming Chen & Qing-Feng Wang

  3. Laboratory of Plant Systematics and Evolutionary Biology, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, 430074, Wuhan, Hubei, People’s Republic of China

    Yi-Ying Liao

  4. Department of Biological Sciences, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA, 23529-0266, USA

    Timothy J. Motley

Authors
  1. Fan Liu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Yi-Ying Liao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Wei Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Jin-Ming Chen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Qing-Feng Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Timothy J. Motley
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Jin-Ming Chen or Qing-Feng Wang.

About this article

Cite this article

Liu, F., Liao, YY., Li, W. et al. The effect of pollination on resource allocation among sexual reproduction, clonal reproduction, and vegetative growth in Sagittaria potamogetifolia (Alismataceae). Ecol Res 25, 495–499 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11284-009-0679-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11284-009-0679-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation