Abstract
Life-history traits, such as reproductive allocation, sexual expression, sex ratio, and reproductive success, are central aspects of a species’ ecology and evolution. For example, bias in male and female sex expression may play a large role in determining the viability of populations in the face of environmental pressures, such as population fragmentation, climate change and habitat occupancy. Thus, in this study, we investigated reproductive traits in 10 meta-populations of Fissidens flaccidus Mitt. From each meta-population, 30 patches were randomly selected, and 1 cm2 samples were collected form each patch. A total of 20,173 ramets were analyzed and classified into male, non-sporophytic female, sporophytic female, and non-sex expressing. In addition, population density in each patch was quantified. Our results showed that relative reproductive allocation in perigonia and sporophytes is greater than perichaetia. Trade-off between sexual relative reproductive allocation and asexual gemma production was observed, suggesting an important role of female ramets in asexual reproduction. The number of male ramets does not influence the reproductive success observed in each patch, and ramet density may induce male sex expression. Thus, we concluded that reproductive allocation in male function is efficient, since fewer male ramets can assure a considerable reproductive success. Furthermore, our results suggest that there may be a habitat preference between the sexes, since male ramets are found in patches with high density and mostly below female ramets, suggesting an avoidance of direct sunlight by male ramets.
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Acknowledgements
We thank Llo Stark for reading the manuscript and providing us a feedback, and Laboratório de Geologia Isotópica (LAGIS) of Geoscience Institute of University of Campinas for allowing the use of the ultra-micro-balance. Funding for this study was provided by grants from American Bryological and Lichenological Society (ABLS) to WLS. WLS received fellowship from Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) and grant 2018/24397-0, São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP), and grant 2021/09506-0, São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP). FP received grant by CNPq (CNPq: 302849/2021-1) and grant 2020/02150-3, São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP).
Funding
Funding for this study was provided by grants from American Bryological and Lichenological Society (ABLS) to WLS. WLS received fellowship from Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) and grant 2018/24397-0, São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP), and grant 2021/09506-0, São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP). FP received grant by CNPq (CNPq: 302849/2021-1) and grant 2020/02150-3, São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP).
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WLS and KCP: conceived the ideas. WLS, KCP, and FP: designed the methodology. WLS: conducted field work supported by KCP. WLS, FP, KCP and JB: analyzed the data. WLS: led the writing of the manuscript. All authors contributed critically to the drafts and gave final approval for publication.
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Communicated by Melinda D. Smith.
This study has the potential to be a Highlighted Student Paper because most of the ideas, hypotheses, and questions were conceived by me during the period of pandemic restrictions and because the findings are unprecedented considering the data available in the literature for monoicous bryophytes. In this article, we investigated the biology and ecology of a tropical moss species with a monoecious sexual system, Fissidens flaccidus, which becomes functionally dioecious due to sex segregation. Several reproductive traits found in F. flaccidus such as female-biased sex ratio, low male sexual expression, and higher male reproductive allocation are not common in monoicous species. Our data indicate that F. flaccidus behaves like a dioecious species, expanding our view regarding the diversity of reproductive strategies found in bryophytes.
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dos Santos, W.L., Bordin, J., Pôrto, K.C. et al. Life-history traits and density dependence in metapopulations of a tropical moss: a monoicous species that is almost dioicous. Oecologia 201, 287–298 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-022-05303-8
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-022-05303-8