Coflowering invasive plants and a congener have neutral effects on fitness components of a rare endemic plant
Abstract Network analyses rarely include fitness components, such as germination, to tie invasive plants to population‐level effects on the natives. We address this limitation in a previously studied network of flower visitors around a suite of native and invasive plants that includes an endemic pla...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2021-05-01
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| Series: | Ecology and Evolution |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.7375 |
| _version_ | 1819137167786508288 |
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| author | Diane L. Larson Jennifer L. Larson Amy J. Symstad Deborah A. Buhl Zachary M. Portman |
| author_facet | Diane L. Larson Jennifer L. Larson Amy J. Symstad Deborah A. Buhl Zachary M. Portman |
| author_sort | Diane L. Larson |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Network analyses rarely include fitness components, such as germination, to tie invasive plants to population‐level effects on the natives. We address this limitation in a previously studied network of flower visitors around a suite of native and invasive plants that includes an endemic plant at Badlands National Park, South Dakota, USA. Eriogonum visheri coflowers with two abundant invasive plants, Salsola tragus and Melilotus officinalis, as well as a common congener, E. pauciflorum. Network analyses had suggested strong linkages between E. visheri and S. tragus and E. pauciflorum, with a weaker link to M. officinalis. We measured visitation, pollen deposited on stigmas, achene weight and germination over three field seasons (two for germination) in four populations (two in the final season) of E. visheri and applied in situ pollen treatments to E. visheri, adding pollen from other flowers on the same plant; flowers on other E. visheri plants; S. tragus, M. officinalis, or E. pauciflorum; open pollination; or excluding pollinators. Insect visitation to E. visheri was not affected by floral abundance of any of the focal species. Most visitors were halictid bees; one of these (Lasioglossum packeri) was the only identified species to visit E. visheri all three years. Ninety‐seven percent of pollen on collected E. visheri stigmas was conspecific, but 22% of flowers had >1 grain of E. pauciflorum pollen on stigmas and 7% had >1 grain of S. tragus pollen; <1% of flowers had M. officinalis pollen on stigmas. None of the pollen treatments produced significant differences in weight or germination of E. visheri achenes. We conclude that, in contrast to the results of the network analysis, neither of the invasive species poses a threat, via heterospecific pollen deposition, to pollination of the endemic E. visheri, and that its congener provides alternative pollen resources to its pollinators. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-22T10:46:34Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-fe098d0b4f7e467a8c1d610838cadfc8 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-7758 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-22T10:46:34Z |
| publishDate | 2021-05-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Ecology and Evolution |
| spelling | doaj.art-fe098d0b4f7e467a8c1d610838cadfc82022-12-21T18:28:55ZengWileyEcology and Evolution2045-77582021-05-011194750476210.1002/ece3.7375Coflowering invasive plants and a congener have neutral effects on fitness components of a rare endemic plantDiane L. Larson0Jennifer L. Larson1Amy J. Symstad2Deborah A. Buhl3Zachary M. Portman4Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center U.S. Geological Survey Hot Springs AR USANorthern Prairie Wildlife Research Center U.S. Geological Survey Hot Springs AR USANorthern Prairie Wildlife Research Center U.S. Geological Survey Hot Springs AR USANorthern Prairie Wildlife Research Center U.S. Geological Survey Hot Springs AR USADepartment of Entomology University of Minnesota St. Paul MN USAbstract Network analyses rarely include fitness components, such as germination, to tie invasive plants to population‐level effects on the natives. We address this limitation in a previously studied network of flower visitors around a suite of native and invasive plants that includes an endemic plant at Badlands National Park, South Dakota, USA. Eriogonum visheri coflowers with two abundant invasive plants, Salsola tragus and Melilotus officinalis, as well as a common congener, E. pauciflorum. Network analyses had suggested strong linkages between E. visheri and S. tragus and E. pauciflorum, with a weaker link to M. officinalis. We measured visitation, pollen deposited on stigmas, achene weight and germination over three field seasons (two for germination) in four populations (two in the final season) of E. visheri and applied in situ pollen treatments to E. visheri, adding pollen from other flowers on the same plant; flowers on other E. visheri plants; S. tragus, M. officinalis, or E. pauciflorum; open pollination; or excluding pollinators. Insect visitation to E. visheri was not affected by floral abundance of any of the focal species. Most visitors were halictid bees; one of these (Lasioglossum packeri) was the only identified species to visit E. visheri all three years. Ninety‐seven percent of pollen on collected E. visheri stigmas was conspecific, but 22% of flowers had >1 grain of E. pauciflorum pollen on stigmas and 7% had >1 grain of S. tragus pollen; <1% of flowers had M. officinalis pollen on stigmas. None of the pollen treatments produced significant differences in weight or germination of E. visheri achenes. We conclude that, in contrast to the results of the network analysis, neither of the invasive species poses a threat, via heterospecific pollen deposition, to pollination of the endemic E. visheri, and that its congener provides alternative pollen resources to its pollinators.https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.7375endemic plantEriogonum Michxhalictid beesinvasive plantsMelilotus officinalis (L.) Lampollination ecology |
| spellingShingle | Diane L. Larson Jennifer L. Larson Amy J. Symstad Deborah A. Buhl Zachary M. Portman Coflowering invasive plants and a congener have neutral effects on fitness components of a rare endemic plant Ecology and Evolution endemic plant Eriogonum Michx halictid bees invasive plants Melilotus officinalis (L.) Lam pollination ecology |
| title | Coflowering invasive plants and a congener have neutral effects on fitness components of a rare endemic plant |
| title_full | Coflowering invasive plants and a congener have neutral effects on fitness components of a rare endemic plant |
| title_fullStr | Coflowering invasive plants and a congener have neutral effects on fitness components of a rare endemic plant |
| title_full_unstemmed | Coflowering invasive plants and a congener have neutral effects on fitness components of a rare endemic plant |
| title_short | Coflowering invasive plants and a congener have neutral effects on fitness components of a rare endemic plant |
| title_sort | coflowering invasive plants and a congener have neutral effects on fitness components of a rare endemic plant |
| topic | endemic plant Eriogonum Michx halictid bees invasive plants Melilotus officinalis (L.) Lam pollination ecology |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.7375 |
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