Integrative Biology Journals

Plant Diversity ›› 2025, Vol. 47 ›› Issue (03): 489-498.DOI: 10.1016/j.pld.2024.12.003

• Articles • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Consistent spatial-temporal variations of stigmatic pollen load among co-flowering species across six sub-alpine meadows

Tao Zhanga, Qiang Fangb   

  1. a. Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Transboundary Ecosecurity of Southwest China, Yunnan Key Laboratory of Plant Reproductive Adaptation and Evolutionary Ecology, Institute of Biodiversity, School of Ecology and Environmental Science, Yunnan University, Kunming 650504, Yunnan, China;
    b. College of Agriculture, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang 471003, Henan, China
  • Received:2024-06-14 Revised:2024-12-15 Online:2025-05-21 Published:2025-05-25
  • Contact: Qiang Fang,E-mail:fang0424@163.com
  • Supported by:
    This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 32071535 and 32371602), the Key Scientific Research Projects of College and University in Henan Province (No. 24ZX001) and the Henan Province Foundation for University Key Teacher (No. 2020GGJS074).

Consistent spatial-temporal variations of stigmatic pollen load among co-flowering species across six sub-alpine meadows

Tao Zhanga, Qiang Fangb   

  1. a. Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Transboundary Ecosecurity of Southwest China, Yunnan Key Laboratory of Plant Reproductive Adaptation and Evolutionary Ecology, Institute of Biodiversity, School of Ecology and Environmental Science, Yunnan University, Kunming 650504, Yunnan, China;
    b. College of Agriculture, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang 471003, Henan, China
  • 通讯作者: Qiang Fang,E-mail:fang0424@163.com
  • 基金资助:
    This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 32071535 and 32371602), the Key Scientific Research Projects of College and University in Henan Province (No. 24ZX001) and the Henan Province Foundation for University Key Teacher (No. 2020GGJS074).

Abstract: Co-flowering species may have evolved strategies to avoid or tolerate the adverse effects of heterospecific pollen deposition. However, the precondition for this evolutionary response is spatial-temporal stability, an aspect currently understudied. Here, we examined the spatial-temporal stability in conspecific and heterospecific pollen loads on stigmas across 19 co-flowering species in six sub-alpine meadow communities over four consecutive years. We found that, although conspecific and heterospecific pollen loads, as well as proportions of heterospecific pollen, differed significantly among species, with heterospecific pollen proportion ranging from 0.1% to 41.8%, variation in heterospecific pollen proportion among species was stable across different years and communities. The most important predictor of variation in both conspecific and heterospecific pollen loads, as well as heterospecific pollen proportions, was species identity; furthermore, this factor was independent of phylogenetic relationship. The proportion of heterospecific pollen varied less within species that had high proportions of heterospecific pollen. Furthermore, both the proportion of heterospecific pollen and its coefficient of variation were more strongly driven by heterospecific pollen than by conspecific pollen. Our study suggests that variation in stigmatic pollen load among co-flowering species is spatially and temporally consistent, a precondition for the tolerance-avoidance strategy. This study provides new insights into how different plant species respond to heterospecific pollen deposition.

Key words: Heterospecific pollen, Interspecific pollen transfer, Plant-pollinator interaction, Pollen deposition, Spatial-temporal dynamics, Tolerance and avoidance strategy

摘要: Co-flowering species may have evolved strategies to avoid or tolerate the adverse effects of heterospecific pollen deposition. However, the precondition for this evolutionary response is spatial-temporal stability, an aspect currently understudied. Here, we examined the spatial-temporal stability in conspecific and heterospecific pollen loads on stigmas across 19 co-flowering species in six sub-alpine meadow communities over four consecutive years. We found that, although conspecific and heterospecific pollen loads, as well as proportions of heterospecific pollen, differed significantly among species, with heterospecific pollen proportion ranging from 0.1% to 41.8%, variation in heterospecific pollen proportion among species was stable across different years and communities. The most important predictor of variation in both conspecific and heterospecific pollen loads, as well as heterospecific pollen proportions, was species identity; furthermore, this factor was independent of phylogenetic relationship. The proportion of heterospecific pollen varied less within species that had high proportions of heterospecific pollen. Furthermore, both the proportion of heterospecific pollen and its coefficient of variation were more strongly driven by heterospecific pollen than by conspecific pollen. Our study suggests that variation in stigmatic pollen load among co-flowering species is spatially and temporally consistent, a precondition for the tolerance-avoidance strategy. This study provides new insights into how different plant species respond to heterospecific pollen deposition.

关键词: Heterospecific pollen, Interspecific pollen transfer, Plant-pollinator interaction, Pollen deposition, Spatial-temporal dynamics, Tolerance and avoidance strategy