Forest fragmentation and the resulting spatial isolation of tree species can modify the activity of pollinators and may have important implications for the reproductive success and mating systems of the plants they pollinate. The objectives of this study were to (1) evaluate the effect of forest fragmentation on pollinator activity in bat‐pollinated bombacaceous trees and (2) determine the effects of forest fragmentation on reproductive success and mating systems of bombacaceous trees. We studied these parameters in three bombacaceous tree species in tropical seasonal forest of Chamela, Jalisco, Mexico, and Osa and Guanacaste, Costa Rica. For Ceiba aesculifolia, more visits were observed in fragments by both Glossophaga soricina and Leptonycteris curasoae. For Ceiba grandiflora, Musonycteris harrisoni visited flowers exclusively in forest and G. soricina visited more flowers in forest than in fragments; no difference was shown by L. curasoae. For Ceiba pentandra in Chamela, no differences were found in visitation by G. soricina between forest and fragments; L. curasoae visited significantly more flowers in forest. Ceiba pentandra received more visits by Phyllostomus discolor than G. soricina in Guanacaste, whereas no bat visitors were observed in Osa. Total mean flower production was greater in fragments than forest for C. aesculifolia, whereas no difference was observed for C. grandiflora. Fruit set was greater in forest than in fragments for C. grandiflora, whereas no difference was observed for C. aesculifolia. Outcrossing rates were high for C. aesculifolia and C. grandiflora in Chamela, and for C. pentandra in Guanacaste, independent of tree habitat, while C. pentandra in Osa showed a mixed‐mating system. The effects of forest fragmentation on bat pollinators, plant reproductive success, and mating patterns varied depending upon the bombacaceous species. This variability was associated with the effects that forest fragmentation may have on differences in flowering patterns, bat foraging behavior, and plant self‐incompatibility systems. RESUMEN La fragmentatión de bosques y el aislamiento espacial, producto de este fenómeno, pueden modificar la actividad de los polinizadores y pueden tener implicaciones importantes sobre el éxito reproductivo y los sistemas de apareamiento de las plantas que polinizan. Los objetivos de este estudio consisten en: (1) evaluar los efectos de la fragmentatión de bosque sobre la actividad de los polinizadores de árboles de Bombacaceas, y (2) determinar los efectos de la fragmentación sobre el éxito reproductivo y el sistema de apareamiento de árboles de Bombacaceas. Evaluamos estos parámetros en 3 especies de árboles de esta familia en bosques estacionales en Jalisco, México y Guanacaste y Osa, Costa Rica. Las flores de Ceiba aesculifolia fueron mas visitadas en fragmentos por Glossophaga soricina y Leptonycteris curasoae. En Ceiba grandiflora, Musonycteris harrisoni visitó flores exclusivamente en el bosque y G. soricina visitó mas flores en el bosque que en los fragment...
In the tropical dry forest of the central Pacific coast of Mexico the pollination and reproductive success of the bombacaceous tree Ceiba grandiflora was negatively affected by habitat disruption. Two of the three bat species that function as effective pollinators for this species ( Glossophaga soricina and Musonycteris harrisoni) visited flowers found in trees in disturbed habitats significantly less than trees found in undisturbed habitats. A similar pattern was observed for the effective bat pollinator, Leptonycteris curasoae; however the difference was not significant. The three nectarivorous bats that functioned as effective pollinators of C. grandiflora also visited flowers to exclusively feed on pollen by biting or pulling off an anther (see Fig. S1 of Electronic Supplementary Material). The number of pollen grains deposited on stigmas from flowers in undisturbed areas was significantly greater than from flowers in disturbed habitats. The greater visitation rate and the greater number of pollen grains deposited on flowers from trees in undisturbed forest resulted in a significantly greater fruit set for trees in these areas. Our study demonstrates the negative effect that habitat disruption has on bat pollinators in tropical dry forest ecosystems and documents the negative consequences for the plants they pollinate.
Several studies have demonstrated, using controlled pollinations, that the number and identity of pollen grains deposited onto a flower's stigma affect the reproductive success of plants. However, few studies have shown this relationship under conditions of natural pollination. Using the tropical dry forest tree Pachira quinata, we evaluated the relationship between the number of microgametophytes per pistil and the number of sires with respect to the production of fruits and seeds in a natural population of Pachira quinata. Our study demonstrates that fruit and seed production are directly related to the number of microgametophytes per pistil in natural populations of P. quinata. Only 6% of the marked flowers developed into mature fruits and 10% of the marked flowers initiated fruits but later aborted them. A mean of 23 pollen grains were required to produce a seed. Flowers with >400 pollen grains on the stigma always developed into mature fruits, whereas flowers that received <200 grains never matured fruits. Half of the pollen grains transferred to a flower stigma germinated and developed pollen tubes to the base of the style. The number of pollen grains on a stigma explained 34% of the variation in seed number per fruit, and the number of seeds produced per fruit is positively correlated with the size of the seeds. The population of P. quinata studied is predominantly outcrossing, and seeds within fruits are sired by one or a few donors. The total seed crop within trees was sired by three to five donors. Our study examined the implications of the variation in size of microgametophyte loads per pistil with respect to the breeding system and the paternity of progeny under natural conditions. The competitive ability of pollen and pollen tube attrition are important factors regulating fruit production in P. quinata.
Forest fragmentation and the resulting spatial isolation of tree species can modifj the activity of pollinators and may have important implications for the reproductive success and mating systems of the plants they pollinate. The objectives of this study were to (1) evaluate the effect of forest fragmentation on pollinator activity in bat-pollinated bombacaceous trees and (2) determine the effects of forest fragmentation on reproductive success and mating systems of bombacaceous trees. We studied these parameters in three bombacaceous tree species in tropical seasonal forest of Chamela, Jalisco, Mexico, and Osa and Guanacaste, Costa Rica. For Ceiba aesrulifolia, more visits were observed in fragments by both Glossopbaga soricina and Leptonycteris rurasoae. For Ceiba grandzfira, Musonyctmis barrijoni visited flowers exclusively in forest and G. soricina visited more flowers in forest than in fragments; no difference was shown by L. rurasoae. For Ceiba pentandra in Chamela, no differences were found in visitation by G. soricina between forest and fragments; L. curasoae visited significantly more flowers in forest. Ceiba pentandra received more visits by Pbyllostomus discolor than G. soricina in Guanacaste, whereas no bat visitors were observed in Osa. Total mean flower production was greater in fragments than forest for C. aesculifolia, whereas no difference was observed for C. grandzjora. Fruit set was greater in forest than in fragments for C. grandzfira, whereas no difference was observed for C. aesrulzfilia.Outcrossing rates were high for C. aesrulzjlia and C. grandzfira in Chamela, and for C. pentandra in Guanacaste, independent of tree habitat, while C. pentandra in Osa showed a mixed-mating system. The effects of forest fragmentation on bat pollinators, plant reproductive success, and mating patterns varied depending upon the bombacaceous species. This variability was associated with the effects that forest fragmentation may have on differences in v) '0 rn 0 5 v) 0 flowering patterns, bat foraging behavior, and plant self-incompatibility systems.rn RESUMEN La fragmentaci6n de bosques y el aislamiento spacial, product0 de este fenomeno, pueden modificar la actividad de 10s polinizadores y pueden tener implicaciones importantes sobre el txito reproductivo y 10s sistemas de apareamiento de las plantas que polinizan. Los objetivos de este estudio consisten en: (1) evaluar 10s efectos de la fragmentaci6n de bosque sobre la actividad de 10s polinizadores de drboles de Bombacaceas, y (2) determinar 10s efectos de la fragmen-taci6n sobre el txito reproductivo y el sistema de apareamiento de irboles de Bombacaceas. Evaluamos estos parhetros en 3 especies de irboles de esta familia en bosques estacionales en Jalisco, Mtxico y Guanacaste y Osa, Costa Ria. Las flores de Ceiba aesculzjdia fueron mas visitadas en fragmentos por Glossopbaga soricina y Leptonycteris rurasoae. En Ceiba grandzjlora, Musonycteris barrijoni visit6 flores exclusivamente en el bosque y G. soricina visit6 mas flores en el bosque que en 10s fragmen...
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