Intra- and Interspecific Variability of Non-Structural Carbohydrates and Phenolic Compounds in Flowers of 70 Temperate Trees and Shrubs

Abstract

(1) The focus on floral functional traits and their variability has been significantly lower than when compared to other plant organs. Here, we focused on the variability of four novel floral chemical traits. We aimed to assess the level of interspecific variability of total non-structural carbohydrates (TNC) and total phenolic compounds (TPh) in the flowers of woody species. (2) We collected data on 70 species of temperate trees and shrubs. We also assessed the intraspecific level of variability by collecting flowers from the high-light and low-light parts of the crown. (3) We found a phylogenetic signal in the variability of starch and TPh. We did not observe statistically significant differences or biologically significant trends between the high-light and low-light parts of the crown. We detected a low impact of light availability on the intraspecimen variability of the TNC and TPh contents. (4) Low intraspecimen variability allows for a more reliable extrapolation of measurements in cases of interspecific comparisons and can be used to better describe the reproductive strategies of different woody species.

Potential of reproductive traits in functional ecology: A quantitative comparison of variability in floral, fruit, and leaf traits

“…The Arboretum's comprehensive dendrological collection renders it an appealing setting for such investigations. We have previously highlighted the advantages of utilizing the Arboretum for studies on the variability of specific leaf area (Paź‐Dyderska et al., 2020 ), floral chemical and size‐related traits (Paź‐Dyderska et al., 2022 ; Paź‐Dyderska & Jagodziński, 2024 ), and seed mass (Dylewski et al., 2024 ).…”

“…We randomly selected a representative sample comprising 79 woody plant species cultivated under controlled common garden conditions (Figure S1 ), as outlined in our previous work (Paź‐Dyderska et al., 2020 , 2022 ). Our data collection spanned from March 2021 to August 2022, emphasizing the examination of fully developed flowers, leaves, and fruits free from any damage caused by fungi, herbivores, or abiotic factors like hail or drought.…”

“…Although collection protocols for floral or fruit traits are not yet widespread, we decided to incorporate established ideas from studies previously conducted in botanical gardens (Roddy, 2019 ; Roddy et al., 2016 ; Zhang et al., 2017 ). This methodology had been successfully employed in our previous investigation of floral traits within the Arboretum (Paź‐Dyderska et al., 2022 ; Paź‐Dyderska & Jagodziński, 2024 ). For leaves, we employed an approach adapted from Pérez‐Harguindeguy et al.…”

“…Consistent with our previous study in the Arboretum, we selected organs for the investigation based on qualitative observations, refraining from measuring light availability (Paź‐Dyderska et al., 2020 , 2022 ). The collection process involved the use of a 6 m long pole pruner.…”

Food preferences in a generalist pollen feeder: A nutritional strategy mainly driven by plant carbohydrates

“…By contrast, much less is known about the contribution of macronutrients to this process. However, a great interspecific heterogeneity exists in the nutrient content of plants (Ojima and Isawa, 1968;Ryder et al, 2021;Paź-Dyderska et al, 2022;Venjakob et al, 2022) and insects' feeding preferences and performance can vary in response to such variation (Raubenheimer and Simpson, 1997;Schoonhoven et al, 1998;Wetzel et al, 2016;Vaudo et al, 2020). It has even been suggested that a low macronutrient content may act as a defense against insects, by reducing survival or fecundity and by increasing exposure to natural enemies as a result of a prolonged development (Berenbaum, 1995).…”