Reproductive biology of an Alpic paleo-endemic in a changing climate

Abstract

Climate change is known to have a profound influence on plant reproduction, mainly because it affects plant/pollinator interactions, sometimes driving plants to extinction. Starting from the Neogene, the European climate was subjected to severe alterations. Nevertheless, several genera, including Berardia, survived these climatic changes. Despite the numerous studies performed about the relationship between climate change and plant reproductive biology, equivalent studies on ancient species are lacking, even though they may furnish crucial information on the strategies that allowed them to survive drastic climatic fluctuations. We investigated floral and reproductive features in Berardia subacaulis (Asteraceae), describing pollen vectors, capitulum and florets phenology, evaluating reproductive efficiency and defining the reproductive mode of the plant with bagging experiments and test of apomixis. B. subacaulis grows in habitats with low pollination services; it is self-compatible, but many typical features favouring cross-pollination are still present: florets are characterized by incomplete protandry, capitulum protogyny and high pollen-ovule ratio. The plant is not apomictic and self-fertilization is allowed within each capitulum. Similarly to other European Alpine endemics supposed to belong to the Mediterranean ancient tropical flora, the reproductive mode observed in the monospecific genus Berardia assured reproduction also under a pollinator decline. Differently from the other endemics, it took advantage of its spontaneous self-pollination and compatibility and its generalist pollination service, common both among high altitude plants and in the Asteraceae.

Assessment of the modes of pollen dispersal of Vernonia amygdalina Del. and Vernonia calvoana Hook

“…In this regard, Judd et al (1999) believe that Asteraceae in general are allogamous and that their pollen dispersal is anemophilous, entomophilous, and hydrophilous. Concerning the mode of fertilization, the flower of Vernonia is considered to exhibits protandry like other Asteraceae in general (Perry and Hirons, 1967;Tyler and Arthur, 2006;Guerrina et al, 2016). This situation naturally imposes allogamy on this plant.…”

Genome‐wide genotyping estimates mating system parameters and paternity in the island species Tolpis succulenta

“…However, the number of florets that can be pollinated per visit depends on how many receptive florets (in female phase) are present in a capitulum at any given time. In some instances, individual florets may be receptive to pollen for only 1 or 2 days (Sun and Ritland, 1998; Nielsen et al, 2000; Guerrina et al, 2016). This temporal separation in receptivity should favor multiple paternity.…”

New year’s greetings 2019 from the Journal of Plant Research

“…Environmental influences on plant distribution, species diversity, and regeneration dynamics of plant communities at high altitudes for future conservation must be considered (Takahashi 2018). This virtual issue highlighted 13 articles published after 2010 in the Journal of Plant Research (Guerrina et al 2016;Hirota et al 2010;Manish et al 2017;Namgail et al 2012;Ozaki et al 2018 We welcome new Editors and Editorial Board members who began their 4-year terms in January 2019: Drs. Koji Takayama, Yanhong Tang, and Atushi Ushimaru (Editors) and Drs.…”