Role of Cycad Cone Volatile Emissions and Thermogenesis in the Pollination of &lt;i&gt;Encephalartos villosus&lt;/i&gt; Lem.: Preliminary Findings from Studies of Plant Traits and Insect Responses

Suinyuy, Terence N.; Donaldson, John S.; Johnson, S.D.; Bösenberg, J. De Wet; Stevenson, D. W.; Osborne, R.; Blake, A. S. Taylor

doi:10.21135/893275150.022

Cited by 6 publications

(3 citation statements)

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“…The persistence of thermogenesis over several cone developmental phases observed in these C. micronesica pollen cones has not been noted in other cycad species. Prior cycad research has only examined cones for evidence of thermogenic events for ∼2 wk or less around the dehiscence period (Tang, 1987; Donaldson, 1997; Seymour et al, 2004; Terry et al, 2004a, b; Roemer et al, 2008, 2012a; Suinyuy et al, 2012), except for anecdotal evidence for some early, predehiscence thermogenesis in Macrozamia machinii (Terry et al, 2004b). Thus, whether cones of other species have a prolonged thermogenic period during predehiscence, or over several developmental phases, is not known.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Studies of thermogenesis in several cycad species, mostly within the family Zamiaceae (Tang, 1987; Donaldson, 1997; Seymour et al, 2004; Terry et al, 2004a, b; Roemer et al, 2005, 2008, 2012a, b; Suinyuy et al, 2012; Wallenius et al, 2012), have provided insights into their pollination‐related processes. Most such studies have concentrated on the days during and immediately bordering the cones’ dehiscence or receptive phase, a period within which the cone's maximum temperature elevations have generally been recorded.…”

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confidence: 99%

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Cone thermogenesis and its limits in the tropical Cycas micronesica (Cycadaceae): Association with cone growth, dehiscence, and post‐dehiscence phases

Roemer

Terry

Marler

2013

American J of Botany

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Cycas micronesica pollen cones exhibit several thermogenic attributes not reported in other cycads, including continuous thermogenesis for many weeks. These cones grow in a hot tropical environment that likely confines their metabolically generated temperature increases to a small thermogenic window beyond which they encounter heat stress. These findings suggest the presence of thermogenic functions not strictly related to pollination and a potential vulnerability to warming climates.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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confidence: 99%

Cone thermogenesis and its limits in the tropical Cycas micronesica (Cycadaceae): Association with cone growth, dehiscence, and post‐dehiscence phases

Roemer

Terry

Marler

2013

American J of Botany

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“…Reproduction is thought to be an especially costly process in cycads because they generally undergo periods of thermogenesis to heat their strobili ( Tang, 1987 ). Thermogenic periods function to volatilize compounds to attract pollinators ( Seymour et al, 2004 ; Suinyuy et al, 2012 ), which then carry pollen from staminate strobili to ovulate strobili ( Terry et al, 2005 ). In cycads, staminate plants generally show more extreme characteristics related to thermogenesis of strobili compared with ovulate plants and can reach temperatures up to 10°C to 12°C above ambient temperature and contain overall greater concentrations of volatile compounds ( Tang, 1987 ; Tang et al, 1987 ; Roemer et al, 2012 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reproductive phases coincide with changes in morphology and photosynthetic physiology in an endangered cycad species

Krieg¹,

Gosetti²,

Watkins

et al. 2023

Conservation Physiology

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Cycadales is highly endangered and one of the oldest dioecious gymnosperm lineages, making their reproductive biology highly relevant to conservation efforts and our understanding of the impact of dioecy, yet cycad reproductive ecophysiology is poorly understood. We examined how the costs associated with reproduction may impact basic physiological variation in cycad species. Specifically, we measured traits related to functional morphology and photosynthetic physiology in sterile and fertile staminate plants (‘males’) of Zamia portoricensis. Light response curves showed that sterile plants had greater light-use efficiency and maximum photosynthetic capacity per area compared with fertile plants. However, fertile and sterile plants exhibited similar respiration rates. We found significantly more nitrogen in leaves of fertile individuals, but similar nitrogen isotope composition and no differences in carbon content between sterile and fertile individuals. Despite having lower leaf-level photosynthetic rates, fertile plants had greater canopy-level photosynthesis than sterile plants, which was achieved by increasing leaf number and total leaf area. Our data suggest that sterile individuals may have greater light demands relative to fertile individuals, and fertile individuals may have greater nitrogen demands, which may be critical for successful reproductive events in staminate plants of the endangered cycad, Z. portoricensis.

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Geographic variation in cone volatiles and pollinators in the thermogenic African cycadEncephalartos ghellinckiiLem

Suinyuy

Johnson

2018

Plant Biol J

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Heat and odour production can have profound effects on pollination in cycads. It is therefore expected that these traits would co-vary geographically with pollinator assemblages. Such intraspecific variation, may lead to the evolution of pollination ecotypes, which can be an early stage of pollinator-mediated speciation. We measured cone temperatures using miniature temperature data loggers and examined the composition of cone volatile odours using headspace sampling and analysis with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry in four populations spanning the range of the African cycad Encephalartos ghellinckii. Pollinator assemblages were also investigated in three populations. Male and female cones were thermogenic at pollen shed and receptive stages, respectively, but patterns of thermogenesis did not vary among populations. Scent emissions from cones in populations in the Drakensberg Mountains were characterised by cis-β-ocimene, β-myrcene and (3E)-1,3-octadiene, while camphene and α-pinene were characteristic of scent emissions from cones in populations closer to the coast. These differences in volatile blends corresponded with differences in insect assemblages. These results confirm intraspecific variation in volatile emissions of E. ghellinckii and support the predictions that intraspecific variation in volatile emissions will be associated with shifts in pollinator assemblages. While further work needs to be done to test for local adaptation in this system, this preliminary evidence is consistent with the formation of pollination ecotypes in the E. ghellinckii species complex.

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Role of Cycad Cone Volatile Emissions and Thermogenesis in the Pollination of <i>Encephalartos villosus</i> Lem.: Preliminary Findings from Studies of Plant Traits and Insect Responses

Cited by 6 publications

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Cone thermogenesis and its limits in the tropical Cycas micronesica (Cycadaceae): Association with cone growth, dehiscence, and post‐dehiscence phases

Cone thermogenesis and its limits in the tropical Cycas micronesica (Cycadaceae): Association with cone growth, dehiscence, and post‐dehiscence phases

Reproductive phases coincide with changes in morphology and photosynthetic physiology in an endangered cycad species

Geographic variation in cone volatiles and pollinators in the thermogenic African cycadEncephalartos ghellinckiiLem

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