Topographic effect on the phenology of Ficus pedunculosa var. mearnsii (Mearns fig) in its northern boundary distribution, Taiwan

Kuo, Chu-Chia; Bain, Anthony; Chiu, Yu‐Ting; Ho, Yi-Chiao; Chen, Wen-Hsuan; Chou, Lien‐Siang; Tzeng, Hsy‐Yu

doi:10.1038/s41598-017-14402-z

Cited by 4 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 47 publications

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“…Tropical fig species from different subgenera also present similar phenological patterns such as F. fulva (subgenus Ficus ) on the island of Borneo [ 21 ] and F. pedunculosa var. mearnsii [ 28 , 29 ]. Studies that show continuous fig production within a population are numerous and widespread enough to define fig production as continuous at a population level.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mediation of a Mutualistic Conflict for Pollination via Fig Phenology and Odor Recognition between Ficus and Fig Wasp

Chen

Bain

Wang

et al. 2022

Plants

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The vegetative and reproductive growth of plants provide the basic tempo for an ecosystem, and when species are interdependent, phenology becomes crucial to regulating the quantity and quality of the interactions. In plant–insect interactions, the plants signal the beginning of their reproductive period with visual and chemical cues; however, in the case of Ficus mutualism, the cues are strictly chemical. The volatile organic compounds emitted by a fig species are a unique, specific blend that provides a signal to mutualistic wasps that the figs are receptive for pollination. In this study, we studied both the phenological pattern of Ficus septica in Central Taiwan and its emissions of volatile compounds at receptivity. This dioecious fig species displays a pattern of continuous vegetative and reproductive production all through the year with a decrease in winter. In parallel, the odor blends emitted by male and female trees are similar but with seasonal variations; these are minimal during winter and increase with the size of the wasp population during the favorable season. In addition, the pollinating females cannot distinguish between the male and female summer odor blends. The link between odor similarity, pollinators and intersexual conflict is discussed.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mediation of a Mutualistic Conflict for Pollination via Fig Phenology and Odor Recognition between Ficus and Fig Wasp

Chen

Bain

Wang

et al. 2022

Plants

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“…Northeastern Taiwan is affected by the cold and humid winter northeast monsoon from October to April of the next year. The local climate difference (e.g., prec10 and Tmax2) between the rainy northeast and arid southwest in Taiwan has affected forest phenology [ 37 , 38 ]. Xylem embolism of maples under water deficiency may cause leaf senescence [ 39 ], facilitating leaf color change and defoliation.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Environmental Heterogeneity Leads to Spatial Differences in Genetic Diversity and Demographic Structure of Acer caudatifolium

Luo

Chai

et al. 2021

Plants

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Under climate fluctuation, species dispersal may be disturbed by terrain and local climate, resulting in uneven spatial-genetic structure. In addition, organisms at different latitudes may be differentially susceptible to climate change. Here, we tracked the seed dispersal of Acer caudatifolium using chloroplast DNA to explore the relationships of terrain and local climate heterogeneity with range shifts and demography in Taiwan. Our results showed that the extant populations have shifted upward and northward to the mountains since the Last Glacial Maximum. The distributional upshift of A. caudatifolium is in contrast to the downward expansion of its closest relative in Taiwan, A. morrisonense. The northern populations of A. caudatifolium have acquired multiple-source chlorotypes and harbor high genetic diversity. However, effective gene flow between the north and south is interrupted by topography, geographic distance, north-south differences in October rainfall, and other climate heterogeneities, blocking southward genetic rescue. In addition, winter monsoon-driven rainfall may cause regional differences in the phenological schedule, resulting in adaptive effects on the timing of range shift and the genetic draft of chlorotype distribution. Terrain, distance, and local climate also differentiate the northernmost populations from the others, supporting the previous taxonomic treatment of Acer kawakamii var. taitonmontanum as an independent variety.

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Parasitism Features of a Fig Wasp of Genus Apocrypta (Pteromalidae: Pteromalinae) Associated with a Host Belonging to Ficus Subgenus Ficus

Chou

Bain

Chantarasuwan³

et al. 2023

Insects

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Non-pollinating fig wasps (NPFWs), particularly long-ovipositored Sycoryctina wasps, exhibit a high species specificity and exert complex ecological effects on the obligate mutualism between the plant genus Ficus and pollinating fig wasps. Apocrypta is a genus of NPFWs that mostly interacts with the Ficus species under the subgenus Sycomorus, and the symbiosis case between Apocrypta and F. pedunculosa var. mearnsii, a Ficus species under subgenus Ficus, is unique. As fig’s internal environments and the wasp communities are distinct between the two subgenera, we addressed the following two questions: (1) Are the parasitism features of the Apocrypta wasp associated with F. pedunculosa var. mearnsii different from those of other congeneric species? (2) Is this Apocrypta species an efficient wasp that lives in its unique host? Our observation revealed that this wasp is an endoparasitic idiobiont parasitoid, as most congeneric species are, but developed a relatively long ovipositor. Furthermore, the relationships of the parasitism rate versus the pollinator number, the fig wall, and the sex ratio of the pollinator, respectively, showed that it possessed a higher parasitism ability than that of other congeners. However, its parasitism rate was low, and thus it was not an efficient wasp in its habitat. This difference between parasitism ability and parasitism rate might be a consequence of its oviposition strategy and the severe habitat conditions. These findings may also provide insights into the mechanism to maintain the interaction between the fig tree and the fig wasp community.

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Topographic effect on the phenology of Ficus pedunculosa var. mearnsii (Mearns fig) in its northern boundary distribution, Taiwan

Cited by 4 publications

References 47 publications

Mediation of a Mutualistic Conflict for Pollination via Fig Phenology and Odor Recognition between Ficus and Fig Wasp

Mediation of a Mutualistic Conflict for Pollination via Fig Phenology and Odor Recognition between Ficus and Fig Wasp

Environmental Heterogeneity Leads to Spatial Differences in Genetic Diversity and Demographic Structure of Acer caudatifolium

Parasitism Features of a Fig Wasp of Genus Apocrypta (Pteromalidae: Pteromalinae) Associated with a Host Belonging to Ficus Subgenus Ficus

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