Does early season browsing influence the effect of self-pollination in scarlet gilia?
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Authors: T. Juenger, and J. Bergelson
Date: 2000
Journal: Ecology
Volume: 81
Number: 1
Pages: 41-48
Summary of Methods: In Colorado, Juenger and Bergelson investigated whether early season browsing affects the fitness cost of self-pollination in scarlet gilia, Ipomopsis aggregata, by using clipping and emasculation treatments. Clipping significantly reduced the production of flowers, fruits, and seeds whereas emasculation significantly increased the production of these components of female fitness. In addition, a significant interaction between the clipping and emasculation treatments was detected when considering four components of fitness simultaneously; emasculation led to an increase in the fitness of unclipped plants but not clipped plants. Possibly, damaged plants may experience reduced self-pollination due to reductions in pollinator visitation or effectiveness. Alternatively, damaged plants may simply lack the resources to benefit from emasculation. The results support the notion that herbivory can have indirect effects on plant fitness through effects on other plant-animal interactions.
Article Summary / Main Points: None
Vegetation Types:
MLRA Ecoregions:
Agrovoc Control Words: Riparian zones Rangelands Wildlife
Article Review Type: Refereed
Article Type: Experimental Research
Keywords: geitonogamy, herbivore-pollinator interaction, scarlet gilia, ipomopsis aggregata, plant-animal interaction, pollination biology, self-pollination, ungulate grazing
Annotation: For plants that were allocated to clipping treatments, the growing inflorescence tip was clipped so that ~1 cm of the main shoot remained.
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