[PCA] ARTICLE: Comparative floral ecology of bicolor and concolor morphs of VIOLA PEDATA (Violaceae) following controlled burns

[De Angelis, Patricia]

Comparative floral ecology of bicolor and concolor morphs of Viola pedata
(Violaceae) following controlled burns
Peter Bernhardt, Retha Edens-Meier, Dowen Jocson, Justin Zweck, Zong-Xin
Ren, Gerardo R. Camilo, Michael Arduser

Journal of Pollination Ecology 19 (15), 2016. 1, 2016

ABSTRACT
We compared pollination and seed set of bicolor and concolor morphs in
self-incompatible, Viola pedata over two seasons in two populations of
unequal sizes.  One population grew on a wooded slope (CR) and the second
on an exposed glade (SNR).  Both were burned in 2014. The number of flowers
produced by concolor plants at SNR was higher in 2014 while the number of
flowering bicolors increased at CR in 2015. Petal temperatures, regardless
of site, showed that dark purple, posterior petals of bicolors were
consistently warmer than their own mauve-lilac, anterior (lip) petals and
the all mauve petals of concolors. Major pollen vectors were female bees
(Andrenidae, Apidae and Halictidae) but polylectic, Andrena carlinii
dominated both sites.  Bees foraged on flowers upside down or right side up
but neither mode correlated with either morph. Bees foraged preferentially
on concolor at both sites.  Pistils containing pollen tubes were higher in
concolor pistils at both sites with a marginally greater number of  tubes
penetrating concolor ovules regardless of site or year.  While both
populations produced more seeds in 2014 SNR plants always produced more
seeds than CR plants.  The increasing numbers of bicolor plants at CR in
2015 suggested that bicolors may equal or outnumber concolors when dark
petals offer additional warmth to ectothermic pollinators in a shady
(cooler) forest vs. an open, sunny glade. Subtle environmental factors may
give a floral trait a selective advantage influencing fitness in an
unbalanced polymorphism persisting in localized populations.

FULL ARTICLE:
Journal of Pollination Ecology
<http://www.pollinationecology.org/index.php?journal=jpe&page=article&op=view&path%5B%5D=403>
(
http://www.pollinationecology.org/index.php?journal=jpe&page=article&op=view&path%5B%5D=403
)
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