Relationships of flower longevity with attractiveness traits and their effects on female fitness of alpine meadow plants on the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau, China

doi:10.17521/cjpe.2020.0130

Abstract

Abstract:

Aims Flower longevity, the length of time that flowers remain open and functional, is an important floral trait that influences plant reproductive success. Prolonging floral longevity can provide reproductive assurance under unfavorable pollination environment, but may suffer some fitness costs. The theoretical models of flower longevity have suggested that there is a trade-off of resources allocation between the flower longevity and attractiveness traits. Flower longevity can adjust according to resource allocation. To understand the potential adaptive significance of flower longevity, it is necessary to disentangle the potential relationships between flower longevity and attractiveness traits (flower size and number) and their effects on female fitness of alpine meadow plants at the inter-species level on the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau.
Methods In the alpine meadows of Qinghai-Xizang Plateau (2 900 m vs. 3 600 m), we assessed how the relationships between floral longevity and flower attractiveness traits of 11 species varied at the inter-species level under different pollination contexts. And we quantified the relative contribution of flower longevity and flower attractiveness traits to the female fitness of plants at the inter-species level at low and high habitats.
Important findings Results show that there is a trade-off between flower longevity and flower number in both low and high altitude communities. And we found that both longer flower longevity and larger flower size increase the female fitness of plants in low-altitude communities, However, the female fitness of plants is only associated with flower longevity in high-altitude communities. Overall, our results suggest that flower longevity is more important for the female fitness in high-altitude plants than low-altitude plants.

Key words: Qinghai-Xizang Plateau, flower longevity, floral attractiveness traits, trade-off, reproductive success

WANG Yu-Xian, HOU Meng, XIE Yan-Yan, LIU Zuo-Jun, ZHAO Zhi-Gang, LU Ning-Na. Relationships of flower longevity with attractiveness traits and their effects on female fitness of alpine meadow plants on the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau, China[J]. Chin J Plant Ecol, 2020, 44(9): 905-915.

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URL: https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/10.17521/cjpe.2020.0130

https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/Y2020/V44/I9/905

Figures/Tables 7

References 49

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海拔 Altitude	因素 Effect	估计值±标准误差 Estimate ± SE	t	p
低海拔 Low altitude	截距 Intercept	3.98 ± 1.69	2.353	0.023
	植株高度 Plant height (cm)	0.07 ± 0.03	2.183	0.032
	Log (花大小) log (flower size)	0.21 ± 0.28	0.751	0.454
	开花数目 Flower number	-0.25 ± 0.11	-2.366	0.020
高海拔 High altitude	截距 Intercept	2.85 ± 1.77	1.609	0.123
	植株高度 Plant height (cm)	0.06 ± 0.03	2.224	0.030
	Log (花大小) log (flower size)	0.49 ± 0.24	2.038	0.046
	开花数目 Flower number	-0.14 ± 0.07	-2.065	0.044

海拔 Altitude	因素 Effect	估计值±标准误差 Estimate ± SE	t	p
低海拔 Low altitude	截距 Intercept	3.98 ± 1.69	2.353	0.023
	植株高度 Plant height (cm)	0.07 ± 0.03	2.183	0.032
	Log (花大小) log (flower size)	0.21 ± 0.28	0.751	0.454
	开花数目 Flower number	-0.25 ± 0.11	-2.366	0.020
高海拔 High altitude	截距 Intercept	2.85 ± 1.77	1.609	0.123
	植株高度 Plant height (cm)	0.06 ± 0.03	2.224	0.030
	Log (花大小) log (flower size)	0.49 ± 0.24	2.038	0.046
	开花数目 Flower number	-0.14 ± 0.07	-2.065	0.044

海拔 Altitude	因素 Effect	估计值±标准误差 Estimate ± SE	z	p
低海拔 Low altitude	截距 Intercept	1.62 ± 0.46	3.545	0.000
	植株高度 Plant height (cm)	0.01 ± 0.01	0.856	0.392
	Log (花大小) log (flower size)	0.18 ± 0.08	2.319	0.020
	花寿命 Flower longevity (day)	0.07 ± 0.03	2.213	0.027
	开花数目 Flower number	0.01 ± 0.03	0.101	0.919
高海拔 High altitude	截距 Intercept	1.89 ± 0.60	3.131	0.002
	植株高度 Plant height (cm)	0.01 ± 0.01	1.094	0.274
	Log (花大小) log (flower size) (mm²)	-0.03 ± 0.09	-0.340	0.734
	花寿命 Flower longevity (day)	0.16 ± 0.05	3.380	0.001
	开花数目 Flower number	-0.01 ± 0.03	-0.200	0.841

海拔 Altitude	因素 Effect	估计值±标准误差 Estimate ± SE	z	p
低海拔 Low altitude	截距 Intercept	1.62 ± 0.46	3.545	0.000
	植株高度 Plant height (cm)	0.01 ± 0.01	0.856	0.392
	Log (花大小) log (flower size)	0.18 ± 0.08	2.319	0.020
	花寿命 Flower longevity (day)	0.07 ± 0.03	2.213	0.027
	开花数目 Flower number	0.01 ± 0.03	0.101	0.919
高海拔 High altitude	截距 Intercept	1.89 ± 0.60	3.131	0.002
	植株高度 Plant height (cm)	0.01 ± 0.01	1.094	0.274
	Log (花大小) log (flower size) (mm²)	-0.03 ± 0.09	-0.340	0.734
	花寿命 Flower longevity (day)	0.16 ± 0.05	3.380	0.001
	开花数目 Flower number	-0.01 ± 0.03	-0.200	0.841