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Better than nothing: Evolution of autonomous selfing under strong inbreeding depression in an alpine annual from the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau

Year: 2014

Type: article

Abstract: In plants with infrequent pollinator services, the benefits of reproductive assurance could be eroded by severe ovule discounting and inbreeding depression (ID). However, it remains unclear how selfing evolves under complete pollinator failure and strong ID. We examined the mating system and ID under netting and robbing conditions in Comastoma pulmonarium (Turcz.) Toyok. (Gentianaceae), an alpine annual experiencing a high ratio of nectar robbery on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau. Comastoma pulmonarium produced seeds via selfing at the study site. No pollinator was observed and thus the nectar was consumed exclusively by robbers. Inbreeding depression occurred in the life stages of seed mass and germination, and the cumulative ID was much higher than 0.5 under netting and robbing conditions. Overall, in comparison with netting, the magnitude of ID under robbing conditions tended to decrease. Our results suggested that selfing could assure reproduction for plants under complete pollinator failure and strong ID, supporting the “better than nothing” role of selfing and providing one of the few cases of the evolution of selfing under strong ID.

Source: Journal of Systematics and Evolution

DOI: 10.1111/jse.12082

Authors: Chan ZHANG, Guo‐Ying ZHOU, Yong‐Ping YANG, Yuan‐Wen DUAN

Institutions: Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research

Language: English

Topic: Plant and animal studies

Subfield: Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics

Field: Agricultural and Biological Sciences

Domain: Life Sciences

SDGs: Life on land, Zero hunger

Open Access status: bronze

Funder: National Natural Science Foundation of China