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Extreme reproduction and survival of a true cliffhanger: the endangered plant, Borderea chouardii (Dioscoreaceae)

Authors :
García, M. B.
Espadaler, Xavier
Olesen, Jens Mogens
Source :
García, M B, Espadaler, X & Olesen, J M 2012, ' Extreme reproduction and survival of a true cliffhanger: the endangered plant, Borderea chouardii (Dioscoreaceae) ', P L o S One, vol. 7, no. e44657 .
Publication Year :
2012

Abstract

Cliff sides are extreme habitats, often sheltering a rich and unique flora. One example is the dioecious herb Bordereachouardii (Dioscoreaceae), which is a Tertiary, tropical relict, occurring only on two adjacent vertical cliffs in the world. Westudied its reproductive biology, which in some aspects is extreme, especially the unusual double mutualistic role of ants asboth pollinators and dispersers. We made a 2-year pollination census and four years of seed-dispersal experiments,recording flower visitors and dispersal rates. Fruit and seed set, self-sowing of seeds, seedling recruitment, and fate ofseedlings from seeds sowed by different agents were scored over a period of 17 years. The ants Lasius grandis and L.cinereus were the main pollinators, whereas another ant Pheidole pallidula dispersed seeds. Thus ants functioned as doublemutualists. Two thirds of all new seedlings came from self-sown seeds, and 1/3 was dispersed by ants, which gathered theseeds with their oil-rich elaiosome. Gravity played a minor role to dispersal. Both ant dispersal and self-sowing resulted inthe same survival rate of seedlings. A double mutualism is a risky reproductive strategy, but B. chouardii buffers that by anunusual long–term demographic stability (some individuals exceed 300 years in lifespan) and its presence in a climaticallyvery stable habitat, inaccessible to large herbivores. Such a combination of traits and habitat properties may explain thepersistence of this relict species.

Details

Language :
English
Database :
OpenAIRE
Journal :
García, M B, Espadaler, X & Olesen, J M 2012, ' Extreme reproduction and survival of a true cliffhanger: the endangered plant, Borderea chouardii (Dioscoreaceae) ', P L o S One, vol. 7, no. e44657 .
Accession number :
edsair.dedup.wf.001..abfeb27484991a5ecd09e46ee4442af5