Contrasting Phenological Patterns and Reproductive Strategies in Closely Related Monoecious Fig Tree Species

Understanding the ecological and evolutionary aspects of mutualistic interactions is essential for predicting species responses to environmental changes. This study aimed to investigate the phenological patterns and reproductive strategies in two closely related fig tree species, and . We monitored...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Plants (Basel) 2024-07, Vol.13 (14), p.1889
Main Authors: Cerezini, Monise T, Rattis, Ludmila, Furini, Paulo R, Pereira, Rodrigo A S
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
brood-site pollination
Butterflies & moths
Conservation biology
Environmental changes
Environmental conditions
Flowering
Flowers & plants
Fruit trees
Gene flow
Genetic structure
Mutualism
Plant species
plant-insect interaction
Population density
Population genetics
reproductive strategy
Ripening
Seeds
Trees
Tropical environment
Tropical environments
wasp pollination
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Summary:Understanding the ecological and evolutionary aspects of mutualistic interactions is essential for predicting species responses to environmental changes. This study aimed to investigate the phenological patterns and reproductive strategies in two closely related fig tree species, and . We monitored 99 and 21 trees weekly from January 2006 to April 2011 in an area close to the southern edge of the tropical region in Brazil. Our results revealed contrasting phenological patterns between the two species, with displaying an annual flowering pattern (1.4 episodes per tree per year) and a supra-annual pattern (0.5 episodes per tree per year). We also found significant differences in reproductive strategies, with producing more pistillate flowers and, consequently, more seeds and pollinating wasps per fig than , likely as an adaptation to overcome limitations of low population density by maximizing the gene flow. As the shorter-lived organism, the fig wasp was found to influence critical processes associated with the success and stability of mutualism, such as fig development and ripening. Our findings emphasize the importance of understanding the intricate interactions between mutualistic partners and their adaptive responses to environmental conditions in shaping fig tree populations' reproductive strategies and genetic structure.
ISSN:2223-7747
2223-7747
DOI:10.3390/plants13141889