Secondary pollen presentation: More than to increase pollen transfer precision

• Published in: Journal of systematics and evolution : JSE 2022-09, Vol.60 (5), p.1027-1036
• Main Authors: Xu, Yuan‐Qing, Luo, Zhong‐Lai, Wang, Jia, Pei, Nan‐Cai, Zhang, Dian‐Xiang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anthers; Butterflies & moths; Conversion; Evolution; Flowers; Fruit set; Functional groups; functional pollinator group; generalization; minimized herkogamy; Nectar; Niches; Pistils; Plant nectar; Plant reproduction; Plant reproductive structures; Plant species; Pollen; pollen theft; Pollination; pollination reliability; Pollinators; Reduction; Robbing behavior; secondary pollen presentation; Species; Stigmas (botany); Stochasticity; tubular flower
• ISSN: 1674-4918; 1759-6831
• DOI: 10.1111/jse.12729

Pollination precision and efficiency have been deemed to be important driving forces in floral evolution. Herkogamy reduction is a main mechanism to increase pollination precision. Secondary pollen presentation (SPP), by which pollen is presented on other floral organs especially pistils, has been widely accepted as a special mechanism to increase pollen transfer precision through spatial reduction of the anther–stigma distance, that is, minimized herkogamy. This overlooks a potential driving force, that is expanding the pollination niche through converting pollen thieves and nectar robbers into effective pollinators. We selected two species as study models with typical pistillate SPP, Pavetta hongkongensis Bremek. (Rubiaceae) and Scaevola taccada (Gaertn.) Roxb. (Goodeniaceae). In both species, two distinct pollinator functional groups were recognized. Short‐tongued bees and flies fed on pollen on stigmas but also stole pollen from anthers and robbed nectar, whereas long‐tongued hawkmoths and butterflies only collected nectar. Emasculation had no influence on long‐tongued pollinators, but significantly decreased the visitation frequency of short‐tongued visitors and fruit set, compared to intact flowers, demonstrating short‐tongued visitors did not effectively pollinate and acted merely as pollen thieves or nectar robbers when SPP was absent. Data from the two plant species clearly indicated pistillate SPP has additional adaptive advantages of converting ineffective visitors into pollinators and consequently widening the pollination niche, which could help plants overcome environmental stochasticity. Our results suggest that multiple selective forces drive the evolution of SPP and the minimization of herkogamy. Pistillate secondary pollen presentation (SPP) has additional selective advantages to convert ineffective visitors into pollinators and consequently widen the pollination niche, which could help plants overcome environmental stochasticity. We investigated the influence of SPP on pollinator group assembly and utilization through comparative experiments on emasculated and intact flowers.