On the potential strength and consequences for nonrandom gene flow caused by local adaptation in flowering time

Gene flow is generally considered a random process, that is the loci under consideration have no effect on dispersal success. Edelaar and Bolnick (Trends Ecol Evol, 27, 2012 659) recently argued that nonrandom gene flow could exert a significant evolutionary force. It can, for instance, ameliorate the maladaptive effects of immigration into locally adapted populations. I examined the potential strength for nonrandom gene flow for flowering time genes, a trait frequently found to be locally adapted. The idea is that plants that successfully export pollen into a locally adapted resident population will be a genetically biased subset of their natal population – they will have resident‐like flowering times. Reciprocally, recipients will be more migrant‐like than the resident population average. I quantified the potential for biased pollen exchange among three populations along a flowering time cline in Brassica rapa from southern California. A two‐generation line cross experiment demonstrated genetic variance in flowering time, both within and among populations. Calculations based on the variation in individual flowering schedules showed that resident plants with the most migrant‐like flowering times could expect to have up to 10 times more of the their flowers pollinated by immigrant pollen than the least migrant‐like. Further, the mean flowering time of the pollen exporters that have access to resident mates differs by up to 4 weeks from the mean in the exporters’ natal population. The data from these three populations suggest that the bias in gene flow for flowering time cuts the impact on the resident population by as much as half. This implies that when selection is divergent between populations, migrants with the highest mating success tend to be resident‐like in their flowering times, and so, fewer maladaptive alleles will be introduced into the locally adapting gene pool.     

Effect of flowering phenology on pollen flow distance and the consequences for spatial genetic structure within a population of Primula sieboldii (Primulaceae)

To evaluate the effects of flowering phenology on pollen flow distance and spatial genetic structure in a population of a bumblebee-pollinated herb, Primula sieboldii, we investigated the flowering phenology of 1712 flowers of 97 genets in a population in Nagano Prefecture, Japan, and constructed a mating model based on the observed mating pattern, which was revealed by paternity analysis using 11 microsatellite markers. The effects of flowering phenology were inferred by comparing estimated pollen flow distance and the level of heterozygosity in the next generation between two scenarios. In the first scenario, both the intergenet distance and flowering phenology influenced mating opportunity, while in the second scenario only intergenet distance influenced mating opportunity. Although the frequency distribution of pollen flow distance at the population level did not differ significantly between the two scenarios, the mean pollen flow distance of several flowers increased by more than 10 m as a result of variation in flowering phenology. Furthermore, accounting for flowering phenology predicted change in heterozygosity in the next generation from -0.04 to 0.07. The results showed that flowering phenology can affect pollen flow distance and spatial genetic structure.     

Phenological match drives pollen‐mediated gene flow in a temporally dimorphic tree

• Variation in flowering phenology is common in natural populations, and is expected to be, together with inter‐mate distance, an important driver of effective pollen dispersal. In populations composed of plants with temporally separated sexual phases (i.e. dichogamous or heterodichogamous populations), pollen‐mediated gene flow is assumed to reflect phenological overlap between complementary sexual phases. In this study, we conducted paternity analyses to test this hypothesis in the temporally dimorphic tree Acer opalus.
• We performed spatially explicit analyses based on categorical and fractional paternity assignment, and included tree size, pair‐wise genetic relatedness and morph type as additional predictors. Because differences between morphs in flowering phenology may also influence pollination distances, we modelled separate pollen dispersal kernels for the two morphs.
• Extended phenological overlap between male and female phases (mainly associated with inter‐morph crosses) resulted in higher siring success after accounting for the effects of genetic relatedness, morph type and tree size, while reduced phenological overlap (mainly associated with intra‐morph crosses) resulted in longer pollination distances achieved. Siring success also increased in larger trees.
• Mating patterns could not be predicted by phenology alone. However, as heterogeneity in flowering phenology was the single morph‐specific predictor of siring success, it is expected to be key in maintaining the temporal dimorphism in A. opalus, by promoting not only a prevalent pattern of inter‐morph mating, but also long‐distance pollination resulting from intra‐morph mating events.

     

Reproductive interactions mediated by flowering overlap in a temperate hummingbird–plant assemblage

Pollinator‐mediated competition through shared pollinators can lead to segregated flowering phenologies, but empirical evidence for the process responsible for this flowering pattern is sparse. During two flowering seasons, we examined whether increasing overlap in flowering phenology decreased conspecific pollination, increased heterospecific pollination, and depressed seed output in the seven species composing a hummingbird–plant assemblage from the temperate forest of southern South America. Overall trends were summarized using meta‐analysis. Despite prevailing negative associations, relations between phenological overlap and conspecific pollen receipt varied extensively among species and between years. Heterospecific pollen receipt was low and presumably of limited biological significance. However, our results supported the hypothesis that concurrent flowering promotes interspecific pollen transfer, after accounting for changes in the abundance of conspecific flowers. Seed output was consistently reduced during maximum phenological overlap during the first flowering season because of limited fruit set. Responses varied more during the second year, despite an overall negative trend among species. Relations between estimated effects of phenological overlap on pollination and seed output, however, provided mixed evidence that conspecific pollen loss during pollinator visits to foreign flowers increases pollen limitation. By flowering together, different plant species might benefit each other's pollination by increasing hummingbird recruitment at the landscape level. Nevertheless, our results are mostly consistent with the hypothesis of pollinator‐mediated competition shaping the segregated flowering pattern reported previously for this temperate plant assemblage. The mechanisms likely involve effects on male function, whereby pollen‐transport loss during heterospecific flower visits limit pollen export, and more variable effects on female function through pollen limitation.     

Genetic variation in flowering time induces phenological assortative mating: quantitative genetic methods applied to Brassica rapa

It has been argued from first principles that plants mate assortatively by flowering time. However, there have been very few studies of phenological assortative mating, perhaps because current methods to infer paternal phenotype are difficult to apply to natural populations. Two methods are presented to estimate the phenotypic correlation between mates-the quantitative genetic metric for assortative mating-for phenological traits. The first method uses individual flowering schedules to estimate mating probabilities for every potential pairing in a sample. These probabilities are then incorporated into a weighted phenotypic correlation between all potential mates and thus yield a prospective estimate based on mating opportunities. The correlation between mates can also be estimated retrospectively by comparing the regression of offspring phenotype over one parent, which is inflated by assortative mating, to the regression over mid-parent, which is not. In a demonstration experiment with Brassica rapa, the prospective correlation between flowering times (days from germination to anthesis) of pollen recipients and their potential donors was 0.58. The retrospective estimate of this correlation strongly agreed with the prospective estimate. The prospective method is easily employed in field studies that explore the effect of phenological assortative mating on selection response and population differentiation.     

GENE FLOW IN LIMBER PINE: EVIDENCE FROM POLLINATION PHENOLOGY AND GENETIC DIFFERENTIATION ALONG AN ELEVATIONAL TRANSECT

Limber pine (Pinus flexilis James) in Colorado occurs on sites from the upper treeline (3,350 m) to the lower treeline (1,650 m). In this study we examined pollination phenology at eight sites along this transect and allozyme frequencies in two populations at either end of the transect to evaluate the level of interpopulation gene flow. Pollen release and megastrobilus receptivity are synchronous within populations, lasting about 15 days. Pollination phenology is strongly affected by site elevation. Most sites that differ in elevation by more than 400 m do not have overlapping pollination periods, and thus interpopulation gene flow is restricted despite strong westerly winds. Gene frequencies are significantly different between upper and lower treeline populations at eight of the ten loci surveyed. Nevertheless, we estimate the level of gene flow to be 11.1 migrants per generation between these two populations. Stepping-stone pollen transfer between intermediate populations and a high level of gene flow via seeds may be responsible. Thus, despite the elevational restriction on long-distance gene flow via pollen, limber pine appears to maintain a high level of interpopulation gene flow.     

The strength of assortative mating for flowering date and its basis in individual variation in flowering schedule

Although it has been widely asserted that plants mate assortatively by flowering time, there is virtually no published information on the strength or causes of phenological assortment in natural populations. When strong, assortative mating can accelerate the evolution of plant reproductive phenology through its inflationary effect on genetic variance. We estimated potential assortative mating for flowering date in 31 old‐field species in Ontario, Canada. For each species, we constructed a matrix of pairwise mating probabilities from the individual flowering schedules, that is the number of flower deployed on successive dates. The matrix was used to estimate the phenotypic correlation between mates, ρ, for flowering date. We also developed a measure of flowering synchrony within species, S, based upon the eigenstructure of the mating matrix. The mean correlation between pollen recipients and potential donors for flowering date was  = 0.31 (range: 0.05–0.63). A strong potential for assortative mating was found among species with high variance in flowering date, flowering schedules of short duration and skew towards early flower deployment. Flowering synchrony, S, was negatively correlated with potential assortment (r = ?0.49), but we go on to show that although low synchrony is a necessary condition for phenological assortative mating, it may not be sufficient to induce assortment for a given phenological trait. The potential correlation between mates showed no seasonal trend; thus, as climate change imposes selection on phenology through longer growing seasons, spring‐flowering species are no more likely to experience an accelerated evolutionary response than summer species.     

Pollination Biology of Distylous Rubiaceae in the Atlantic Rain Forest, SE Brazil

Abstract: Data on pollination biology constitute important clues for the comprehension of pollen flow and genetic differentiation in plant populations. Pollinator type, availability and behaviour may modify morphological and mating patterns in populations of typically distylous species. This study investigates the pollination biology of four distylous species of Rubiaceae in the Atlantic rain forest, SE Brazil. Data on flowering phenology, floral lifespan, stigmatic receptivity, pollen availability, nectar volume and concentration, and pollinator activity were collected. The species studied flower sequentially throughout the wet season, and produce terminal inflorescences which bear small, tubular, diurnal, nectariferous flowers. Despite these similarities, some of the species studied are pollinated by different groups of pollinators, probably due to their distribution, availability of flowers and corolla length. On the other hand, pollinator specificity does not seem to be so important for distylous species. Long mouthparts, like those of most of the recorded pollinators, may reach lower sexual organs and, together with the self- and intramorph-incompatibilities observed, be sufficient to perform legitimate pollination and maintain levels of intermorph mating.     

Flower power: tree flowering phenology as a settlement cue for migrating birds

1. Neotropical migrant birds show a clear preference for stopover habitats with ample food supplies; yet, the proximate cues underlying these decisions remain unclear. 2. For insectivorous migrants, cues associated with vegetative phenology (e.g. flowering, leaf flush, and leaf loss) may reliably predict the availability of herbivorous arthropods. Here we examined whether migrants use the phenology of five tree species to choose stopover locations, and whether phenology accurately predicts food availability. 3. Using a combination of experimental and observational evidence, we show migrant populations closely track tree phenology, particularly the flowering phenology of honey mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa), and preferentially forage in trees with more flowers. Furthermore, the flowering phenology of honey mesquite reliably predicts overall arthropod abundance as well as the arthropods preferred by migrants for food. 4. Together, these results suggest that honey mesquite flowering phenology is an important cue used by migrants to assess food availability quickly and reliably, while in transit during spring migration.     

Cautions on direct gene flow estimation in plant populations

Through simulations we have investigated the statistical properties of two of the main approaches for directly estimating pollen gene flow (m) in plant populations: genotypic exclusion and mating models. When the assumptions about accurately known background pollen pool allelic frequencies are met, both methods provide unbiased results with comparable variances across a range of true m values. However, when presumed allelic frequencies differ from actual ones, which is more likely in research practice, both estimators are biased. We demonstrate that the extent and direction of bias largely depend on the difference (measured as genetic distance) between the presumed and actual pollen pools, and on the degree of genetic differentiation between the local population and the actual background pollen sources. However, one feature of the mating model is its ability to estimate pollen gene flow simultaneously with background pollen pool allelic frequencies. We have found that this approach gives nearly unbiased pollen gene flow estimates, and is practical because it eliminates the necessity of providing independent estimates of background pollen pool allelic frequencies. Violations of the mating model assumptions of random mating within local population affect the precision of the estimates only to a limited degree.     

A Tale of Two Morphs: Modeling Pollen Transfer,Magic Traits,and Reproductive Isolation in Parapatry

The evolution of the flower is commonly thought to have spurred angiosperm diversification. Similarly, particular floral traits might have promoted diversification within specific angiosperm clades. We hypothesize that traits promoting the precise positional transfer of pollen between flowers might promote diversification. In particular, precise pollen transfer might produce partial reproductive isolation that facilitates adaptive divergence between parapatric populations differing in their reproductive-organ positions. We investigate this hypothesis with an individual-based model of pollen transfer dynamics associated with heterostyly, a floral syndrome that depends on precise pollen transfer. Our model shows that precise pollen transfer can cause sexual selection leading to divergence in reproductive-organ positions between populations served by different pollinators, pleiotropically causing an increase in reproductive isolation through a “magic trait” mechanism. Furthermore, this increased reproductive isolation facilitates adaptive divergence between the populations in an unlinked, ecologically selected trait. In a different pollination scenario, however, precise pollen transfer causes a decrease in adaptive divergence by promoting asymmetric gene flow. Our results highlight the idea that magic traits are not “magic” in isolation; in particular, the effect size of magic traits in speciation depends on the external environment, and also on other traits that modify the strength of the magic trait''s influence on non-random mating. Overall, we show that the evolutionary consequences of pollen transfer dynamics can depend strongly on the available pollinator fauna and on the morphological fit between flowers and pollinators. Furthermore, our results illustrate the potential importance of even weak reproductive isolating barriers in facilitating adaptive divergence.     

Phenology and phenotypic natural selection on the flowering time of a deceit-pollinated tropical orchid, Myrmecophila christinae

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Flowering phenology is described and the effect of flowering time on pollination success is evaluated in the deceit-pollinated tropical orchid, Myrmecophila christinae. It was expected that, due to this species' deceit pollination strategy and low observed pollinator visit rate, there would be a higher probability of natural selection events favouring individuals flowering away from the population flowering peak. METHODS: The study covers two consecutive years and four populations of M. christinae located along the north coast of the Yucatán Peninsula. For phenological and pollination success data, a total of 110 individuals were monitored weekly in 1998, and 83 individuals in 1999, during all the flowering and fruiting season. KEY RESULTS: The results showed significant differences in the probability of donating and receiving pollen throughout the flowering season. The probability of receiving or donating pollen increased the further an individual flowering was from the flowering peak. Regression analysis showed directional and disruptive phenotypic natural selection gradients, suggesting the presence of selection events unfavourable to flowering during flowering peak, for both male success (pollen removal) and female success (fruit production). However, the intensity and significance of the natural selection events varied between populations from year to year. The variation between seasons and populations was apparently due to variations in the density of reproductive individuals in each population and each season. CONCLUSIONS: As in other deceit-pollinated orchids, natural selection in M. christinae favours individuals flowering early or late in relation to population peak flowering. However, results also suggested a fluctuating regime of selective events act on flowering time of M. christinae.     

Annual variation in floral phenology and pollen production in a 25‐year‐old plantation of Tectona grandis

Teak is a timber tree that is widely distributed in the tropics. Several studies on pollination and reproductive biology have been conducted, but generally information on flowering phenology and annual variation in total pollen production per tree is lacking. The reproductive phenology as well as flower‐ and pollen grain production of individuals in a population is important to theoreticians, field biologists and plant breeders, as they determine the distribution of genotypes within populations and influences the degree of differentiation among populations. This study reports flowering phenology and variation in total flower, fruit‐ and pollen production per tree in teak in a 25‐year‐old plantation across three consecutive years (2006–2008). The results show that the date of onset and end of flowering was highly variable across years. The longest flowering period of 93 days was observed in 2006. There was an asynchrony in the number of open flowers due to differences in time of anthesis among individuals (± 2 days) and inflorescences within individuals (± 6 h). The production of pollen grains per tree in 2007 was 33%, i.e. 16% more compared to 2006 and 2008. The fruit production per tree was 42% and 27% higher in 2007 compared to 2006 and 2008. Concentration of pollen grains (both on jelly‐coated microscopic slides and stigmas) were highest between noon and 2 pm. At this time, the stigmatic pollen load ranged between 4–8 pollen grains per stigma, which is sufficient for fruit development. The study concludes that the asynchronization of the flower opening might give rise to a high amount of self‐pollination in the stand, ultimately leading to poor fruit setting. Also, the large production of flowers and pollen per tree induced geitonogamy and decreased female fitness, as T. grandis is preferentially an out‐crossing species.     

Reproductive biology and the process of domestication of the columnar cactus Stenocereus Stellatus in Central Mexico

Pollination biology, breeding system, and floral phenology of the columnar cactus Stenocereus stellatus were studied in wild, wild managed in situ and cultivated populations of central Mexico, in order to examine whether these aspects have been modified under domestication and whether they determine reproductive barriers between wild and manipulated individuals. Individuals of both wild and manipulated populations are self-incompatible, indicating that artificial selection has not modified the breeding system. Their pollination biology is also similar. Anthesis is mainly nocturnal, with a peak of nectar production between 0200 and 0400 when the stigma presents maximum turgidity. Nocturnal visitors are the effective pollinators. Nearly 75% of flowers exposed for nocturnal pollination set fruit, while none of the flowers exposed for diurnal pollination produced fruits. The bats Leptonycteris curasoae, L. nivalis, and Choeronycteris mexicana (Glossophaginae) are the most likely pollinators, and their time of foraging is synchronized with the time of nectar production and stigma receptivity in S. stellatus. Bats potentially move pollen over a considerable distance, so there is apparently no spatial isolation to prevent pollen exchange between wild and cultivated populations. Phenological studies showed that there are also no apparent temporal barriers. However, manual cross pollination failed between some domesticated and wild phenotypes, suggesting that gene flow between wild and cultivated populations might be limited by pollen incompatibility.     

Vulnerability of phenological synchrony between plants and pollinators in an alpine ecosystem

The relationship between flowering phenology and abundance of bumble bees (Bombus spp.) was investigated using 2 years of phenological data collected in an alpine region of northern Japan. Abundance of Bombus species was observed along a fixed transect throughout the flowering season. The number of flowering species was closely related to the floral resources for pollinators at the community scale. In the year with typical weather, the first flowering peak corresponded to the emergence time of queen bees from hibernation, while the second flowering peak corresponded to the active period of worker bees. In the year with an unusually warm spring, however, phenological synchrony between plants and bees was disrupted. Estimated emergence of queen bees was 10 days earlier than the first flowering date owing to earlier soil thawing and warming. However, subsequent worker emergence was delayed, indicating slower colony development. The flowering season finished 2 weeks earlier in the warm-spring year in response to earlier snowmelt. A common resident species in the alpine environment, B. hypocrita sapporoensis, flexibly responded to the yearly fluctuation of flowering. In contrast, population dynamics of other Bombus species were out of synchrony with the flowering: their frequencies were highest at the end of the flowering season in the warm-spring year. Therefore, phenological mismatch between flowers and pollinators is evident during warm years, which may become more prevalent in a warmer climate. To understand the mechanism of phenological mismatch in the pollination system of the alpine ecosystem, ground temperature, snowmelt regime, and life cycle of pollinators are key factors.     

Reproductive biology of the endangered cypress Calocedrus macrolepis

We studied the reproductive biology of the endangered species Calocedrus macrolepis. We examined flower phenology and morphology, spatial distribution of male and female cones, pollen viability, variation in pollen density around the crown, and the pollination process. Calocedrus macrolepis is monoecious with unisexual flowers on the same branches. Pollen‐shed from male cones occurred from early September to mid‐February, whereas the female cones were receptive from mid‐September to mid‐March. The inconsistency of flowering periods between male and female cones within populations and among individuals extended the pollination period. There was a layered distribution pattern of male and female cones in the crown, with more male cones in the lower layer and more female cones in the upper layer. This resulted in different selfing and outcrossing rates at various locations. The pollen of C. macrolepis lack airbags, and consequently, it was dispersed within only 10 m of the mother tree. The short pollen dispersal distance could restrict gene flow among different geographical populations. Calocedrus macrolepis is endangered because of its high degree of selfing and inbreeding resulting from its monoecious characteristics and the short distance of pollen spread. These factors may result in a population decline.     

Mating dynamics of Scots pine in isolation tents

Seed orchards are forest tree production populations for supplying the forest industry with consistent and abundant seed crops of superior genetic quality. However, genetic quality can be severely affected by non-random mating among parents and the occurrence of background pollination. This study analyzed mating structure and background pollination in six large isolation tents established in a clonal Scots pine seed orchard in northern Sweden. The isolation tents were intended to form a physical barrier against background pollen and induce earlier flowering relative to the surrounding trees. We scored flowering phenology inside and outside the tents and tracked airborne pollen density inside and outside the seed orchard in three consecutive pollination seasons. We genotyped 5683 offspring collected from the tents and open controls using nine microsatellite loci, and assigned paternity using simple exclusion method. We found that tent trees shed pollen and exhibited maximum female receptivity approximately 1 week earlier than trees in open control. The majority of matings in tents (78.3 %) occurred at distances within two trees apart (about 5 m). Self-fertilization was relatively high (average 21.8 %) in tents without supplemental pollination (SP), but it was substantially reduced in tents with SP (average 7.7 %). Pollen contamination was low in open controls (4.8–7.1 %), and all tents remained entirely free of foreign pollen. Our study demonstrates that tent isolation is effective in blocking pollen immigration and in manipulating flowering phenology. When complimented with supplemental pollination, it could become a useful seed orchard management practice to optimize the gain and diversity of seed orchard crops.     

Real-time patterns of pollen flow in the wild-service tree, Sorbus torminalis (Rosaceae). III. Mating patterns and the ecological maternal neighborhood

Understanding the role of mother plants as pollen recipients in shaping mating patterns is essential for understanding the evolution of populations and in particular to predict the consequence of habitat fragmentation. Here, we investigated variation in mating patterns due to maternal phenotypic traits, phenological variance, and landscape features in Sorbus torminalis, a hermaphroditic, insect-pollinated and low-density, European temperate forest tree. The diversity and composition of pollen clouds received by maternal trees in S. torminalis were mainly determined by their conspecific neighborhood: isolated individuals sample more diversity through more even paternal contributions, low relatedness among paternal genes, and high rates of long-distance pollen dispersal within their progenies. Maternal phenotypic traits related to pollinator attractiveness also had an effect, but only when competition was strong: in this case, larger mother trees with more flowers sampled more diversity. The floral architecture of S. torminalis, with multiple-seeded fruit, strongly shaped mating patterns, with higher levels of correlated paternity among seeds belonging to the same fruit (30% full sibs) than among seeds belonging to different fruits (14% full sibs). Finally, flowering phenology affected the distribution of diversity among maternal pollen clouds, but the earliest and latest mother trees did not receive less diversity of pollen than the others.     

Thank you for not flowering: conservation genetics and gene flow analysis of native and non-native populations of Fraxinus (Oleaceae) in Ireland

The risks of gene flow between interfertile native and introduced plant populations are greatest when there is no spatial isolation of pollen clouds and phenological patterns overlap completely. Moreover, invasion probabilities are further increased if introduced populations are capable of producing seeds by selfing. Here we investigated the mating system and patterns of pollen-mediated gene flow among populations of native ash (Fraxinus excelsior) and mixed plantations of non-native ash (F. angustifolia and F. excelsior) as well as hybrid ash (F. excelsior × F. angustifolia) in Ireland. We analysed the flowering phenology of the mother trees and genotyped with six microsatellite loci in progeny arrays from 132 native and plantation trees (1493 seeds) and 444 potential parents. Paternity analyses suggested that plantation and native trees were pollinated by both native and introduced trees. No signs of significant selfing in the introduced trees were observed and no evidence of higher male reproductive success was found for introduced trees compared with native ones either. A small but significant genetic structure was found (φ_ft=0.05) and did not correspond to an isolation-by-distance pattern. However, we observed a significant temporal genetic structure related to the different phenological groups, especially with early and late flowering native trees; each phenological group was pollinated with distinctive pollen sources. Implications of these results are discussed in relation to the conservation and invasiveness of ash and the spread of resistance genes against pathogens such as the fungus Chalara fraxinea that is destroying common ash forests in Europe.     

新疆荒漠植物耳叶补血草的爆发式开花式样与传粉模式

荒漠环境中干热、大风、浮尘、温度骤变等突发性天气状况,对植物的有性生殖具不利影响.耳叶补血草(Limonium otolepis)是新疆盐生荒漠的主要建群种,对其适应荒漠恶劣环境的生殖策略仍缺乏研究.为了探讨荒漠植物适应环境的开花式样和传粉模式,作者通过野外定点观测和室内电镜扫描等方法对耳叶补血草的开花进程、花部特征、传粉媒介、结实特性等进行了研究.耳叶补血草的花期在6月上旬至7月中旬,花期较长且具明显不同步的单株开花状态.在一天中,单花表现出极为集中的开花、散粉过程:一般早上8:00开始开放,9:00达开放高峰期,11:00以后基本不再有单花开放;开放后的单花持续6-8 h后闭合.每单花平均有花粉752粒,花粉表面有网状纹饰,有花蜜.传粉者主要为蜜蜂科和食蚜蝇科昆虫,访花高峰期在9:00-14:00.人工授粉实验表明耳叶补血草以异交为主,自动自花授粉率低.自然状态下结实率为36％,在花序中基部第一位上单花的结实率(45.7％)明显高于第二位上单花(3.3％).耳叶补血草爆发式开花、在短时间内快速完成传粉过程,可能是躲避荒漠环境突发性天气条件的一种策略;而居群分散的开花时间及较长的花期在应对不稳定生境,分摊生殖风险方面具重要意义.